• Allen County Public Library Genealogical Collection[6]. It is the largest public genealogical collection in the United States. The library offers special classes and has librarians there to assist you in your search. One night a year, they keep the room open until midnight. It is usually around Halloween.

• The Fort Wayne History Center[7] is a museum with many interesting displays about the area, from the days before Europeans came, to modern times. Even the castle-like building is worth a careful look. Among the stories to be read there are the afternoon that hi fidelity sound (from separating the frequencies and routing them through different speakers) was invented at the local Magnavox plant. They had settled on the term "tweeter" for the small speaker, but rejected a number of other suggestions before settling on "woofer" for the big ones.

Outdoors and Landmarks

• Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory 1100 S. Calhoun St. +1 260 427-6440. [8] Three indoor gardens with over 500 species of plants and 72 different cacti. They even have a childrens area with human sized worm holes and a talking tree that is quite cute. $2-$4.

• Fort Wayne Children's Zoo 3411 Sherman Blvd. +1 260 427-6800. [9] Voted one of the top ten for children by Child magazine. With over 1500 animals, from lemurs to dingo dogs, orangutans to tigers. Themed areas like the Indonesian Rainforest and the new African Journey. They also have a sky ride, zoo train, carousel, canoe ride, and pony ride. Really nice zoo! $5-$8.

Fine Arts

• Artlink 437 E. Berry Street. +1 260 424-7195. [10] Non-for-profit art gallery that celebrates modern visual art from the region. They also offer classes and workshops.

• Fort Wayne Museum of Art 311 E. Main St. +1 260 422-6467. [11] Focusing on American art, permanent pieces by William Forsyth, Janet Fish and more, and a collection of 56 Indiana Amish quilts. Furniture collection, modern and traditional art, Indiana artists, African American art, and more. $3-$10.

• Kachmann Gallery. +1 260 424-3581. [12] Kachmann Gallery is a unique experience and resource in downtown Fort Wayne. A celebration of life and wellness; fine and commercial art; communication and media, the gallery is a beautiful and innovative focal point for cultural enrichment, personal development, events and entrepreneurship. Gallery Hours Thursday - Saturday 12-4 or by appointment.

Fort Wayne is located on Interstate 69, and also Indiana 469, a bypass freeway that loops around the far east side of town. Other major highways going through the city are US-30, US-24, and US-27.

By plane

• Fort Wayne International Airport. Passengers looking for the convenient and friendly way to travel need to look no further than Fort Wayne International Airport (FWA). Recognized as "the nation's friendliest airport" by USA Today. FWA's airlines offer daily direct flights to/from Atlanta, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, and Dallas-Fort Worth. With free wireless internet throughout the terminal, ample parking, short security lines and access to hundreds of destinations worldwide, it's easy to see that travel is more enjoyable when you fly FWA!

Fort Wayne International Airport operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.It's served by commuter and regional jets from most of the major hubs in the country. The airport has free internet (wireless or in carrels upstairs on the secure side).

There is a cookie factory right across the street from the airport, and you can tell what they're baking that day by smell. Volunteers meet you when you arrive and give away free cookies as you come through security.

For flights to Chicago, expect to pack your hand luggage into a small cargo hull. It is recommended that you avoid packing anything fragile in your carry-ons. The smaller lines operate tiny planes in between FW and Chicago and there is little room for even ladies' purses.

By bus

• Greyhound Interstate Bus Service - there is a downtown bus station (929 S LAFAYETTE ST Ft Wayne, IN 46802, Telephone Numbers

Main: (260) 423-9525). With reasonable bus service.

By train

• Amtrak Waterloo Station - The nearest Amtrak[2] station is located at Lincoln and Center Street, Waterloo, IN, 46793. It is a 20-30 minute drive to the north of Fort Wayne. Be prepared to phone for a cab or have someone meet you because transportation from the station to the city is limited. The station is part of Amtrak's Capitol Limited[3] and Lakeshore Limited[4] lines.

There is a municipal bus system that can get you around called Citilink[5]. The system has limited routes and hours of operation.

All major Rental Car Companies have franchises are at the airport, but don't rent here. The airport branches are much more expensive. Call the Enterprise Car Rental location on the SW or NE side and have them pick you up. They have a weekend rate for $9.95 a day, from Friday morning through Monday morning. Reserve other rates online for the best rates.

If you get into the airport on a late flight, don't assume there will be taxis waiting. Call ahead and arrange one on A-1 taxi at 260-478-9910 or 800-871-0518.

If you like chocolate, there is a great store in the airport called Debrand's[16] (on the non-secure side, across from security) that sells some of the best chocolate you will taste anywhere. It is made in Fort Wayne. They supply the TV show "The Apprentice" with the gold coin chocolates in the executive suite. The chocolate ain't cheap, but splurge and buy a couple of pieces - you will not regret it!

Fort Wayne has great shopping. Visit Jefferson Pointe[17] on the southwest end of town for the up-scale department store Von Maur, a DeBrand chocolate shop, Barnes & Noble bookstore, Rave movie theater[18], restaurants (including the excellent Eddie Merlot's[19] and popular Biaggi's[20]) and mall stores (Victoria's Secret, Bath & Body Works). What makes it fun, especially in warm weather, are its wide concourses for strolling and window shopping, with beautiful garden areas, potted plants, and fountains. Live music on Friday nights during the summer is especially fun. Look online for a listing of summer music acts.

