Five Fun Things to do: Winter Fun near Pokagon State Park

Heading to Northern Indiana this winter to enjoy tobogganing? It’s certainly a wonderful way to have some winter fun in Pokagon State Park, but if you are anything like our family you’ll want to discover all the other things to do in the area! Here are five fun things to do for winter fun near Pokagon State Park.

1. Find a great local restaurant near Pokagon State Park

There are a number of interesting and delicious-sounding restaurants in the area, so you’ll have no trouble finding one that appeals to you. We arrived around lunchtime and decided to try out 6 Autumns. It did not disappoint.

My daughter and I split the salmon meal which came with two sides (we picked the vegan squash soup and some AMAZING homemade mac & cheese), while my husband and son enjoyed the fish and chips. It came with two sides also (fries and a salad).

The portions were large, we had plenty of food even with splitting meals. Their beer list was fantastic. There are about a dozen beers on tap (mostly local), and another large list of bottles and cans. Definitely something for everyone.

Located right off the interstate, 6 Autumns is in a building attached to the Ramada Inn – but don’t let that scare you. We didn’t and I’m glad. Excellent choice. 6 Autumns; 3855 N State Rd. 127, Angola, IN (260) 624-3644

2. Visit a winery

Near Pokagon State Park are several lovely wineries. I could definitely see this as a great girls’ weekend combining shopping, hanging out at the Inn, and visiting wineries. As we had our kids in tow, we decided to just visit one.

We walked into Satek Winery (rhymes with “attic”) just as another couple was finishing up their wine tasting. Once they had been rung up, we started chatting with Robin. She let us know that we could taste up to 8 wines each, AND the wine tasting was free!

Talk about a bargain.

I tend to like whites whereas my husband prefers reds, so we ended up trying a bit of both. Satek also has some excellent fruit wines and ports (a few of which may have come home with us). When you purchase the fruit wine, they give you a postcard with some drink recipes on it – in case you want to mix things up.

I know the mango wine I purchased will be used for wine slushies this summer – yum! Satek Winery; 6208 N. Van Guilder Rd.   Fremont, Indiana; 260-495-WINE

3. Visit nearby Angola, Indiana

 Just a few miles from the park is the charming town of Angola. Visiting this adorable town would definitely qualify as winter fun near Pokagon State Park!

We found a number of very interesting antique shops including what was by far the nicest and cleanest antique shop I have ever been in. It was huge, well-organized, and fun to poke around in.

We’ve discovered that if we give the kids something specific to look for, they will happily browse antique stores for quite some time! Downtown Angola is also home to a lovingly restored theatre – if we had another night in town we would have definitely gone to a movie just to enjoy the atmosphere.

4. Have fun at the outlets

Right off the interstate and a short drive from Pokagon State Park is a small outlet center. The older section is a bit run down with very few stores, but there is a newer section with some excellent choices (Gap Factory, Bass, American Eagle, etc.). If you are looking for some deals, you might just get lucky.

We also enjoyed checking out The Pickle Factory outlet. We discovered a new favorite that happened to be on closeout at $2 a jar – if only we had purchased more! The Outlet Shoppes at Freemont; 6245 Old U.S. 27 Fremont, IN; (260) 833-1516

5. Visit the buffalo

The final winter fun near Pokagon State Park suggestion is to visit Wild Wind Buffalo Preserve. Sadly the preserve is only open on Saturdays in the winter, but we did drive by and peek in.

If you are in the area on a Saturday, from what I hear, this is a must-see. Everyone we asked suggested this as a fun way to spend a few hours. I’ve already added it to my list for when we return in the summertime. Wild Winds Buffalo Preserve; 6975 N Ray Rd., Freemont, IN; (260) 495-0127

Even though the area is slower and quieter in the winter months (we heard from several locals that the population more than doubles in the summertime), there are still plenty of winter fun and interesting things to do to keep you and your family busy near Pokagon State Park. We only stayed one night and on the drive home commented that we wished we had extended our stay for another.

👉 Ready to book your getaway of weekend fun near Pokagon State Park? Find the perfect lodging for your family here.

What activities do you look for when you travel in the winter? Do you find it harder to find things to do?

Pin this post for later so that when you visit Pokagon State Park you’ll have a list of fun things to do: