Visiting Southern Indiana

It’s heating up in southern Indiana. Many fascinating cities and state parks await your spring or summer visit to the Hoosier State. Check out Falls of the Ohio State Park in Clarksville, and the nearby Lapping Park – home to great golf and hiking trails. If you’re trying to stay out of the sun, be sure to visit Evansville for the Evansville Museum of Arts & Sciences, open Wednesday through Sunday and ideal for family vacations. Families are encouraged to flock to Dale and splash around Holiday World and Splashin' Safari, followed by a visit to the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial. Enjoy your getaway to southern Indiana.

Set in southeastern Indiana, Clarksville is a small, but fun town found along the banks of the Ohio River. For a real spring or summer treat, head to Lapping Park – a 332-acre mecca of outdoor activity featuring a golf course and volleyball courts. Pack a picnic for Lapping Park, settle in for a game of horseshoes, and look forward to hiking and bird watching along Silver Creek.

If you’re really looking to stretch out, head to the Falls of the Ohio State Park in southern Clarkville, right on the Ohio River and Kentucky border. Known for its exposed fossil beds from the Devonian period, this state park features the Interpretive Center at Falls of the Ohio for you fans of natural history, and the Woodland Loop Trail for the outdoorsy types. Don’t forget fishing in the Ohio River, along with family picnics, and a nearby Best Western hotel in Clarksville – just five miles north of the Falls of the Ohio State Park.

A quick two hours west of Clarksville is Evansville, another summer hotspot tucked away in southwestern Indiana. Ideal for those looking to mix in a little culture, this Indiana city is home to the Evansville Museum of Arts & Sciences. Open Wednesday through Sunday with a donation entrance, this museum features current art exhibits like “Exploring Elements: Stone/Wood/Bronze” through March, and “Beauty, Joy, and Wonder: The Sculpture of Ann Weber” starting in late April. Get in a little history on the area with the exhibition “Evansville: Evolution of a City” through May 13th, and treat the kids to the Koch Planetarium – complete with weekend show times and Free Fridays on June 1st, July 6th, and August 3rd.

Set in southern Indiana just north of the Lincoln State Park, Dale is a lively city ready to spice up your getaway. A must-see in Dale is the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial – open year-round from dawn till dusk, with visitor center hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visiting in the summer? Check out the Holiday World and Splashin' Safari, open for the 2012 season in May. Just one more thing to add to your southern Indiana itinerary.

Southern Indiana Hotel Map