Growing up in Southwestern Ohio, it seemed like a nearly weekly occurrence to venture into a neighboring State. It blew my mind when I moved to the middle of the State and met people who hadn’t crossed the State border until much later in life or not at all in some cases. I also finally understood why so many people said Ohio is flat and nothing but corn fields! I was much too young to remember if I ventured into Indiana first or Kentucky so I will flip a coin and start with Indiana.
Almost every holiday season we took a trip to Metamora, Indiana. This is a great place to go anytime of year, but there is a particular magic during the holiday season. It is a small town of local shops and treats such as ice cream, fudge, and roasted nuts. A functioning canal still runs through the middle of town and the old grist mill still stands for visitors to enjoy a glimpse back in time. The candle shop is my favorite place in town. The selection is enormous and there is a great selection of ornate, hand dipped candles to coordinate with just about any decor or holiday.
Where Metamora is always a day trip for us, Brown County is usually an overnight. Similar to Metamora in that it focuses on shopping of the mostly hand crafted variety, yet different in that Brown County also allows for a nature escape. You can stay in a cabin and hike when you want to take a break from the shopping and restaurants in town (the city is Nashville, Indiana by the way). Brown County is a bit more vibrant and holds a wider variety of shops and other things to do that appeal to a wider audience.
Brown County is a stones throw away from Bloomington, home of Indiana University. I haven’t spent much time here myself but I did venture there to visit a friend in college…
For a little while we had a camp ground space in Brookville. We would spend a weekend hanging out at the lake, by the community pool, and camping as a family.
You are probably most familiar with the State Capital, Indianapolis. There are so many great things to do in this city that I won’t begin to list them all. I do fondly remember the children’s museum as being completely awesome. The art museum should be on your must visit list when you head to Indianapolis.
I cannot neglect to mention that Indiana is also home to the polarizing Fighting Irish of Notre Dame and the Purdue Boiler Makers in West Lafayette.
Please share with me any other great places to visit in Indiana!