Top Things to do in Indiana
Top Hotels in Indiana
- 1. Hampton Inn Indianapolis Downtown Across from Circle Centre
- 2. West Baden Springs Hotel
- 3. Bottleworks Hotel
- 4. Indianapolis Marriott East
- 5. The Inn at Saint Mary's
- 6. Drury Inn & Suites Terre Haute
- 7. Hyatt Place Indianapolis Downtown
- 8. Ironworks Hotel Indy
- 9. JW Marriott Indianapolis
- 10. Drury Plaza Hotel Indianapolis Carmel
Things to do in Indiana, United States: The Best Museums
With beaches, boating, and salmon fishing in Michigan City and Gary bordering Lake Michigan, there is more to Indiana than might appear at first glance. The agricultural heartland even has cross country skiing and snowmobiling to go with the Cornball Express. Southwest Indiana near Evansville is renowned for the well-preserved Native American Angel Mounds State Historic Site. The largest city and state capital is famous worldwide for its Indianapolis 500 race. Even locals living in the suburbs often overlook the Indianapolis Museum of Art, Eiteljorg Museum, NCAA Hall of Champions, the old Union Station museum cluster, and downtown Canal Walk, to name but a few landmarks. South Bend is synonymous with the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame.
Forested Nashville’s art colony fame dates to the early 1900s when Impressionist Theodore Clement Steele overwintered in The House of the Singing Winds. It is now the T.C. Steele State Historic Site. View paintings and sculpture at the I.M. Pei-designed Indiana University Museum of Art. Attend an IU sports event or an opera, ballet, concert, or theater performance. Treat the family to The Little Nashville Opry or The Bill Monroe Bluegrass Park. For healing mineral springs, head south to Orange County, Indiana’s spa resort center.
Enjoy golf, fishing, boating, cross country skiing, snowmobiling, and ice skating in the nation’s agricultural heartland. Monticello and Rensselaer are west of Logansport and north of Lafayette. Take the family on the Cornball Express and Hoosier Hurricane at the Indiana Beach Amusement Resort in Monticello. Play boardwalk carnival games, or let the kids loose on the go-carts. Pile the family into their vehicles for an old-fashioned movie experience at Monticello’s Lake Shore Drive-In. Indulge in a weekend dinner boat cruise to hot band sounds as the Madam Carroll plies Lake Freeman.
Restaurants in Indiana
1. Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 582 reviews
The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum - where the world's finest cars of yesterday live today! Over 120 classic, antique, vintage and special interest cars are displayed with other automotive related exhibits on three floors. The museum is located in the original 1930s national headquarters of the legendary Auburn Automobile Company and is a National Historic Landmark. Visit the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum, a place where automotive history comes to life
Reviewed By hockeychief - Canton, United States
If you love cars, or even just like cars, this is one unbelievable museum. The cars on display, (over 120), are some of the most exquisite cars ever made and from a time period long forgotten. See Auburns, Cords, and Duesenbergs which were some of the most beautiful ever made. Actors, gangsters, and anyone who wanted to show the world that they had arrived, had to own one of these. The building in which they are housed was the old Cord corporate office and showroom. The building itself is a wonderful art deco design and is in excellent shape.
2. Candles Holocaust Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 142 reviews
Reviewed By IllinoisMrsZ
This was my second visit. Such a wonderful display of reading material about a survivor's story. Very somber to read about the accounts the Jews and others endured. Very educational! The talking hologram of Eva's interviews that allowed one to ask a question for her to answer was very innovative. The new computer kiosk that allowed you to hear interviews with other Mengela twins and their personal experiences was haunting! I hope all students in the area get the opportunity to visit this museum on a field trip!
