Search this site

Explore the Sims Education Center at Fernwood Botanical Gardens, where kids can rest, read, stack rocks, and use binoculars to watch birds through the large viewing windows. Bird watching at Fernwood Botanical Gardens Follow the trail to the Sims Education Center. It's the grey building with plants on some parts of the roof. Inside, you'll find bird watching stations. When we first started walking through the trails at Fernwood, we weren’t really sure where we were going or what we would see. One of the first things we came across was the Sims Education Center. We wandered inside and were delighted to meet someone at the front entrance who welcomed us and was very friendly. She let us know that we could explore the education center and take a look at the bird viewing area or the library. There was also an area for rock stacking, which looked like a lot of fun for kids. What was really neat to see was how many stations they had set up for bird watching. There were large windows with binoculars and chairs so you could sit and wait for birds to come to the feeders outside. I imagine this is a great space for field trips or if you’re visiting with your own kids and want to keep everyone in one place. Guests can look at books, bird watch or stack the rocks, or the rock pillows. It’s a nice little rest spot where everyone can take a break during a walk on the trails. This page was last updated on Feb 5, 2026

A symmetrical fold where one half of the fabric is folded over the other like a book. Mirror fold A symmetrical fold where one half of the fabric is folded over the other like a book. Tie dye links See all glossary items See tutorials for flowy ice dye and geode tie dye .

Refers to how deep the dye penetrates into the fabric. Or how bright color is. Saturation design This word is used in two ways. Refers to how deep the dye penetrates into the fabric. Or how bright the color sets. Tie dye links See all glossary items See tutorials for flowy ice dye and geode tie dye .

The Vine Elkhart: American restaurant in downtown Elkhart serving steaks, artisan pizza, pasta, seafood, and wine just steps from the Riverwalk and Main. The Vine Elkhart Elkhart, Indiana American restaurant in downtown Elkhart serving steaks, artisan pizza, pasta, seafood, and wine just steps from the Riverwalk and Main Street restaurants. Address 214 S Main St, Elkhart, IN 46516 Phone 574-970-5006 Menu The Vine serves contemporary American dishes including steaks, seafood, pasta, artisan pizza, and sandwiches. Steaks & Seafood • Ribeye steak • Filet mignon • Lake Superior walleye • Norwegian salmon • Grilled mahi mahi Pasta & Pizza • Fra Diablo penne with spicy vodka sauce • Three cheese tortellini with alfredo or pesto cream sauce • Artisan pizzas including margherita, tre carne, veggie, and quattro formaggio Sandwiches • B.R.I.T. Reuben • House burger with customizable toppings • Traverse City cherry chicken salad croissant Starters & Salads • Baked brie • Crab dip • Shrimp cocktail • Spinach artichoke dip • Vine Classic salad with candied walnuts and blue cheese • Black and Bleu salad Downtown Location The Vine sits on South Main Street in downtown Elkhart near the Riverwalk and several other restaurants and breweries. It has patio seating and central location make it a common stop for people exploring downtown events, riverwalk walks, or nearby venues like the Lerner Theatre. Nearby Restaurants If you're in the mood for tacos or Mexican food, La Esperanza and Hacienda are close, on Jackson Blvd. This page was last updated on Jul 9, 2026 About the author Corky Lorenz is a photographer based in Elkhart, Indiana, who documents parks, restaurants, festivals, and everyday places across Indiana and the Midwest. To request a visit or license images, email Corky at corkylorenz@gmail.com

