Indiana
Published: Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Also known as "Hoosier State", Indiana originally meant "Land of the Indians" in reference to its early Indian settlers. These people occupied much of early Indiana and held many uprisings against conquering nations until they were finally subdued sometime between 1700-1800, eventually leading to Indiana becoming the 19th American state.In terms of attractions, Indiana has a lot to offer. Topping this is Lake Michigan whose waterfront is the stage of many industries, including steel, oil, automobiles, furniture, pharmaceutical products, and many more. There are likewise forests wildlife areas, parks, museums, and various establishments spread out in over a million acres that offer great outdoor opportunities for prospective Indiana visitors, specifically RV-boarded travelers.
The Regions of Indiana
Six regions make up the entire Indiana state, each one offering a host of outdoor attractions that should interest the typical RV-boarded traveler. These include the Northern Region, the Eastern Region, the Western Region, the Central Region, the South Central Region, and the Southern Region.
The Northern Region
The region is host to several state parks and natural rivers that should offer interesting outdoor activities to most RVers. In particular, the secondary stream of the Illinois River, the Kankakee, is said to wind up here where ostensibly, fishing is a relatively profitable venture.
Angola, Chesterton, North Liberty, and Winamac are among the more important cities in Northern Indiana that RV riders will want to visit since these are the places where major regional state parks are located. In Angola, for instance, one can get to explore the many attractions of the Pokagon State Park found along Lake James where hikers and bikers are a common lot. During winter, the park is excellent for cross-country skiing and toboggan. For an RV park located near Pokagon, Circle B Campground offers the best option. Nestled along Hogback Lake, Circle B is not only near Pokagon State Park but to the city proper itself and to the Amish county of Shipshewana.
The Eastern Region
Eastern Indiana is dominated by Fort Wayne, the second biggest state city where a good number of tourist destinations can be seen, including a baseball court, a children's zoo, and several art museums. RVers who bring along their family for an Indiana trip should try exploring Fort Wayne Children's Zoo along Sherman Boulevard, voted by CHILD Magazine as among the best kiddie zoo in America. Otherwise, they can go for a more nature-centered tour by driving by the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory where an indoor desert garden awaits them.
Logansport, however, should prove to be a better place to visit in Eastern Indiana for many RV-boarded tourists for its RV park ,Tall Sycamore Campground, that lies along the Wabash River banks, an area steeped in history and definitely worth exploring. Logansport also plays host to Cass County Dentzel Carousel, a public amusement center where rides are available all throughout the summer months. This National Historic Landmark registry ought to be an exciting place for RV-boarded families to see.
The Western Region
The Western Region of Indiana showcases what is perhaps the best of what the "Hoosier State" can offer in terms of outdoor attractions. Majority of its cities either feature a magnificent lake or a historic public park where various outdoor sports are commonly engaged in. Particularly worth mentioning are the cities of Monticello, Rockville, Marshall, and Lafayette, the latter of which boasts of the Prophetstown State Park, the newest public park in Indiana where hiking and biking paths are available, aside from summer history programs.
Another Lafayette attraction is the Tropicanoe Cove Family Aquatic Center that RVers, specially families, will want to visit especially during summer. It offers a huge waterslide, a water playground for children, and an area designated for sand volleyball. For more convenience, campers can park in their RVs at Wolfe's Leisure Time Campground at State Route 25. Alternatively, they can explore the wonders of nearby Wabash River or engage in the many activities available inside Wolfe's Leisure Time Campground.
The Central Region
The region is dominated by Indianapolis, the state capital, where several recreation areas should prove to be quite appealing to many RVers. Two other cities namely Zionsville and Martinsville, offer exciting golf games and pleasurable fishing expeditions respectively. The former is particularly proud of its Golf Club of Indiana composed of 15 elegant holes scattered across excellently manicured lawns. The latter, meanwhile, has several statewide fishing areas where other related activities like boating and camping enjoy popular support.
It is in Indianapolis, though, that RV riders will absolutely find the greatest number of attractions suited to their tastes. From state parks to golf courses, Indianapolis has got them all. The Fort Golf Course is most especially engaging because it is set inside Fort Harrison State Park, a historic nature center where joggers are a common sight. Its hiking trails are especially designed to accommodate all kinds of nature enthusiasts.
