Indiana CVR (Comps) 2018 (F)_Itineraries 11/30/17 1:38 PM Page 3

Hoosier Horticulture Stunning botanic gardens R and welcoming UR PLANNE 2018 GROUP TO conservatories

Agritourism 6Enticing itinerary Adventures options your Farm-to-table fare and group can behind-the-scenes tours customize

Indiana 2018 Group Tour Planner Contents FEATURES

8 Hoosier Horticulture Gardens, conservatories and tranquil retreats 16 Faith Journeys Churches, temples and shrines 24 Indiana Agritourism Farms, wineries and culinary tours 32 Indiana State Parks Lodges, forests and beaches 42 Animal Encounters Zoos, sanctuaries and ranches SAMPLE ITINERARIES

12 Northern Indiana Hoosier Horticulture 21 Western Indiana Stunning botanic gardens and welcoming 29 South Central Indiana 2018GROUP TOUR PLANNER conservatories 36 Central Indiana 40 Eastern Indiana 46 Southern Indiana

All itineraries are samples and can be customized to fit your group’s needs. Agritourism 6Enticing itinerary Adventures options your Farm-to-table fare and group can behind-the-scenes tours customize

ON THE COVER: Traders Point Creamery, Zionsville Photo Courtesy of Josh Marshall and AIM Media Indiana Kokomo Full Page Ad pp2_Layout 1 12/1/17 4:22 PM Page 5

AUTOS AND ART GLASS TOUR

Your group is invited to experience the history, beauty, and charm of Kokomo, Indiana with our Autos and Art Glass Tour. Discover Kokomo Opalescent Glass, America’s oldest art glass company, to experience art glass hand- ladled and rolled from a 2,500 degree furnace and stunning hand-blown glass demonstrations. Explore vintage Indiana-built cars and tour the beautiful Seiberling Mansion, offering spectacular holiday tours and dining packages for groups. We are ready to share our story with your group!

For customized tour itinerary planning: Contact Sherry Matlock at [email protected] or 800-837-0971 VisitKokomo.org INDIANAPOLIS ZOO

GENUINE EXPERIENCES are found during a visit to the Hoosier state, in a way that is uniquely Indiana. Our diverse geography, eclectic foods, natural attractions and unique 200- year history are just some of what make Indiana so memorable to visit. Indiana’s communities offer travelers a refresh- ing sense of renewal. Relax on the beaches of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Hike scenic trails to discover wooded gorges, rock cliffs and plunging waterfalls at one of the many Indiana state parks. Enjoy rolling hills on the Ohio River Scenic Byway or return to simpler times in Amish country. Stop at one of Indiana’s wineries, farmers markets or creameries to experience the fantastic tastes of small-town Indiana. Our cities offer world-class museums, performing arts and sporting events. There are many resources Indiana offers group tours. Whether it is vineyards, breweries and distill- eries, shopping, hiking, heritage or historical sites that you seek, start your planning at VisitIndiana.com. I hope you will consider Indiana as the place for your next trip so we can share a little Hoosier Hospital- CLIFTY FALLS ity with you.

AMISH ACRES PIES

Suzanne Crouch LT. GOVERNOR INDIANA

6 2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER INDIANA FACTS Population: Statewide: 6.597 million Indianapolis: 852,866 (also the state capital) Fort Wayne: 256,496 Evansville: 120,310 South Bend: 100,886 Carmel: 85,927 Hammond: 78,967 Getting Here by Air Indianapolis International Airport (IND): Served by Air Canada, Allegiant, American, Delta, Frontier, Southwest, OneJet, United, Vacation Express South Bend Regional Airport (SBN): Served by Allegiant, Delta, United Evansville Regional Airport (EVV): Served by Allegiant, American, Delta, United Getting Here by Rail Amtrak stations in Connersville (COI), Crawfordsville (CRF), Dyer (DYE), Elkhart (EKH), Evansville- Bus Station (EVN), Hammond-Whiting (HMI), Indianapo- lis (IND), Lafayette (LAF), Michigan City (MCI), Rensselaer (REN), South Bend (SOB), Waterloo (WTI) Average Temperatures by Season: North – Spring 71, Summer 81, Fall 63, Winter 31 Central – Spring 73 Summer 84, Fall 65, Winter 36 South – Spring 77, Summer 88, Fall 70, Winter 41 Schwabenblitz/Bigstock.com

2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER 7 AZALEA PATH ARBORETUM AND BOTANICAL GARDENS

8 2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER HOOSIER HORTICULTURE These botanical gardens and conservatories can expose your group to local plants or transport them across the globe

HETHER YOUR GROUP Botanic Gardens in Michigan City is wants to stroll through a collection of over a dozen “ethnic manicured rows of gardens” that represent their country with flowers on a brilliant native plant species and art installations. W spring morning or Developed alongside the 1933 Chicago escape into a tropical rainforest in the dead World’s Fair to showcase unity in the of winter, Indiana boasts a bountiful variety international community, the gardens of botanical gardens throughout the state. were gifted tulips from the Netherlands A 330-acre oasis in Valparaiso, and welcomed England’s royal gardener Taltree Arboretum and Gardens is to oversee the rare Persian roses. Today, a tranquil collection of wetlands and your group can stroll through areas that prairies intersected with hiking and represent Italy, Romania and Norway garden paths. Brimming with native and admire the wildflowers in the Native grasses and wildflowers, the trails are American Garden. The facility also hosts a haven for birdwatchers; warblers, group-friendly nature walks and concerts bobolinks, purple finches and bluebirds on its stage throughout the year. nest here throughout the year, and your Farther east in Mishawaka, groups group can also spot native beavers, frogs will embrace their zen by strolling the and turtles. Themed gardens include gardens of Shiojiri Niwa, a peaceful the Oak Islands, a collection of nearly collection of bridges, waterways and floral 40 different oak species from across the displays that honor Mishawaka’s Japanese globe; the Native Plant Garden, home sister city. The signature qualities of to hundreds of Indiana species and a Japanese landscaping—balance, monarch butterfly waystation; and the tranquility and minimalism—are on full Railway Garden, which features model display in the garden’s perfectly pruned trains and elaborate miniaturized pioneer pines, an ornate teahouse and red bridges villages. modeled after Matsumoto Castle. Paths Tucked in a forested valley along here wind and bridges zig-zag (evil spirits the banks of Lake Michigan, Friendship can only move in straight lines in VISIT INDIANA

2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER 9 Japanese folklore), and rock gardens are depicted in the Bible. In the Orchard, you’ll maintain their wetland heritage while arranged in groupings of five to represent find pomegranates, grapes and other integrating art installations, pagodas and fire, water, wind, earth and sky. Groups fruits mentioned in the New Testament, reflective pools. Highlights include the looking to learn more about Japanese while the Desert includes the palm trees Sensory Garden, which encourages guests history and culture can arrange a private that shaded Abraham and Moses. to smell herbs and touch tactile sculptures, tour and further explore the area’s beauty. Groups visiting the University of the Asian-influenced Island Garden and Scattered throughout public parks in Notre Dame campus in South Bend will the Lotus Creek, a tranquil waterfront North-Central Indiana, the Quilt Gardens discover the Grotto of Our Lady of shaded by hickories and bordered by are 19 supersized floral arrangements Lourdes, a miniature replica of the famed blooming rhododendron. One-hour tours inspired by the region’s homesteading shrine in Lourdes, France that traces its are available for groups, and discounts are history back over 150 years. In 1858, the available for parties of 10 or more. QUILT GARDENS: Horticulturists, landscapers Virgin Mary appeared 18 times to Saint Five hundred species from three and professional quilters collaborate to create the Bernadette, a poor miller’s daughter in continents thrive under the domes unique designs of these Amish Country classics. the French countryside who received holy of Foellinger-Freimann Botanical

TALTREE ARBORETUM: The property’s railway garden features dozens of miniature locomotives that pass through vignettes depicting America’s history with the steam engine. and Amish heritage. Your group can visits when she retrieved firewood from a Conservatory in downtown Fort Wayne. travel the 90-mile Heritage Trail through nearby grotto. Notre Dame founder Father Inspired by turn-of-the-20th-century Elkhart, Goshen, Middlebury, Nappanee, Sorin was so touched by the shrine during urban greenhouses, the complex is Bristol, Wakarusa and Shipshewana a European trip that he vowed to recreate divided into four themed areas, each to see these colorful patterns and the it in America, and the one-seventh-sized with a separate climate and layout. The welcoming downtowns they enhance. replica was completed in 1896 after Desert Garden populates its arid space Teams of horticulturists, landscapers and two-ton boulders were imported from with cacti and mesquite trees native to professional quilters collaborate every nearby farms. The shrine remains open to the Sonoran Desert of Arizona, while year to create the final designs, which the public over a century later, and your the Tropical Garden is filled with palms, range from simple geometric patterns group members can light a candle, pray vivid orchids and cacao trees from the to elaborate depictions of farmsteads. and admire the landscaping. Amazon Rainforest. Other rooms include Quilt Gardens historians can accompany Commissioned to honor the 100th the Seasonal Garden, which rotates its your group and discuss the centuries-old anniversary of Rotary International, The design quarterly to feature everything from evolution of quilting. Wellfield Botanic Gardens are a 36-acre German landscaping to butterfly gardens, Groups who want to further “living museum” that feature 25 themed and the Exploration Garden, which is combine a garden tour with history areas. Intersected by the meandering populated with perennials and shady trees. should stop by Warsaw Biblical Gardens, Christian Creek, which still provides Located near Hazleton and the which consists of six microclimates that Elkhart’s water supply and powered the White River, Azalea Path Arboretum and represent the different environments area’s 19th century mills, the gardens Botanical Gardens reward visitors with a

