Amish Country featuring The Mouse Trap

8 a.m. Depart Michigan for Amish Country of Northern Indiana. Lunch will be on your own at South Side Soda Shop. Dine in a restored diner with dining car & a 1940s soda fountain on classic American eats, shakes & malts. Featured on The Food Network “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” and in Gourmet magazine. In-house bakery, daily specials, fresh seafood, chili, homemade soups, sandwiches & pie. A local will meet you and take you around the downtown area to stop at a few small family owned businesses. Your first stop in town this afternoon is Olympia Candy Kitchen, which has been welcoming visitors for almost a century in its unchanged location in downtown Goshen, Indiana remaining a family run business, passed through 4 generations over 100 years. All their candies are handmade from scratch including the famous Turtles, which are made with their own home- made caramel, plus the famous Chocolate-Covered Cherries, which were so popular that they were served at the Inaugural Balls of both President Reagan and President George H.W. Bush. They also offer a wide variety of the highest quality hand-dipped sweets, such as creams and chocolate covered peanuts plus a great selection of gummy candies, jellybeans, licorice, and other non-chocolate treats. Next stop is Soapy Gnome, an independent shop specializing in handcrafted soap and body care products. Soap made with locally crafted beer. Soap made with local fresh pressed apple cider. Soap combining Lavender with herbs. These and many more interesting and unusual concoctions make up her handcrafted and aromatic soaps, lotions, body bars, oils and more. Enjoy a soap making demonstration as well as a tour of the facility. Everyone gets a handcrafted bar of soap to take home. Enjoy a pick-me up this afternoon with an included beverage of your choice at Electric Brew Gourmet Coffee & Tea Shop. Check into your hotel and have a bit of time to freshen up before we depart for our evening’s activities. Tonight, enjoy the delicious traditional Amish Threshers Buffet Dinner served in the hand-hewn beamed century-old Restaurant Barn. Then proceed to the 1911 restored now-state-of-the-art Round Barn Theatre for an evening of exceptional musical entertainment. Tonight’s show is “Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap”. Brimming with intrigue, sophisticated humor and surprising twists, Agatha Christie’s iconic murder mystery is the world’s longest-running play. After a woman is murdered, the guests and staff at Monkswell Manor find themselves stranded during a snowstorm. It soon becomes clear that the killer is among them, and the seven strangers grow increasingly suspicious of one another. When a second murder takes place, tensions and fears escalate. This murder mystery features a brilliant surprise finish from Dame Agatha Christie. Overnight at the Comfort Suites Elkhart North. (D)

Enjoy a hot continental breakfast at your hotel this morning. Your day begins at the Nappanee Center. This hidden gem is still maintained by the Library and tells the story of Nappanee through permanent, rotating and special displays. The warmth of a hometown welcome awaits you in beautiful Nappanee by an Amish guide who will share her story, culture, and knowledge of this very close-knit community. Hear the steady clip-clop of horses on peaceful country roads connecting groups to a simpler time. Your day will be filled with authentic experiences as you visit businesses necessary to Amish settlements. Together with your guide you will come to see why their town motto is “Embrace the Pace.” --Shopping at Rentown, an Amish Bulk Food Store --Amish clock maker demo & workshop tour --Amish Quilt & Fabric Shop demo & shopping time --Amish Country Variety Store --Coppes Commons Hoosier Cabinet display & shopping complex—The renovated factory now houses a variety of specialty shops offering locally-made, handcrafted and freshly-baked items. Get a glimpse into the history of the Coppes Kitchens while visiting the cabinet museum and shopping this rambling brick building. Watch ice-cream treats freeze before your eyes with liquid nitrogen; sample 50 flavors of gourmet popcorn; buy fresh baked goods, cheeses, hot BBQ and bulk foods; or search for treasure in our antique mall. --Cinnamon Roll Making Demo/Lesson with an Amish housewife Lunch is included today at Hunter’s Hideway Bar & Grill, with offerings of burgers, sandwiches, wraps, and salads. Our last stop of the day is at the Bonneyville Mill & Gardens. One of the most photographed spots in Elkhart County, this handsomely restored mill is the oldest continuously operating gristmill in Indiana. It’s been producing flour for over 150 years. Hear the rumbling of huge millstones grinding grain into flour as the friendly miller tells all about the process. Flour and corn-meal are for sale, so be sure to take home a bag. The beautiful county park surrounding the mill offers the perfect opportunity for a scenic fall walk and photo. Make sure and ask for the corn bread recipe! Arrive back home around 8pm this evening. (B,L)