The RV Hall of Fame in Elkhart IN is open daily with seasonal hours. See the exact summer and winter schedule, plus the phone number if you want to confirm before you arrive. RV Hall of Fame Hours The RV/MH Hall of Fame in Elkhart IN is open daily in both summer and winter, with slightly shorter hours during the colder months. The hours posted on their front entrance match the schedule listed on their updated website. When I visited the RV Hall of Fame on November 15th, I photographed the hours posted on the entrance door. These hours match what’s listed on their new website, so this is the most reliable version to use right now. Summer hours (April 1 – October 31): • Monday–Saturday: 9 AM – 5 PM • Sunday: 10 AM – 3 PM Winter hours (November 1 – March 31): • Monday–Saturday: 10 AM – 4 PM • Wednesday: Closed • Sunday: 10 AM – 3 PM If you’re driving in from out of town and want to double-check that they’re open, the front desk really does pick up. While I was there, the attendant answered several calls from people asking if they were busy or how to find the entrance, and he was consistently helpful. Phone number: (574) 293-2344 Address: 21565 Executive Pkwy, Elkhart IN 46514 When is the RV Hall of Fame busy? According to the staff member at the front desk, it’s almost never crowded. They sometimes get school groups or small tours, but the museum is usually calm enough that you can walk through the exhibits without feeling rushed or packed in. If you prefer quiet museums, this one stays reliably peaceful. This page was last updated on Feb 5, 2026

Pre-washing fabric for clean dye results. Prewash process Washing fabric before dyeing to remove finishes or residues that might block dye absorption. Tie dye links See all glossary items See tutorials for flowy ice dye and geode tie dye .

Learn how to ice dye using soda ash, powdered MX dye, tall scrunch folds, and a fleece backing for smoother flow. This guide walks through folding, ice height, dye placement, and when to rinse. How to ice dye To ice dye, soak your shirt in soda ash, fold it tightly, cover it with a tall layer of ice, and sprinkle powdered dye over the top. As the ice melts, it carries the dye through the fabric and creates a flowing pattern, Supplies needed for ice dye Usually, when people are ice dyeing, they use powdered dye called MX fiber reactive procion dye. This is what I use and it is a professional grade dye that gives you permanent vibrant results as long as you don't bleach your shirt or leave it out in the sun. You'll need to pre-soak your shirt in something called soda ash solution. This is water with sodium carbonate dissolved in it at a ratio of one cup of soda as per 1 gallon of water. Soak your shirt for about 20 minutes and then hand wring it before applying dye. Folding for ice dye A common way that people like to fold their T-shirt when ice dyeing is to just crumple it, to get organic watercolor results. I like to lay a piece of fabric called polyester fleece under my shirt before folding it in order to get smoother results with the dye flow. Tall scrunches with fleece I'll grab several bunches of shirt and pull it up and then smoosh it all together so that it's nice and snug before being put into a basket. Generally, I like to have 5 to 7 peaks of fabric on the shirt, for the density in the design that I like. Rack vs Muck Next, I put the shirt that's been folded with the fleece into a basket that allows for the ice to melt and drain through. So, the excess dye and water will drip off and the shirts not going to sit in a puddle. Sometimes people don't use a container that drains, and when they do that it's called ice dyeing "in the muck." How much ice to use Next, I add an amount of ice that is almost as tall as the item is that I'm dyeing. That's my general rule of thumb for how much ice to use. I put the ice on first and I don't sprinkle on any soda ash anymore. This something I used to do but I have discovered that I prefer the results of the way the dye flows through the shirt without extra soda ash sprinkled on the top. Ice dye color splitting For the shirt, I'm trying out a new color from Jacquard products called Black Opal. It's formulated for ice dye in mind. They've added a few component colors together, into one jar. The powder will split into different colors as the ice is melting and pushing the dye through the fabric. Some powdered fiber-reactive dyes contain multiple pigment molecules. When ice melts, the water flow can separate these molecules on the fabric, creating color splitting. This is why colors like Deep Purple, Raven, and Peacock Blue often break into unexpected reds, blues, or greens. Dye placement I like to sprinkle the dye over the ice in clusters rather than making it evenly spread out over all of the ice. You can experiment with sprinkling it in different patterns to see what you like. If you're using more than one color, you can usually get great results by alternating bands of dye color. Flow change with incline Before leaving the ice and the dye to melt and set, I usually like to prop up one end of the basket to create an incline. This uses gravity to change the direction of flow through the shirt. It's fun to experiment with different angles to see how it affects the final flowing lines. Some of my favorite tools for creating inclines are mega blocks that my kids no longer play with. Batch time This is what the ice dye set up looks like after the ice has melted. it took about 8 hours to full melt in my cool basement. Wait for the shirt to sit for about 24 hours, from the time of setting it up, before rinsing. This is called "batch time" and allows for the dye molecules to permanently bond to the natural fibers. Rinse the dye out After 24 total hours of sitting, after setting up the ice to melt, I rinse the shirt. I toss it in my utility sink and spray it with cold water until it runs mostly clear. It will bleed off blue dye for a long time, do you don't need to worry about blue tinged water for the initial wash out. I rinse with hot water for a few minutes to further encourage excess dye to bleed out of the shirt. With my tall rubber kitchen gloves, I aggitate the shirt in a small amount of water. This part is enjoyable because I get to see the vibrant colors for the first time. Ice dye results After washing and drying on hot, in my normal home machines, here's what the shirt looks like! Black Opal is a beautiful dye color for ice dye. You can use this straight out of the jar, without needing to use other colors with it. The blue dye travels father than the reds and yellows, so there is a nice multicolor effect. This page was last updated on Jul 19, 2026