10 2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER stunning display of more than 4,000 azaleas Continue to the city’s southeast side boast thousands of brilliant tulip blooms that bloom each spring. Blossoms of red, to find Garfield Park Conservatory, in the spring, while autumn visitors can pink and purple will dazzle your group as the oldest city park in Indianapolis and admire the mum arrangements. The it explores the 60-acre property that also creation of famed German landscape adjoining Victorian-style greenhouse includes two spring-fed lakes, waterfalls architect George Kessler. The designer is accessible year-round and features and a koi pond stocked with colorful fish. modeled the area after classical European carnivorous pitcher plants, sago palms Three miles of hiking trails pass by mature greenspaces, and the three acres feature and a Bodhi tree, the same species magnolias, dogwoods and chainsaw Gautama Buddha sat under when he sculptures created by local artists after the achieved enlightenment. trees were damaged in a thunderstorm. Sprawling over 100 acres and An 1833 dairy barn converted into RESOURCES bordered by the White River, Virginia an interpretive center welcomes groups AZALEA PATH ARBORETUM B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park is about to explore the 355 acres of Hayes AND BOTANICAL GARDEN one of the largest museum art parks in Arboretum in Richmond. The property 812-640-9133, AzaleaPathArboretum.org the nation. Part of the Indianapolis Art was established when railroad official FOELLINGER-FREIMANN Museum, the grounds’ 152 acres consist Stanley W. Hayes in 1915 purchased a BOTANICAL CONSERVATORY of flower beds and meditation trails historic homestead and the surrounding 260-427-6440, BotanicalConservatory.org dotted with sculptures by international old growth forest to preserve the pristine FRIENDSHIP BOTANIC GARDENS artists. The garden’s signature installation Indiana landscape. Today, the estate 219-878-9885, FriendshipGardens.org is the Sutphin Fountain, a modernist encompasses miles of unblemished water feature surrounded by Grecian woodlands, meadows and swamps that GARFIELD PARK CONSERVATORY wildflowers, paperbark maples and 317-327-7220, th will transport your party to the 19 century. GarfieldGardensConservatory.org lavender. Next door is the Lilly House These woods host bird-watching hikes, and Gardens, once home to famous mountain bike excursions and conservation HAYES ARBORETUM industrialist Josiah Lilly and now a 765-962-3745, HayesArboretum.org seminars, so be sure to check on upcoming restored country estate with gardens programming before you visit. LINTON’S ENCHANTED GARDENS that retain the look of 1940s landscaping. Escape the urban bustle in the heart 574-293-9699, Lintons.com Docents can lead you through the Four of Indianapolis with a visit to White QUILT GARDENS Seasons Gardens, which features a River Gardens along the White River 800-262-8161, AmishCountry.org quadrant design; the Orchard, a postwar- Trail. Operated in conjunction with the style tract that grows sunflowers and Indianapolis Zoo, the complex’s iconic SHIOJIRI NIWA vegetables, and the Madeline F. Elder 574-258-1664, MishawakaCity.com/ShiojiriNiwa area is the DeHaan Tiergarten (German Greenhouse, which offers horticultural for “animal garden”). This sprawling TALTREE ARBORETUM AND GARDENS programming for groups. three-acre outdoor space is populated 219-462-0025, Taltree.org A combination of nursery, with whimsical animal sculptures that UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME garden and amusement park, Linton’s stand alongside the shasta daisies of 574-631-7505, Tour.ND.edu Enchanted Gardens in Elkhart is a the Heritage Garden, tulips of the Water family-friendly option for groups that VIRGINIA B. FAIRBANKS ART & NATURE PARK Garden and beech trees of the Ruth Lilly include children. Whimsical miniature 317-923-1331, DiscoverNewfields.org Shade Garden. Next, venture indoors to fairy houses, windmills and pagodas dot the Hilbert Conservatory, a 65-foot-tall WARSAW BIBLICAL GARDENS a landscape of shrubs and evergreens greenhouse filled with aromatic tropical 574-267-6218, WarsawBiblicalGardens.org available for purchase, and attractions like greenery. Over 40 butterfly species will WELLFIELD BOTANIC GARDENS go-karts, bumper boats and a petting zoo flit past your group members as they 574-266-2006, WellfieldGardens.org will occupy younger guests as you admire admire the Indianapolis skyline, and the hundreds of species. WHITE RIVER GARDENS the greenhouse’s mezzanine level is 317-630-2001, IndianapolisZoo.com Running a spectrum of color and populated with ferns, orchids and palms. ​​​​​​​​​​​​ size, the botanical gardens of Indiana For a dive into Indiana’s past, be sure will surely plant seeds of horticultural to stop by the Heritage Garden, which interest in your group. Whether you prefer blends traditional Hoosier species, like symmetrical flower beds, elegant a free-form meander through a tranquil purple coneflower and hollyhock, with fountains and concrete urns decorated space or an interactive exploration of the historic specimens transplanted from the with an oak leaf and acorn—the German state’s natural beauty, you’re sure to find a President Benjamin Harrison Home. symbol for prosperity. The sunken gardens garden experience perfect for any party.

2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER 11 NORTHERN INDIANA ITINERARY Indiana Amish Country SHIPSHEWANA, MIDDLEBURY, NAPPANEE, ELKHART, SOUTH BEND

NORTHERN REGION

Historic Farm and Heritage Resort, MENNO-HOF AMISH-MENNONITE which offers craft demonstrations, INFORMATION CENTER: Learn about wagon rides, meal options and a Amish, Mennonite and Hutterite culture in this INDIANAPOLIS refurbished barn that houses audiovisual presen- musical theater. After checking in, learn tations and historic exhibits. how to make shoofly pie in the Amish Acres kitchen bakery. Before dinner this DAY ONE evening, the fruits of the Round Barn DAY TWO Today you won’t want to miss a visit Winery are presented to you in the loft This morning travel the scenic back- to the Shipshewana Flea Market, the tasting room. roads of Amish Country, passing largest outdoor market in the Midwest horse-drawn buggies, tidy farmhouses and home to over 1,000 vendors. Next, and whitewashed barns. Learn about visit Menno-Hof Amish-Mennonite the fascinating Amish lifestyle as your Information Center for a lesson about guide tells you about the history and the origins of the Amish. You will be able traditions of the “plain people.” Enjoy to make your own souvenir by painting a family-style Thresher’s Dinner in the a birdhouse in an Amish furniture shop. old barn restaurant at Amish Acres. In the Amish countryside, make stops at From hearth-baked bread to platters local markets like Dutch Country Mar- of steaming fried chicken, cider-baked ket, which offers homemade jams, fresh ham and beef; the menu elicits “oohs” produce and noodles made onsite. On and “aahs” from hungry “threshers” of all your way to Nappanee visit Lera’s Rugs. ages. See the weaving process firsthand and Top off the day with a Broadway- shop for Amish rugs, placemats and SHIPSHEWANA FLEA MARKET: The largest style musical production in the Round other woven items. outdoor flea market in the Midwest hosts hundreds Barn Theater, which is housed in a 1911 Stay two nights at Amish Acres of vendors that sell clothing, furniture and produce. round barn that was dismantled

12 2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER years has been transformed into a vibrant place for dining STUDEBAKER NATIONAL MUSEUM and shopping. Don’t miss the world’s largest chocolate store, showplace of the South Bend Chocolate Company. Before departing the area, visit the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the campus of the University of Notre RESOURCES Dame. Built in the NORTHERN INDIANA late 1800s, the AMISH COUNTRY church features (Elkhart County CVB) one of the largest 800-262-8161 collections of 19th AmishCountry.org century French STUDEBAKER MUSEUM STUDEBAKER VISIT SOUTH BEND stained glass in the MISHAWAKA world. and resurrected at Amish Acres. The nearly 200 years. The museum displays 800-519-0577 professional repertory theater company the first and last cars the Studebaker VisitSouthBend.com is assembled from auditions across the corporation ever made and boasts the VISIT SHIPSHEWANA country. largest presidential carriage collection in 800-254-8090 the world. Allow your group to explore VisitShipshewana.org downtown South Bend, which in recent DAY THREE Start the day at two excellent transporta- tion museums in Elkhart. Recapture the glory days of American railroading at the National New York Central Railroad Museum. Then tour the RV/MH Hall of Fame, which is dedicated to preserving the history of the RV and manufactured housing industries. Stop at the Elkhart County Visitors Center, a great place to begin a Quilt Gardens Tour. More than 20 quilt- inspired gardens and hand-painted quilt murals are available for viewing in the area. One quilt garden is at Ruthmere, the home that Alka-Seltzer built. This elaborate 1910 Beaux Arts-style mansion is a multi-faceted museum with stunning architecture and a vast selection of art. After your tour, step onto the covered piazza or into the historic game room for a swinging 1920s speakeasy filled with musical entertainment, hors d’oeuvres and vintage cocktails.

DAY FOUR This morning visit South Bend’s Studebak- er National Museum, which is home to a priceless collection of vehicles, artwork, archival material and artifacts spanning

2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER 13 overlooks the tranquil Lake James. From there, you can explore POKAGON the park by foot on 10 miles of hiking trail STATE PARK or relax on the sandy ROUPS WITH a taste for outdoor shoreline next to the adventure and pioneer history Beach House. will love Pokagon State Park, Fishing fanatics G have the opportunity a nature-lover’s dream in the far northeast corner of the state. Natural to catch perch, bass lakes created by melted glaciers define and pike throughout Steuben County, which has more the year, while groups lakes than any other Indiana can rent pontoons or county. The park is framed paddleboats for a wa- by Lake James and Snow ter view. In the winter Lake, which offer abun- months, be sure to dant opportunities for biologically diverse experience Indiana’s boating, swimming, fish- UNIQUELY ecosystems in the state only refrigerated toboggan run. You’ll ing and scenic sunsets. Indiana and continues to draw whoosh down twin quarter-mile tracks at Prime hunting ground naturalists from across speeds of 35-40 miles per hour and have for the Potawatomi and the globe. Groups can the opportunity to snowshoe and cross- Miami tribes for centuries, stay at the Potawatomi Inn, country ski through acres of preserved this wetland is one of the most a rustic 138-room lodge that maple and birch.

14 2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER

SAINT MEINRAD ARCHABBEY: One of only two archabbeys in the United States, this peaceful retreat wel- comes guests to pray with the resident monks.

16 2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER ELIGIOUS TRADITIONS HAVE been a rock-solid foundation of Indiana life since the state’s founding, and today you can’t R travel far without finding a shrine, temple, church or museum that shines a light on this faith-based heritage. Including such an attraction adds a touch of spirituality to your group itinerary and gives tour members a chance to reflect in peaceful surroundings a bit removed from the secular world.

On the leafy campus of Saint Mary- of-the-Woods College, a small Catholic school located 10 minutes from downtown Terre Haute, visitors learn about Indiana’s first saint and how she helped early pioneers as they struggled to establish communities in the wilderness. Saint FAITH Mother Theodore Guerin, born Anne-Therese Guerin in 1798 in France, and a JOURNEYS group of Sisters Churches, monasteries and of Providence other attractions reflect Indiana’s were asked by the bishop of Vincennes to religious roots come to the American frontier to educate settlers and care for the sick. In 1841, under Mother Theodore’s leadership, they established the nation’s first Catholic academy for girls, now coeducational Saint- Mary-of-the-Woods College, and would go on to open other schools and to staff orphanages. Mother Theodore also set up two pharmacies, dispensing remedies based on her knowledge of herbal medicine.

