During those days of the year where the weather begins to get warmer day by day, you may feel yourself itching for some outdoor adventure. Don’t worry, we’ve tracked down 11 of the best places to help you get your fair dose of fun. Here are our picks for some of the very best adventures in Indiana:
- Clifty Falls
Mark Moschell/Flickr
Mark Moschell/Flickr Clifty Falls State Park in Madison offers year-round adventure for those who seek it. The stunning waterfall changes dramatically season by season, ranging from delicate mists to massive plunges of water to icy, frozen displays. There are also tons of hiking trails, a nature center, picnic facilities, and fun courts for outdoor games. Always check the official DNR State Parks website for the most up-to-date information to help plan your trip.
Address: 1501 Green Road, Madison, Indiana, 47250
- Marengo Cave
Clayton Sieg/Flickr
Sarah Ewart/Wikimedia Marengo Cave is a U.S. National Landmark and arguably the most popular natural attraction in Indiana. Take an hour-long tour through the Dripstone Trail (roughly one mile), or explore the Crystal Palace in just over a half-hour. Always check the official website for the most up-to-date information to help plan your trip.
Address: 400 East State Road 64, Marengo, Indiana, 47140
- Pokagon State Park
Anna Hesser/Flickr
Greg Walters/Flickr Pokagon State Park (formerly Lake James State Park) offers a variety of activities to take part in. Go camping, go swimming, rent a paddleboat, play volleyball, or enjoy a horseback ride through the gorgeous scenery. In the winter, you can even go skiing or tobogganing! Fun! The Indiana DNR website has all the info you’ll need to plan your trip!
Address: 450 Lane 100 Lake James, Angola, Indiana, 46703
- Indiana Dunes State Park
Michael Kappel/Flickr
Jade Leetz/Flickr Indiana Dunes State Park has over 15 miles of adventure waiting for you. Walk along stunning coastline on the edge of Lake Michigan, or revel in the beauty of the nearby woods with walking and hiking trails. Indiana Dunes is truly a treat you won’t find anywhere else. Visit the official website for the most up-to-date info, including entry fees and park hours.
Address: 1600 North 25 East, Chesterton, Indiana, 46304
- Indianapolis Cultural Trail
Jun Wang/Flickr Adventure can be found in cities, too! The Indianapolis Cultural Trail is a revolutionary community-building trail that escorts walkers, runners, and bikers along eight miles of historic scenery, beautiful art exhibits, natural splendor, and great shopping and dining.
Address: 132 West Walnut Street, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46204
- Turkey Run State Park
Anthony Doudt/Flickr Turkey Run State Park offers a variety of activities for adventurers to partake in. Explore the sandstone gorges or walk through one of the park’s ravines, for starters. Head to the camp site and make a weekend out of it! Make sure to refer to the website for pertinent information about planning your adventure.
Address: 8121 Park Road, Marshall, Indiana, 47859
- McCormick Creek State Park
TrailSeeds/Flickr Located in Spencer, Indiana, McCormick Creek State Park offers a large variety of trails and waterfalls, as well as a trail cutting through Wolf Cave Nature Preserve. Enjoy the best of Indiana wildlife at this fascinating park! The website will have plenty of information about booking campsites and more.
Address: 250 McCormick Creek Park Road, Spencer, Indiana, 47460
- Spring Mill State Park
spablab/Flickr
bnpositive/Flickr Spring Mill State Park in Mitchell, Indiana, has a lot to offer visitors. Pick one (or all) of four main attractions: Pioneer Village, Nature Center, Grissom Memorial, or Twin Caves Boat Tour. The official website has plenty of information to help you plan your adventure ASAP.
Address: 3333 IN-60 East, Mitchell, Indiana, 47446
- Cataract Falls
Matt Riding/Flickr
Sarah Altendorf/flickr Cataract Falls is actually Indiana’s largest waterfall (by volume, of course). It’s part of the Lieber State Recreation Area in Owen County, and it even has a quaint covered bridge to admire, too.
- Bluespring Caverns
Amit/Flickr Tucked away in Lawrence County, there is a breathtaking cave system known as Bluespring Caverns. In fact, it’s noted as having the largest subterranean river in the entire country! Talk about interesting. Check out the official website for more details.
Address: 1459 Blue Springs Cavern Road, Bedford, Indiana, 47421
- Zip-lining in Brown County
pamela salazar/YouTube Fly through the woods and over impressive bodies of water with zip-line tours available in beautiful Brown County. Want to see just what you’re in for? Watch the video below, and click here for the official zip-lining Brown County website.
