Visit Fort Wayne

This city of 251,000 is a bit of a tourism anomaly in Indiana. It's not part of the northern Indiana swath of Amish Country, it's not along the shoreline, it doesn't have Indy's big-city feel, and you won't find the rolling hills and scenic byways that characterize southern Indiana. What you will find, though, are some especially well-thought-out attractions that can easily fill a weekend.Most people come for Vera Bradley -- the handbag manufacturer is based in Fort Wayne (so is DeBrand Chocolates). Shoppers from around the country fly here during the last weekend of April for Vera Bradley's annual outlet sale. (Our tips: Get there early. Camp out. And race to fill the garbage bags you get.) But many visitors also come to check out the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo; the Allen County Public Library, which has the world's largest public collection of genealogy records; Parkview Field, a Single-A baseball stadium that opened downtown in 2009; the Fort Wayne Art Museum, which opened a $5 million expansion in 2010; and the Botanic Garden and Conservatory.The dining scene has a couple of standouts, including the Cork n' Cleaver steak house, and your best lodging options are going to be from the big chains.