2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER 17 telling the story of two distinctive religious communities through museum exhibits and multi-media presentations, provides a good introduction to Northern Indiana Amish Country. Visitors learn how the Anabaptist movement got its start in 16th century Europe at a time when Mennonites, Amish and Hutterites were persecuted for their beliefs by Catholic and Protestant authorities (the word “Anabaptist,” meaning “to rebaptize,” was attached to a group of believers that called for voluntary adult baptisms at a time when the state allowed only infant baptisms). One ST. MARY-OF-THE- exhibit shows a WOODS COLLEGE: Visit beautiful churches and an dungeon where on-campus organic farm at Anabaptists one of the oldest religious were tortured colleges in the nation. and executed. The story frame on the wall. Proceed to continues with emigration to America, Blessed Sacrament Chapel, how the Mennonites and Amish live which features an exquisite today, and the groups’ humanitarian altar carved from one piece efforts. In the Tornado Theater, experience of pure white Carrara marble the destructive power of a tornado weighing 8,000 pounds. and the work of Mennonite and Amish The indoor tour continues cleanup crews in natural disasters. down the hall to the stately One of Indiana’s architectural jewels Church of the Immaculate is the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at Conception, patterned after the University of Notre Dame in South a church in France to honor Bend. With a 218-foot tower containing Mother Theodore’s wish for a a 23-bell carillon, the Neo-Gothic church, chapel similar to one she left built in the 1870s, is the nation’s tallest behind in her homeland. Two- university chapel and boasts the largest hour guided tours include a collection of 19th century French stained- The college’s Providence Spirituality Mother Theodore movie. glass windows in the world. Adorning the and Conference Center has a walk- A walking-tour map of the peaceful ceilings and walls are frescoes painted by through timeline exhibit and dioramas campus describes outdoor attractions Vatican artist Luigi Gregori, and there is a that tell the story of the Sisters of like the life-sized bronze statue of free-admission museum. A one-seventh- Providence from their days in post- Mother Theodore, a replica of an early size reproduction of the Grotto of Lourdes Revolution France to Mother Theodore’s log chapel, Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto, in France lies just northwest of the church. canonization by Pope Benedikt XVI in Stations of the Cross and Saint Anne Shell In St. John, the story of Jesus’ death is 2006. The Diorama Hallway leads to the Chapel, whose walls are embedded with told at The Shrine of Christ’s Passion, a Shrine of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, iridescent shells from the nearby Wabash half-mile outdoor walking trail with 40 life- where galleries chronicle her life and River. A herd of alpacas, raised for their size bronze statues set on 30 acres made showcase personal effects such as her softer-than-cashmere fleece, highlight to look like the Holy Land. The journey garden shoes, pocket watch and rosary a walk through the organic farm and along the rock-lined road to Calvary beads. The centerpiece of the shrine’s gardens, a project of the school’s White starts at the Last Supper and Garden of chapel is the walnut casket containing Violet Center for Eco-Justice ministry. Gethsemane exhibits and ends with a Mother Theodore’s remains; three of her Menno-Hof Amish-Mennonite sculpture of Jesus ascending into heaven. Each biblical scene, such as finger bones are displayed in a wood Information Center in Shipshewana, OF PROVIDENCE SISTERS

18 2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER the hometown of Temple, whose colorful shrine room famed gospel singers has a large, gold-painted Buddha figure Bill and Gloria Gaither. and walls adorned with sacred, Tibetan- Groups can tour style paintings and words in Sanskrit. the studios where The upper floor is the monks’ residence. the Gaither Gospel His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet has Series has been visited the center several times, and it was recorded for over his late brother Thubten Jigme Norbu three decades and a (Tibet’s first political refugee of note) who museum displaying founded the center in 1979. A professor memorabilia, photos of Tibetan studies at Indiana University in and awards. The Pure Bloomington, Norbu established the center & Simple Restaurant to encourage support for Tibetan religion BASILICA OF THE SACRED HEART serves breakfast, and culture, which has been suppressed by the People’s

SHRINE OF CHRIST’S Republic of PASSION: Life-sized China. bronze statues that depict Also on the the Stations of the Cross grounds are populate this 30-acre property designed to a meditation resemble the Holy Land. trail, two stupas (domed monuments) and a prayer wheel pavilion with drum- like wheels containing prayers written on small strips of paper. The Happy Yak Gift Shop sells jewelry, clothing, prayer beads, Buddhas, wall hangings and other products from around the world, including Nepal, India and Mongolia. Some items were made by Tibetan refugees. Two Benedictine monasteries—one inhabited by monks, the other by nuns— welcome visitors touring the rolling hills of southernmost Indiana. About 90 monks live at Saint Meinrad Archabbey, Pontius Pilate condemning Jesus to death, lunch and dinner, and the Common a peaceful retreat nestled above the little Jesus bearing the Cross in the presence of Place meeting room accommodates town of St. Meinrad (population 840). The a Roman soldier and the Crucifixion, has a group meals. The large gift shop has public may join the monks for prayers listening station with a short meditation. In inspirational books and music, including and Mass in the Archabbey Church of Our the shrine’s newest addition, a passageway Gaither Homecoming videos and music Lady of Einsiedeln, which was completed leads to a pile of huge limestone boulders CDs. Step-on guides are provided for the in 1907. Built of thick sandstone blocks in crowned by the figure of Moses receiving Hometown Bus Tour, which includes the the Romanesque style and distinguished the Ten Commandants on Mount Sinai. house where Bill grew up and the school by twin bell towers, it houses a replica The Shrine of Christ’s Passion also inspires where he and Gloria met. of the Black Madonna statue found in with Our Lady of the New Millennium, a Tucked away on 108 wooded Einsiedeln Abbey, the mother house in 33-foot-tall stainless steel statue of Mary. acres on the southeastern edge of Switzerland (the original statue has been The large gift shop abounds with stunning Bloomington, the Tibetan Mongolian darkened by the soot of centuries of lit displays, offering a vast selection of art, Buddhist Cultural Center spotlights a candles). Eight tiered rows of choir stalls, jewelry, candles, books and Nativity sets. religion and two Asian cultures unfamiliar made of white oak, serve as the seats for Christian music fans will want to visit to most Americans. Its focal point is monks at prayer. Unlike a parish church, Gaither Family Resources in Alexandria,

FROM TOP: UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME; RANDY MINK RANDY DAME; UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE TOP: FROM the Kumbum Chamtse Ling Interfaith there are no pews. The first two monks

2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER 19 came from Einsiedeln at the urging of 89 depictions of angels and cherubs. a local immigrant priest who sought The first four Benedictine sisters came German-speaking priests to help minister from Kentucky in 1867 at the request of RESOURCES to southern Indiana’s growing German the local pastor, who needed German- BASILICA OF THE SACRED HEART Catholic community and to open a school speaking nuns to teach the children of 574-631-7329, Basilica.ND.edu to prepare men as priests. German immigrants. Saint Meinrad Archabbey is home to Grotto Hill, across from the church, GAITHER FAMILY RESOURCES a seminary, school of theology and a guest has a replica of the Lourdes shrine, 800-520-4664, GaitherFamilyResources.net house/retreat center with 31 single- and Stations of the Cross, and statues of MENNO-HOF AMISH-MENNONITE double-occupancy guest rooms, a dining INFORMATION CENTER 260-768-4117, Mennohof.org room, chapel, and conference and reading MONTE CASSINO SHRINE: This shrine to rooms. Adjacent to the gift shop is the the Blessed Virgin Mary is located on a hill near MONASTERY IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Saint Meinrad Archabbey. showroom for Abbey Caskets, which offers 812-367-1411, TheDome.org locally handcrafted caskets made of cherry, SAINT MARY-OF-THE-WOODS COLLEGE poplar, oak or walnut. Other works of 812-535-2945, SistersofProvidence.org Saint Meinrad include Abbey Press, which markets Christian books, gifts and cards. SAINT MEINRAD ARCHABBEY On a wooded hilltop a mile away 812-357-6611, SaintMeinrad.org from Saint Meinrad Archabbey, a small THE SHRINE OF CHRIST’S PASSION sandstone chapel honoring Mary, the 219-365-6010, ShrineofChristsPassion.org mother of Jesus, has been welcoming TIBETAN MONGOLIAN BUDDHIST pilgrims since 1870. Maintained by the CULTURAL CENTER archabbey and fresh from a renovation, 812-336-6807, TMBCC.org Monte Cassino Shrine is named for Italy’s Monte Cassino Abbey, where St. Benedict originated European monasticism in the TIBETAN MONGOLIAN 6th century. New BUDDHIST landscaping includes CULTURAL the addition of a CENTER: Jangchub Chorten Stupa is prayer garden and a dedicated to the sandstone front patio memory of Tibetan with benches, which refugees. will be especially convenient for the rosary pilgrimages held each Sunday in May and October. The Sisters of St. Benedict, about 150 strong, invite visitors to tour Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand, another hilltop religious landmark in the southern part of the state (only 10 minutes from Saint Meinrad). Known as the “Castle on the Hill,” the red-brick, Our Lady of Fatima and Our Lady of Brown and Monktoberfest. The brewery Romanesque-style building with red- Guadalupe. Down the hill is St. Benedict’s works with the sisters in offering weekend tile roofs is capped by an 87-foot-high Brew Works, the only U.S. craft brewery retreats that combine spirituality with dome that can be seen from far and believed to be located on the grounds of beer history and hands-on brewing. The wide. Built between 1915 and 1924, the a women’s religious community; revenues monastery’s Kordes Center offers lodging church has a barrel-vaulted ceiling, two are shared with the sisters. The taproom for overnight guests. rose windows, Italian marble floors and serves pizza, pretzels and beers with Touring Indiana, a state blessed with white oak woodwork hand-carved in playful, abbey-themed names like The a wealth of religious attractions, can be a Oberammergau, Germany. There are Witty Nun, Sanctimonious Stout, Friar truly inspirational experience. FROM TOP: SAINT MEINRAD ARCHABBEY; VISIT BLOOMINGTON MEINRAD ARCHABBEY; SAINT TOP: FROM

20 2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER WESTERN INDIANA ITINERARY Arts, Culture & Covered Bridges TERRE HAUTE, ROCKVILLE, LAFAYETTE, WEST LAFAYETTE

WESTERN REGION

ments of Nazi doctor Joseph Mengele. COVERED BRIDGE TOUR: Thirty-one rustic Learn the story of this Holocaust survi- bridges, some dating back as far as the mid-1800s, INDIANAPOLIS populate the rivers and streams of Parke County, vor and “Mengele twin,” from before the the “Covered Bridge Capital of the World.” war and through the rise of Nazism to her time in the Auschwitz concentration DAY ONE camp and journey of forgiveness. DAY TWO Visit CANDLES Holocaust Museum in Take an arts & culture tour begin- Meet a local guide this morning for a Terre Haute. CANDLES is an acronym for ning at the Swope Art Museum. Tours Covered Bridge Tour in Parke County. “Children of Auschwitz Nazi Deadly Lab offer insight into the history of American The “Covered Bridge Capital of the World” Experiments Survivors.” The organiza- art and the artistic process and may be has 31 historic bridges, many built in the tion was founded by Eva Kor in 1984 to tailored to suit a variety of ages and inter- 1800s and still in use today. They’re espe- locate twins who survived the experi- ests. Be a part of a glassblowing work- cially charming framed by fall foliage. shop, a hands-on pottery demonstration and a Mardi Gras-themed dinner with live music and entertain- ment.

