Summer vacation is right around the corner. While many people are looking to head to popular destinations like Florida or California, Hoosiers shouldn’t neglect all the beauty and culture Indiana has to offer.
Check out our four picks for cool staycation destinations.
Chesterton, Indiana
The town of Chesterton is located in Westchester Township, Porter County, Indiana, and is about 50 miles southeast of Chicago, close to the southern shore of Lake Michigan and the sand hills known as the Indiana Dunes.
Drive time from Indianapolis: 2 hours, 30 minutes (via I-65 N)
Point of interest: Indiana Dunes State Park
Who said you needed to hop a flight to see the beach? The Indiana Dunes State Park is home to world class beaches along Lake Michigan and 70 miles of hiking and biking trails. Visitors can also enjoy fishing, bird watching (more than 350 species live nearby) and more.
Crown Point, Indiana
Crown Point, the county seat of Lake County, boasts a population of nearly 30,000 and is a town filled with things to do and experiences to enjoy.
Drive time from Indianapolis: 2 hours, 8 minutes (via I-65 N)
Point of interest: John Dillinger Museum
The museum, located inside the historic Lake County Courthouse, invites curious visitors to take an interactive journey through the world of Dillinger and his band of gangsters. Items of interest include the trousers he was wearing that the time of his death outside the Biograph Theater in Chicago, the wooden “gun” he used to escape from jail and his lucky rabbit’s foot.
Corydon, Indiana
Located in a part of the state affectionately known as Kentuckiana, Corydon is a city full of history and Hoosier culture. The former state capitol is known for its proximity to nature and sits on the Ohio River.
Drive time from Indianapolis: 2 hours, 5 minutes (via I-65 S)
Point of interest: Marengo Cave
According to current geologic theory, Marengo Cave began to form approximately one million years ago. Marengo Cave offers easy walking tours that will amaze adults and children alike. The Dripstone Trail tour is 1 mile, lasting 60 minutes. The Crystal Palace tour is one-third of a mile, lasting 40 minutes in duration. Both tours are guided and are offered year-round. The cave is considered one of the state’s top natural attractions.
Richmond, Indiana
Visiting Richmond is like taking a journey through our state’s past. Whether patronizing the Amish retailers or spending time at a former Underground Railroad station, history lovers and adventurers alike will enjoy this cool city.
Drive time from Indianapolis: 1 hour, 4 minutes (via I-70 E)
Point of interest: Antique Alley
Antique Alley in Wayne County, Indiana, is a must-do activity if searching for treasures from the past is your passion. You’ll want to explore the antique shops along Antique Alley Trail #1 and Antique Alley Trail #2. From stained glass, china, vintage furniture and old-school kitchen gadgets, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for, and possibly something you never imagined.
(Sources: visitrichmond.org, marengocave.com, chestertonin.org)
