Best Places to Visit in Indiana
Indiana is a state located in the region between mid-west USA and the Great Lakes. It is the 16th most populous state with an approximate 6.8 million residents. Indianapolis is the state capital as well as the largest city of the state. Indiana is home to several military installments of the country and has a diverse economy. Major industries include transportation and electrical machinery, pharmaceuticals and energy production. The state is renowned for its professional sports teams and has produced more NBA players than any other state. Lastly, Indiana also offers splendid tourist resorts and destinations and thus attracts millions of travelers around the globe.
10. Brown County State Park
Brown County State Park is the largest state park in Indiana and is located near the small county of Nashville. Occupying more than 15,000 acres, Brown County State Park is well-known for its beautiful scenery and outdoor recreation. During fall, the forests within the park display a large cluster of delicately-colored trees which turn into gorgeous flowers in spring. Horse-riding, biking and hiking routes are available along with a couple of lakes for fishing and water recreation. The park also offers terrific spots for sight-seeing and birdwatching and special lobbies have been created to welcome the 1.5 million tourists that visit the place annually.
9. RV Museum & Hall of Fame
Established in 1991, RV / MH Hall of Fame is a museum located in the city of Elkhart. It spans an area of 100,000 square meters and features various collections of classic vehicles that were used around the country for past 100 years. The primary building, Founders Hall displays portraits of historic trailers and vehicles from the previous century. Visitors can also take a look at different exhibits which highlight key events such as the creation of microwave oven and other electrical appliances. The museum attracts thousands of visitors and history-devotees every year.
8. Indianapolis Zoo
Indianapolis Zoo is situated in the White River State Park of Indianapolis. It is a non-profit organization which was built in 1964 which contains an aquarium and a botanical garden apart from its artificially themed rainforests. Apart from giving its visitors a typical zoo experience, Indianapolis Zoo is a place for family outing and holiday celebrations. It has thousands of exhibits representing 320 different species of the wildlife. The zoo has a large pavilion, specially dedicated for dolphins where tourists can have guided encounters with the friendly creatures.
7) Museum of American Indian and Western Art
Museum of American Indian and Western Art is situated in central Indianapolis at the entrance of the White State Park. It was founded by a businessman named Harrison Eiteljorg and preserves remarkable compilations of Western American and Native American artworks. Added to that, the museum also houses world’s most elegant collection of Native contemporary artifacts. Thousands of cultural objects, sculptures and paintings of legendary artists are displayed through excellent and bilateral seminars and exhibits. The institute inspires to grow the appreciation and knowledge regarding the cultures of the modern and historic America.
6. Marengo Cave National Landmark
Marengo Cave was discovered by a couple of schoolboys in 1883 in Marengo, Indiana. It is one of the few show caves in the state and began offering public tours a few days after it was discovered. While walking along the 1 mile trail, tourists can enjoy viewing the fascinating rock formations of stalactites and stalagmites. The major trail is the Crystal Palace Trail which takes an hour to complete. Furthermore, cabins have been established within the cave to provide shelter to the visiting groups. Tourists can also enjoy canoeing, gemstone mining and cave simulators.
5. Indianapolis Children’s Museum
Founded in 1925 in the state capital, Indianapolis Children’s Museum is the largest children’s museum in the world. It has five levels of interactive exhibits and displays with more than 120,000 artifacts, specimens and historic sculptures which come from all corners of the world. Annually, thousands of communal activities and events are held in the museum. Some of the prominent structures are a planetarium, theatre, an invigorating gallery and Dinosphere (an artificially themed habitat which uses light simulations to represent life 65 million years ago). The museum draws an average 1 million tourists annually and inspires to conserve scientific and cultural history. More family attractions in Indianapolis
4. Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari
Holiday World & Splashin Safari is an amusement resort and a water theme park located in Santa Claus. The park provides a combination of water recreation and fun rides. It is portioned into four basic themed sections that celebrate special occasions like Christmas and Halloween. Holiday World is renowned for its thrilling wooden roller coasters including the Thunderbird and the Raven. Splashin Safari is considered as one of the best water parks across the country for its breathtaking water adventures and exhilarating rides and slides. Moreover, several restaurants recreation spots have been created for the tourists within the area.
3. Indianapolis Motor Speedway
With a total capacity of 400,000 seats, Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the largest capacity sports venue in the world. It is located in the city of Speedway which is known as the racing capital of the world. Constructed in 1909, Motor Speedway is home to high-quality racing competitions like Indianapolis 500 and Brickyard 400. This automotive racing venue has also hosted Formula One Grand Prix for consecutive 8 years. Moreover, a hall of fame museum has been built alongside the racing track which preserves car displays and racing photos from the previous century. Visitors can also learn to drive a real automotive car on the tracks.
2. White River State Park
White River State Park is located in the capital city of Indiana and boasts several world-class attractions and destinations. It is filled with natural beauty and offers plenty of outdoor activities for visitors. Some of the major cultural, educational, and recreational attractions in this 250-acre wonderland are: IMAX theater, Indianapolis Zoo, State Museum, Hall of Champions and the Museum of American Indian and Western Art. The stunning White River Gardens offer a terrific opportunity for outdoor recreation and picnics. Biking and boating trails are available for diverse entertainment.
1. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is a part of the Indiana Dunes State Park that spans an area of 15 miles along the shorelines of Lake Michigan. The dunes offer natural habitats to rare plant and wildlife species. During the summers, thousands of tourists turn up to the State Park for swimming, sunbathing, cross-country skiing as well as camping and fishing. Inland, superb hiking trails are found which lead to historical sites and visitor centers located within the area. The Indiana Dunes provide a wonderful vacation spot and is a popular tourist destination in the state.