Whenever I’m going to travel somewhere in the U.S. that isn’t a typical tourist destination, people always ask me why I’d bother going. I always tell them the same thing – that these destinations never disappoint me and are, instead, a wealth of undiscovered treasures. Fort Wayne, Indiana is a perfect example. I discovered so many wonderful surprises there, which I’m happy to share this Editor’s Pick with Real Food Travel readers.

Save this article to Pinterest to help you plan your visit to Fort Wayne, IN. Photo and graphic by RealFoodTraveler.com.

7 Surprising Things to Discover in Fort Wayne, IN

A Place to Sleep in Style:

The Bradley Hotel
Conveniently located in the heart of downtown Fort Wayne, The Bradley is a boutique hotel designed by Barbara Bradley Baekgaard, co-founder of Vera Bradley, whose fabric, bags, linens, wallpapers and more embrace beautiful florals and other designs. Between the beautiful colors and patterns and Barbara’s interest in art, The Bradley has a very unique look and is quite a surprise, far from the typical hotel vibe.

Baekgaard chose unique art throughout the hotel including some by local artists that is both traditional and contemporary. Be sure to spend some time looking at the art when you stay there.

There are 124 rooms and two restaurants at The Bradley. Birdie’s Rooftop Bar, upstairs, offers great views of downtown Fort Wayne and is decorated in a southern Florida style to honor Baekgaard’s childhood there. Arbor, the corner restaurant on the ground floor, offers home-cooked-style meals and big windows. The adjoining coffee shop is an easy place to stop for a drink and a bite in the morning if you don’t want to have a sit-down meal. After all, there’s so much to do in Ft. Wayne, you want to get at it!

Scenes inside and out of The Bradley Hotel which features local art and design.

A Thriving and Supported Arts Scene:

Fort Wayne Museum of Art at the Arts Campus, is a smallish place with a surprising collection of art, especially glass. The fact that it’s a smaller museum means you can spend a good amount of time there, really enjoying everything, without feeling like there’s a ton to cover. They have one of the fastest growing collections of Studio Glass in the Midwest with a new, permanent glass wing with nearly 400 glass sculptures. Some pieces are big and bold, others are delicate, many are gravity-defying and all are stunning. Be sure to see their latest acquisition, Sunflower, by Christopher Ries which weighs 1,110 pounds and is carved from a single glass block. Later in 2024, a new chandelier by Dale Chihuly and a major display of smaller works will be on view.

Just one of the dramatic glass works found at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art.

Public Art & Mural Walking Tour takes you on an easy stroll around downtown Fort Wayne seeing fun, thought-provoking, whimsical, beautiful and majestic works of art, many in places that will surprise you. See below about how the city is incorporating accessibility into the art.

Go on an art walk throughout downtown Fort Wayne, discovering varying architecture and dramatic works of art. A convenient phone app is a helpful guide.

Hungry for more? Get our list of unusual things you’ll be glad you packed.

The Chance to Get to Know Yourself Better:

The Genealogy Center is the U.S.’s second largest genealogy collection (Salt Lake City’s is the largest but the two often collaborate on information). On your own, or with the assistance of one of the library’s experienced staff members, you can peruse more than 1 million resources to research family lineage. Several members of the group I was traveling with either discovered surprising things they didn’t know about their heritage or had things confirmed with new details and photos they’d never seen. The Genealogy Center is an incredible resource that people the world over tap into – and it’s right there in Fort. Wayne!

The Genealogy Center has a surprising amount of documentation to sort through and a friendly, knowledgeable staff.

Places to Shop and Create:

At The Hedge Creative House, owner, and all-around fun person, Julie Wall is happy to explain how printmaking works. Her tiny shop occupies the front of her studio space so you can see her at work in the back while you shop for earrings, candles, artwork and vintage trophies for things for which you wouldn’t ordinarily think would be award-winning. Take one of her workshops (private lessons are available), to learn her craft. And see some of her beautiful botanical prints in the guestrooms at The Bradley!

Ways to Commune with Nature:

Promenade Park is the most natural place to explore where Fort Wayne was built, at the confluence of the Saint Joseph, Saint Mary’s and Maumee Rivers. Focus on the subterranean serenity, getting a new perspective on buildings above while aboard the Sweet Breeze boat tour.  Relaxing and informative (there’s live narration), you’ll see wildlife, greenery, kayakers and canoers. Promenade Park is in its first phase of completion but includes water equipment rentals, water trails, the Treetop Canopy Trail and kids’ canal.

Promenade Park is a new attraction in downtown Fort Wayne that connects visitors to nature in fun ways.

Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory is an oasis in downtown Fort Wayne. Stroll the Tropical Garden where multiple levels and secret paths take you wandering among orchids, palm trees, a waterfall and other lush plants. Visit their other gardens inside and out where you’ll find it surprisingly easy to forget you’re in the heart of the city.

The Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory immerses visitors in various gardens in the heart of downtown.

A Food and Drink Scene to Feast On:

Brooklyn Pints Microcreamery is a tiny, husband-and-wife-owned, shop in a ground-level space of a beautiful apartment building tucked in a neighborhood of charming homes. The couple hand-crafts their own products, coming up with ever-changing, creative flavors like the popular Thai Coffee and Cinnamon Honey. They also make their own waffle cones. I’ve never had such a difficult time choosing flavors, since they are so unique, both regular and dairy-free.

When you can’t decide on a flavor, get a flight with four plus a cone wafer on the side. It’s all made in-house at Brooklyn Pints Microcreamery.

GK Café & Provisions is a European-inspired café in downtown, not far from The Bradley. This is where to go to get your pastry fix! Enjoy gorgeous croissants, cinnamon rolls, scones and purchase some local products.

Junk Ditch Brewing’s name may not make you think of high-quality food but this restaurant located in the old Korte Paper Company Warehouse was quite the surprise. The food exceptional. Everything is made from scratch and uses ingredients from local farms. Their claims to fame are the fried brussels sprouts and spicy duck fat fries. I can attest to both being worth ordering. Sip some of their house brews too. By the way, the name refers to the Junk Ditch which is a tributary of the St. Mary’s River.

The Fried Brussels Sprouts are hugely popular at Junk Ditch Brewing, made with feta cheese, cranberry, shallot, gremolata, pepita seeds and lemon agrodolce. They go great with one of the in-house beers.

Rune opened spring of 2024, after I visited, giving me another reason to return to Fort Wayne. Opened by Chef Sean Richardson, a James Beard Foundation Award nominee, Rune’s concept is to offer food and drink from regionally-foraged ingredients. They serve snacks, pastas, proteins and desserts meant to share. They are open for dinner and Sunday brunch.

The Hoppy Gnome is another brewery and restaurant that serves scratch-made tacos, tortas and other chef-driven dishes along with eclectic beers. One of the most unique aspects of Hoppy Gnome is that you can brew your own beer there on mini-equipment with some guidance from the pros. For those visiting, you’ll have to be sticking around for a few weeks to be able to pick up your finished product – but that’s a great reason to plan a “workation” in Fort Wayne.

The Landing, near The Bradley, is a residential and dining destination covering what was originally an 1800s pioneer depot and dock for Wabash and Erie Canal boat traffic. Although there are several restaurants to choose from, I dined at the Mercado, a Cali-Mexican spot with a Chicano-inspired food and drink menu. Don’t miss the Elote Street Corn, Los Tacos Combo, Mexi-Cali Dumplings, and the Tropical Mango Ceviche served in an adorable pink ceramic pig.

Colorful and delicious food and drink at the Mercado in The Landing.

Hungry for more? Hear our podcast conversation with the owner of Mercado.

The Oyster Bar is a must-visit place in Fort Wayne. After all, thousands upon thousands of people have been visiting it since it first opened in 1888! Still in its original location, owned by Kara and Tony West since 2022, the place is snug, especially since it’s hugely popular and tables are close to each other to accommodate as many people as possible. That means you’re going to be sitting close to those you came with and your table-neighbors. No matter, it’s all part of the vibe. They are known for the variety of types of oysters and preparations from raw on the half shell to Rockefeller style. If oysters aren’t your thing, there are other seafood dishes, meat, poultry, salads and soups.

No visit to Fort Wayne, IN is complete without a meal at The Oyster Bar in Ft. Wayne.

Union Street Market at the Electric Works is a prime example of redevelopment-done-right. Dating back to the late 1800s, the former General Electric plant campus of buildings on nearly 40 acres once employed around 10,000 workers. The campus sat unoccupied for years until developers reimagined it into a mixed-use neighborhood that honors the old while creating the brand spankin’ new. That includes Union Street Market, a food hall and public market opened in late 2022. Take a lap around the offerings before making up your mind about which vendor to order from, lest you have FOMO (fear of missing out). I suggest getting an appetizer from one, entrée from another, and dessert from another to share the love for the businesses and tummy-love for yourself. You could grab a sandwich, Middle Eastern cuisine, pizza, Thai food, plus produce and other goods (check out both sides of the space).

Get provisions, drinks, and a meal at Union Street Market, part of a former GE plant.

Easy Day Trips Just Outside Fort Wayne:

With all that Fort Wayne has to offer, one doesn’t naturally think “I wonder what else there is around here?” But there are places within an easy drive that do offer some additional surprises to your Fort Wayne adventures.

