Lakefront · Resort
Oakwood Resort
A lakeside resort with rooms, a restaurant and a tiki bar on Lake Wawasee.
Official details for Oakwood ResortIndiana · Couples · Two nights
Lake Wawasee
Indiana’s biggest lake, with a seaplane base.
Lake Wawasee, at Syracuse in northern Indiana, is the state’s largest natural lake and a summer place for generations of Hoosier families. Floatplanes can land on the lake at its public seaplane base; landplanes use Goshen, about 20 minutes north. Stay and eat on the water at the Oakwood Resort, take a narrated history cruise, and spend a day in the Amish towns of Shipshewana and Nappanee.
Seaplane baseLake resortAmish country
YOUR ROUTEKMYR to GSH
STRAIGHT-LINE DISTANCE~573 NM
ILLUSTRATIVE FLIGHT TIME~4 hr 04 min
WEEKEND STYLETwo nights · Rental car, or dock at the lake
Time illustration: direct distance at 150 KTAS plus 15 minutes for departure and arrival, matching the discovery page. Use ForeFlight for your actual flight plan.
01 / Aviation & getting around
Land at Goshen or on the lake.
GSH, Goshen Municipal, is a non-towered field with a 6,008-foot runway about 20 minutes north of Syracuse. Floatplanes and amphibians can land on Lake Wawasee at 01D.
The FBO
Goshen Municipal Airport
574-238-1000Goshen Municipal Airport, Goshen, IN
Confirm FBO hours, fuel and a rental car before you go. No live fuel price is shown.
Northern Indiana weather: summer haze and pop-up thunderstorms, lake-effect clouds in late fall, and busy boat traffic on summer weekends. About 570 nm from Myrtle Beach: plan a fuel stop and three nights.
Seaplane access
Lake Wawasee (01D), public-use seaplane base
317-232-0935Syracuse, IN · Indiana DNR 317-232-0935
Water lanes: 13W/31W, 8,000 × 2,500 ft.
Seaplane operations are prohibited between sunset and sunrise. Expect heavy boat traffic between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Do not block boat ramps; seaplane docking areas are limited. (FAA chart supplement remarks.)
The base is run by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources; ask the resort about tying up at its docks.
Water landing rules, conditions and docking change; call the base and check the chart supplement before you go.
02 / Where to stay
Stay on the water.
Rates and availability need travel dates. Summer weekends fill early.
Local guide
More places to stay
Lake cottages, inns and hotels in Kosciusko County.
Visit Kosciusko County for More places to stay03 / Where to eat
Dinner by the lake.
Reserve weekend dinners.
Friday dinner · Waterfront
Oakwood Resort
The resort restaurant and back porch on the lake, plus the tiki bar out back.
Official details for Oakwood ResortLocal guide
More restaurants
Lakeside and town restaurants around Syracuse and Warsaw.
Visit Kosciusko County for More restaurants04 / Things to do
Lake history and Amish country.
Easy, relaxed days.
Lake history cruise
Narrated cruises of Lake Wawasee listed by the chamber in summer.
Syracuse-Wawasee ChamberPumpkinvine Nature Trail
A paved rail trail through Amish farmland between Goshen and Shipshewana.
Pumpkinvine Trails Coalition05 / What’s happening
Sometimes the season is the reason to fly.
This prototype links to the local visitor site. It does not yet match events to your travel dates.
Early July
Wawasee Flotilla
A themed boat parade around the lake, held since 1961.
Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber for Wawasee FlotillaSummer
Lake season
Boating and outdoor dining.
Visit Kosciusko County for Lake seasonSeptember–October
Fall weekends
Quiet water and harvest season in Amish country.
Visit Shipshewana for Fall weekendsConcerts, festivals & local happenings
Check the local calendar when choosing a weekend, and confirm dates and tickets with the organizer.
06 / Suggested itinerary
Friday in. Sunday home.
A sample lake weekend. Plan three nights for the flight. No bookings or availability confirmed.
Day trip version
Just for the day
- Arrive
Land at GSH or 01D mid-morning.
- Midday
Lunch at the Oakwood Resort on the lake.
- Afternoon
A lake cruise, then back to the airport.
DAY 1
Arrive
- Arrival
Land at GSH or 01D, subject to weather, your fuel stop and your actual flight plan.
- Afternoon
Check in on the lake.
- Evening
Dinner on the back porch at Oakwood.
DAY 2
Explore
- Morning
Shipshewana.
- Afternoon
A lake cruise.
- Evening
The tiki bar at sunset.
DAY 3
Morning & home
- Morning
Bike the Pumpkinvine.
- Before leaving
Allow time at the base or airport.
- Fly home
Afternoon thunderstorms build in summer; leave early.
Longer stay · Add a day
With an extra day
- Morning
Shipshewana.
- Afternoon
Bike the Pumpkinvine.
- Evening
The tiki bar at sunset.
07 / Good to know
Keep the weekend easy to change.
These details make the difference between an appealing list and a usable getaway.
Book in this order
Oakwood first in summer.
Long flight
About 570 nm. Plan a fuel stop and three nights.
Water
Daylight only; heavy boat traffic in summer.
Best seasons
June to September.
Reviewed · Destination 176
Reviewed November 5, 2026.
Picks and links reviewed by WingAway Weekends. Hours, prices, menus and availability change often, so confirm directly with each place before booking. Spotted something out of date, or have a favorite we missed? Email us at [email protected].
WingAway Weekends helps you discover the destination. Use ForeFlight and current official aviation information for route, performance, weather, NOTAMs and preflight decisions. Flight planning and PIC responsibility stay with the pilot.