Indiana with Kids

The Black Pine Animal Sanctuary is an 18-acre sanctuary in Albion that provides permanent refuge for rescued, captive-raised exotic animals that have been performing animals or kept as ‘pets.’

Formerly known as the Black Pine Animal Park, the sanctuary has a population of animals of around 100 animals across 60 species, some of which are endangered, including bears, wildcats, wolves, foxes, parrots, and reptiles. Animals are housed in natural habitats throughout a lovely wooded area, and various educational visitor and outreach programs are offered throughout the year for all ages, including guided sanctuary tours, school field trips, and special events.

1426 W 300 N, Albion, IN 46701, Phone: 260-636-7383

Bluespring Caverns Park is an extensive karst-and-river type cave system in Lawrence County that contains over 20 miles of surveyed passages and three-mile subterranean river – the longest such river in the United States.

The cave system drains a 15-square-mile sinkhole plain and features four caves, the others of which are the Squire Boone Caverns, the Wyandotte Caves, and the Marengo Cave. The cavern system is controlled by the Bluespring Caverns Park, which offers guided boat rides on the subterranean river and overnight adventures for organized youth groups during the high season.

The popular boat ride is conducted on a 17-person boat equipped with lighting and ventures along the river into the cavern system for about 600 meters and lasts about an hour.

1459 Blue Springs Cavern Rd, Bedford, IN 47421, Phone: 812-279-9471

Located at Columbian Park in Lafayette, the Columbian Park Zoo is an animal sanctuary that is home to over 190 animals from over 90 species, ranging from alligators, elk, and bears to lions, monkeys, and zebra.

Founded in 1908, the zoo features habitats, including the Americas, Australia, Butterfly Garden, Family Farm, Fountain Plaza and Sculptures, and the Historic Animal House, and is surrounded by the Columbian Park, which features family-friendly picnic areas, children’s playgrounds, a walking trail, and a baseball stadium.

The Columbian Park Zoo offers a variety of education programs for children of all ages, as well as weekend classes, workshops, summer camps, and fun events such as the Zoo Pajama Party.

1915 Scott St, Lafayette, IN 47904, Phone: 765-807-1540

Set within the Indiana Dunes National Park, The Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education is a modern visitor center on the western side of the park that and provides visitors with all kinds of information and activities that can be enjoyed in the park.

Stretching along 15 miles of the southern shore of Lake Michigan, the Indiana Dunes National Park is home to a diverse range of habitats, including 50 miles of hiking trails that wind through tranquil forests, lush wetlands, rugged dunes, and sandy beaches. Other activities in the park include bird-watching and guided nature hikes to identify some of the 1,100 native plant species that call the 15,000-acre park home. The Paul H. Douglas Center is open daily year-round.

100 N Lake St, Gary, IN 46403, Phone: 219-395-1824

Fort Harrison State Park is an Indiana state park in Lawrence based on the former site of Fort Benjamin Harrison.

Also known as Fort Ben, the dog-friendly park features several historic sites and structures, including a Civilian Conservation Corps camp, a former Citizen's Military Training Camp, and World War II prisoner of war camp. Park amenities include a dog park, picnic shelters with tables and benches, a nature center with knowledgeable staff to provide information, hiking and mountain biking trails, cycling tracks, horseback trail rides, and hayrides. Other fun activities in the park include fishing, ice-fishing, sledding, cross-country skiing, and golf on an 18-hole golf course and driving range.

6000 N Post Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46216

The Fort Wayne Children's Zoo is a 40-acre animal sanctuary that protects and preserves over 1,000 animals in specially designed exhibits that replicate the animals’ natural habitats.

Founded in 1965 and accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the zoo is based within Fort Wayne's Franke Park, which features beautifully landscaped grounds. Top attractions and features at the zoo include taking a real-life safari drive in a real Land Rover to see giraffe, lions, hyenas, wildebeest and zebra; and gliding through the treetops 38 feet above the ground on a Sky Safari. Ride a surfboard, pet a stingray, and come nose-to-nose with orangutans, tigers, and giant reptiles in the Indonesian Rain Forest exhibit.

3411 Sherman Blvd, Fort Wayne, IN 46808

Located in downtown Fort Wayne, the Fort Wayne Museum of Art celebrates contemporary and historical art through a diverse range of permanent collections and traveling exhibitions.

The museum is home to several anthologies, including American Brilliant Cut Glass, Indiana Impressionism, Prints & Drawings, and Special Collections and Archives. The museum is also home to an Early Learning Center, which provides a fun-based haven for children to build their visual literacy skills through interactive exhibits such as a drawing area with a self-identity gallery, a magnetic tree gallery, and a building area that encourages motor skills. The Paradigm Gallery displays a range of fine arts and crafts that can be purchased.

311 E Main St, Fort Wayne, IN 46802, Phone: 260-422-6467

The Garfield Park Conservatory and Sunken Gardens is a 10,000 square foot conservatory that is home to hundreds of different plants from the world's tropical regions.

Designed and built by respected German landscape architect George Kessler in 1916, the conservatory features a welded aluminum frame in a beautiful art-deco style with vast expanses of glass and houses a wide variety of plant species including ferns, bananas, palms, orchids, coffee, and vanilla. The Sunken Garden encompasses three acres of European classical formal gardens with beautifully manicured flower beds, graceful fountains, and George Kessler-designed concrete urns and bowls. The gardens provide a tranquil escape from the hustle and bustle of the city and host two main floral displays each year.

2505 Conservatory Dr, Indianapolis, IN 46203, Phone: 317-327-7183

Take to the skies with Superman at the Hall of Heroes Museum in Elkhart.

The museum is the only Superhero and comic book museum in the world and is dedicated to showcasing and preserving the eight-decade history of superheroes in comics, toys, film, and animation. Built as a replica of the Hall of Justice from the classic Super Friends cartoon, the two-story museum features a vast array of television and movie props, vintage toys, a replica Bat Cave, Adam West’s personal Batman costume from the 1960's television series, Batman, and the original shield from the film Captain America. Other fascinating items in the museum include over 60,000 comic books and over 100 pieces of original comic art pages from famous cartoons and comic books.

1915 Cassopolis St, Elkhart, IN 46514, Phone: 574-333-3406

The Hesston Steam Museum celebrates the age of steam-powered machinery and features four different gauge railroads and a variety of vintage farm equipment.

Set in 155 acres of land in Hesston, the museum is operated by the Laporte County Historical Steam Society and is home to a unique three-rail narrow gauge railroad on which narrow gauge locomotives can move around the property; steam or gasoline-powered quarter-scale locomotives and a 7.5-inch gauge railroad. Other equipment that can be seen at the museum includes the Hesston Sawmill that dates back to 1900 and features a 60-inch insert tooth blade, an electric power plant, and steam traction engines dating back to the early 1900s.

1201 E 1000 N, La Porte, IN 46350, Phone: 219-778-2783