The 7 Best Sightseeing Tours in Indiana!
The best thing about traveling (besides the trip itself) is that it allows one to see and experience new places and new things. Embark on new adventures and make memories. What better way to do both than with some good old-fashioned sightseeing? When planning your next trip, be sure to include one of these seven awesome sightseeing tours in Indiana!
Columbus Architecture, Columbus, IN
Known as the “Architectural Mecca” of Indiana, this small southern city has some of the best and most beautiful—as well as unique— architecture to date in the Midwest. Visit the Miller House and Garden which features collaborative masterpieces by artists like Eero Saarinen, Alexander Girard, Dan Kiley and their patrons, J.I. and Xenia Miller. Library fans, you’ll be sure to want to visit Hope Library Branch, which features large windows, high ceilings, and asymmetrical reading rooms. Another must see on this sightseeing tour? The Inn at Irwin Gardens, built in 1864. Its design is that of a beautiful Italian garden, straight out of Italy, specifically the ruins of Pompeii!
Antique Alley, Richmond, IN
Fellow antique lovers, this one is for you! Antique Alley in northwestern Richmond, Indiana is the perfect place for sightseeing, and shopping! Visit American House Antiques, which features a beautifully renovated 1863 hotel building filled with delights, or Allen Antiquities and Curiosities, a privately owned antique store which features over 6,000 square-feet of antiques and other amazing finds!
Spirit of Jasper, Jasper, IN
Relive the “romance of the rails” with the Spirit of Jasper in southern Indiana! This beautifully restored train surrounds its passengers in all things luxury as they journey through Indiana countryside, reliving what it was like during the Golden Age when trains were the way to travel. There are a variety of journeys to choose from, including Jasper to French Lick Express, the Jasper Ride and Dine (good times and great eats!), Jasper Strassenfest “Zugfahrten” (family friendly and kid approved), or the glorious Chocolate Wine and Dine. It’s traveling at its finest!
Gabis Arboretum at Purdue Northwest, Valparaiso, IN
If you’re traveling with your four-legged family members, this is the perfect place for you and for them! The Taltree Arboretum and Gardens is a dog-friendly oak preserve of gardens, woodlands, wetlands, and prairies. It’s the ecosystem at its best! The Arboretum features four miles of hiking trails and outdoor concert series. It’s the perfect place to compress and let your senses take over as you become one with nature. The garden also features several themed displays, including the Hitz Family Rose Garden, Native Plant Garden, Oak Islands, Taltree Railway Garden, and Children’s Adventure Garden, perfect for the little ones!
Connor Prairie, Fishers, IN
A visit to Indiana isn’t complete unless you’ve gone sightseeing at Connor Prairie! It’s one of Indiana’s largest and most beloved attractions, and it’s one of the most visited outdoor museums in the country. Here, visitors can learn and see where it all began. Where science, history, art, and nature came together and made Indiana what it is today. It’s a place for families to come together and interact and inspire curiosity. Connor Prairie is also Indiana’s first Smithsonian affiliate, and there is something for everyone here.
Marengo Cave, Marengo, IN
The Marengo Cave in southern Indiana has been Indiana’s #1 natural attraction ever since its discovery in 1883. There are a variety of ways to explore and see the caves, from walking tours, canoeing, and cave exploring in which visitors can explore the undeveloped, natural caves. Visitors can also see the Valley of Lost Soles and visit Stewart Spring, Indiana’s 13th largest producing spring from underground.
The Barns at Nappanee, Nappanee, IN
The only Amish farm listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the Stahly-Nisley-Kuhns farmstead in Nappanee, Indiana, is the only place in Indiana to experience the Amish country and heritage up close. It’s where time stopped over a century ago, and the old ways prevail, creating a simple time and makes one experience nostalgia every time they visit. Learn the whys and the ways of the Amish, walk the original oak floorboards of a 138-year-old farmhouse, and experience the sights and sounds of a working farm and apple orchard. It’s truly a sight to behold!
