THE GRAYS continued from 17 County Music Center, and Bill Monroe’ s Music Park are short drives away. Guests can expect clean, cozy rooms, and kind, caring staff.
The Gray’ s own eight different lodging locations, all within their complex’ s vicinity. Prices are dynamic and seasonal, but generally range from $ 99-160 a night. Most of them can house two to five people, but one sleeps up to seven. Twenty-six people is max capacity for their lodging.
More information can be found at < irisgardenlodging. com >. You can contact them anytime at 812-988-2422. The best way to book is directly through them.
I had the pleasure of staying in the“ Chipmunk Junction” cottage with my significant other for our“ first date” anniversary, and it was one of the best getaways I have experienced.
The Brown County Rock Shop sells a variety of rocks, fossils, and gemstones. Matt and Amy have been hand picking minerals from venders across the world for over a decade. This has allowed them to build up one of the most unique inventories of rocks and minerals in all of Indiana. Pieces range from large, rare, expensive
gemstones, to cool rocks kids can spend their allowance on. Everything in the shop is fun to look at and you’ ll want to come back again to see it all.
Along with all the beautiful items for sale, the Brown County Rock Shop also sells mining bags. Visitors can pan for gems and fossils themselves with these bags at the Copperhead Creek Gem Mine located right outside the shop. There’ s a process to mining for gems: place only a handful from the bag at a time in the pan, then dunk the pan in the water and wash the sand away, and lastly pick out the gems that are left.
Families have a blast in the summer panning away in the cool water, finding surprises along the way. Bags range from $ 9 –$ 50 depending on the size and contents of the bag. The most popular is the“ Motherload” bag at $ 30, but no matter the bag, the gems inside collectively will be worth more than the purchase price of the bag. You can find more information on the rock shop at < browncountyrockshop. com >.
Guests keep coming back year after year to the Iris Garden complex because of the family that runs the place. You can follow the Grays on social media on Instagram and Facebook through their business names. They sometimes offer giveaways and announce sales. •
20 Our Brown County • July / August 2022