DeKalb County
A lovely, pastoral drive leads to a destination where car enthusiasts from all over the country head for auto events, their festivals, restaurants, museums, shopping and wineries. Yes, wineries! Country Heritage is one of them, located on a 100-year-old, family-owned farm. They’ve created more than 24 award-winning wines. There, you can enjoy bruschetta boards, wood-fired pizza, cider, slushies and, of course, wine. One of their most popular is “LaCrescent,” using estate-grown fruit.

The owners of Country Heritage built this special room for dinners and other special events.

For those who really want to immerse in nature, there’s Chain o’Lakes State Park that takes advantage of nine connecting lakes. Paddle through them and go on a hike among the 23 miles of trail. For something completely different, make a stop at the Annie Oakley Perfumery where you can create your own signature scent from essential oils. After sniffing a wide variety of scents, I was surprised to find out that my tastes have changed over the years from loving floral scents to something a little more peppery. I came away with my own blend that I love to use as a perfume and in a diffuser. You can also purchase ready-made scents that they have created. It’s a very interesting stop – allow some time to let your creativity flow.

Kosciusko County
Make time to visit Warsaw Cut Glass Company, which opened its doors in 1911. It’s one of the last American facilities practicing the art of cutting glass. The work is done free-hand on original, belt-driven wheels. What they turn out are beautiful glassware, pitchers, bowls and other decorator items you can shop for (they’ll ship them home for you).

Using original, historic equipment and techniques, Warsaw Glass makes beautiful products.

Do some more shopping at Whetstone Woodenware, a family-owned store selling handmade wooden spoons, ladles, bowls, cutting boards and more that are sold world-wide. I bought a small spoon for scooping olives that has holes in the bottom to let the brine flow out – brilliant.

Allow a few hours to meander Winona Lake, a charming village with cottage homes, shops, canals (now that was a surprise!) and, of course, the Lake. Rent a bike from Trailhouse Village Bicycles to get the lay of the land and then check out all of the independent shops. I bought earring-makings, clothing, soaps and more and enjoyed chatting with each of the shopkeepers.

Get a bite to eat at one of the village’s restaurants including the Boathouse Restaurant with great views of the water while enjoying a prime rib sandwich, salads, seafood and more.

Hungry for more? Get Indiana’s famous Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich recipe.

Roanoke
As part of that same roadtrip day, visit this area with loads of shopping in a small-town atmosphere. Plan on dinner at Joseph Decuis right there along the main drag in Roanoke. Feast on the Wagyu beef they raise which uses traditional Japanese husbandry practices including being all natural, humane, drug-free and stress-free. The restaurant is owned by Pete and Alice Eshelman who you may very well see having dinner there with friends. Check out the pretty courtyard in the center too, especially at dusk. It’s surprisingly magical.

Back in Fort Wayne, a visit at Sweetwater Music Store is a must on the way to the airport. Music fans will be very familiar with the name of the largest music store in the U.S. which ships items all over. To be able to visit “the source” is a big deal. In the 40,000 square foot facility, music is everywhere from demo studios to shopping for every kind of instrument and element of musical equipment possible, plus live music in the Sweetwater café, a cafeteria with a comfortable dining room. Enjoy the free lunchtime concerts beside Sweetwater employees for whom this is just one of the many nice perks they get. At the very least, get a commemorative T-shirt which will include their iconic sticker and little bag of candy in the bag, a sweet surprise for plane ride home.

Whether you play, perform, or just enjoy music, Sweetwater Music Store shouldn’t be missed in Fort Wayne.

A word about accessibility in Fort Wayne…

The city leads the U.S. in investing in accessibility. They are a hub for adaptive sports and are home to one of two paralympic training sites in the Midwest. To that end, they’ve invested more than $151 million in supporting facilities and renovations to provide a more inclusive community. Visitors will see that in several places and ways including Promenade Park, and, next year at the Arts United Center theatre and at the Fort Wayne International Airport. Around the downtown area, visitors will see 3D-printed models next to murals to assist people with visual impairments, inclusive playgrounds, a bouldering mound and sensory kits at major performance venues.

Reliefs of elements of nearby murals are part of Fort Wayne’s accessibility initiatives. This mural is Big Peony by Ouizi.

For more information about visiting Fort Wayne, Indiana, check out their tourism website.

-Story and photos by Courtney Drake-McDonough, Publisher & Managing Editor

Use our Real Food Travel affiliate links to plan your trip: Hotels.com and Expedia.com. While these links do not, in any way, change your search, reservation or pricing experience, we may receive a small commission on purchases.

Please note: I visited Fort Wayne, Indiana as part of a tour set up for food- and travel-writing journalists to facilitate being able to write about the destination. The majority of the trip was hosted, as is common practice, but does not sway how we inform our readers about the opportunities that await them. 

Hungry for more? Read our other Editor’s Pick articles.