Home to magnificent landscapes of densely forested woodlands teeming with wildlife, bordered by lovely beaches lapped by gin-clear waters, Indiana offers a wealth of recreational activities for everyone to enjoy. Whether you are looking for a day out with the kids or a weekend escape, Indiana has plenty of great places that beg to explored and many activities for the whole from hiking and horseback riding to mountain biking, fishing, sailing, boating on a lake and wildlife watching. Here are some of the top things to enjoy with the family in Indiana.
Visit the Black Pine Animal Sanctuary
The Black Pine Animal Sanctuary is an 18-acre sanctuary in Albion that provides permanent refuge for rescued, captive-raised exotic animals that have been performing animals or kept as ‘pets.’
Explore Bluespring Caverns Park
Bluespring Caverns Park is an extensive karst-and-river type cave system in Lawrence County that contains over 20 miles of surveyed passages and three-mile subterranean river – the longest such river in the United States.
Take the kids to the Columbian Park Zoo
Located at Columbian Park in Lafayette, the Columbian Park Zoo is an animal sanctuary that is home to over 190 animals from over 90 species, ranging from alligators, elk, and bears to lions, monkeys, and zebra.
The Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education
Set within the Indiana Dunes National Park, The Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education is a modern visitor center on the western side of the park that and provides visitors with all kinds of information and activities that can be enjoyed in the park.
Fort Harrison State Park
Fort Harrison State Park is an Indiana state park in Lawrence based on the former site of Fort Benjamin Harrison.
Fort Wayne Children's Zoo
The Fort Wayne Children's Zoo is a 40-acre animal sanctuary that protects and preserves over 1,000 animals in specially designed exhibits that replicate the animals’ natural habitats.
Fort Wayne Museum of Art
Located in downtown Fort Wayne, the Fort Wayne Museum of Art celebrates contemporary and historical art through a diverse range of permanent collections and traveling exhibitions.
Garfield Park Conservatory and Sunken Gardens
The Garfield Park Conservatory and Sunken Gardens is a 10,000 square foot conservatory that is home to hundreds of different plants from the world's tropical regions.
Hesston Steam Museum
The Hesston Steam Museum celebrates the age of steam-powered machinery and features four different gauge railroads and a variety of vintage farm equipment.
Walk in Hoosier National Forest
Blanketing the hills of south-central Indiana, the Hoosier National Forest spans 203,000 acres and boasts pristine landscapes of rolling hills, winding back-country trails, and rural crossroad communities.
Visit the beaches in Indiana Dunes National Park
Previously known as Indiana Dunes National Park, Indiana Dunes National Park is a state park on the southern shores of Lake Michigan in North-western Indiana. The park is home to over 15 miles of beautiful beaches, vast rolling dunes, and blowouts, along with marshes, wetlands, fields of wildflowers and groves of black oak savanna and maple sugar trees that grow with the seasons.
Indianapolis Zoo
Home to over 3,800 animals representing 320 species, the Indianapolis Zoo features a zoological park, an aquarium, and a botanical garden.
Go gem mining in Marengo Park Cave
Marengo Park Cave is a privately-owned cave in Marengo that offers a variety of cave-based activities such as walking tours of the cave, cave exploring, and gem mining.
Muncie Children's Museum
The Muncie Children's Museum is an interactive, immersive museum that features hands-on exhibits and displays that encourage creative learning through play in a safe and creative environment.
Museum of Miniature Houses
The Museum of Miniature Houses is dedicated to the art of fine-scale miniature and is one of only a few museums of its kind in the country.
National Model Aviation Museum
Located at the International Aeromodeling Center in Muncie, the National Model Aviation Museum is the largest model aviation museum in the world, detailing the rich history of aeromodelling through fascinating exhibits of more than 11,000 artifacts that span two centuries.
National New York Central Railroad Museum
The National New York Central Railroad Museum is a railroad museum in Elkhart that is dedicated to the preservation of the New York Central Railroad (NYC).
Potawatomi Wildlife Park
Set along the banks of the Tippecanoe River, the Potawatomi Wildlife Park is a 317-acre preserve privately owned and managed nature sanctuary that preserves, conserves and protects the pristine landscapes of the Tippecanoe region and the fauna and flora that inhabit it.
Red Wolf Sanctuary
The Red Wolf Sanctuary is committed to the preservation and protection of North American wildlife and is home to a variety of species native to North America that has been rescued or are recuperating from life-changing injuries.
Santa Claus Museum and Village
Located near the community of Santa Claus, the Santa Claus Museum and Village is a popular attraction that explores the history of the town of Santa Claus, from its humble beginnings as the tiny settlement of Santa Fee to the present-day bustling city.
Science Central
Science Central is an interactive science center in Fort Wayne that explores the world of science through over 200 imaginative, innovative, and hands-on exhibits.
Squire Boone Caverns and Village
Located in Mauckport, Squire Boone Caverns and Village is a popular tourist attraction centered around the Squire Boone Caverns, which were discovered by Daniel Boone and his brother, Squire, in the late 18th century.
The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is home to over 120,000 artifacts and objects and fascinating permanent exhibits.
