Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is the perfect combination of vacation and education.

Here you can camp for only $15 per night and enjoy an endless array of fun family activities like swimming, fishing, boating, beachcombing, hiking, and horseback riding. Children aged five to fifteen are invited to become Junior Rangers through the Parks Junior Ranger Discovery program.

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore provides an excellent educational experience for both children and adults. Learn about the history of Indiana Dunes including the fur traders and the Indians; or learn about the natural side of things including the dunes, bog, plants & flowers, animals found at the dunes, Lake Michigan and more.
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, 1100 North Mineral Springs Road, Porter, IN; (212) 926-7561;

Amish Acres

Visit the historic farmstead and get a glimpse into the life of the Amish where time seems to have stopped almost a century ago. A visit to Amish Acres is an educational and entertaining experience for all ages.

At Amish Acres, children can get up close and personal with farm animals, enjoy playing old fashioned games, take a wagon ride, watch craft demonstrations and documentary films, see the museum, and enjoy the live musical theater shows.

Admission prices including all of the above are only $4.95 for children ages 4 to 12 and $12.95 for adults. Accommodations at the Inn at Amish Acres start at $63 per night. Be sure to take advantage of the Amish Acres ‘Tanks for Coming’ promotion where you can receive from $20 to $40 back in Amish Acres legal tender for booking select packages.
Amish Acres, 1600 West Market Street, Nappanee, IN (800) 800-4942

Staycations in Indiana

Indiana is blessed to have such an abundance of choices for affordable family vacations. One of the best options to reduce costs is to ‘staycation’ closer to home. Here are some great examples:
Zoos and Animal Parks

• Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo,Fort Wayne, IN (children ages 2 to 14, $8; adults $12)
• Indianapolis Zoo, Indianapolis, IN (children ages 2 to 12, $9; adults $14)
• Black Pine Animal Park, Albion, IN (children ages 3 to 12, $6; adults $7)
• ME’s Zoo, Parker City, IN (children up to age 12, $5.50; adults $6.50)

Museums

• Alyce Bartholomew Children’s Museum, Michigan City, IN
• Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN (children ages 2 to 17, $9.50; adults $14.50)
• Hanna Lindahl Children’s Museum, Mishawaka, IN (children ages 2 to 4, $1; visitors 5 and over, $2)
• Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium, Indianapolis, IN (children $2; adults $3; families of five or less, $7)
• Grissom Air Museum, Peru, IN (children 6 and under, FREE; children ages 7 to 18, $3; adults $4)

Lakes and National Parks

• Lake Wawasee, Syracuse, IN
• Lake Monroe, Bloomington, IN
• Patoka Lake, Birdseye, IN
• Salamonie Lake, Lagro, IN
• George Rogers Clark National Historic Park, Vincennes, IN