FROG International Rally Announces 2017 Amish Country Tours
3/2/2017 12:00:00 AM
Among the most popular features of the FROG International Rally are the optional tours in and around Amish Country. This year we're expanding the number of tours to twelve from nine, repeating some old favorites that always fill up fast and adding some new and exciting destinations.
Registration for these tours, all of which include air-conditioned bus transportation and a meal as part of the package, will open in April as part of the FROG Rally registration. Note that the cost of these tours is not included in your FROG Rally registration fee.
Here's a list and summary of this year's tours to help you with your planning. Thanks to Cindy and to Sonya Nash of the Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau for their long hours and hard work in planning the tours.
Optional Tours for 2017 FROG International Rally
Visit several local Amish quilt shops, make a fabric flower, see some of the famous Quilt Gardens of Amish Country, and have lunch at a Victorian Tea Room.
Our annual tour of Amish run businesses such as Rise ‘n’ Roll bakery, E & S Amish bulk food store, Guggisberg Cheese, and Silverstar leather maker. For lunch you will have the traditional Amish Wedding Feast, hear the story of an Amish wedding, listen to the music and see an Amish wedding dress. In the afternoon you will visit a casket maker, and stop at the local buggy shop.
3. Lunch and Matinee performance of “Mennonite Girls Can Cook”
Have lunch at the Blue Gate, Shipshewana’s premier Amish restaurant and then go upstairs to see the matinee performance of “Mennonite Girls Can Cook”. Fun and excitement abound when two Mennonite women hosting a local, small town cooking show attract the attention of some big time Hollywood producers. Everyone in town wants to get their fifteen minutes of fame!
Take a hay wagon ride with your local guide to hand feed the American Bison. Learn about the intricacies of raising, feeding, and managing this wild animal. After the tour, enjoy a dinner of bison roast, pulled pork, baked potatoe, coleslaw, applesauce, corn muffin, and dessert. After dinner enjoy a leisurely one hour cruise on Lake Wawasee aboard the SS Lilypad. Complimentary snacks and non-alcoholic beverages will be served. Alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase
5. Enjoy “Saturday Night at Old Smokey” on Tuesday
Have buffet dinner at Das Dutchmen Essenhaus, one of Elkhart county’s premier Amish eateries. Spend a few moments enjoying the quilts, gifts, and bakery. Following dinner, cross the street to see “Saturday Night at Old Smokey” – the Ron Osborne play about a general store where Saturday night jamborees on the front porch rivaled the Grand Old Opry. The store has fallen on hard times and the locals want to restore it to its former glory.
See over 50 rare and historic aircraft on display. Walk through the history of aviation from a replica of the first Wright Brothers Flyer to the SR-71B Blackbird. Experience the RealD 3D/4D theater presentation “A Salute to Heroes”, an immersive 4D World War II bombing mission aboard the B-17 “Kalamazoo Gal”. Box lunches with a variety of sandwiches will be provided. After lunch spend more time in the main exhibit area or take an optional tour of the Restoration Center.
7. Amish Brown Bag Tour (same as Tuesday)
Our annual tour of Amish run businesses such as Rise n Roll bakery, E & S Amish bulk food store, Guggisberg Cheese, and Silverstar leather maker. For lunch you will have the traditional Amish Wedding Feast, hear the story of an Amish wedding, listen to the music and see an Amish wedding dress. In the afternoon you will visit a casket maker, and stop at the local buggy shop.
8. Lunch, Laughter, and Licks
Begin your afternoon with the Threshers meal at Amish Acres. Before making your way to the historic Round Barn Theater, shop at the Meat & Cheese Cbain or the Soda Fountain/Fudgery. Then enjoy a matinee presentation of “Guys and Dolls” – you’ll come away humming the familiar tunes like “If I Were a Bell”, or “You’re Rockin’ the Boat”. On the way home you will experience Rocket Science Ice Cream – watch as they make your flavor right in front of you – quick frozen with liquid nitrogen.
9. Rollin’ on the River plus Classy Chassis
Spend a summer afternoon cruising down the river on the Elkhart River Queen. Hear history of the area and see beautiful riverfront homes. Reboard the bus for the drive to Middlebury. Have buffet dinner at Das Dutchmen Essenhaus, one of Elkhart county’s premier Amish eateries. After dinner stroll among the 200+ cars that show up for the weekly Cruise In (weather permitting). For those that are not car buffs the Shops at Essenhaus offer clothing, quilts, gifts and baked goods.
Enjoy a prime rib dinner complete with salad, mashed potatoes, glazed baby carrots, dinner rolls, and cheesecake for dessert. While you are dining the Lilypad will take you for a two hour cruise on Lake Wawasee – the largest lake completely contained within the borders of Indiana (the Great Lakes border other states).
The Chicago Cubs won the 2016 World Series (sorry St Louis Cardinals) and you have the opportunity to see the next generation of Chicago Cubs by attending a game at Four Winds Field, home of the South Bend Cubs the Chicago Cubs farm team. There will be an all you can eat buffet featuring hamburgers, hot dogs, pasta salad, potato chips, and chocolate chip cookies with non-alcoholic beverages. (Alcohol is available for purchase.) You will enjoy the game from padded seats and you will be shaded from the sun by your own South Bend Cubs souvenir baseball cap.
12. Quirky Collections with a 50’s Pizza Party
Start your afternoon with lunch at Hingecraft Car Room and 50’s Pizza Parlor. Listen to 50’s music as you marvel at Lanny Ranger’s personal car collection, life size Elvis, Coca Cola memorabilia, and of course a pizza lunch. Continue your tour as the guests of Dave and Denise Sanders. You will see their collection of 300+ pedal cars, vintage and classic cars, and other related memorabilia. While this collection is well known in the Elkhart area, it is not open to the public. End the afternoon visiting Dick LaVanture as he shares his passion for everything military including guns, military vehicles, and many other military items.