Exploring Fort Wayne, Indiana and its black owned businesses is the perfect weekend trip for someone coming from Chicago, Illinois. The drive can be done in under four hours and is an excellent way to save money through road travel. If you were to take a solo trip, bring a group of friends, significant other or your family to Fort Wayne, there’s something for everyone to enjoy during a short trip to the city. My partner in crime during my trip was my Dad who got to tag along with me to discover what Fort Wayne has to offer.
Fort Wayne has seen some changes in the past several years to modernize and revitalize the city. As stated by the City of Fort Wayne, the Riverfront Park Public Space at Promenade Park was completed in August 2019. In March of this year the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Bridge received new, updated replacement plaques to honor Dr. King in the community. Fort Wayne currently has the first woman and first black woman as mayor, Mayor Sharon Tucker. According to the most recent 2020 US Census Bureau, Fort Wayne has a population of fifteen percent who identify as Black. Let’s get into the nuts and bolts of my itinerary for the weekend.
The first stop of our trip was Mercado in The Landing. The Landing is a quaint one-block area with plenty of dining and entertainment options to choose from in the downtown Fort Wayne area. Mercado serves Cali-Mexican cuisine with a nice set-up at the restaurant. Not only is their restaurant well decorated with beautiful artwork and a sizable bar, but they have a ton of outdoor seating as well. When we arrived on that Friday early afternoon, the restaurant was quite packed. I cannot leave out their lunch menu is reasonably affordable with a number of options. I enjoyed my tacos with rice and beans. The perfect start to the trip.
The Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory was a nice 10 minute walk from Mercado. This activity is a great way to see multiple gardens in a climate controlled environment. If it's too hot or too cold outside, consider going to visit. I loved my time here, checking out all the extraordinary plants, beautiful flowers, and even got to see a waterfall. If you’re visiting the Botanical Conservatory on a Thursday from 5-8pm, admission is only $1!
The African/ African American Historical Museum is a great idea to visit to learn about the African diaspora in Fort Wayne since 1809 and present day. The second floor was closed to the public during our visit but the first floor had plenty of history to discover. I always appreciate when cities have a museum about African American history. If you plan to visit, make sure you contact them to schedule an appointment.
Hideout 125 was our dinner reservation for the evening. Hideout 125 is an extremely cool prohibition style restaurant and bar that has a ton of different drinks to choose from and a decently sized menu. This black owned business is set to expand to a nearby location that is being built from the ground up. The restaurant was packed when we got there and packed when we left. I enjoyed not only our waiter but the bartenders were doing their thing behind the bar as well. My pasta was delicious and my Dad had a sandwich he devoured before there was even a thought of a to-go box.
You may be wondering where we laid our heads at night during our trip. The Bradley was our hotel where we stayed for the weekend. It’s a boutique hotel that is right in the heart of downtown Fort Wayne. It’s a sophisticated and sleek lodging option that has a couple restaurants on site and a beautiful rooftop you can enjoy if you want to get an awesome view of the city. I would stay at The Bradley again in a heartbeat for my next trip to Fort Wayne.
The next morning we made our way to the #1 rated Farmers Market in Indiana. I could tell for good reason why the Farmers Market is so critically acclaimed. I was not expecting it to span so many blocks and house so many local vendors. I was happy during our leisurely stroll at the Farmers Market we ran into black owned Beyond Organic Juice for some fantastic freshly squeezed juice. Organic cold pressed juices are a great way to start the day.
Taste of the Arts was a pleasant surprise we stumbled upon this year, an annual festival held every year usually around August. The festival is in close proximity to the Farmers Market. There’s plenty of live music, food vendors, artists, and creatives showcasing their talents with the community. This nearly all-day event was so much fun and a must visit if you plan to travel to Fort Wayne during the time of the festival. Hot Dog Boyz were in attendance at Taste of the Arts. They are a traveling all beef hot dog stand that does pop ups at different events around the city. I was lucky I got to see Hot Dog Boyz and ordered a delicious chili dog from them.
For all of my art lovers and creatives, BIPOCA Gallery is an excellent stop to see the work of local artists and those that may reside as far as out of the country. Black, indigenous, and people of color are the primary artists of this art gallery and incubator. I was in awe at the extraordinary art that was displayed at the gallery. Not only are the artists given the space to showcase their art, but educated and given tools to be prosperous in the art world. I enjoyed the energy at BIPOCA Gallery and was happy to have spent time learning about some of the artists behind the artwork.
Promenade Park is the launch location for Sweet Breeze Canal Boat Tours. The park is one of the city’s newest attractions with the Boat Tour being a new activity to explore Fort Wayne’s three rivers. You’ll be riding on an authentic 1840 canal boat replica with a tour guide to give you some history of Fort Wayne. We ended up on the boat for 45 minutes but you can schedule a tour as long as 90 minutes. This is a perfect activity to sit back, relax, and listen to the history of the city while enjoying the views from a boat on the river.
Hop River Brewing Company was our last stop of the night. This black owned local hangout was a cool restaurant to wind down from a long day of activities. They got pretty busy as time passed with people coming to enjoy a night out with friends and family. It can get pretty lively at Hop River Brewing Company with the handful of arcade games, board games, and big screen projector that is a great way to entertain patrons. There are a number of beverages you can choose from with the option of a flight, which I ended up partaking in. And their sandwiches were incredible. I could definitely see myself returning to this restaurant.
The morning of our final day in Fort Wayne, we opted for breakfast at Proximo. The restaurant is a short walk from The Bradley. There was a bit of a line when we arrived but thankfully we had reservations because it was evident that the restaurant was a popular spot during the weekends for brunch. I ordered a fruit bowl and shared a little bit of my Dad’s omelette.
After a refreshing breakfast, we walked around the downtown area of Fort Wayne to admire the various pieces of art scattered around the city. The Public Art Trail is a fun scavenger hunt where you can explore the murals and sculptures in Fort Wayne. I couldn’t even keep track of all the beautiful pieces we encountered because there were so many. Electric Works was our intended destination during our walk. Restaurants, markets, local vendors, and office spaces encompass the Electric Works area. For a Sunday, I was pretty surprised there weren’t too many people there and a handful of the shops were closed. Sunday is one of their slower days but is a great time to visit if you don’t want the hustle and bustle of the crowds.
Ma Hnin is a local restaurant in Fort Wayne that serves traditional Burmese and Thai cuisine. I have never had Burmese food before and I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to try some. Although the restaurant is on the small side, Ma Hnin has a lot of character. You can see their culture shine through by their decorations and pictures on the walls. The service was excellent to the point where I felt like family dining in. I always appreciate that kind of hospitality at a restaurant. The food we ordered was extremely flavorful and definitely had a pretty hefty spice level to it, which I loved.
Fort Wayne, Indiana is an underrated destination that deserves to be on your radar. If you’re within driving distance to Fort Wayne, the city can be a relatively affordable option to bring the family to discover someplace new. I was happy that I experienced a friendly community that was open to visitors exploring their city. As out-of-towners, I felt right at home and I am eager to return to discover more of what Fort Wayne has to offer.
This blog post is sponsored by and in partnership with Visit Fort Wayne
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