Looking for suggestions for good places to visit for weeklong vacations within a maximum 10 hour drive from Indy. Also places within maybe 4 hours for weekend trips. I really like scenic places, and would love suggestions for October/November especially, but really any time. Also activity suggestions for specific locations would be great too. Looking for things pertaining to a 20-something adult/group of adults with no children. I do really enjoy indoor water parks though and would love to know where to find some of these as well.
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huntlawoffice
Bloomington, Indiana
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for Bloomington
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1. Re: Looking for areas within 10 hour drive from Indy to vacation
7 years ago
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While you've given some criteria (scenic places, indoor water parks), I still think you're just talking about too much of the country for us to come up with any sort of "short list" (beyond the obvious/generic suggestions such as the National Parks in the area like Smokey Mountains).
Depending on what you think of as your MPH average, you could be talking anything from the Atlantic & Gulf Coasts, north into Canada & Minnesota and a fair amount of the plain states; perhaps as much as a quarter (or more?) of the US.
I think it's safe to say there are thousands (nay, tens of thousands) of things that you might enjoy in this radius. (For fun, you might want to check out this website:
//www.freemaptools.com/radius-around-point.htm
it allows you to draw a radius around a point on a map.)
What I'm going to suggest is that you post your question on various state forums. Pick some states that are within your "driving radius" and ask for suggestions on the associated forum(s). This is will probably give you a plethora of "local's" suggestions for each state which you can then pare down.
I'll add that even if you switch to your 4 hour (weekend) drive time, you're still talking about: all ofIndiana; most of Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky; parts of Michigan; and even into Missouri, West Virginia and Wisconsin (again depending a little bit on what you consider an average MPH).
As for your indoor water park "question," here's a link I found on Google:
//www.ultimatewaterpark.com/waterparks/find/indoor-water-parks-state.php
I have no idea how accurate, comprehensive, or up-to-date the list is, but it looks like there are ~75 listed and it did remind me that there is a large number in the Wisconsin Dells area.
hlo
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mini
Fremont, California
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2. Re: Looking for areas within 10 hour drive from Indy to vacation
7 years ago
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We very much enjoy Kentucky. Its scenic. One can also include some of the cities easily in Tennessee.
For some of the attractions we have enjoyed in Kentucky
1) Short drive fromIndianapolis to Lousville.
Kentucky Derby Museum
//www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g39604-d104504-Reviews-Kentucky_Derby_Museum-Louisville_Kentucky.html
(Note: Its more fun when horses are racing, but this is fun for a couple of hours.)
2) Then head south to the Bourbon Trail - if you like history, scenery, and bourbon, its a place to spend 2 to 3 days , If you do not like bourbon, its still fun for a day or two. Some of the more interesting distilleries we have found in the area for tours and tasting are:
//www.makersmark.com/
//heavenhill.com/age-gate.php
For more on the bourbon trail see
//kybourbontrail.com/
3) Then continue to Mammoth Caves - there are various tours through the caves
//www.nps.gov/maca/index.htm
Note:
We also like some of the smaller caves so if interested in that look for those too such as Lost River Cave
//www.lostrivercave.org/
4) Then if you like cars or strange stories about big sink holes swallowing up corvettes, then a tour at the Corvette Museum in the area is a must do. (Note - We stayed in Bowlilng Green for both Mammoth Caves, Lost Cave, and Corvetter Museum)
//www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g39214-d106553-Reviews-National_Corvette_Museum-Bowling_Green_Kentucky.html
5) Then cross over into Tennesee and see Nashville. We stayed out by Opryland but after being there we would have preferred to stay in downtown Nashville for the Ryman Auditorium music clubs, Country Music Hall of Fame, the Parthenon, and other things to do in Nashville.
//www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g55229-Activities-Nashville_Tennessee.html
If you like country music, going to the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville is quite fun and personally to me its a must do if in the area.
//www.opry.com/
6) Then decide if you want to go to Pigeon Forge and Great Smoky National Park.
//www.mypigeonforge.com/
7) then if you need to return to Indianapolis, I would head up through Kentucky again on the easternside.
8) If you like James Bond movies, then seeing Fort Knox is fun to do (they don't like you taking photos there though)
//www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g40831-d1100737-Reviews-Fort_Knox_State_Historic_Site-Prospect_Maine.html
9) then if you like scenery and history, stopping at The Shaker Village is quite fun to do
//shakervillageky.org/the-historic-centre/
Note: We stayed the night and the food was good. Its historic so it depends what you are interested in, but we did enjoy our stay here.
10) Then head up to Lexington. If into bourbon tasting, Woodford Reserve is quite good in this area to go to.
And if you like horses, a day at the horse park is quite interesting. If you go to the museum, you might want to time when you go in and come out - its one of those we wondered if we were in a maze and would never find our way out. There was a ton of things to see.
//www.kyhorsepark.com/
11) Downtown Lexington for music and dining - but we found it not as fun as Nashville.
//www.visitlex.com/things-to-do/nightlife-entertainment/live-music/
12) Return to Indianapolis
There is more to do in Kentucky such as seeing the 1st Kentucky Fried Chicken store, scenic university communities, driving scenic drives, and more
be sure to see the things to see in Kentucky section
//www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g28938-Activities-Kentucky.html
And if you do head here or decide to go somewhere else, have a good time.
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Jan-Ember H
Lafayette, Indiana
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3. Re: Looking for areas within 10 hour drive from Indy to vacation
7 years ago
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Niagra Falls, NY, wine trails.Wisconsin Dells has plenty of indoor waterparks. Mall of America in Minnesota, stay in Eagan for deals.
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SuperPoser
Canton, Ohio
Destination Expert
for Ohio, Garden City Beach, Surfside Beach
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4. Re: Looking for areas within 10 hour drive from Indy to vacation
7 years ago
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Gatlinburg / Pigeon Forge was my first thought for a week trip within 10 hours (about 6.5 hours). Plenty of hiking with great scenery, waterfalls, overlooks. Also a nice amusement park and lots of touristy things too. Lots of great hikes //www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/waterfalls.htm and the rides //www.dollywood.com/
Second suggestion would be Natural Bridge State Park Resort. Great hiking at the park, and tons of additional great hiking all around the area. This is less than 4 hours, so you could spend a full week here, or just a long weekend. (There are many natural bridges that are very awesome!) //toddthehiker.com/kentuckys-red-river-gorge/
Summer ideas within 4 Hours for a weekend trip:
~2 hours (summer) = Kings Island //www.visitkingsisland.com/
~3 hours (summer) = Holiday World //www.holidayworld.com/ and stay at Lake Rudolph //www.lakerudolph.com/