Indiana is best known for the Indianapolis 500 and corn fields, but this state centrally located between Michigan, Ohio and Illinois, is more than fast cars and farms. The Hoosier state offers a wide variety of activities perfect for families including a nationally recognized children's museum, a children's zoo and miles of Lake Michigan shoreline complete with sand dunes. Children will find something to captivate them in just about every corner of the state.
Museums
Located on more than 20 acres of land in Indianapolis, the Children's Museum of Indianapolis houses the nation's largest collection of youth museum artifacts. More than 1 million visitors take in the four-story facility each year. Indianapolis is also the home of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame and the President Benjamin Harrison home. Several other Indiana towns boast interactive children's museums including Lafayette, Mishawaka, Fort Wayne and Michigan City.
Zoos
"Parents" magazine recently named the 38-acre Fort Wayne Children's Zoo one of the top 10 zoos in the country. Families will understand why after taking in the African journey with lions, hyenas and vultures. There's also an opportunity to ride over the zoo in a sky safari and hand feed giraffes. Another unique animal experience can be found in Albion, Indiana at the Black Pine Animal Park, which is not just a zoo, but a sanctuary for exotic rescued animals. Zoos can also be found in Indianapolis and South Bend.
Amusement Parks
Who wouldn't want to visit Santa Claus year-round? Most children, and lots of adults, would get a kick out of hanging out jolly Old Saint Nick on vacation and in Indiana, that can happen. Holiday World and Splashing Safari offer an adrenaline packed trip in Santa Claus, Indiana, during the spring and summer months. The amusement park houses four roller coasters and 17 water rides, including the world's longest water coaster. For those looking for a tamer experience, check out Santa's Storytime or one of the other shows. Year-round water park fun can be found at Splash Universe in Shipshewana.
National Parks
Illinois is the state most commonly linked to Abraham Lincoln, but our nation's 16th president actually spent the formative years of his life in Indiana. The Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial is located in Lincoln City, Indiana and allows visitors to see the site of the Lincoln family farm where Abraham Lincoln lived from the time he was seven until he turned 21. More American history can be found in Vincennes, Indiana at the George Rogers Clark National Memorial. The memorial marks the site of the British surrender to the Americans at Fort Sackville in 1779. This victory allowed the American army to claim the frontier and is considered a critical battle in the Revolutionary War.
Outdoor Activities
Indiana offers a variety of outdoor activities, including swimming, hiking, biking, boating, cross country skiing and fishing. The Indiana Dunes National Park in Porter, Indiana has more than 15 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline and the state's largest moving sand dune, Mt. Baldy. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources manages more than 20 state parks scattered throughout the state offering camping and cabin rentals.
Cave Exploring
Indiana gives families two different opportunities to explore caves in Marengo and Bedford. The Marengo Cave is a U.S. Natural Landmark and offers families and individuals several different options for exploring the many miles of underground caves, including two different hikes and cave crawling. Bluespring Caverns in Bedford offers visitors a boat ride through the subterranean caves on the Myst'ry River. Families can expect to see cave formations, blind fish and crayfish.
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