Vevay, Indiana
No wonder it was voted Budget Travel magazine’s #4 coolest small town in America!
Ohio River view from our hotel
me, before the Media Celebrity Grape Stomp
My first trip to Vevay (pronounced Vee-vee) was on August 29, 2009. I — along with a stuffed animal version of FOX 41 mascot Snow Fox– represented our Louisville TV station in the Swiss Wine Festival parade and competed in the Media Celebrity Grape Stomp for Charity. Unfortunately, weighing the least and having the smallest feet, I came in dead last among nearly 20 stompers from the Louisville, Cincinnati, and Indianapolis media markets, producing only three cups of grape juice in two minutes! That’s the first time I’ve ever claimed last place in any competition. But it was a really fun and relaxing day, full of good food and nice people.
Best Western Ogle Haus Inn lobby
I didn’t have time that day to explore the rest of the town because I had to go straight to work after I finished my part in the festival. So my husband and I went back just over a month later, on October 12. We stayed for just 24 hours, but it felt like the most luxuriously long vacation we’ve had in a while. Things are slower paced in small towns like Vevay, so we had enough time to see almost everything and take it all in. We stayed in a huge, very nice suite with his-and-her vanities and an elevated whirlpool-jet hot tub with steps outside the tub at Best Western Ogle Haus Inn. I know, you’re thinking, Best Western… nice? It was unexpectedly charming, set on the Ohio River (which divides Indiana and Kentucky). The hotel used to be owned by Paul Ogle, but now it’s run by Best Western, which renovated it in 2006. Vevay also has several lovely bed & breakfasts in historic mansions.
Danner's Hardware in downtown Vevay
Vevay, IN is the birthplace of American commercial winemaking, so you’ll find wine tasting opportunities, like at Ridge Winery Tasting Room. You’ll also -find shopping and dining on a small scale in downtown. We spent a morning and afternoon taking an easy stroll down just a few short blocks, stopping into such quaint shops as Edelweiss Floral & Gifts, Signatures, The Mercantile, and other stores that sell antiques and Amish goods. Danner’s Hardware is Indiana’s oldest business still in its original location. Julia Knox House is a historic mansion converted into a gift, furniture, and accessories shop. Be sure to pay a visit to the Switzerland County Historical Museum and “Life on the Ohio” River History Museum and ask for the guided tour; you’ll take a very interesting step back in time, back to when the Swiss settled the area.
As for food, I highly recommend the steak tacos I had for lunch at Los Bandidos, a new Mexican restaurant with staff just as friendly as the other shopkeepers we encountered in this tranquil town.
Plus, Belterra Casino Resort & Spa is just seven miles from Vevay, in nearby Florence, IN. There you can find such gems as Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse and upscale boutiques. And take a ride on a zipline at Dagaz Acres in Rising Sun.
