Are you following Visit Fort Wayne on Facebook?

If you aren’t yet, now’s the time to do so! Join close to 3,000 others who love learning about Fort Wayne and happenings around the city on a daily basis. Looking for a restaurant suggestion? Maybe an idea for date night? Or perhaps you want to know what events are going on in the city the weekend you will be in town. You can find it all here.

On the Visit Fort Wayne Facebook page, posts from the Visit Fort Wayne blog are shared on a regular basis. Locals share their tips and reasons why they love Fort Wayne. You can even find mentions of Fort Wayne in the local and national press here!

Everything you want to know about your hometown is here. For visitors, following the Facebook page is a great way to plan a trip to the Summit City. In short the Facebook page is like a mini-news center for everything Fort Wayne and Allen County. Be the first to hear about “insider” tips and upcoming events here too. Don’t delay. Click “like” and join in on all the fun and fellowship with others who love this great city!

Pinterest isn’t just for crafters and cooks.

If you haven’t joined in the fun on this social media website yet — you are missing out! Pinterest allows users to save images and hyperlinks to favorite websites, products, locations and images of all kinds. If you can find it on the web… you can save it here! Visit Fort Wayne even has it’s own page on the site. Follow it here.

Visit Fort Wayne is at the heart of all the fun and activity going on in the area – for both locals and visitors alike. By following the Visit Fort Wayne Pinterest board you will find ideas for planning your next family getaway… ideas for Fort Wayne fun and even local images and art related to those passionate about the area!

Have you ever seen a Fort Wayne quilt? Or maybe a T-shirt proclaiming love for Indiana? Find them here! Other boards will give you the inside scoop on all the sports and recreation activities Fort Wayne has to offer, from Tin Caps games to visits to the Allen County Memorial Coliseum to see the Mad Ants and Komets play. “Taste of Fort Wayne” guides you on where to grab a bite to eat in this great city.

Other boards include suggestions for Fort Wayne nightlife, date night ideas in Fort Wayne and the really fun “Hidden Fort Wayne” showing you areas of the city you may never have heard of or been to! These sometimes overlooked locations really make the city shine — visit one on your next visit!

And lastly, have you ever wanted to support local artisans and companies? Visit Fort Wayne has a pin board just for that, “Shop Fort Wayne” which groups together locally produced goods. Shop at these locations to support the local economy. The Visit Fort Wayne Pinterest boards are constantly growing and evolving. Check them out today!

Do you have regular Mommy/Daughter or Daddy/Daughter date nights? It’s something special my family started in the past year. If you have more than one child, I think it’s especially important for kids to get one-on-one time with each parent. If your child is a fan of quality time, then this is for you!

Visit somewhere new, and learn together!

Fort Wayne offers many options for you and your darling daughter to enjoy quality time together. These outings are excellent opportunities to try area attractions you haven’t visited before. Many places you can visit are low or no cost making an afternoon on the town very affordable.

Here are a few options that my daughter and I have enjoyed or plan to enjoy on our next date:

• Fort Wayne Museum of Art – They have a special hands-on area for kids that makes art accessible for your child no matter the age. Don’t just stay in the children’s area; enjoy the exhibit being featured and take the opportunity to learn side-by-side with your daughter. If you go on Sunday, admission is free.
• Big Girl Drinks – Make your daughter feel grown up by taking her out for “coffee” (a.k.a. hot chocolate) at a local coffee shop like Mocha Lounge, Firefly, or Old Crown.
• A Great Tale- With Barnes & Noble locations at Jefferson Pointe and Glenbrook Mall, choose the one that’s close to your itinerary. Spend some time in the children’s section picking out books and reading them on the stage. Unless you purchase a book, this stop is free!
• Sweets for your Sweetie – Does your sweetheart also have a sweet tooth? A stop at DeBrand’s for a chocolate or local bakery like Vanilla Bean or Yummee’s, will surely make her grin.
• Pretty Pedi – Many spas that feature pedicures will also have a special child’s pedicure. We have had great experiences with Cali Spa at Dupont and Lima Roads. They offer your little darling the standard juice to enjoy and add flower details to the polish, which is the perfect finishing touch. Their child’s pedicure is $22.
• Dine Downtown – Going downtown is a thrill for kids with the change in sights and sounds. Whether you enjoy breakfast at Cindy’s Diner, lunch in a booth at Calhoun St. Soups, Salads & Spirits, or dinner in the window at Pint & Slice, you’re sure to fill up on memories.
• To Market to Market – On the morning of the first Saturday of winter months, get down to Parkview Field for the Ft. Wayne’s Farmers Market. With a little cash, you can grab a homemade treat to share and perhaps something special for her like handcrafted jewelry or even face-painting.

For a successful date, I recommend selecting just a few experiences from the list for each date. That way, you can enjoy the time together and each location you’ve chosen. Please let us know if you have a favorite date spot we missed!

If my earlier post on geocaching intrigued you, I encourage you to give it a try. There are many ways to get started.

One of the Pink Pearl’s – Rest in Peace series.

You might choose to simply start near your home or office. Or you might choose to hunt through a specific series. Fort Wayne has quite a few series for you to choose from like:

• Wake Up Fort Wayne
• Gretyl
• Rest in Peace

You might also choose to track down geocaches hidden by particular individuals such as:

• Mr. Incredible!
• Pink Pearl
• 5cachetrackers

Here’s an idea I’d love to try: plan a weekend road trip where you let the geocaches guide your course! You might head out for just the day, starting and ending in Fort Wayne. You could also make a weekend of it by enjoying area communities throughout northeast Indiana.

Please let us know what hidden treasures you discover along the way!

Instagram is a photo-sharing app (and now site) that connects with other social media accounts you may already have, like Facebook. You may be familiar with Instagram and already sharing your own photos. You’re not alone; Visit Fort Wayne is there sharing great information for tourists and locals alike. Here are the top five reasons you should be sure to follow their account:

#5 Real Time Updates

The Visit Fort Wayne team will share the latest news with photos as the information is released. There is no better way to stay up on the latest information about events and activities going on around Fort Wayne.

#4 Hidden Gems

You’ll be surprised at what you’ll see from Visit Fort Wayne. It might be a new menu addition to a local eatery. It could be a sneak at the latest gallery or museum exhibit. Or maybe it’s the storefront of a new downtown retail shop you’ll want to make a part of your next shopping trip.

#3 Personality through Photography

We know brands themselves don’t snap pictures and post. By following Visit Fort Wayne on Instagram, you’ll get to know the personality behind the brand. You’ll discover the people of Fort Wayne are definitely people you could hang out with over a cup of coffee or include in your weekend plans.

#2 VIP Access

When you hang with Visit Fort Wayne on Instagram, you get special VIP access and views of the best Fort Wayne has to offer. While 10,000 people have one view, Visit Fort Wayne is bringing you a view that can only be seen via their Instagram stream. Talk about exclusive!

#1 You never know what you’ll see next!

On this particular night, it was a proposal found in downtown. Be sure to follow their Instagram stream so you don’t miss one photo-worthy moment from Fort Wayne.