Must-Dos in Greater Lafayette, Indiana

Lafayette-West Lafayette, located just 2 hours south of Chicago, is a must-visit destination for anyone seeking a weekend getaway in the Midwest! It is the home to Purdue University and boasts a sophisticated art scene, diverse and delicious cuisines, antique and boutique shopping, cute coffee shops, a ton of history, and scenic nature to explore! 

Driving to Lafayette-West Lafayette from Chicago was easy, and we enjoyed the beautiful farmland and marveled at the extensive wind farms along the way. We spent two nights at Union Club Hotel on the Purdue campus and could have easily spent more time in the city exploring, eating, and relaxing! 

Where to Eat and Drink

Greater Lafayette has many fantastic restaurants that serve hungry university students from all over the globe, so you know there are a lot of options! Here are some of the restaurants we enjoyed:

1. 8Eleven

Our first stop in West Lafayette was at 8Eleven, which is located in the historic Union Club Hotel on Purdue campus. 8Eleven is named after two famous aerospace programs: Gemini 8 and Apollo 11, which we find to be very fitting as the food is out of this world! We started off with the Crab Croquettes, which were crunchy and jam-packed with delicious crab meat. My husband ordered the Linz Prime Ribeye, which was so tender and flavorful. I ordered the Truffled Bucatini with the Flat Iron steak, satisfying my craving for pasta. We also got a side of Creamed Spinach. We rarely order creamed spinach, but we were so glad we did as it was incredible!

2. Triple XXX

Now this restaurant is special! Triple XXX is the oldest drive-in restaurant in Indiana and you can tell the chefs have plenty of experience! My husband had their famous Barney Burger for breakfast, which he ate very quickly! They roll the meat in a little flour before cooking, which locks in the flavor (my husband says it locked in a whole lot of flavor)! I ordered the Drew Brees First Choice, which came with 2 eggs, chicken fried steak, hasbrowns, 2 buttermilk biscuits and sausage gravy. Just like Guy Fieri, we left Triple XXX full and very satisfied!

3. East End Grill

If you are shopping on Main Street, you need to check out East End Grill. They focus on offering comforting dishes and using fresh, local, and quality ingredients. They also have an extensive bar program if you are thirsty! We ordered the Ahi Tuna starter and then enjoyed a delicious Pastrami Melt. Both dishes were fresh and tasty!

4. La Scala

For dinner, we stopped in at La Scala Italian Restaurant. We really enjoyed eating on the nice patio and appreciating the historical neighborhood. La Scala focuses on serving authentic Italian food using local ingredients, many of which are grown on their own Small Wonder Farm. 

5. Ritual

If you are looking for some post-dinner beverages, you must stop in at Ritual, a sophisticated yet approachable cocktail bar. My husband ordered the Mezcal Paloma and I got the Poblano Colada. Both drinks were absolutely delicious, we highly recommend it!

6. Leaps Coffee

Before checking out, we stopped in at Leaps Coffee, which is located in the Union Club Hotel. We had a great start to the day with their Nitro Cold Brew and Latte and loved the chocolate croissant!

7. Sakanaya Izakaya

Before heading back to Chicago, we dropped in at Sakanaya Izakaya. We loved the vibe and enjoyed dining in the cute honeycomb booth! We ate so much food here! Our highlights were the Signature Sampler and Hamachi Kama, which tasted super authentic to Japan. We also enjoyed the Yellowtail Lover Sushi Platter, Chahan Bowl, and Matcha Crepe Cake.

Must-Do Activities

There are so many things to do in Lafayette-West Lafayette, it was hard to narrow it down to the following activities: 

1. Samara

We learned so much about Usonian architecture and Frank Lloyd Wright from our tour at Samara! The house is a beautiful example of Wright’s work, and there are so many fascinating design details that left us amazed!

2. Historic Downtown Lafayette Farmers Market and Downtown Lafayette

There were a ton of great stands at the farmers market with plenty of fresh produce and artisan products that we really wanted to buy. Downtown Lafayette is also full of great shopping options. If you are in the mood to satisfy your sweet tooth, you must check out McCord Candies and taste the many different candies in this retro candy shop. They also make homemade soda as well, which is fantastic! There are also a number of art galleries that should be checked out, and don’t forget to walk across the John T. Myers Bridge!

3. Haan Museum

My husband and I really enjoyed stepping back in time in this mansion which has been converted to a museum. There are so many historical pieces in this house, and we appreciate the focus on presenting Indiana artists! We were able to have a tour with Ellie Haan. Ellie and her husband, Bob, owned and lived in the mansion for many years before donating it to become a nonprofit museum. We had such a great time listening to her stories about all the pieces and what life was like in this historic building! We also loved the beautiful sculpture garden out back!

4. The Spa Union Club Hotel

We had such a relaxing time at The Spa, which is located in the Union Club Hotel. My husband and I both got facials, and the estheticians created such a calm environment for us! Our faces were so smooth and looked great after the session!

5. Prophetstown State Park

You cannot miss this state park! There are extensive nature and biking trails that you can enjoy. There is also a working historic farm located in the state park, which we highly recommend visiting. We loved spending time with the cows, horses, pigs, ducks, turkeys, chickens, and the donkey! It was also so much fun exploring the farm houses on the property and seeing how farmers lived many years ago. 

Don’t forget to consider staying at the Union Club Hotel with its collegiate vibe, upscale amenities, and comfortable rooms! 

Greater Lafayette is such a great weekend destination, especially for those living in Chicago! You can enjoy beautiful nature, great food, fun activities, and just being around an incredible university like Purdue is inspiring!

This blog post was sponsored by Visit Lafayette-West Lafayette. Opinions are my own.