Mentone is a small town in western Kosciusko County in Northern Indiana.
Get in
Mentone is situated on the junction of Indiana 25 and Indiana 19. The Mentone Airport provides a way for owners of small rotorcraft to get in and out.
Get around
Mentone is small enough to park your car somewhere and walk to wherever you need to go.
See
- Bell Aircraft Museum, 210 S Oak St, ☏ +1 574 353-7296. Open by appointment. Named after Lawrence D. Bell, one of the biggest aerospace innovators of the 20th century and originally from Mentone, the Bell Museum has a large collection of aviation-related items, ranging from Air Force memorabilia to a restored Huey helicopter from the Vietnam War to historical flight maps. There's also a small section devoted to the history of Mentone. The museum hosts the annual Rotors Over Mentone, a national fly-in of small rotorcraft pilots open to the public. Free will donation.
- Bell Memorial Public Library, 101 W Main Street, ☏ +1 574 353-7234, fax: +1 574 353-1307. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday 9AM-4:55PM, Tuesday and Friday 9AM-7:55PM, closed Sunday. The local library has a wide selection of media, as well as free computer and wi-fi access (no library card needed), genealogical and historical records, public fax service, and various programs throughout the year including movie screenings and book sales. Every last Thursday of the month, the library also has a Teen Gaming Night. Teens can hang out, play some videogames and get free soda.
- World's biggest egg, Corner of Main and Morgan Streets. A 10-foot high concrete egg that pays tribute to Mentone's claim as the "Egg Basket of the Midwest". There was a time where the majority of all the eggs sold in the United States came from the Mentone area, and the market still has a substantial stake in the region. Every now and then, local alliances flare up due to Winlock, Washington, also having a giant egg. Free.
Do
- [dead link] Mentone Egg Festival, Downtown Mentone. Held on the first weekend in June each year, the Egg Festival celebrates Mentone's history as the Egg Basket of the Midwest. Events include a parade, a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, the crowning of Miss Mentone (and Miss Chick and Mr. Rooster for the younger kids), and the area's biggest egg toss competition.
- The Kosciusko County Runner's Association has numerous events throughout the year.
Buy
- Allen's County Market, 201 E Main Street, ☏ +1 574 353-7694. A small grocery store with a deli and Hunt's Brothers Pizza.
- Pete & Freddy's Pages Aplenty Used Bookstore, 109 E Main Street, ☏ +1 574 353-7002. A used bookstore with all genres that lets you trade in books you own for store credit. You don't get a lot of in-store credit, but they do that to keep prices low (most books are $5 and under).
- Viking Liquors, 112 E Main Street, ☏ +1 574 353-7159. A carry-out liquor store handling all your alcoholic needs. NOTE: State law forbids the sale of carry-out alcohol on Sundays
Eat
- Bourbon Street Pizza, 119 E Main Street, ☏ +1 574 353-9300. 4PM-10PM Monday-Friday, 11AM-10PM Saturday and Sunday. Mentone's branch of a local chain of pizza places. Serving pizza, pasta bakes, pop, and a variety of appetizers.
- Java Jack's, 111 E Main Street, ☏ +1 574 353-1993. Monday, Wednesday-Friday 7AM-2PM, Tuesday 7AM-5PM, Saturday 7AM-Noon, Sunday closed. A coffee, breakfast, and sandwich bar.
- Teel's Restaurant, 108 W Main Street, ☏ +1 574 353-1091. A family diner serving a wide range of food with daily specials, including an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet Monday nights.
- Waddle's Sugar Shack, 9398 W State Rd 25 (Follow Indiana 25 east. Once you get over the hill, it'll be to your left in less than a minute.), ☏ +1 574 353-7597. The local branch of B & K Drive-In, serving all your drive in favorites, including onion rings, milkshakes, and made in-house root beer!
Drink
- Bull Dog Saloon, 103 E Main Street, ☏ +1 574 353-7408. Sports bar that also serves a variety of sandwiches.
Go next
- Following Indiana 19 south for about 20 minutes will take you to Akron.
- Going southwest (straight west from in town) on Indiana 25 for about 20 minutes will take you to Rochester.
- Taking Indiana 19 north will take you to Nappanee, home of Amish Acres.
- Traveling northeast (due east from in town) on Indiana 25 for about 10 minutes will take you to Warsaw.