3. Model T Ford Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 95 reviews
The Model T Museum is nestled in the heart of Richmond, Indiana’s Historic Depot District. Once the area's transportation mecca of the 19th century, it is now a “must-see” destination filled with notable architecture, unique shops, stunning murals, fun and fabulous restaurants, a microbrewery and much more! Ranked #1 by Trip Advisor of attractions in Richmond, Indiana, the museum’s amazing collection of vehicles and T-related memorabilia is ever growing and changing. Among the stars are a 1909 touring (one of the very first Ts), a rare 1912 Town Car, a 1925 fire truck, and a 1931 Pietenpol airplane with a Model T Engine. Educational opportunities include an extensive reference library; a cutaway chassis that reveals the inner workings of the T; plus a variety of manuals, publications, CDs and restoration DVDs available for purchase. The museum welcomes school and tour groups by appointment.
Reviewed By Porthos7 - West Chester, United States
Can't say enough about how interesting and cool this place is! The docent is AMAZING in His knowledge and enthusiasm for everything model T! Lots to see and plenty of one of a kind pieces in the museum! Handicap accessible and you'll need about 1.5 hours. Go and be amazed and entertained!
4. Indiana Military Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 135 reviews
Reviewed By inspire53 - Vincennes, United States
Very big a outstanding display .The walk outside is beyond words to any History buff. Then the inside is another world of museum pieces highly recommend.
5. Fanimation Antique Fan Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 16 reviews
Reviewed By phelsuma90 - Dardenne Prairie, United States
If you like antiques or vintage styled things, this a worthwhile stop. Just two rooms, so not a long stop, but very well done. I have a single antique fan, so wanted to stop here while on a roadtrip. We only had an hour - I could have browsed a bit longer. Never would have guessed there have been so many different types of fans with so many unique designs. And believe it or not - it's free! Hosted by a modern fan company, simply because the owner is interested, with fans on display from private collectors. They also have a fan restoration workshop on the site (though not necessarily open to guests). You go in through the company's front door and ask at the reception desk. The displays are bright and well-lit. See the picture above - that's exactly how it is.
6. Seiberling Mansion
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 63 reviews
The Howard County Museum in Seiberling Mansion closes for annual cleaning and maintenance from January 1-31. The museum will reopen with regular hours beginning in February 2019. The Seiberling Mansion is an impressive Victorian home built during Indiana's gas boom by industrialist Monroe Seiberling. The mansion is now managed by the Howard County Historical Society and is home to the county museum. Multiple phases of renovation have returned it to it's Victorian splendor as an icon of the 1890's gas boom in Indiana.
Reviewed By LelandPvacationing19 - Marion, United States
The Seiberling Mansion is elegant, without being gaudy, and we were able to explore it on our own. One leaves with the sense of what life was like for a wealthy family in the early 1900's. We also learned about the contributions the Steiberlings made to industry and the Kokomo area. While we liked the whole estate, the ball room, with it's balcony, was a highlight. Leland P Gamson
7. Haan Museum of Indiana Art
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 63 reviews
**Please note that due to COVID-19, we are only open at specific dates and times for scheduled tours. Sign up for a tour at haanmuseum.org!** Take a tour of the Haan Museum, an art museum inside a 1904 World's Fair mansion! Enjoy looking at beautiful impressionist Indiana paintings, amazingly detailed Renaissance Revival furniture, and uniquely eccentric ceramics, all within a grand 15,000 square-foot mansion! The Haan Museum's collection includes work from T.C. Steele, William Forsyth and the rest of the Hoosier Group artists, Brown County Art Colony artists such as Adolph and Ada Shulz, Scott Frankenberger, Marvin Bartel, and many, many more famous Indiana artists. Artwork and furniture date from the 19th century to present day. Don't forget to check out our Sculpture Garden, bike trail, and nature trail to complete your Haan Museum experience!
Reviewed By 715carolg
My wife and I went to their special evening Christmas tour. It was our first visit there, but we will definitely be back again. Wonderful art, Christmas trees in every room, beautifully decorated for Christmas. They had several working model trains, complete with Lafayette buildings and winter scenes. We were given a personal tour by Bob Haan, who told us many great stories how he and Ellie renovated the home. Exquisite one of a kind furniture pieces. You have to see it to appreciate it. A great treasure in our home town with a world class history!
