This article is part of the Rediscover Brown County package in the October 2016 Indianapolis Monthly issue. For more on our favorite fall destination, click here.
For the antiquer
Pamela Keech lives upstairs from her Nashville antiques store, The Emerald Pencil, and rents out a sweetly appointed guest room in the Victorian Gothic cottage. Keech became an expert at her trade during the 20 years she spent curating furnishings for New York’s famous Tenement Museum. She has also written The Civilized Shopper’s Guide to Rome and The Curious Shopper’s Guide to New York City. Who better to share secrets on treasure-hunting in Brown County? $68 to $85 weeknights, $90 to $105 weekends.
The rave: “In the morning, there were pastries and a Sunday New York Times sitting right outside of our door.”
For the equestrian
If you’ve brought your own horse to Brown County to trail-ride in the past, chances are you ended up at a campground. The Remedy Ranch, a two-bedroom log cabin on 15 acres south of Story, debuted last year as the area’s only private vacation rental with a horse barn and fenced pastures. Owners Peter and Kasey George cater to the equestrian community, so they’re your guys for tips on where to ride—before you return to the cabin and soothe your saddle in the hot tub, under the stars. $225 weeknights, $280 weekends.
The rave: “A deer came bounding through the thicket right behind the house as we were sitting on the back deck, ran through the side of the pasture and to the road! So close to nature!”
For the music-lover
A working recording studio, Nashville West Art & Music Loft also contains a California king–size bed that reviewers praise, a velvet sofa, a full kitchen, and a painter’s easel. The owners are mum about their background “for privacy reasons,” but based on the framed gold and platinum albums on the wall, it’s pretty obvious that they are successful musicians. Maybe they’ll sing about their work if you book this spacious loft, secluded in the hills close to town. $118 per night (price varies).
The rave: “Music industry memorabilia is tastefully displayed on the east wall. A control room is at the far east end—it’s off-limits to guests, but you can peek through the glass. It’s rock ‘n’ roll geek heaven.”
