Picturesque Huntingburg, Ind., earned a place on Smithsonian Magazine’s list of “Best Small Towns to Visit” in 2024. It’s the only Hoosier locale to have ever made the list, which has been published annually for over a decade and promotes small-town destinations. Listed locations all have a population under 25,000 and “boast vast cultural experiences, superb nature and a plethora of activities and events,” says the publication. The more than 6,400 residents of Huntingburg offer a welcoming community to visitors of their historic downtown, which has become a must-see Southern Indiana destination.
Baseball is one of the town’s main draws, and League Stadium, built in 1894, provided a backdrop to many films, including A League of Their Own (1992) and the made-for-HBO Soul of the Game (1996). Due to the number of movies and TV shows, Huntingburg was named “Hollywood of the Midwest.”
While it might seem that Huntingburg is all about baseball, peanuts, Cracker Jack and klieg lights, it has a vibrant food scene and pristine 19th-century architecture. Walk along the brick-lined Fourth Street, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, where visitors will find sizzling rib-eyes, tossed pepperoni pies, coffee shops and bars, independent boutiques, art galleries and antique stores.
Start the day at Huntingburg Grind Coffee & Tea Company with a handcrafted latte or spiced chai accompanied by a freshly made pastry. Owners Chad Brian and Mike Voegerl bought the shop in 2023, a week before the annual Christmas Stroll, which brings thousands of holiday revelers to stroll along the notable street. Of course, it wouldn’t be a small Indiana town if it didn’t have a donut shop. Main’s Bakery was opened in 2016 by Richard and Melody Main. With professional baking experience and a previous shop in Kentucky, the pair bake fresh donut varieties daily, as well as cakes, pies and breads.
A sumptuous afternoon repast is on the menu at Gaslight Pizza & Grill, where you can savor classic pizzas alongside sandwiches and salads, all in a laid-back, family-friendly setting. For over 60 years, the pizzeria in a former theater has offered 36 kinds of hand-tossed pies, from traditional pepperoni to shrimp alfredo, cordon bleu, reuben and more.
Around the corner, the cozy Mama T’s Italian Steakhouse serves steaks, seafood and fresh pasta in a comfortable, rustic atmosphere. Hoosier-born chef and proprietor Brandon Acles uses recipes that can be traced back to his family’s Sicilian roots.
Butcher and Barrel, a fine-dining eatery, opened last month. It serves smoked meats and steaks in a 100-year-old bank building with sweeping 20-foot ceilings.
From coffee and pastries to pizza, steak and fine dining – as well as bar food at the axe-throwing establishment called Fry’d & Chop’d – Huntingburg offers plenty of dining options along with that baseball history. Learn more about upcoming holiday events at the Dubois County website.
