The Best Things to do in New Harmony, Indiana

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Our weekend trip to New Harmony, Indiana was the perfect place for a quick getaway! I’ve created this quick guide for all of the best things to do in New Harmony so you can get on the road quicker and visit this beautiful city. The guide below tells you all the best places to eat and things to do in New Harmony Indiana. Time to start exploring!

Table of Contents

Breakfast in New Harmony, Indiana

There are a couple of really great places to grab some breakfast in New Harmony. If you’re looking for a full breakfast or brunch option, I recommend checking out the Red Geranium. The Red Geranium is an upscale restaurant with a large outdoor patio. Their brunch menu is popular among locals and visitors.

On our trip to New Harmony, we opted for a smaller breakfast, so we stopped at Black Lodge Coffee Roasters.

Black Lodge Coffee Roasters

Black Lodge Coffee Roasters is a hub for locals. It seemed everyone in town stopped by at some point while we were here. There were locals riding a nearby trail that stopped to refill on water, there were friends meeting on the patio, other visitors fueling up before they started exploring. Everyone made a stop at Black Lodge Coffee Roasters.

And it was very soon apparent why this spot was so popular. The guys crafting coffee at Black Lodge were incredibly welcoming. Because of how small the community is, we were immediately recognized as being from out of town. The guys at Black Lodge took this as an opportunity to welcome us to New Harmony, they got to know us, they asked us questions about our local coffee shops. Their warm welcome invited other locals to get to know us too, pretty soon we were chatting with everyone inside the shop.

The inside of a small coffee shop. The Chairs and tables are geometric and have odd angles. They are light wood in contrast to all the dark wood of the floors and ceiling. there is a bright red fireplace in the background. — Black Lodge Coffee Roasters in New Harmony Indiana, a great place to grab a cup of coffee in New Harmony.

Their unforgettable welcome is only part of what made this experience great. We also loved our coffee and the pastries we ordered for breakfast. Even if you don’t get the chance to stop by for breakfast, I highly recommend you stop by for a cup of coffee or tea and get to know some of the most friendly people in New Harmony.

Working Men’s Institute

After our coffee, we stopped by the Working Men’s Institute. There was a small farmer’s market going on which was our intended stop. There were just a few local vendors out at the farmer’s market. Some local honey and a couple local makers.

We learned that the Working Men’s Institute has an incredible museum on the second floor, so we decided to take a peek at it. The Working Men’s Institute is home to the New Harmony Public Library as well!

On the second floor, there are two large rooms that make up the museum. One room is full of organic, scientific pieces, and the other is full of art and mechanical innovations.

Many gold framed paintings hanging in a tiny museum in New Harmony. There is also a large taxidermy golden eagle in the corner. — Artwork inside the museum at the Working Men’s Institute in New Harmony.

In the mid to late 1800s, New Harmony was considered a utopia for Scholars. Some of the brightest minds flocked here to develop ideas, research, and teach. This heightened appreciation for arts and sciences makes this community incredibly unique. The collection in this museum is made up of many pieces from private collections. As a whole, the museum is a reflection of the community and the people who started it.

Labyrinths of New Harmony Indiana

Much like the appreciation for arts and sciences, early residents of New Harmony also shared a focus for mindfulness. There are not one but two labyrinths in New Harmony that are dedicated to exactly that.

These Labyrinths look like a maze, but there isn’t any way to get stuck here. Instead, these Labyrinths are one continuous path that you follow in circles as a way of meditation. You’re expected to clear your mind and listen to the calmness that surrounds you.

The Cathedral Labyrinth in New Harmony

The Cathedral Labyrinth (pictured left below) is etched in stone. There is a small fountain nearby that bubbles the peaceful sound of water. The large trees and tall grasses that surround the Cathedral Labyrinth rustle in the wind and cover the quiet noises of the surrounding town. Birds whistle as they fly overhead. The Cathedral Labyrinth is incredibly peaceful and makes it very easy to meditate and relax while you walk the trail.

The Harmonist Labyrinth

The Harmonist Labyrinth (pictured right) is a labyrinth made of hedges. While it looks like a maze you could get lost in, it is made of one continuous path that eventually leads you to this small hut at the center. In this labyrinth, there were lots of branches reaching out to scratch your arms or snag your clothes. The width of the hedges varied greatly. Some spots were wide enough to walk through, but most required you to lift your arms up in the air or get scratched by the branches. In some spots, we had to turn sideways in order to get through.

