'Indiana's Most Famous Antique Alley' Is A Charming Trail For The Ultimate Midwest Shopping Spree

For many, "antiquing" is one of the best excuses for a road trip. Not only do you get to take a long drive in the country, but you can stop at one roadside store after another, browsing displays for your next vintage find. Antiquing lies at the intersection of travel, history, and shopping; time-tested wares are the main reason to come, yet the shops themselves may occupy vintage storefronts, converted barns, or even private homes, making the environments just as fascinating as their stock. Hunting for old items often means getting close and personal with a given community.

That's the idea behind Indiana's Antiques Alley, an established loop through Wayne and Henry Counties, just east of Indianapolis. There are lots of famous antiquing routes through the American heartland, including these 10 best Midwest destinations, but Antique Alley boasts an astonishing 1,200 different dealers. The stores are scattered along about 66 miles of scenic byways and clustered in a handful of small towns. You can theoretically use Interstate 70 to beeline from one end to the other, but the circuit is designed for more immersive travel; you can cover these secondary highways and country roads in a day, or you can stay overnight in one of many local hotels. If you're already on the lookout for the best Midwest destinations, this is one region that's worth visiting more than once.

The Antique Alley brochure recommends you start in Richmond, a sizable commercial center of about 35,000 residents. Richmond is the largest population center on the itinerary, and it's a logical base camp for exploring the region. From there, you can drive west to Cambridge City, which is well known as Antique Alley's "hub"; 13 respected antique shops are based in this town of about 1,700 people. This includes the National Road Antique Mall, a shared emporium in the middle of town that houses no fewer than 100 antique dealers and their aged treasures. Even the most casual collector could spend hours rummaging through the tightly packed stalls.

The route continues to Knightstown (pop. 2,200), which also boasts both antique shops and its own Glass Cupboard Antique Mall. From here, shoot up to the towns of New Castle and Hagerstown; they don't have the same volume of antiquing (one main store each), but it's a great motivation to drive pastoral country motorways like State Road 38. On your way, you can stop for a bite at a range of local eateries: The Ink & Ale Brewhouse in New Castle is a popular spot for craft beer and live music, while Block & Brew steakhouse in Knightstown serves Wangyu beef and bison burgers.

If you complete the loop and are still hungering for Tiffany lamps and decorative porcelain, you can dedicate a whole separate day to Antique Alley's "Trail 2." This second loop takes you eastward, across state lines into Ohio. The brochure suggests starting in Winchester, about 25 miles north of Richmond, though this route can still be anchored to the same town. The main attraction here is Greenville, Ohio, a robust town (pop. 12,700) with three prominent antique stores.

The biggest local airport is Indianapolis International, about 90 minutes from Richmond by car (or an hour from Knightsville). If you're flying into the region and want to maximize your time in Indiana, this is the best way to go. But if you're more interested in Trail 2, you could fly into Dayton International Airport and start your journey in Clayton, only 15 minutes away by car. In fact, Richmond is only 40 minutes away from Dayton; just be aware that this airport isn't quite the hub that Indianapolis International is.

If you're driving through the Midwest, Interstate 70 passes right through Antique Alley, and you're just an exit away from many of these towns. For serious collectors, driving your own car is prudent; antiques can be fragile and unwieldy, and you may benefit from some extra trunk space. These towns aren't well connected by mass transit, so you should plan to drive here regardless.

All of the larger towns on the Antique Alley trails have at least a couple of places to stay, but this is another reason Richmond is considered a lynchpin: The town has a dozen or so hotels, most of them gathered near the intersection of Highway 40 and Interstate 70, so they're easy to find. The majority are generic chains, but it's very possible to stay the night for less than $100. In the warmer months, you can also find several established campgrounds around Richmond. Indiana is a great place to visit with an RV; here are Indiana's 5 best state parks for RV camping, depending on your priorities.