CANDLES HOLOCAUST MUSEUM: Pass through sobering exhibits that chronicle the tragedy of the Holocaust and encourage forgiveness and recon- SWOPE ART MUSEUM ciliation in our modern lives. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: VISIT INDIANA; VISIT INDIANA; CANDLES HOLOCAUST MUSEUM HOLOCAUST CANDLES VISIT INDIANA; VISIT INDIANA; TOP: FROM CLOCKWISE

2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER 21 The Covered Bridge Festival takes place in DAY THREE October. In West Lafayette, tour the John and Cath- Head north to the Lafayette-West erine Christian House, commonly known Lafayette area and visit Wolf Park, an as Samara, one of the most complete educational facility dedicated to improv- Frank Lloyd Wright-designed homes in ing public understanding of wolves. Tour the United States. Named for the winged participants have the opportunity to see seeds found in pinecones, Samara was wolves, foxes, coyotes and bison as well as completed in 1956 near the end of hear a lecture on the animals. Then stop Wright’s career and designated a National by Tippecanoe Battlefield & Museum Historic Landmark in 2015. and learn about the famous 1811 battle Take some between Willian Henry Harrison’s U.S. Hoosier good- forces and Chief Tecumseh’s Native Ameri- WOLF PARK RESOURCES ies home with can confederation. you from the Tonight in Lafayette, dine at TERRE HAUTE CVB Inspired Fire O’Bryan’s Nine Irish Brothers, which was 812-234-555 Glass Studio recently named by BuzzFeed as the best TerreHaute.com and Gallery Irish pub in Indiana. The restaurant serves PARKE COUNTY in Lafayette. premium Irish food and spirits, with items CONVENTION & VISITORS One-of-a kind ranging from salads to steak to Irish favor- COMMISSION Friendship Balls ites such as Guinness stew, shepherd’s pie 765-569-5226 are created by and fish & chips. Live entertainment on CoveredBridges.com area artists. most weekend nights. VISIT LAFAYETTE-WEST LAFAYETTE SAMARA: Frank Lloyd Wright designed this iconic 800-872-6648 Usonian residence that uses symmetry and repeated HomeofPurdue.com use of the number four to maximize space.

FEAST OF THE scouts throughout the region. Every autumn, locals gathered for the Feast of the Hunter’s Moon, a celebration of the HUNTER’S year’s bounty before winter descended. Today, your group can experience the same feast MOON when hundreds of historic reenactors populate Fort Oui- S YOUR GROUP itching to detach atenon Historic Park. from the urban bustle and venture Organized by the Tippeca- 300 years into the past? Every Oc- noe County Historical Associa- I tober, the fields surround- tion, the contemporary ing Fort Ouiatenon in West Feast of the Hunters’ Lafayette are populated Moon recreates with soldiers, settlers and 18th century life craftspeople ready to with period- Throughout the day, historical reenactors welcome you to the pio- accurate food and art. dressed as military officers and missionar- neer days of the Indiana UNIQUELY Volunteers dressed in tra- ies float down the Wabash on canoes and Territory. The Wabash ditional garb can demon- perform flag-raising ceremonies that com- River, which bisects Indiana strate traditional candle- memorate every Fort Ouiatenon occupier Lafayette and West Lafay- making, blacksmithing since 1717. ette, was one of busiest ar- and weaving for your group, If your group is visiting during other teries of 18th century America while you can sample deep- seasons, the fort is open year-round and trade, shuttling French voyageurs, fried apple dumplings or rabbit receptive to groups interested in Indiana English settlers and Native American stew prepared in cauldrons over hot coals. pioneer life. ALL PHOTOS VISIT INDIANA ALL PHOTOS

22 2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER

GRITOURISM—a travel Adventure (home to piglets and a approach that combines challenging ropes course). Groups farm visits, outdoor fun and can also ride tour buses that pass by dining—is an emerging the on-site cheese factory, calf barns trend and an ideal method and rotary turntable where 72 cows to acquaint your group with are milked simultaneously. If you have Indiana’s culinary bounty. time for a meal, stop by the property’s These attractions offer Farmhouse Restaurant, which Abehind-the-scenes looks at the Midwest ‘s integrates meat, vegetables and food industry with the growers and chefs cheese from the farm into the menu. themselves acting as guides. A happy herd of Brown Swiss One of the nation’s largest dairy cows provides Traders Point producers, Fair Oaks Farms in northwest Creamery with its ice cream, yogurt Indiana is a 36,000-acre complex that and signature chocolate milk. FAIR OAKS FARMS: This 36,000-acre complex includes interactive agricultural exhibits, Located in Zionsville, 20 minutes north of includes activity barns, animal encounters and farm- children’s playgrounds and an award- Indianapolis, this agritourism destination to-table cuisine that highlights Indiana agriculture. winning restaurant. Visitors can choose offers grassfed dairy products for sale in three “adventures” housed in themed the downstairs Farm Store and upstairs looking to indulge their inner gourmand barns: Crop Adventure (where guests can farm-to-table Loft Restaurant. Whether can register for the restaurant’s six-course catch virtual raindrops and learn about your group prefers a hearty Sunday wine-tasting dinner, which pairs French cutting-edge farm technology), Dairy brunch or elegant candlelit dinner, the reserve bottles with farm-fresh entrees Adventure (which includes a birthing barn Loft has menu items to satisfy every taste, like dry-aged duck. Other highlights and exhibits on cow nutrition) and Pig from omelets to premium steaks. Those include a guided tour of the cows’ grazing FROM TOP: TRADERS POINT CREAMERY; FARMS OAKS FAIR

24 2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER SOUTHEASTTou INDIANAr Bees, Birds & Butterflies Explore the natural world in Southeast Indiana – where our garden centers, artists, farms, wetlands area, brewery and feed mill o er one-of-a-kind group experiences and hands-on fun.

INDIANA

Experience the Oxbow Wetlands

AGRITOURISM Finger paint a garden FOOD AND FARMING IN AMERICA’S CROSSROADS Expose your group to farm life and fresh-from-the-field cuisine fields, options artisanal and gourmet OHIO cheese samplers food products, so Indianapolis on the patio and your group members INDIANA 1 decadent ice cream sundaes can purchase honey, candy Cincinnati at the dairy bar. and tea for loved ones back home. The

A big hit with families, Tuttle Tuttle greenhouses offer perennials and KENTUCKY Orchards in Greenfield offers agricultural herbs for purchase, while the free beehive adventures throughout the year. This observatory grants visitors behind-the- Louisville Lexington pumpkin patch and apple orchard scenes glimpses at beekeeping. Tuttle South of I-74 & west of I-275, 20 minutes west of Cincinnati features over 200 locally grown produce Orchard is best experienced with children www.TOURSoutheastIndiana.com 800-322-8198 in the autumn, when they can roam free far cry from its humble origins, the property equipment room. Children in your group in the Tractor Town playground, wander houses an award-winning distillery, farmers will love the Moo Choo Express train ride the Agrimaze and travel the farm on a market and winery that grows over 30 and Bale Mountain play structure, while hayride. Everyone can enjoy seasonal grape varietals. The farm offers numerous adults can sing at “dairyoke.” teats like caramel apples, apple cider tasting packages such as the “Vine to Wine,” The early settlers of Switzerland slushies and handmade fudge. where groups tour the production facility County were the first Americans to Apple connoisseurs in your group and sample signature blends, and “Grain cultivate wine grapes, and the tradition will want to want to sample the ciders and Grape,” which shows how hard liquor remains strong at wineries along the and pies of Beasley’s Orchard in Danville. is harvested, distilled and aged. Most tours Ohio River Valley in southeastern Indiana. A multi-year winner of the Indiana State come with appetizers, local cheeses and a Together, they constitute the Indiana Cider Contest, the drink is made in-house souvenir wine glass. Wine Trail—seven unique vineyards and without additives, and your group Including a restored 1920s farmhouse that welcome groups for tastings and can tour the property’s fruit press and and barn, Farm at Prophetstown recreates cellar tours. The region’s soil is especially bottling machinery. Next, venture to the an agricultural era that predates tractors main sales floor in the Barn Market, where and milking machines. The 125 acres of TRADERS POINT CREAMERY: Locally you can sample other apple varieties like leased land in the heart of Prophetstown sourced and aged cheese is integrated into the Gala (crisp and spicy), Jonalicious (tart and State Park offer workshops and tours creative dishes served at The Loft restaurant at Traders Point. tangy) and Cortland (juicy and sweet). throughout the year to recreate early 20th Bakers in your group will want to stock century rural living. The farm remains fully up on locally sourced fruit preserves and operational, so you can feed the livestock, cookie dough, while pastry fans should collect eggs and pick vegetables in the sample the freshly baked pies. Outside, garden with fellow volunteers. Groups can explore the u-pick orchard, get lost in the register for classes to learn period-accurate corn maze and launch some fruit with cooking, sewing and canning techniques, new air-compressed apple cannons. and visiting agriculture experts can provide Located in the heart of downtown guided tours of the property to explain Bloomington, FARMbloomington is the farming methods. creation of head chef Daniel Orr, who Originally land-granted by President emphasizes simple recipes made from Martin Van Buren in 1837, Kelsay Farms sustainable ingredients. Meals are prepared in Whiteland is now in its sixth generation with locally sourced sorghums, vegetables of ownership and welcoming to groups. and meat, which you can enjoy in FARM AT PROPHETSTOWN: a dining room This restored 1920s farm- decorated with old house and field recreates stoves, washing early 20th century rural living. machines and other antiques. Servers (or FARMhands) are happy to discuss the kitchen’s recipes, which rotate based on seasonal availability. Groups looking to extend their evening should descend to the Root Cellar, the speakeasy-style lounge in the restaurant’s basement that hosts local musicians and serves local craft beer. To walk through the fields of Huber’s Orchard and Winery is to walk into 1843, when German immigrant Simon Huber arrived in the southeast Indiana town of Borden and used his years of fruit-growing This fully operational dairy barn offers receptive to Cabernet Sauvignon and expertise to establish a farm now in its tours that pass through the milking parlor, Chardonnay varietals, and you can sample

seventh generation of family ownership. A freestall barn where the cows live and farm a sweet Vidal Blanc at Thomas Family PROPHETSTOWN AT FARM POINT CREAMERY; TRADERS TOP: FROM

26 2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER Winery, Native American Blush fruit wine Of particular interest for agritourism at Lanthier and aromatic Chambourcin at groups is the Farm to Table Trail, which SOUTHEASTTou INDIANAr Ertel Cellars. Several of the wineries partner includes orchards and bakeries among its with nearby bed and breakfasts, where nearly two dozen stops. Along the way, groups receive weekend accommodations your group will sample locally sourced along with souvenir bottles to bring home. sandwich meat at Rail Epicurean Market D i n e W i t h For groups interested in beer or spirits, in Westfield, hearty Amish cuisine at Blue numerous itineraries like the South Shore Gate Restaurant and innovative beer on Brewery Trail, Bloomington Ale Trail and tap at South Bend Brew Werks. History Indiana Distillery Trail showcase the state’s This is only a small batch of Twilight Tour Progressive best creations. options you can consider for your Planning your group tour can be Indiana tour. Hundreds of farms, Mansions Dinner incredibly stressful, so recapture some orchards and restaurants featuring serenity with a visit to The Lavender Lane locally sourced ingredients populate in Rome City. This secluded farm harvests the state, so you’ll be certain to find the the purple plant known for its therapeutic perfect agritourism attraction for your qualities, and employees will discuss its use group.

RESOURCES

BEASLEY’S ORCHARD 317-745-4876, Beasleys-Orchard.com

FAIR OAKS FARMS 219-394-2025, FoFarms.com Guides in costume and delicious desserts FARM AT PROPHETSTOWN 765-567-4700, Prophetstown.org Dinner at FARMbloomington Knigga Farms 812-323-0002, Farm-Bloomington.com

HUBER’S ORCHARD AND WINERY INDIANA WINE TRAIL: Taste home-grown 812-923-9813, HuberWinery.com blends or sample locally sourced cheeses on this culinary path through the Ohio River Valley. INDIANA FOODWAYS ALLIANCE 812-592-0163, IndianaFoodways.com

as a sleeping aid, anti-depressant and stress INDIANA WINE TRAIL reliever. While June is peak bloom season, IndianaWineTrail.com friendly guides throughout warm weather KELSAY FARMS months offer tours through the field and 317-535-9150, KelsayFarms.com discuss lavender harvesting and its many THE LAVENDER LANE medicinal uses. Tours conclude at the farm 260-854-4494, TheLavenderLane.com store, where you can purchase candles, potpourri and lavender honey created from TRADERS POINT CREAMERY 1853 Hay Press Barn; All American Meal 317-733-1700, TradersPointCreamery.com on-site hives. OHIO If your group wishes to make TUTTLE ORCHARDS Indianapolis

agritourism the focus of its entire trip, 317-326-2278, IndianapolisOrchard.com INDIANA 1 Cincinnati consider following an itinerary designed SOUTH SHORE CVA by Indiana Foodways Alliance. These 219-989-7770, SouthshoreCVA.com 19 “trails” intersect the entire state and KENTUCKY VISIT BLOOMINGTON suggest stores and restaurants that Lexington Louisville 800-800-0037, VisitBloomington.com fit a particular culinary theme, such South of I-74 & west of I-275, 20 minutes west of Cincinnati

INDIANA WINE TRAIL as chocolate, Italian and barbecue. www.TOURSoutheastIndiana.com 800-322-8198

Tour SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA ITINERARY SOUTHEAST INDIANA Fall Mums, Steamboats Farms & Markets & Arty Meet a friendly herd of alpaca, tour a garden center, visit an orchard and nd locally made specialty Party foods and fresh produce in the Fall. NEW ALBANY, JEFFERSONVILLE, CLARKSVILLE, “Fun Farm & Market LAWRENCEBURG, DILLSBORO Experiences!” - Clarksville Parks & Rec, Clarksville, IN INDIANAPOLIS DAY ONE Start your tour at New Albany’s Culb- ertson Mansion. With its hand-paint- ed ceilings, carved staircase, marble fireplaces and elaborate plasterwork, the home reflects the affluence of a man once considered to be the wealthiest in Indiana. The three-story, Second Empire mansion encompasses more than 20,000 square feet and contains 25 rooms. Then admire the artworks and learn about the creative process at the Carnegie Center for SOUTH CENTRAL REGION Art & History. View the permanent

CULBERTSON MANSION

OHIO

Indianapolis

INDIANA 1 Cincinnati

KENTUCKY

Louisville Lexington

South of I-74 & west of I-275, 20 minutes west of Cincinnati

CULBERTSON MANSION STATE HISTORIC SITE HISTORIC MANSION STATE CULBERTSON www.TOURSoutheastIndiana.com 800-322-8198 DERBY DINNER PLAYHOUSE: Enjoy classic musicals such as Singin’ in the Rain and Oklahoma! in one of the oldest dinner theaters in the country.

The largest single artifact is the shaft of the Delta Queen’s original paddlewheel. Tonight, enjoy a steamboat dinner cruise on the Ohio River or dinner and a show at Clarksville’s Derby Dinner Playhouse, noted for its professional productions of Broadway musicals and lighthearted comedies.

CARNEGIE CENTER FOR ART DAY TWO & HISTORY Start your day with a tour of the candy kitchen and candy museum at Schimpff’s Confectionery in Jeffersonville. Watch can- exhibitions Ordinary People, Extraordinary This afternoon visit the Howard dy being made on century-old equipment Courage: Men and Women of the Under- Steamboat Museum in Jeffersonville. and enjoy browsing amidst thousands of ground Railroad and Remembered: The Life During its three-generation, 107-year pieces of American candy memorabilia. of Lucy Higgs Nichols. history, Howard Shipyard would put over Take part in a hands-on gardening and Huber’s Orchard & Winery has an 3,000 vessels on the Ohio River and estab- decor class at McCabe’s Greenhouse and award-winning distillery, farmers’ market lish the largest inland shipyard in America. Floral in Lawrenceburg. Enjoy afternoon and vineyards that grow over 30 grape Among the artifacts on display are items tea at Hill Forest Victorian House Mu- varieties. Tour the production facility and from the legendary Robert E. Lee, the seum in Aurora. The house sits on a bluff sample signature blends. Natchez and the Howard-built J. M. White. above the Ohio River. DINNER PLAYHOUSE DERBY CENTER; CARNEGIE

30 2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER Tonight visit The Framery DAY THREE Gallery and Studio in Law- Tour RESOURCES After a leisurely morning, trav- SOUTHEAST INDIANA renceburg’s historic district. el to Dillsboro for a tour and Enjoy appetizers and sand- DEARBORN COUNTY lunch at Knigga Haypress wiches at the Arty Party. Walk to CONVENTION VISITORS Barn, an 1853 barn where nearby quilt and vintage shops & TOURISM BUREAU groups will learn about 19th for more refreshment samples. 812-537-0814 GIRLFRIEND VisitSoutheastIndiana.com century farming practices. Then try your luck at the new- This 450-acre property sits in a est slots and the best variety Getaways CLARK-FLOYD COUNTIES park-like setting with century- of table games at Hollywood CONVENTION-TOURISM old trees, moss-covered stone Casino. BUREAU Hands-on Fun! 812-282-6654 walls and the soothing sounds GoSoIn.com of Willow and Wolf Den creeks.

BROWN COUNTY nature trails as those pioneering paint- ers. Also open is the T.C. Steele Historic Site, where visitors can walk through the artist’s own studio, see over 50 Hoosier ART COLONY Group paintings and walk through the grounds that inspired much of Steele’s VER 250 restaurants, art galleries own work. The Colony offers classes led by and studios welcome groups resident artists themselves, so your group to Nashville—the home to the can learn the basics of watercolors and O Brown County Art Colony. The woodcarving in workshops. winding streams and rolling hills of this Consider lodging at the Artists beautiful region have inspired Colony Inn, a charming Shak- artists for over a century, and er-style bed and breakfast you’ll be able to walk the that services groups with same trails that inspired hearty meals and quaint these American masters. furnishings. The area is Painters began to con- UNIQUELY particularly popular in verge in Brown County the fall, when the autumn around the turn of the Indiana colors make for beautiful 20th century and dubbed backdrops for the many it the “Beautiful Valley” for antique stores and galleries, its natural features ideal for and the county’s biking and landscape depictions. The town’s hiking trails are recognized as some most famous resident was T.C. Steele, a of the best in the country. key member of the Hoosier Group of painters. His Midwestern land- scapes are considered innovative approaches to depicting light and texture, and he became one of America’s most famous artists during the first decades of the 20th century. The combination of Aurora and Steele’s fame and construction of Lawrenceburg OHIO more studios quickly made Nash- Indianapolis ville the arts destination it remains INDIANA 1 for groups today. Cincinnati Your group can pass through the studios to see craftspeople BROWN COUNTY ART COLONY KENTUCKY at work and explore the same Louisville Lexington South of I-74 & west of I-275, 20 minutes west of Cincinnati

www.TOURSoutheastIndiana.com 800-322-8198 32 2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER HAT BETTER WAY to get away from it all than hiking beside a creek in a ferny canyon where the only sounds are birds, rustling leaves and gurgling water. W Your destination at trail’s end might be a cave or waterfall, but as you stop to enjoy the vegetation, the wildlife and the views, you appreciate that getting there is half the fun. Under leafy canopies of towering hardwoods, everyday distractions and worries seem worlds away. At Indiana state parks, nature rules. In some parks, your travelers can admire Mother Nature’s majesty from a rocking chair on the porch of a rustic inn. Perfect for group getaways, these cozy hostelries come with restaurants and other INDIANA modern hotel amenities. Ranger-led talks and hikes, not to mention nature centers that spotlight local flora and fauna, also appeal to group tour planners. Many parks boast lakes, swimming pools and horseback riding, while several parks have historical sites. All of these refuges offer large grassy STATE areas to play and picnic. From the sandy shores of Lake Michigan to the wooded bluffs on the Ohio River, Indiana is blessed with state parks rich in natural treasures. Though some out- of-staters picture Indiana as flat farmland PARKS stretching to the horizon, much of it actually is hilly, especially the southern half. Indeed, the most scenic parks are nestled Filled with scenic beauty in southern Indiana, where pastures and and recreational activities, cornfields give way to thick forests, rocky these inviting escape hatches ridges and rugged canyons. provide travelers a welcome Brown County State Park, with more breath of fresh air than 20 miles of roads, is by far Indiana’s largest state park—and its most visited. Located near the artsy town of Nashville, an hour south of Indianapolis, the park is nationally known as a fall foliage mecca. For BROWN COUNTY STATE PARK: Over 20 miles of many visitors, it’s all about the vistas—tree- roads take travelers through covered landscapes as far as the eye can see. picturesque forests and to Abe Martin Lodge, whose original peaceful bodies of water like section was built in 1932 of hand-hewn Strahl Lake. native stone and oak timber cut in the park, has a family-friendly aquatic center and a quaint, time-honored restaurant with log

INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES OF NATURAL INDIANA DEPARTMENT furniture. There are 84 lodge rooms (each

2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER 33 with two beds) in addition to furnished cabins that sleep as many as eight. Other offerings at Brown County include a saddle barn with guided horseback rides, a swimming pool, and two lakes for fishing and boating (canoes, kayaks, rowboats). Hiking and mountain biking trails wind through ravines and across streams, with one rugged foot trail leading to a historic fire tower on the highest ridge in southern Indiana. At the Nature Center, groups can study everything

paneled Millstone Dining Room serves a bountiful dinner buffet featuring entrees like meatloaf, fried chicken and chicken- fried steak with cream gravy. A specialty is the persimmon pudding. With a taste similar to pumpkin, the dessert is made from the plum-sized fruit celebrated every September during the Mitchell Persimmon from ferns and wildflowers to snakes Festival. and butterflies. To give tour members Mitchell’s hometown hero, astronaut their shopping fix, group planners may Virgil I. “Gus” Grissom, is remembered at schedule a trip to Nashville for a morning Spring Mill with a memorial and museum. or afternoon of perusing downtown’s many America’s second man in space, he died craft and gift shops. in a launch pad fire in 1967. Sightseeing An hour or so south of Brown County, at Spring Mill also might include the Twin tucked in an area of bluffs, caves and Caves boat tour, a ride that goes about rolling hills known as Limestone Country, 500 feet into a cave. Groups can arrange lies Spring Mill State Park, just outside of naturalist-led cave tours, hikes and history Mitchell. Its star attraction is Pioneer Village, talks. Spring Mill Lake has boat rentals. a re-creation of an early 1800s settlement. Visitors can tour the gristmill and see Lincoln State Park, like Spring Mill, Centered around an 1817 limestone hourly demonstrations as the massive has a lake with boats for hire and some gristmill powered by an idyllic creek that wooden wheel sends the gears into historical attractions. Its Lake Lincoln even provides soothing “background music,” motion; bags of stone-ground corn are for has a sand beach. Deep in southernmost the village consists of 20 log buildings sale. Exhibits on the creaky upper floors Indiana, the park is aptly named, as original to the site or transplanted from showcase pioneer tools, farm equipment Abraham Lincoln roamed these woods, cut nearby locations. After the mill closed in and household items. down trees and worked the fields of the 1892, the settlement was soon abandoned, At Spring Mill Inn, a 74-room family farm from ages 7 to 21. Mr. Lincoln’s but the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) limestone building with charming country Neighborhood Walk, one of the park’s started restoring it in 1933. Interpreters decor, guests can relax on rockers on the six hiking trails, passes by Little Pigeon staff some of the cabins, which include a patio, enjoy the indoor/outdoor pool, Primitive Baptist Church (the third building woodworking shop, blacksmith shop and sit before the lobby fireplace and play in on the site) and the gravesite of Abe’s sister weaving house with loom demonstrations. the lower-level games arcade. The wood- Sarah, plus the site of the mill frequented

(clockwise from top) LINCOLN STATE PARK AMPHITHEATER, MCCORMICK’S CREEK STATE PARK, BROWN COUNTY STATE PARK BIKE TRAIL INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES OF NATURAL INDIANA DEPARTMENT

34 2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER INDIANA DUNES: These beaches, formed by glaciers in the last ice age, feature majestic hills of sand for hiking and sunbathing. FOR INFORMATION ON INDIANA STATE PARKS: call 877-463-6367 by the future president. or Visit DNR.In.gov Falls, where the boulder- water lover’s paradise commanding the On select summer dates strewn creek tumbles past shores of Lake James and Snow Lake, and FOR STATE PARK INNS: the park’s 1,500-seat walls of limestone. Another call 877-503-4371 its lakefront inn has a beach. The Clifty Inn Lincoln Amphitheatre, or Visit IndianaInns.com trail leads to a 1930s fire offers spectacular views of the mighty Ohio, one of the largest tower that was used for and one wing overlooks historic Madison, a covered amphitheaters spotting forest fires until tourist favorite in southeast Indiana. in the country, presents 1967; a trek to the top of For outdoor pleasures in an urban the drama Young Abe Lincoln. The venue the 86-foot steel structure is not for the setting, consider Indianapolis’ Fort also features country and pop singers in height-challenged. The 76-room, red-brick Harrison State Park, a green oasis that concert and last year hosted Billy Joel, The Canyon Inn at McCormick’s Creek was a includes a golf course and 28-room lodge, Beatles and Jimmy Buffett tribute acts. sanitarium built by an Indianapolis doctor plus accommodations in four officers’ Near the park entrance, Abraham as a restful place for wealthy patients to homes. Old Fort Harrison was a military Lincoln Bicentennial Plaza has a bronze recuperate. Amenities today include an training camp and on site is the Museum bust of the 16th president set on a outdoor swimming pool, the Hickory Room of 20th Century Warfare. limestone base inscribed with milestones restaurant, and a comfy lounge with log Within close proximity of another of his life in Indiana. Just across the road and leather accents. The park also has two metropolitan area is Indiana Dunes State from the state park is the Lincoln Boyhood group camps with four sleeping barracks Park, where visitors build sandcastles on National Memorial, which includes a (25 people each) and a large dining hall Lake Michigan beaches and climb the museum and living history farm. with kitchen. massive mounds of sand. More than 16 Lincoln State Park has no inn but does Seven of Indiana’s 24 state parks have miles of trails traverse the dunes. Located offer family cabins that sleep up to six. Its inns, all with full-service dining rooms. The near Chesterton in northwest Indiana, the Pine Hills Group Camp accommodates 157 57-room Turkey Run Inn, the centerpiece state park includes three miles of shoreline people with sleeping cabins, a dining hall, of canyon-laced Turkey Run State Park and is surrounded by a larger national kitchen and restrooms with showers. in west-central Indiana, features an indoor park—Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. McCormick’s Creek State Park, pool, as do the 126-room Potawatomi From majestic hills of sand to dedicated in 1916 as part of the state’s Inn at northeast Indiana’s Pokagon State woodland trails threading craggy canyons, centennial celebrations, is Indiana’s Park and the 71-room Clifty Inn at Clifty from lakefront beaches to indoor pools, oldest state park. Located northwest of Falls State Park, a park best known for the state parks of Indiana offer a tempting Bloomington, it is a land of canyons and its captivating cascades and lofty perch variety of settings for active group

INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF RESOURCES INDIANA DEPARTMENT ravines. Hikers make a beeline for Canyon high above the Ohio River. Pokagon is a getaways.

2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER 35 CENTRAL INDIANA ITINERARY Historical MONUMENT CIRCLE: Dozens of restaurants and Places & specialty stores welcome groups Fast Cars in downtown Indianapolis. INDIANAPOLIS, DANVILLE

INDIANAPOLIS

CENTRAL REGION

Harrison Presidential Site. Experi- DAY ONE ence an unforgettable dinner as guests Sit back and let your imagination take of General Benjamin Harrison and his you to Venice, Italy as a gondolier aide-de-camp as they share remarkable serenades you on a gondola ride in stories of service to the Union during the downtown Indianapolis. Then take in Civil War. The evening begins with con- The Mind Tripping Show, the longest- versation, hors d’oeuvres and wine. Then running theatrical show in Indianapolis. enter the Harrison family home, take a It combines mind reading, psychologi- brief tour of the first floor and assemble cal illusions and comedy into a night in the library, where the general invites of delightful fun. Be prepared to have CANAL WALK: Rent a gondola or paddleboat you to join him for a gourmet dinner your perceptions challenged and your and pass by Indianapolis’ world-class museums inspired by Harrison family recipes. expectations turned upside down. and architecture.

DAY TWO facility in the nation, intrigues visitors CITY MARKET Start the day at the Soldiers’ and Sail- with its anatomical museum. Spend ors’ Monument, a towering downtown some time at City Market, where all landmark completed in 1902, and go types of fresh goods are sold by vendors inside to see the Civil War museum. For inside a restored brick building. Just more military memorabilia, visit the a short walk away is Massachusetts museum at the nearby Indiana World Avenue, where you have free time for War Memorial. shopping and dining. Mass Avenue is The Indiana Medical History Mu- also known for its bustling nightlife. seum, the oldest freestanding pathology Enjoy an evening at the Benjamin VISIT INDY

36 2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER

goda, the Media Center, Victory Podium, it takes to make the grade. All 24 NCAA DAY THREE Gasoline Alley garages and one of the sports are represented. The museum This morning start at the Exit 76 Antique hospitality suites. offers a trivia challenge, current team Mall, a great place to browse and shop for Tour the Dallara IndyCar Fac- rankings, video highlights and artifacts hard-to-find items and unique tory, the USA headquarters donated by colleges around the nation. gifts. It features 600 booths of Italy’s Dallara Automobili. Stop at Beasley’s Orchard in Danville and and lighted cases full of RESOURCES The factory showcases the shop at the market inside a Civil War-era everything from antiques and technology, science and barn. Cap your tour with lunch at Dan- collectibles to modern artisan VISIT INDY engineering used in manufac- ville’s Mayberry Cafe, based on TV’s Andy creations. It is truly a collec- 317-262-3000 VisitIndy.com turing IndyCars. In addition to Griffith Show. tor’s dream. learning about fast machines, This afternoon take a VISIT HENDRICKS COUNTY you can sit in a car for a NCAA HALL OF CHAMPIONS: Two floors tour of the Indianapolis 317-718-8750 simulated drive or hop into a of exhibits feature memorabilia from all 24 col- Speedway and Museum. A VisitHendricksCounty.com legiate sports and courts that simulate a college street-legal two-seater car for narrated bus ride around the athletics experience. a trip around the facility. famed 2.5-mile track in one Dinner and a show of the speedway’s tour buses at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre tops culminates in a photo stop at the Yard of off the day. Enjoy a buffet dinner before Bricks. This is your opportunity to soak the Broadway-style show begins. The in the atmosphere of the racetrack from intimate setting offers great views of the the perspective of a driver, though at an stage from all tables. entirely different speed, and kiss the bricks or get your picture taken in the middle of the track. The tour visits places normally DAY FOUR open only to officials, drivers and teams This morning tour the NCAA Hall of during race events. Those typically include Champions, which boasts two levels the timing-and-scoring suite in the Pa- of interactive exhibits that explain what

