Our recent Explore Indiana day trip included both waterfalls and windmills! If exploring waterfalls is something your family loves, this short Indiana waterfalls road trip to Warren County in Northwestern Indiana should be added to your summer fun! Add a short stop in Benton County to check out the windmill farms and you’ve got a full day of adventure and education. Williamsport, Indiana (a little less than a two-hour drive from Indianapolis). is home to not one, but two gorgeous waterfalls to explore. Although very different experiences, both are entertaining ways to get wet and enjoy the beauty of the state. Waterfalls at a Nature Preserve We started our trip at Fall Creek Gorge Nature Preserve. This lovely preserve is truly one of the most beautiful areas of Indiana I’ve discovered. Don’t worry when the GPS takes you a mile and a half down a gravel road – the hidden gem you’ll discover at the end is well worth the drive. Insider tip: there aren’t any picnic grounds and the parking area is quite small, so plan accordingly – either enjoy lunch elsewhere or plan on eating in your car. Once you arrive, follow a short trail down to the water. This first section contains a fairly large water area along with a series of small waterfalls. After a bit of splashing around, head up the stairs and hike a bit further upstream. The trail is narrow and high, so be careful. We exited the second section and decided to walk the stream back to the entrance. There are several deep sections, and numerous potholes, so watch where you...
Exploring while social distancing? Yes, it’s possible. Last week we enjoyed a unique day trip on the Garfield Trail in Grant County, Indiana searching for 14 Garfield statues as well as enjoying the charm of several small towns. What is the Garfield Trail? Garfield’s creator, Jim Davis’s hometown is Fairmont, Indiana, so the county Fairmount is in, Grant, created a Garfield Trail. There are 14 Garfield statues all over Grant county, in towns such as Marion, Gas City, and of course, Fairmount. The weather was lovely, so we had a fun time hopping in the car and seeing how many we could find. Do you want to save money on your trips? So you have more to spend on your vacation? Get your FREE copy of 5 Tips to Save On Your Next Vacation! To participate, download the map from the visitor’s site. In addition to a map of the locations of all the statues, the addresses and a short description are mentioned – it made it very easy to find each Garfield. Each sign also has a handy phone number to call to learn a little more about the statue as well as the location. Pretty cool! Insider Tip: Be sure to call or text the number listed on the map ahead of time so you can learn which statues are currently out for renovation – you don’t want to drive all the way to a location and find out the statue isn’t there. Talk about frustrating! Garfield Statues in Marion, Indiana We started our day in Marion as it was the furthest city North of Indy and...
Are you looking for Midwest weekend getaway ideas? Have you found yourself asking “Where should I go for a weekend getaway?” If you live near Indianapolis (or anywhere in the Midwest), then I’ve got 5 unique, fun, and cheap weekend getaway ideas perfect for families or couples. Ready for the fun? Fun in Franklin, IN Franklin, Indiana is a short drive from Indianapolis, so it’s the perfect weekend getaway if you hate to drive! Franklin has delicious local restaurants (love Richard’s Brick Oven), lots of fun family activities, and an adorable downtown. Make sure to arrive on a night that the Artcraft is showing a movie – you don’t want to miss this local treasure. If you have kids who love to swim, the Franklin Family Aquatic Center has plenty to keep them entertained. On your way out of town, take the time to stop at the Hoosier Cupboard Candy store for homemade ice cream and treats for the short drive home. For more details on all the great things to do in Franklin, check out this series of blog posts: Friday Night Fun in Franklin, Farm Animal Yoga and Downtown Dining and Exploring and Enjoying Franklin, IN Bumming around Batesville, IN There is so much to do in Batesville, IN that a weekend may not be enough time to do it all! You’ll want to start your weekend getaway by checking into The Sherman – I don’t think you’ll find a hotel quite like it anywhere else in Indiana. In addition to the hotel, you’ll want to find time to visit the Biergarten as well as enjoying at...
Although I know we miss big vacations, a lot of us are staying close to home this summer. Luckily, it’s fun and easy to play a nearby day trip. If you are looking for day trip tips or how to create the best day trips, I’ve got you covered. You never know what you’ll find on your next day trip! Where to go on your day trip Obviously, if it’s a day trip, it needs to be fairly close to home. The easiest way to do this is to use my Circle Your Hometown solution and see what’s in that radius. For a day trip, I’d limit yourself to a drive that’s no more than two hours away. An hour is ideal as it will give you plenty of time to explore while you are away from home, and it will easily be a one tank trip! If there isn’t a town or area of interest within your circle, how about creating a driving tour and checking out several small towns? This can be a lot of fun too as you never know what you’ll find. One town might have a beautiful courthouse, another a delicious spot for lunch, and if you are lucky you’ll stumble across a local ice cream shop. A multi-town trip like this can be an enjoyable day – especially if the weather is gorgeous. Pop on some great music, grab a drink and see what you can discover. What to do on your day trip Well, what do you like to do? Make a list of all the things you enjoy and do a...
Back in January, we had stopped in Batesville, IN for breakfast on our way to a brewery tour trip in Cincinnati, OH. From our short drive into town, it appeared to be a town we needed to revisit when we had more time. With a sudden free afternoon, we decided to head out and add it to the Explore Indiana Counties project! So Ripley County became the next one on our list. First, A Delicious Lunch As soon as you enter downtown Batesville, it’s hard to miss The Sherman. The original Sherman House was built in 1852. Through the years, it has expanded and it even went through an extensive remodel in 2016. However, it still portrays a lot of historic charm along with some magnificent German food. It’s winter in Indiana which means it’s cold, so a warm and hearty meal sounded delightful. It was a bit after the normal lunch hour so the restaurant wasn’t busy and we were seated right away. With plenty of dark wood, gleaming surfaces, and rustic charm, the inside of The Sherman is absolutely beautiful. We were seated in a cozy alcove and our server recommended several restaurant specialties. The food was amazing! The restaurant at The Sherman considers itself an American Bistro with some great German specialties, so my son was able to order a filet (with a side of German potato salad) and we both thought it was better than the much higher priced filet he had recently enjoyed at Disney. We also tried the bratwurst on pretzel bread with horseradish mustard, potato cakes, Bavarian Onion Soup and Bratkartoffeln. If...
On a VERY cold January day, my son and I decided a day trip was the thing to do. Cabin fever had set in and we needed to get out of the house. We were both in the mood for some comfort food, so we headed Northeast from Indy to check out Winchester in Randolph County as we had heard that was the place for pie. And was it ever! The Wick’s Pie factory is located just outside of Winchester, IN and they make thousands of pies each day. This family business has been making delectable pies since 1934 (the first few years the pies were sold out of a truck!). Now you can buy them all over or have them shipped straight to your home. We stopped in Mrs. Wick’s Restaurant for lunch, as it doesn’t only serve the famous Wick’s Pies, but also a full menu of delicious, homemade Indiana comfort food. After chowing down on a mushroom swiss and a pulled pork sandwich, we reviewed the menu to select the perfect pies. We learned from our server that the pies served in the restaurant are made fresh every day by one lady. She makes them each by hand, using fresh ingredients and ensuring that the quality is up to her standards. Talk about some delicious pie. I enjoyed the blackberry and it was bursting with berries. With a slightly tart, slightly sweet flavor and a delicate homemade crust, it was amazing. Exactly what a fruit pie should be. My son picked the apple crumble a la mode and licked his plate clean. Yum! After filling our...
Hi! I’m Pam. I’m a busy mom of two teens who loves to travel and enjoy each and every day. My hope is to inspire other busy moms to create family memories and discover everyday adventures wherever they are! Check out my About Pam page for more details.