Address: 2620 Valley Branch Road, Nashville, Indiana, 47448
Mark Moschell/Flickr
Clifty Falls State Park in Madison offers year-round adventure for those who seek it. The stunning waterfall changes dramatically season by season, ranging from delicate mists to massive plunges of water to icy, frozen displays. There are also tons of hiking trails, a nature center, picnic facilities, and fun courts for outdoor games. Always check the official DNR State Parks website for the most up-to-date information to help plan your trip.
Address: 1501 Green Road, Madison, Indiana, 47250
Clayton Sieg/Flickr
Sarah Ewart/Wikimedia
Marengo Cave is a U.S. National Landmark and arguably the most popular natural attraction in Indiana. Take an hour-long tour through the Dripstone Trail (roughly one mile), or explore the Crystal Palace in just over a half-hour. Always check the official website for the most up-to-date information to help plan your trip.
Address: 400 East State Road 64, Marengo, Indiana, 47140
Anna Hesser/Flickr
Greg Walters/Flickr
Pokagon State Park (formerly Lake James State Park) offers a variety of activities to take part in. Go camping, go swimming, rent a paddleboat, play volleyball, or enjoy a horseback ride through the gorgeous scenery. In the winter, you can even go skiing or tobogganing! Fun! The Indiana DNR website has all the info you’ll need to plan your trip!
Address: 450 Lane 100 Lake James, Angola, Indiana, 46703
Michael Kappel/Flickr
Jade Leetz/Flickr
Indiana Dunes State Park has over 15 miles of adventure waiting for you. Walk along stunning coastline on the edge of Lake Michigan, or revel in the beauty of the nearby woods with walking and hiking trails. Indiana Dunes is truly a treat you won’t find anywhere else. Visit the official website for the most up-to-date info, including entry fees and park hours.
Address: 1600 North 25 East, Chesterton, Indiana, 46304
Jun Wang/Flickr
Adventure can be found in cities, too! The Indianapolis Cultural Trail is a revolutionary community-building trail that escorts walkers, runners, and bikers along eight miles of historic scenery, beautiful art exhibits, natural splendor, and great shopping and dining.
Address: 132 West Walnut Street, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46204
Anthony Doudt/Flickr
Turkey Run State Park offers a variety of activities for adventurers to partake in. Explore the sandstone gorges or walk through one of the park’s ravines, for starters. Head to the camp site and make a weekend out of it! Make sure to refer to the website for pertinent information about planning your adventure.
Address: 8121 Park Road, Marshall, Indiana, 47859
TrailSeeds/Flickr
Located in Spencer, Indiana, McCormick Creek State Park offers a large variety of trails and waterfalls, as well as a trail cutting through Wolf Cave Nature Preserve. Enjoy the best of Indiana wildlife at this fascinating park! The website will have plenty of information about booking campsites and more.
Address: 250 McCormick Creek Park Road, Spencer, Indiana, 47460
spablab/Flickr
bnpositive/Flickr
Spring Mill State Park in Mitchell, Indiana, has a lot to offer visitors. Pick one (or all) of four main attractions: Pioneer Village, Nature Center, Grissom Memorial, or Twin Caves Boat Tour. The official website has plenty of information to help you plan your adventure ASAP.
Address: 3333 IN-60 East, Mitchell, Indiana, 47446
Matt Riding/Flickr
Sarah Altendorf/flickr
Cataract Falls is actually Indiana’s largest waterfall (by volume, of course). It’s part of the Lieber State Recreation Area in Owen County, and it even has a quaint covered bridge to admire, too.
Amit/Flickr
Tucked away in Lawrence County, there is a breathtaking cave system known as Bluespring Caverns. In fact, it’s noted as having the largest subterranean river in the entire country! Talk about interesting. Check out the official website for more details.
Address: 1459 Blue Springs Cavern Road, Bedford, Indiana, 47421
pamela salazar/YouTube
Fly through the woods and over impressive bodies of water with zip-line tours available in beautiful Brown County. Want to see just what you’re in for? Watch the video below, and click here for the official zip-lining Brown County website.
Address: 2620 Valley Branch Road, Nashville, Indiana, 47448
The Hoosier State is a great place to explore and experience outdoor fun and adventure. What are some of your picks for the best adventures in Indiana? Tell us in the comments! If you’re craving more Indiana adventure, check out this article for the ultimate Indiana road trip!
