A Travel Guide to Indiana
Indiana like the western neighbouring state of Illinois enjoys many waterways of rivers, creeks and lakes. It shares the third largest North American lake waters of Lake Michigan with them and its northerly state of the same name. Fifteen miles of soft sanded beaches sit aside the Indiana Dunes State Park. The weather in this northern region can fall below zero (Celsius) in the darkest of winter but generally it is cooler for most of the year. Summers are very pleasant with the lake winds drifting in.
In the North West Midland area is the Indiana Beach Amusement Resort that evolved from a couple of dams built on the Tippecanoe River to create Shafer Lake in Monticello. It is a very popular resort for families with nearly 3/4 of a million visitors a year. There are also other lakeside resorts at Monroe Lake in Central Indiana near Bloomington and as we travel further southward the ascending temperatures makes the southern lakeside resort of Scales Lake near Boonville very tempting for the complete sun worshipper.
The Ohio River that runs alongside the south east border with Kentucky to its eastern namesake State Ohio has beaches too but its natural cobbled foundations make it more popular with the angler instead. Boating is frequently enjoyed here as well as the other waterways too. For those interested in kayaking and canoeing, there is a national club online that calls itself after the official name they give to someone from the Indiana State -- Hoosier. There is also Hoosier National Forest that runs through route 64 to the southern border. This enchanting forest with its rolling rustic landscape is a popular escapade and of interest to budding bio-scientists. There are also many state parks, forests and refuges protecting wildlife, including hatcheries and dedicated fishing areas.
The most populous city is the state capital itself – Indianapolis. It has been ranked by two leading American publishing houses as one of the best downtown metropolises in the United States. It is the home of the Indianapolis 500 which is commemorated in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Hall of Fame Museum. It is also a home of American sports with four generous stadiums dedicated to college basketball (which starred in the film ‘Hoosiers’), professional basketball, American Football, and baseball played at the aptly named Victory Field.
There are also venues for children’s recreation such as Indianapolis Zoo and Holliday Park. There are numerous museums and art centres including the Eiteljorg Museum which houses some indigenous American artefacts and art. The area of Broad Ripple Village is stocked with shops and restaurants and when evening comes bars and clubs open to entertain the late night pleasure seeker.
There is a wide variety of self catering vacation rentals in Indiana including houses, cabins and lake rentals.