8. Children's Museum of Indianapolis
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,894 reviews
The largest children's museum in the world just got even bigger with the addition of a new 7.5-acre outdoor health and fitness area that encourages activity through multiple sports. The new space, called Riley Children's Health Sports Legends Experience includes basketball, football, hockey, soccer, pedal car racing (drag strip and oval track), golf, baseball, and tennis. The indoor portion of the new area includes the National Art Museum of Sport along with the World of Sport and History of Hoops. The Children's Museum of Indianapolis itself is made up of 500,000 square feet with exhibits and activities that are fun and interesting for the entire family as they explore the physical and natural sciences, history, world cultures and the arts through exciting interactive exhibits on five floors. Families will discover some of the most rare dinosaur fossils in the world and see what it's like to live and work in space. There's also a theater with children's plays and live entertainment.
Reviewed By harp16317 - Indianapolis, United States
Great time wonderful place to take your kids.Big and clean.Staff is always very nice & friendly as well as helpful.Many different exhibits with stuff to keep all ages interested.They sell food and drinks.
9. Indianapolis Museum of Art
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,446 reviews
With a collection of more than 54,000 works of art, an early-20th-century estate, 152 acres of gardens and grounds, including an outdoor art and nature park, the IMA campus offers experiences that feed both the heart and mind.
Reviewed By 732lancel - Denver, United States
IMA has an excellent and very large collection. I focused on the contemporary and modern collection and was very impressed. What is exceptional about IMA, is that in addition to the main complex, the museum is situated on 100 acres of park, including sculpture gardens, AND the Lilly country home, with extensive formal and informal gardens. What a treat!!!!!
10. Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,796 reviews
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum presents the stories of racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the history of the automotive industry in Indiana, and has vehicles and race trophies and memorabilia from race events around the world. It houses one of the most important collections of racing vehicles and memorabilia in the world.
Reviewed By 866TaylorB - Chicago, United States
I have visited the Indianapolis Motor Speedway only once before. I had a seat on the fourth turn, looking down the front stretch to the finish line, and saw Jimmy Clark win the Indianapolis 500 in 1965. The race was significant because it was run without a single accident, not a single yellow flag, only checkered. What amazed me most of all was how swiftly and efficiently all 250,000 spectators were moved in and out of the giant track. I didn't have an opportunity to visit the museum on that occasion. But I made a point of touring the facility on our recent visit to Indianapolis. Located within the famed 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval in suburban Speedway, Indiana, the 37,000-square-foot museum houses one of the world's premier collections of automotive and motor racing vehicles and artifacts. It is linked to the Indianapolis 500 and the Brickyard 400 but also includes exhibits reflecting other forms of motorsports, passenger cars and general automotive history. It also is home to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame. The original museum was established in 1956. This museum opened in 1976. It features 30 Indianapolis 500 winning cars, pace cars, the Borg-Warner Trophy and other trophies and plaques, racing paraphernalia such as helmets, gloves and driver's suits, model cars, photographs, toys and paintings. Displays include highlights of the history of the Speedway's ownership, evolution of the track and other memorabilia. Take a bus tour of the track, a lap around the oval and do what the Indianapolis 500 winners do, kiss the 1909-vintage paving bricks at the finish line. Stroll through Gasoline Alley. Also see a short film of the history of the Indianapolis 500 in the Tony Hulman Theatre. See the 1911 Marmon Wasp, the first Indianapolis 500 winner driven by Ray Harroun, all four of A.J. Foyt's winning cars, the 1965 Spirit of America that set a world land speed record, the 1931 Cummins Diesel driven by Dave Evans, the first car to complete the Indianapolis 500 without a pit stop, the 1977 Bryant Heating & Cooling Lightning/Offy driven by Janet Guthrie, the first female to qualify for the 500 and the 1965 Le Mans winning Ferrari 250 LM. Also see the picture wall featuring the drivers and cars of all Indianapolis 500 winners. Finally, visit the Auto Racing Hall of Fame, which dates to 1952 and highlights 155 inductees from Ray Harroun to Barney Oldfield to Eddie Rickenbacker to Mauri Rose to Fireball Roberts to A.J. Foyt to Mario Andretti to Al and Bobby Unser to Parnelli Jones to Roger Penske. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987.