Glenbrook Square Mall[21], located on the north end of the city, is a legacy-type enclosed mall. It is always busy, has many stores, three big department anchors, and a really nice food court.

• Coney Island - A wiener stand that likes their buns steamed since 1924. Huge during the Three Rivers Festival and the Lighting of the Santa Claus the night before Thanksgiving.

• Firefly[25] - 3523 North Anthony Blvd. - The Firefly is perennially voted the best coffee house in town. It's just a block or two south of IPFW, the largest university in the city. The drink theme is insects, and they have many good smoothies and other offerings with bug-like names. There is free wireless internet access, and usually exhibits of local art on the walls. In the evenings, there is often live music.

• Paula's on West Main - Great seafood and a very cool music bar called the Mangy Moose. It's in an old house. Very cool. Not cheap, but the food is great.

• Munchie's Emporium- several locations- Munchie's is an old staple in Fort Wayne. The original is located downtown on the corner of Broadway and Taylor. This particular location is the most nostalgic, decorated with political paraphernalia dating back to the early 1930s. Munchie's has a very eclectic menu, ranging from their plethora of delicious sandwiches to salmon to homemade pizza. Their beer list is one of the best in Fort Wayne- also serving Fort Wayne's Mad Anthony's Beer. It is fairly cheap and always a good meal!

• Lucky's Terrapin Grille- 622 E Dupont Rd - North Side - Near Coldwater Rd - Formerly Munchies at Dupont Crossing - Great fish and sweet potato chips. They have this mango dipping sauce that is the best. It is fairly cheap and always a good meal!

• Ziffle's Rib Bar - Northeast Side - 6340 E State Blvd - Phone:260.493.1222 - a fantastic rib joint located in Georgetown Square.

• Cindy's Diner - Downtown - Cindy's is a traditional 1950's-style diner loaded with charm. It's one of those stainless steel prefab buildings that used to be all over but disappeared with the onslaught of the chains. Those in the mood for breakfast can find it here any time of the day. It seat about 15 people. You sit at the counter and chew the fat with the staff. They have those little juke boxes every few seats with old 50's and 60's hits. They make their own donuts with an antique donut machine that came from old downtown Murphy's store. 830 S. Harrison Street. Cheap and a great value for breakfast or lunch. Closed in evenings.

• Power's Hamburgers - South Downtown - 1402 S. Harrison across from Lincoln Green. This place was built in the 1940 and hasn't changed. It is the prototype for White Castle but the burgers are bigger and everything is fresh. The chili is also great. A picture of it is at http://www.hollyeats.com/Powers.htm. Real cheap and real fun!

• The Oyster Bar - South Downtown - 1830 South Calhoun Street, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802-5258 ph: 219.744.9490. There are two Oyster Bars in Fort Wayne. The original Oyster Bar downtown used to be a honest to goodness speakeasy: tradition has it that soda was served in front and cards & booze were the staple of the back room during prohibition. The original OB is just south of downtown in a 100+ year old brick building. You almost sit in the kitchen and have to walk through the kitchen to reach part of the seating. Small and very cool. You can see your dinner made and talk to the cooks. The food is really good too. You might think, Oyster Bar = Sea Food in Fort Wayne, Indiana = Huh? But this is the age of flash frozen Sashimi grade tuna air Fedexed via 747-400's. Ergo, the fish you eat in Chicago is the same stuff. In the summer you can eat outside. The other Oyster Bar is in a strip mall up north in suburbia on Dupont. This is where they used to have a microbrewery. It won both national and state awards- the most of any Indiana brewery in 2003. The owners decided that a banquet room could better serve the customer base (the old downtown operation is so out of code that they can't upgrade it without destroying it so it is what it is). The food is good up there too, but there is a certain je ne sais quoi in the old downtown operation. Steve Gard is the owner of both and a cool dude. Foodie to the max.

• Higher Grounds Coffee House[26] - Downtown (Corner of Calhoun and Wayne St.), Many other locations Phone: 485-0100.

• Switta Thai Cuisine - 5820 Challenger Pkwy, Fort Wayne, IN 46818. ph: (260) 497-9429. The best Thai Cuisine and fried rice in Fort Wayne.

• Asakusa Japanese Restaurant - 6224 Lima Rd, Fort Wayne, IN 46818. ph: (260) 490-6888. A little bit expensive, however the sushi is great.

• The Italian Connection - West Side - 2725 Taylor St - Phone:260.432.9702 - This is one of the best kept secrets in Fort Wayne, most of the locals don't even know about it. It is a quaint Italian restaurant located in a small two story house. There is a large factory across the street, and a plain looking neighborhood surrounding. If it weren't for the small neon sign in the window you'd never look twice. It seats less than 50 and I've never seen more than three employees working: a host, a server, and the cook. The food is simple home-cooked Italian, and it's definitely worth the trip. Be sure to call ahead to make sure they're open.

• Club Soda[22] - Like Ruth's Chris - only much hipper in an authentic 125 year old building. Live Jazz. Very cool.

• Columbia Street West[23] - Downtown. Good live rock and ok food.

• Dash-In - Downtown on Calhoun is a cool coffee house in a 100+ year old building that also serves great lunches at a reasonable price. Good soups. They also sell beer by the bottle. The walls are lined by local artists' work that are also for sale.

• Old Crown Coffee Roasters[24] - Near IPFW on North Anthony (3410) - It's the best coffee in Northeast Indiana. Fresh roasted beans every day with an emphasis on high quality. If you want great coffee, from India to Colombia, this is the place to go.