For other outdoor activities like fishing under Indianapolis skies, RVers can drive straight to Indy Lakes along West Southport Road. Apart from its 35 RV camp sites, the area features three fishing lakes, each one boasting of different species of fish that anglers will find to be precious catches. There is Lake Le-An-Wa's where channel catfishes, jumbo carps, and big cats abound; Big Carp Lake where tons of big carps weighing as much as 70,000 pounds can be collected; and the Fishing Pond which teems with smaller carps and catfishes.
The South Central Region
South Central Indiana is paradise for most RV travelers both during summer and in the winter months. This is because its many cities offer outdoor activities suited for these two significant seasons. For example, Bloomington is an absolute summer haven with its hosting of Monroe Lake where swimming is simply perfect and where other outdoor recreations like fishing, boating, hiking, and picnicking can be greatly enjoyed as well.
Meanwhile, winter is best spent at Lawrenceburg specifically along the terrains of Perfect North Slopes, a 100-acre skiing area that features 17 snow-covered slopes and ten skiing runs. Skiing lessons and night skiing are some of its other major attractions.
When it comes to RV parks, though, tourists would do well exploring Monroe Lake because adjoining it is Lake Monroe Village Resort where about 125 RV camps have been set up. Within the resort itself are several recreational areas that most RVers will find enjoyable. These include a swimming pool, a playground for children, and special rooms housing arcade games.
The Southern Region
There are simply too many cities within the Southern Region of Indiana and each of them just happens to host one or two outdoor attractions that RV-boarded tourists will find hard to ignore. For example, Charlestown has the Charlestown State Park where challenging hiking paths await trekkers. Borden has the Deam Lake State Recreation Area which has camp sites by the lake as its major come-ons. Salem, meanwhile, is the gracious host of Knobstone Trailhead where the longest hiking path of Indiana is located, and Marengo city is the official home of Marengo-Cave-Blue River, an American national landmark where two natural Indiana wonders await exploration.
For their convenience, however, RV-boarded travelers can opt for the cities of Scottsburg and Clarksville. The former hosts the Hardy Lake Reservoir where water-based recreational activities like swimming and fishing are highly popular, but more importantly, there are RV campgrounds inside the park built with modern amenities. The latter, meanwhile, showcases the Falls of the Ohio State Park, a 220-acre public area that boasts of ancient fossil beds that many say are the largest worldwide. Apart from these ancient wonders, the said park is also renowned for its bird-watching and picnicking endeavors.
A fine RV park in Clarksville is Add-More Campground with its proximity to popular areas like Churchill Downs and to several Indiana shopping malls. There are around 90 RV camp sites found here that can be reached in just ten minutes if one is coming from the northern point of Louisville, Kentucky.
The Indiana Cities
Admittedly, the most famous city in "Hoosier State" is Indianapolis. RVers will most likely troop to this particular city because aside from its many tourist attractions, Indiana is the host of various RV parks, making a trip to Indianapolis pleasantly convenient.
Yet, Indianapolis is not representative of the entire "Hoosier State". There are many other Indiana cities that offer exciting attractions and are RV-friendly as well, and RV riders need to find out what these cities can offer them to ultimately make their Indiana visit truly unforgettable.
Elkhart
Sitting along two major Indiana rivers, namely, Elkhart and St. Joseph, Elkhart city is further surrounded by several other smaller lakes complementing a few other attractions that should catch the attention of many RV travelers. These additional attractions include the famous downtown riverwalk, waterparks, golf courses, skateparks, and public parks, collectively numbering to about 35. Needless to say, these areas provide numerous opportunities for outdoor fun, ably serving the needs of most RV-boarded trippers.
While exploring the many attractions of Elkhart, RVers can conveniently settle at Elkhart Campground where there are 450 available RV sites. Worth waiting for is the renowned Elkhart Jazz Festival, an annual Indiana event considered as among the best jazz concerts in the US, which will turn 20 in 2007.
Monticello
One of several cities falling under the Western Region of Indiana, Monticello also has its own share of attractions that are certified RV-friendly. Among these, the top crowd-drawer is easily the Indiana Beach Camp Resort which lies along majestic Lake Shafer. An amusement park that features 36 amazing rides, live concerts, and waterparks, the resort is an ideal getaway haven during summer especially at its Sand Beach Swimming Area where sunbathing and sand castle building are favorite activities.
The resort also features several camping areas in tent, cabin, and RV types, making it the perfect campground to settle in. North of Indiana Beach, there is another campground set within the confines of Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park where private pools, highlighted by different water activities, are abundant.