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
Address: 1501 Green Rd, Madison, IN 47250, USAAddress: 400 IN-64, Marengo, IN 47140, USAAddress: Ln 100 Lake James, Jamestown Township, IN, USAAddress: 1600 N 25 E, Chesterton, IN 46304, USAAddress: 132 W Walnut St, Indianapolis, IN 46204, USAAddress: 8121 Park Road, Marshall, IN, USAAddress: 250 McCormick Creek Park Rd, Spencer, IN 47460, USAAddress: 3333 IN-60, Mitchell, IN 47446, USAAddress: Cataract Falls, Jennings Township, IN, USAAddress: 1459 Blue Springs Cavern Rd, Bedford, IN 47421, USAAddress: 2620 Valley Branch Rd, Nashville, IN 47448, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Best Adventures in Indiana May 11, 2021 Tori Jane What are some fun day trips in Indiana? Lucky for those of us in the Hoosier State, there are so many potential day trips you can enjoy that it’s hard to pick just a few! However, some of our favorites include gems like taking a wine cruise in Birdeye, driving out to White Rock Park and going cliff diving, and heading out to Berne to get a little taste of life in Switzerland. For more ideas, take a look at this article and get some inspiration! Where are some fun places to go in Indiana? Well, naturally, that depends on what you like to do! For nature lovers, Indiana has more than 4,200 miles of amazing hiking trails, 86 different lakes, and thousands of miles of rivers and creeks; take your pick from any one of them for the adventure of a lifetime! For those who prefer city life, there’s always the world-famous Children’s Museum in Indianapolis, which is the largest museum of its kind in the world. You’ll also find an assortment of history, art, and science museums, and Indy alone has almost 200 parks to enjoy. Foodies will find something delicious to love in almost every county. Indiana is a super-fun state, as long as you know where to look! What Indiana waterfalls can I hike to this summer? Oh, waterfalls. How do we love thee? Let us count the ways… okay, seriously, though - Indiana is home to tons of breathtaking waterfall hikes. Some of the most popular, according to AllTrails.com, are the Clifty Falls, Hoffman Falls, and Tunnel Falls hikes at Clifty Falls State Park, and the Hemlock Cliffs National Scenic Trail tucked inside the Hoosier National Forest. Turkey Run State Park is home to numerous excellent waterfall hikes, including trails 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, and 10.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Best Adventures in Indiana
May 11, 2021
Tori Jane
What are some fun day trips in Indiana? Lucky for those of us in the Hoosier State, there are so many potential day trips you can enjoy that it’s hard to pick just a few! However, some of our favorites include gems like taking a wine cruise in Birdeye, driving out to White Rock Park and going cliff diving, and heading out to Berne to get a little taste of life in Switzerland. For more ideas, take a look at this article and get some inspiration! Where are some fun places to go in Indiana? Well, naturally, that depends on what you like to do! For nature lovers, Indiana has more than 4,200 miles of amazing hiking trails, 86 different lakes, and thousands of miles of rivers and creeks; take your pick from any one of them for the adventure of a lifetime! For those who prefer city life, there’s always the world-famous Children’s Museum in Indianapolis, which is the largest museum of its kind in the world. You’ll also find an assortment of history, art, and science museums, and Indy alone has almost 200 parks to enjoy. Foodies will find something delicious to love in almost every county. Indiana is a super-fun state, as long as you know where to look! What Indiana waterfalls can I hike to this summer? Oh, waterfalls. How do we love thee? Let us count the ways… okay, seriously, though - Indiana is home to tons of breathtaking waterfall hikes. Some of the most popular, according to AllTrails.com, are the Clifty Falls, Hoffman Falls, and Tunnel Falls hikes at Clifty Falls State Park, and the Hemlock Cliffs National Scenic Trail tucked inside the Hoosier National Forest. Turkey Run State Park is home to numerous excellent waterfall hikes, including trails 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, and 10.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
Lucky for those of us in the Hoosier State, there are so many potential day trips you can enjoy that it’s hard to pick just a few! However, some of our favorites include gems like taking a wine cruise in Birdeye, driving out to White Rock Park and going cliff diving, and heading out to Berne to get a little taste of life in Switzerland. For more ideas, take a look at this article and get some inspiration!
Where are some fun places to go in Indiana?
Well, naturally, that depends on what you like to do! For nature lovers, Indiana has more than 4,200 miles of amazing hiking trails, 86 different lakes, and thousands of miles of rivers and creeks; take your pick from any one of them for the adventure of a lifetime! For those who prefer city life, there’s always the world-famous Children’s Museum in Indianapolis, which is the largest museum of its kind in the world. You’ll also find an assortment of history, art, and science museums, and Indy alone has almost 200 parks to enjoy. Foodies will find something delicious to love in almost every county. Indiana is a super-fun state, as long as you know where to look!
What Indiana waterfalls can I hike to this summer?
Oh, waterfalls. How do we love thee? Let us count the ways… okay, seriously, though - Indiana is home to tons of breathtaking waterfall hikes. Some of the most popular, according to AllTrails.com, are the Clifty Falls, Hoffman Falls, and Tunnel Falls hikes at Clifty Falls State Park, and the Hemlock Cliffs National Scenic Trail tucked inside the Hoosier National Forest. Turkey Run State Park is home to numerous excellent waterfall hikes, including trails 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, and 10.
