Indiana

"The Hoosier State"

Experience Indiana's vibrant urban areas and quaint small towns. Explore the natural beauty of its parks, caves and forests. Enjoy the sandy beaches of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore along Lake Michigan, hear the roar of the engines at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, or visit the legendary campus of Notre Dame in South Bend. Black horse-drawn buggies are a signature of Amish communities in northern Indiana, such as in Nappanee, Middlebury and Shipshewana. Shop for antiques and crafts here and then fill up on a homemade Amish meal.

Indianapolis is home to great museums too, such as the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, the world's largest Children's Museum, and the Indianapolis Museum of Art. The American Institute of Architects ranks Columbus as the sixth best city in the US for innovation and design, with more than 50 public buildings designed by world-famous architects. The winding hills of southern Indiana lead to historic towns such as Madison and Vevay, and in Orange County there are two stunning historic hotels, the French Lick Springs and West Baden Springs. Thrill-seekers should check out the highly-acclaimed rollercoasters at Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari in Santa Claus.

Genuine experiences are found during a visit to the Hoosier state! Diverse geography, eclectic foods, natural attractions and unique history are just some of the genuine experiences on offer in the Hoosier state!

Mile for mile, Indiana has the richest dining line up in the region. Foodies will love the farm-to-table culinary choices, award-winning wineries, microbreweries and distilleries.

Land Area: 36,185 miles

Population: 6,080,485

State Capital: Indianapolis

Largest City: Indianapolis

Local Time: EST – 5 hrs behind the UK Some NW and SW counties are on CST – 6 hrs behind the UK

Average temperatures during July vary from 63°F - 88°F (17°C - 31°C). The average temperatures in January range between 17°F and 35°F (–8°C to 2°C)

28 Parks

There’s a genuine personality that translates into authentic experiences for those visiting Indiana. Here, travellers can spend their days paddling a winding river, fishing an inland lake or browsing the shops on Main Street. They can enjoy homegrown produce – and get to know the growers – at our farmer's markets, eateries and vineyards. World-class cities offer internationally renowned museums, performing arts venues and high-energy sporting events – all paired with friendliness as an added bonus. They can visit a bustling capital city, sunbathe beneath the soaring sand dunes, climb the highest hilltops or explore the deepest depths beneath the surface of the earth. Anywhere travellers go in Indiana, they’ll encounter genuine people and experiences. Even the busiest attractions aim to satisfy and delight because in Indiana, more than anywhere else, hospitality matters. That’s real. That’s Honest-to-Goodness Indiana.

Elkhart Quilt Gardens offers a one-of-a-kind experience – a showcase of 20 gigantic quilt-patterned gardens. The gardens, stitched with hundreds of thousands of blooms combine with 21 hand-painted quilt art murals to create a tapestry of colour in the heart of Indiana’s Amish Country. 

At the Indianapolis Zoo, you can pet sharks, view dolphins from beneath the sea and experience orangutans in the new International Orangutan Centre. In this world-class exhibit, visitors watch as the orangutans interact with each other, climbing and swinging nearly 25 meters in the air. The centre was designed to stimulate the apes’ physical, social and intellectual abilities and is an international research centre designed to better understand this extraordinary species. 

Parke County, the “Covered Bridge Capital of the World” is home to 31 of Indiana’s 98 covered bridges. History, stunning architecture and beautiful outdoor landscapes are waiting to be experienced in Parke County. Be sure to experience the Mansfield Covered Bridge during the Covered Bridge Festival, one of the best fall festivals in North America. 

Parkview Field is home to the Fort Wayne Tin Caps. This baseball stadium is a signature attraction in the newly revitalized downtown of Fort Wayne. The stadium and the amenities around it have been named the best minor league baseball experience in America. 

Indiana Caverns in Corydon is one of the longest cave systems in North America. Visitors can take an underground boat ride, see a three-story waterfall and explore diverse ecosystems with ice age fossils. Madison remains one of the Midwest’s favourite small towns, complete with great shopping and wonderful restaurants. Travelers can admire the amazing architecture in Madison’s National Historic Landmark District and take scenic driving tours around the town to admire the riverfront, fountains and Victorian-era mansions. 

French Lick is home to the French Lick Resort. Comprised of French Lick Springs Hotel and West Baden Springs Hotel, this resort lets guests step back in time to the splendour of the early 1900s. French Lick offers boutique shops, a variety of restaurants, bowling alley, fitness centre, pools and luxury spa. West Baden, a National Historic Landmark, continues to wow visitors with its one-of-a-kind domed atrium spanning 60 meters!