The Cathedral Labyrinth was incredibly relaxing, but the Harmonist Labyrinth was anything but. While we were walking through the Harmonist Labyrinth, I was frantically searching for a way out. I loved the small hut at the center, but didn’t find the labyrinth itself to have served it’s purpose of meditation. If you are looking for photogenic experience, the Harmonist Labyrinth is worth checking out. But if you’re interested in meditation and relaxation, skip the Harmonist Labyrinth and check out the Cathedral Labyrinth instead.

A large stone circle on etched into the ground that makes a spiral. The stone spiral is surrounded by tall green grass. In the distance there is a bright white building of modern architectural design. — The Cathedral Labyrinth in New Harmony Indiana.

A stone hut at the center of a green hedge maze. — The Harmonist Labyrinth in New Harmony Indiana.

Lunch or Dinner in New Harmony, Indiana

There are so many great places to grab a bite to eat in New Harmony Indiana. As I mentioned above, the Red Geranium is a popular place to eat at any time of day. The ample outdoor seating makes it a great place to continue to enjoy the beautiful outdoor weather in New Harmony.

If you’re looking for something more casual, I recommend checking out the Yellow Tavern. They offer lots of different bar-food options, but are best known for their pizza. They also have a large selection of Whiskey as well as a full bar.

Sara’s Harmony Way has something for everyone. This Wine Bar and Cafe also has a full food menu. If you’re hoping for outdoor seating, they also have a large patio with fire pits that will make it the perfect place to dine outdoors year-round.

Historic Tour of New Harmony Indiana

If you only have time to do one thing in New Harmony, the Historic Tour should be at the top of your list. This tour walks you through all of New Harmony, opening doors to the historic homes and letting you get a look at what life was like in this town since it’s beginning.

The tour starts at the Visitor’s Center and lasts approximately two hours. I was a little surprised by how long the tour was going to last, but it was worth every moment of it.

The tour begins with a short video that introduces you to the community. There are a few prominent faces on the video that you might see as you explore the town. After that, you board a golf cart tram and the guide drives you through all the important spots in town.

A bright white building of modern architecture. It has lots of strange angles and is in stark contrast to the greenery that surrounds it. — The Atheneum in New Harmony, designed by Richard Meier, serves as the town’s Visitor’s Center.

On this tour, you’ll get to see places that you wouldn’t get to see otherwise. The town of New Harmony was originally founded by a group that called themselves Harmonists. These Harmonists built 180 buildings in only ten years and without the use of modern mechanical tools that we would use today. While some of these buildings are no longer standing, many are preserved and protected for the purpose of educating visitors about the history of the communiy.

We loved the in-depth look we were able to get at New Harmony through this historic tour and highly recommend seeing it.

Newspaper pieces hang from the ceiling, more newspapers stand up along the wall with big, bold headlines. In the back there is a folding desk that has many printing keys and stamps in cubbies. — An original printing press inside a building on the historic tour of New Harmony.

A small theater stage. On the stage there is a cardboard cut out of a historic photo of a band that would have been on stage. There are gorgeous brass seashell-shaped light fixtures lining the bottom of the stage. Folding chairs fill the room. — The Opera Theater in New Harmony that is still in use today.

The Roofless Church

There are many beautiful landmarks in this small town, but the Roofless Church is perhaps the most unique. This public land is designated to be a non-denominational place of worship. At its surface, it most closely resembles a park with lots of green space and a few statues. But the large roof sculpture and the iron-and-gold gates give it a stronger feeling of importance.

I also loved the large, panoramic “windows” to the side of this area. As you look out these glassless windows, you can gaze out to tall grass fields and trees. It was one of the most peaceful spots in town. And even though there is a restaurant and a hotel to one side and the rest of downtown to the other, at this spot you feel completely isolated. We found sitting here to be even more peaceful than the Cathedral Labyrinth.

A very odd structure. The Roofless church is a domed shape sculpture where the roof appears to melt and reach down to the ground while still holding small archways just large enough to allow people to pass under. The structure has a gold sculpture at the center. it is surrounded by a brick wall, trees surround the outside of the wall. The sky is dark blue and many stars are visible. — The Roofless Church in New Harmony, Indiana on a clear starry night.

Where to Stay in New Harmony

If your plans for visiting New Harmony extend beyond a day-trip, there are plenty of great options for places to stay in New Harmony Indiana. There are many guest houses or Bed and Breakfasts throughout town, but if you’re like us and prefer to stay in hotels, the New Harmony Inn is the place for you.

I have an entire post about our stay at the New Harmony Inn, and I highly recommend checking that out if you plan to spend the night in New Harmony.

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More to do Near New Harmony

When we visited New Harmony, Indiana, we also took the time to stop by nearby Evansville to explore even more of Indiana. There are plenty more places to eat and things to do in Evansville, and we loved coupling these two cities together for the perfect trip.