Nashville
Nashville is admittedly a relatively unknown city in Indiana and largely overshadowed by its more famous sister city, Indianapolis. However, Nashville also has its own fair of attractions, of which the annual music event at Bean Blossom is among the more prominent ones. RVers who prefer bluegrass music will likely find a niche here, particularly at the Bill Monroe Memorial Music Park and Campground where the Annual Bill Monroe Memorial Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival is held every June.
The campground is set upon the hills of Bean Blossom in Nashville where the annual music event is a highly anticipated event. For RVers, though, who prefer to go for pure camping enjoyment, the area offers 600 sites in either open-air or wooded types and powered by 30-50 amp electricity. A nearby fishing lake, hiking paths, and picnic areas equipped with tables are some of its major attractions, complemented by modern amenities like restrooms, hot showers, laundry rooms, and dump stations.
Lincoln State Park and Col. Jones Home
Among the many attractions in Indiana, the Lincoln State Park and Col. Jones Home in Lincoln City ought to be on top of the list of places to see for RVers. Not only does the 1,747 acre-wide state park honor the historic past of "Hossier State", it also allows RVers to engage in a number of exciting outdoor sports because there are areas inside the park specifically designed for such activities. Its rolling hills, for example, provide hiking paths that cover about ten miles. At Lake Lincoln, meanwhile, boaters can ask for a canoe at the designated rental area to explore the waters of the lake.
At night fall, several campgrounds set inside Lincoln State Park can be availed of. These include electricity-powered RV sites numbering to about 150 and approximately 120 other camping areas of the primitive type. Some campgrounds even have a lakeside venue.
Ohio River Scenic Byway
For RV riders who simply love driving across miles and miles of open land, the Ohio River Scenic Byway in Derby City ought to satisfy their passion. Driving across these roads should afford RVers several scenic Indiana views with stop-overs in various small towns providing interesting stories about Ohio River and the enduring culture that it has nurtured over the years. For more extreme rides, biking is a suitable option.
The area surrounding the famous byway is also paradise to the typical RVer. Ohio River, for instance, welcomes boaters and anglers alike. Nearby, the 60,000-acre wide Hoosier National Forest is the ideal stage for such outdoor activities as hunting, hiking, mountain biking, and camping.
The Time to Visit Indiana
Just like most American states, visiting the Hoosier State need not be dictated by the weather. Indiana experiences generally fine weather conditions so getting to see the state can be done practically anytime.
As always, the guide in every visit is the personal preference of the prospective tourist. Bird lovers, for example, will find bird-watching in Indiana perfect in early fall and in the late summer months over at the Falls of the Ohio State Park. This is the period when the waters flowing on the Ohio River is at its lowest, allowing migrating birds like Baird's Sandpiper to easily swoop down the river. During winter, meanwhile, seagulls are known to regularly appear in the vicinity.
Timberline Family Campground
This Anderson-based RV park boasts of 95 campsites, with 91 of these totally RV-friendly. Twelve pull-through areas are operated by 50-amp electricity with the rest under a 30-amp electric power.
Occupying 80 acres, the Timberline Family Campground has a frontage separated by a single mile from the magnificent waters of White River. About 13 acres are devoted to the waters, with about three acres of these known to be excellent fishing grounds. Canoeing is also popular here, with float trips lasting from two to ten hours.
Inside, Wi-Fi access is available, servicing the outer front area of the campground. Other accommodations include a camp store where firewood is being sold, two laundry facilities, and modern restrooms.
Deer Ridge Camping Resort
A family-centered RV campground, the Deer Ridge Camping Resort is situated in Richmond City along Smyrna Road and can easily be reached by turning right at Route 227 just after passing I-70. It offers a myriad of exciting activities for campers, including a challenging game of golf involving nine holes. For more laid back games, one can try the resident pinball and video games, or play a round of bingo games during the weekend. Alternatively, one can opt to simply pick a magazine from a nearby rack.
Fishing inside the resort is a little different since it is geared for the kids. Standing before the pond, little children can easily learn the art of fishing especially with the aid of their grandparents. For the more serious angler, however, nearby Middlefork Reservoir is available. Meanwhile, Whitewater River is suited more for canoe enthusiasts and behind it, a short hiking path can be seen where hikers can go on a hiking expedition.
Deer Ridge Camping Resort especially welcomes RVers who come in groups. Those that come by in 20 RVs or more are most definitely treated like royalty since there are about 20 RV sites that have been grouped into one, making for a more spacious area.
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