Roller skating at NIBCO Water and Ice Park in Elkhart with skate rentals, pricing, and weekly hours. Evening and weekend sessions, weather permitting. NIBCO Roller Skating in Elkhart Seasonal roller skating at NIBCO Water and Ice Park with rentals and evening and weekend hours. Roller Skate at NIBCO Water and Ice Park Roller skating is available at NIBCO Water and Ice Park with on-site skate rentals and set weekly hours. Skate Rental Prices Adults: $3 per hour Youth: $2 per hour Requirements Must be 16 or older to rent skates Photo ID required Parent or guardian must sign waiver Hours Thursday and Friday: 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm Saturday: 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm Sunday: 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm Hours are weather permitting. Location NIBCO Water & Ice Park 301 NIBCO Parkway, Elkhart, IN This page was last updated on Mar 31, 2026

Brass Elk Brewing: Flatbreads, sandwiches, and rotating house beers. Patio near the Riverwalk and Nibco Park in Elkhart, Indiana. Brass Elk Brewing Elkhart, Indiana Flatbreads, sandwiches, and rotating house beers. Patio near the Riverwalk and Nibco Park. Address 333 Nibco Pkwy, Elkhart, IN 46516 Phone 574-326-3938 This page was last updated on Jul 9, 2026 About the author Corky Lorenz is a photographer based in Elkhart, Indiana, who documents parks, restaurants, festivals, and everyday places across Indiana and the Midwest. To request a visit or license images, email Corky at corkylorenz@gmail.com

La Esperanza is a Mexican restaurant on East Jackson Blvd in Elkhart serving tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and traditional plates for dine in, takeout. La Esperanza Elkhart, Indiana La Esperanza is a Mexican restaurant on East Jackson Blvd in Elkhart serving tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and traditional plates for dine in, takeout, or delivery. Address 601 E Jackson Blvd, Elkhart, IN 46516 Phone 574-522-7340 Menu Popular menu items listed on the La Esperanza menu include: Carne Asada Carnitas Crispy Flautas Taco De Alambre Signature Quesadilla Chile Relleno and Carne Asada Enchiladas Torta The menu also includes tacos, burritos, chimichangas, fajita burritos, seafood dishes, salads, hamburgers, and chicken sandwiches. About La Esperanza La Esperanza is a Mexican restaurant located at 601 E Jackson Blvd in Elkhart, Indiana. The restaurant serves traditional Mexican meals made with fresh ingredients and offers dine in, takeout, and delivery. The menu includes common Mexican favorites like tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and fajitas along with combination plates and family friendly options. The restaurant focuses on quick service and casual dining, making it a common stop for lunch or dinner in the Jackson Boulevard area. La Esperanza offers a wide range of meals that work for groups or families, with options ranging from classic street style tacos to larger plated dishes with rice, beans, and grilled meats. This page was last updated on Jul 9, 2026 About the author Corky Lorenz is a photographer based in Elkhart, Indiana, who documents parks, restaurants, festivals, and everyday places across Indiana and the Midwest. To request a visit or license images, email Corky at corkylorenz@gmail.com