38 2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER

EASTERN INDIANA ITINERARY Wine, Roses & Music KOKOMO, ALEXANDRIA, MUNCIE, FORT WAYNE, WOLCOTTVILLE, RICHMOND

INDIANAPOLIS

FOELLINGER-FREIMANN BOTANICAL CONSERVATORY

museum displaying Gaither memorabilia, bill. Shop the general store for antiques photos and awards. Enjoy a catered lunch and crafts, and sample the local cuisine EASTERN REGION while there. by sinking your teeth into hearty home Tour the National Model Avia- cooking. DAY ONE tion Museum in Muncie. Gain insider Later in the day, see where the Upon arrival in Kokomo, tour America’s knowledge about the artifacts and learn buffalo roam at Cook’s Bison Ranch in oldest art glass company, Kokomo about the role aeromodeling has played Wolcottville. The one-hour tour includes Opalescent Glass, which dates back in scientific innovation and development. a short video, brief lecture on bison, to 1888. Skilled ladlers quickly scoop Dinner tonight is in Anderson at wagon ride to feed the bison herd, and a molten glass from the furnace and care- Hoosier Park Racing & Casino, where your group can try the slots or watch fully mix the glass to the exact color and COUNTRY HERITAGE WINERY: Enjoy deli- texture. Over 22,000 variations of sheet harness racing. cious chardonnay or pinot grigio while sampling glass are produced in the facility, which house-made fudge at this award-winning winery. ships all over the world. You can also see DAY TWO a glass-blowing demonstration and pick Start your day in Fort Wayne at the up a colorful souvenir in the gift shop. Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Con- Upon arrival in Alexandria, visit servatory, a downtown oasis with four Gaither Family Resources. Christian outdoor gardens in addition to the Tropi- music fans will know the famed gospel cal Garden with orchids and palms and singers Bill and Gloria Gaither. A guided the Sonoran Desert Garden. Then tour tour includes the studio where the DeBrand Fine Chocolates and enjoy a Gaither Gospel Series has been recorded few samples along the way. for over three decades and the house Explore the shops and enjoy scenes where Bill grew up. It also includes the of picturesque farms and horse-drawn

school where Bill and Gloria met. Visit the vehicles at the Amish community in Gra- WAYNE VISIT FORT CONSERVATORY; BOTANICAL FOELLINGER-FREIMANN TOP: FROM

40 2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER chuckwagon BBQ lunch or dinner served in a barn setting. On your way back to Fort Wayne, stop at the Country Heritage Winery & Vine- yard. Enjoy up to five tastings in its gazebo or while rocking on the front porch.

DAY THREE Travel to Richmond, the “Rose Capital of the World.” You will smell the roses before you see them at the All-American Rose Garden. Take part in a hands-on bouquet-making class. At noon board the Whitewater Valley Railroad with your box lunch for a ride to Metamora, a restored RESOURCES canal town. Visit the ANDERSON/MADISON grist mill and canal lock. COUNTY VISITORS BUREAU Tonight a Western-style 800-533-6569 hootenanny dinner and VisitAndersonMadison- square dance await. County.com GREATER KOKOMO DAY FOUR VISITORS BUREAU Begin the day at the 765-457-6802 Model T Ford Mu- VisitKokomo.org seum in Richmond’s VISIT FORT WAYNE Historic Depot District. 800-767-7752 The collection of VisitFortWayne.com vehicles and T-related VISIT MUNCIE memorabilia is ever 765-935-8687 growing and changing. VisitMuncie.org Among the stars are a 1909 touring (one of VISIT RICHMOND INDIANA the very first Ts), a 1923 765-935-8687 English-built town car, VisitRichmond.org a 1925 fire truck, a 1927 coupe (one of the last Ts) and a 1931 Pietenpol airplane with a Model T engine. The Historic Depot District, a trans- portation mecca in the 19th century, is now a must-see destination filled with notable archi- tecture, unique shops, stunning murals, fun restaurants, a chocolatier and a microbrewery.

MODEL T FORD MUSEUM: Over 100 years of auto- mobile history greet visitors in an institution that houses rare Ford vehicles and engines. VISIT INDIANA

2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER 41 DICK CROSS/BLACK PINE ANIMAL SANCTUARY DICK CROSS/BLACK

42 2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER BLACK PINE ANIMAL SANCTUARY: This Asian leopard is one of nearly 100 rescued and adopted exotic animals housed in this Albion property.

ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS Zoos and other attractions across the state feature creatures of many stripes

F YOU’VE EVER THOUGHT OF HAVING A CUTE TIGER CUB AS A PET, YOU’RE NOT ALONE. And if you did go through with Oceans biome, dolphin presentations Skyline, a slow-moving, gondola-style ride the unwise act of owning a big take place in one of the world’s largest taking guests up to 50 feet off the ground, I cat, there likely would come a dolphin pavilions, which boasts the offers great views of the zoo, especially time when you could no longer care for nation’s only underwater dolphin-viewing occupants of the famous Simon Skjodt the critter as he got bigger and bigger dome. Flights of Fancy, with bird-feeding International Orangutan Center, and and BIGGER. That’s where the Exotic Feline opportunities and a 4-D theater, features downtown Indianapolis. The zoo has one Rescue Center comes to the, well, rescue. walk-through aviaries teeming with of America’s largest groups of orangutans, Tucked away down a gravel road outside hundreds of exotic birds, from cockatiels an endangered species on the verge of the town of Center Point, the home for and parrots to flamingos and guinea fowl. extinction in the wild. unwanted cats is one of many animal In Evansville, the big news at sanctuaries that can be incorporated into Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden an Indiana group itinerary. The state also is the recently unveiled Engelbrecht has several outstanding zoos, plus some Carousel, whose hand-painted animals crowd-pleasers that focus on a particular range from the traditional carousel species. horse to more exotic species like the red The Indianapolis Zoo, located panda and Magellanic penguin. To keep in downtown’s White River State Park, guests further amused between animal is home to more than 1,600 animals encounters, the park also has bumper exhibited in five habitats, or biomes, boats and a central lake with paddleboat representing ecological groups of rentals. Visitors to Mesker Park make animals and plants based on climate a loop around the world, following a and geography. Roaming the Plains path over rolling hills that takes them area, for example, are African lions, past spacious, naturalistic enclosures elephants, zebras, rhinos, cheetahs, populated by creatures from Africa,

INDIANAPOLIS ZOO giraffes, wildebeests and ostriches. In the Australia, Asia and North America. A zoo

2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER 43 attached to the animals and tell all about their habits and idiosyncrasies, along with the stories of how they ended up at the sanctuary. You’ll learn that local farmers and other residents donate dead cows, horses and roadkill to help feed the cats. Dental procedures like tooth extractions and root canals are part of the veterinary care provided. Black Pine Animal Sanctuary in Albion also provides a new home for

FORT WAYNE’S CHILDREN’S ZOO: Journey to Australia, Africa and Asia through interactive exhibits and with the assistance of friendly conser- vationists.

highlight is the glass-enclosed Amazonia the Elephant Encounter and rainforest exhibit, a “greenhouse” for Giraffe Encounter. The hour- mammals, reptiles, birds and fish from long “Educational Seminar” South America; see jaguars, black with the three female howler monkeys, toucans, boas, giant pachyderms—43-year-old cockroaches and red-bellied piranhas as Makia, Lovie (age 33) and Lou you stroll past waterfalls, palms, bamboo (32)—features a question- and-answer displaced, captive-raised exotic animals— and other tropical vegetation in this session and a chance to touch the girls but not just big cats. Its nearly 100 jungle setting. and pose for photos with them. In the residents count bears, monkeys, reptiles The highly rated Fort Wayne two-hour “Spa Appointment” experience, and parrots as well. Groups can arrange Children’s Zoo really appeals to all guests can take part in bathing the behind-the-scenes tours that include ages, but lower barriers and a number elephants and polishing their toenails places not seen on the general tours, of interactive features make it especially before the seminar. The new 30- to 45- and there are special tours that feature kid-friendly. Besides looking at animals, minute Giraffe Encounter, introduced last keepers feeding the carnivores. visitors can pose with an orangutan year, includes an opportunity to feed the Wolf Park, near Lafayette, is an statue, lie on a hammock and hit an long-necked animals. Private sessions educational and research facility Indonesian gong. Other activities include with the elephants and/or giraffes can be dedicated to improving public taking the Skyride over the African arranged for groups. understanding of wolves. Private tours Journey grounds, hand-feeding giraffes On a tour of the Exotic Feline Rescue give groups a chance to see the resident and watching the daily sea lion feeding. Center (EFRC) in Center Point, groups will wolves, foxes, coyotes and bison, plus The recently remodeled Australian see 50 to 60 big cats, mostly tigers. Other hear a lecture and ask questions. The 90- Adventure features a shark aquarium, species in the outdoor enclosures include minute program also includes a handling three new aviaries, and habitats for lions, cougars, servals, lynx and leopards. demonstration in which the staff goes dingoes and kangaroos. Come nose-to- EFRC is the second-largest big cat inside the enclosure and interacts with the nose with Sumatran orangutans, a python sanctuary in the U.S. and the largest open socialized wolves. Tour members can howl and Komodo dragon under the geodesic to the public. The cats come from zoos, along with the wolves on Howl Night dome at Indonesian Rain Forest. circuses, magic shows and individuals programs, which include a 30-minute Wilstem Ranch, between Paoli who could no longer keep them as pets; lecture on wolf vocalizations. and French Lick, offers a chance to get many were malnourished or otherwise In Northern Indiana Amish Country,

acquainted with two African favorites in abused. Devoted guides are emotionally Cook’s Bison Ranch in Wolcottville INDIANAPOLIS ZOO COURTESY

44 2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER invites motorcoach groups to see where applesauce, corn muffins and dessert. maintaining the prairie’s ecosystem. the buffalo roam. The one-hour ranch There’s also a bison burger/brat meal The herd numbers 23 and may grow to tour includes a short video, a brief lecture option. The gift shop has bison souvenirs anywhere from 40 to 70 in the future. on bison, a Q&A session and a covered and products. Historically, bison roamed freely in Indiana, wagon ride to feed the bison herd, which A small herd of bison was introduced though not in the numbers found in the is raised for its meat. Add to the package in 2016 to the Nature Conservancy’s Great Plains. Explorers reported seeing a chuckwagon BBQ lunch or dinner, Kankakee Sands prairie restoration project bison in the state as far back as the 1600s. served in a barn setting, with bison roast, in northwestern Indiana, near Morocco. From wolves and bison to the mighty baked beans or baked potato, coleslaw, Visitors can see the bison grazing from a lords of the African plains, Indiana offers viewing area at one of the highest points a menagerie of animal attractions sure to in the pasture, and there’s an interpretive bring a roar of approval from your tour area that provides information on America’s group. WILSTEM RANCH largest land mammal and the role it plays in

RESOURCES

BLACK PINE ANIMAL SANCTUARY 260-636-7383, BPSanctuary.org

COOK’S BISON RANCH 866-382-2356, CooksBisonRanch.com

EXOTIC FELINE RESCUE CENTER 812-835-1130 ExoticFelineRescueCenter.org

FORT WAYNE CHILDREN’S ZOO 260-427-6800, KidsZoo.org

INDIANAPOLIS ZOO 317-630-2001, IndianapolisZoo.com

KANKAKEE SANDS 219-285-2184, Nature.org/KankakeeSands

MESKER PARK ZOO & BOTANIC GARDEN 812-435-6143, MeskerParkZoo.com

WILSTEM RANCH 812-936-4484, WilstemRanch.com

WOLF PARK 765-567-2265, WolfPark.org VISIT FRENCH LICK WEST BADEN VISIT FRENCH LICK WEST

2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER 45 SOUTHERN INDIANA ITINERARY Indiana Treasures EVANSVILLE, HAZLETON, SANTA CLAUS, SAINT MEINRAD, FRENCH LICK, WEST BADEN, PATOKA LAKE

INDIANAPOLIS

HAYNIE’S CORNER ARTS DISTRICT

many restaurants in Haynie’s Corner outdoor areas for public enjoyment, the Arts District. With locally owned restau- district is alive with events that en- rants in historic homes, night spots and courage people to walk the tree-lined SOUTHERN REGION streets and appreciate the architecture LST 325 GUIDED TOUR: Groups can board of the neighborhood. DAY ONE and explore this WWII vessel that landed on Nor- mandy Beach on D-Day and later served during the Your first stop is the Pagoda Visitors Korean War. DAY TWO Center in Evansville, a thriving city situ- Continue this morn- ated in Indiana’s southwestern corner. ing in Evansville From the banks of the Ohio River, you with a stop at will have views of one of the most pro- the Dream Car ductive and scenic rivers in the country. Museum, which Next, take a guided tour of the USS offers one of the LST 325. This operational World War Midwest’s most II ship landed on Normandy’s Omaha extensive collec- Beach on D-Day and went on to serve tions of exotic and in the Pacific theater and Korean War. In vintage cars. Next Hazleton, see stunning displays at the visit the Evansville Azalea Path Arboretum and Botani- African American cal Gardens, where more than 4,000 Museum, the last azaleas bloom each spring. Blossoms remaining building of red, pink and purple will dazzle your of the former Lin- group on this 60-acre property. coln Gardens, the

Tonight enjoy dinner at one of the second federal 325 LST EVANSVILLE; CELEBRATE TOP: FROM

46 2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER DREAM CAR MUSEUM: Over 60 vehicles, from classic cruisers to powerful muscle cars, are on display in one of the largest auto collections in the Midwest.

housing project created under Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal in 1938. The museum showcases local artists, traveling and permanent exhibits, and contribut- ing citizens past and present. Enjoy lunch WEST BADEN SPRINGS HOTEL in the Carriage House at the Reitz Home Museum before a tour of the mansion, a restored Victorian-era home. It is consid- night and enjoy free time in a 51,000- ered to be one of the best examples of square-foot gaming facility with soaring French Second Empire architecture in the 27-foot ceilings. Try your luck with the slot United States. machines or table games. Next, visit the small town of Santa Claus. You will discover the magic in the DAY THREE Santa Claus Christmas Store, which This morning meet your guide at the contains beautiful gifts, collectibles and Visitors Center for a historical tour of Christmas tree ornaments. Take a trip downtown French Lick. Then tour West down memory lane at Santa’s Candy Baden Springs Hotel, a luxury resort Castle, where you will find many of your built more than a century ago and once childhood favorites such as Necco Wafers, called the “Eighth Wonder of the World.” Candy Buttons and candy canes. Dr. Ted’s Its focal point is the awe-inspiring atrium Musical Marvels impresses groups with that spans 200 its collection of restored mechanical musi- feet. After the cal instruments, including nickelodeons REITZ HOME MUSEUM hotel tour, visit RESOURCES and player pianos. Wilstem Ranch SPENCER COUNTY At Saint Meinrad Archabbey, a Bene- for an encoun- VISITORS BUREAU dictine monastery nestled amid the rolling ter with its 888-444-9252 countryside of southern Indiana, the group resident giraffes SantaClausInd.org may join the monks for prayers and Mass or elephants. in the Archabbey Church of Our Lady of Cruise VISIT EVANSVILLE Einsiedeln, which is distinguished by twin CAPTION HEAD: Caption for Reitz Home Patoka Lake on 812-421-2200 Museum VisitEvansville.com bell towers. The church displays a replica the new Patoka of the Black Madonna statue in Einsiedeln Pride, a 60-foot VISIT FRENCH LICK Abbey, the mother house in Switzerland. tour boat. Enjoy WEST BADEN In the hills of the Hoosier National a catered lunch 866-306-3814 Forest resides a classic American resort while watch- Vflwb.com destination. The towns of French Lick ing for eagles, and West Baden are home to two AAA osprey, herons, Four-Diamond historic hotels, three chal- SANTA’S CANDY CASTLE: Witness candy corn loons and other wildlife. Round out your lenging golf courses, two rejuvenating and saltwater taffy being created and meet Santa southern Indiana adventure with a tour

FROM TOP: RANDY MINK; WEST BADEN SPRINGS HOTEL; VISIT EVANSVILLE; SPENCER COUNTY VISITORS BUREAU SPENCER COUNTY VISITORS VISIT EVANSVILLE; HOTEL; SPRINGS BADEN WEST MINK; RANDY TOP: FROM spas and a Vegas-style casino. Spend the himself in this Christmas-themed confectionery. and tasting at Patoka Lake Winery.

2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER 47 NEW HARMONY

OUR GROUP can walk through idyllic streets and into the early 19th century when you visit New Harmony. This Y picturesque town along the CATHEDRAL LABYRINTH Wabash River was established in 1814 as an extension of the New Harmony Society in Germany, which be- UNIQUELY lieved in a communal, Indiana Christian utopia. The settlement initially thrived, constructing 150 buildings and shipping handmade products across the nation. However, different philosophical factions would emerge, and the experiment was deemed a failure in 1827.

While the society didn’t last, many of the houses and public spaces remain as they did two centuries ago, and your group can tour the cabins, barns and shops of the Historic District that was once the settlement’s central hub. A walk- ing tour offered at the Antheneum visitor center will guide your party through the preserved streets of the New Harmony settlement and explain communal life in what was then Indiana Territory.

Today, the town is a blend of these COUNTY VISIT POSEY

48 2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER historical structures and modern architec- tural masterpieces, with the downtown area filled with cafes, galleries and theaters per- fect for a departure from the bustle of urban life. Visit Thrall’s Opera House, reenergize at a local coffee bar or mediate at the Cathedral Labyrinth. For more information, explore VisitNewHarmony.com VISIT POSEY COUNTY VISIT POSEY Thank you to our Advertising Partners

Amish Country of Northern Indiana, Elkhart 51 Anderson/Madison County Visitors Bureau, Anderson 38 Clark-Floyd Counties Convention Tourism Bureau, Jeffersonville 48 Columbus Area Visitors Center, Columbus 28 Dearborn County Convention, Visitor & Tourism Bureau, Lawrenceburg 25, 27, 29, 31 Fair Oaks Farms, Fair Oaks 13 French Lick Resort, French Lick 49 Greater Kokomo Visitors Bureau, Kokomo 5 Harrison County/Historic Corydon CVB, Corydon 2 Hoosier Park Racing & Casino, Anderson 37 Indianapolis Zoo, Indianapolis 45 Kosciusko County CVB, Warsaw 14 Richmond/Wayne County CVB, Richmond 41 Shipshewana/LaGrange County CVB, Shipshewana 39 South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority, Hammond 3 Vincennes/ Knox County CVB, Vincennes 49 Visit Bloomington, Bloomington 28 Visit Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne 41 Visit French Lick West Baden, French Lick 52 Visit Lafayette-West Lafayette, Lafayette 23 Visit Madison, Madison 30 Visit South Bend Mishawaka, South Bend 15 Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts, Warsaw 14 Indiana 2018 Group Tour Planner Editorial & Advertising Office Published in Partnership with Premier Travel Media The Indiana Office of Tourism Development 621 Plainfield Road, Suite 406 One North Capitol, Suite 600 Willowbrook, IL 60527 Indianapolis, IN 46204 P 630.794.0696 • F 630.794.0652 P 317.234.8860 [email protected] [email protected]

Publisher – Jeffrey Gayduk Executive Director – Mark Newman [email protected] The publisher accepts unsolicited editorial matter, as well as advertising, but assumes no responsibility for statements made by advertisers or contributors. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information published, but Managing Editor – Randy Mink the publisher makes no warranty that listings are free of error. The publisher is [email protected] not responsible for the return of unsolicited photos, slides or manuscripts.

Indiana Group Tour Planner is published by Premier Staff Writer – Miles Dobis Travel Media, 621 Plainfield Road, Suite 406, Willowbrook, [email protected] IL 60527. The magazine is distributed free of charge to qualified tour operators, travel agents, group leaders, bank Editorial Coordinator – Danielle Golab travel clubs and other travel organizations. [email protected] Send Address Change to: Director, Design & Production – Premier Travel Media Martha Gazella-Taylor 621 Plainfield Road, Suite 406 Willowbrook, IL 60527 Vice President – Theresa O’Rourke [email protected] A publication

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A special thanks to the tourism professionals at U.S. Tours for creating group regional itineraries for this tour planner. For more information on any of these trips, call 304-485-8687, or visit www. ustours.biz.

50 2018 INDIANA TOUR PLANNER