Indiana is one of those places that we suspect may just be criminally underrated. It’s filled to the brim with all kinds of weird and wonderful things to do and see, many of which are kind of offbeat (but totally fun). Something you’re not likely to find published far and wide is just how offbeat and weirdly wonderful the Hoosier State can be, so we’ve done a little legwork and collected a shortlist of some of our favorite hidden gems that locals may not even know about. Here are some of our very favorite hidden gems in Indiana: the weird, the wonderful, and the totally fun.
- West Baden Springs Hotel - “The 8th Wonder of the World”
nycscout/Flickr Okay, lots of people know this one exists, but do they know why it’s significant? Once known as the West Baden Inn, this incredible behemoth of a hotel was established in the late 1800s. From 1902 until 1913, it had the single-largest dome over its atrium in the United States. The hotel is such a stunning and wonderful place that it was quite literally nicknamed “the 8th Wonder of the World” by numerous news outlets of its time. Today, it’s a wildly popular, not-so-hidden hidden gem right here in the Hoosier State; plenty of people know it’s here, but very few know about its remarkable history. Read more about the “8th Wonder of the World” here! 8538 W Baden Ave, West Baden Springs, IN 47469, USA
- The Milltown Shoe Tree
Jerry Bedwell/Flickr Nestled within Milltown on south Devils Hollow road sits a strange work of public art known as The Shoe Tree. It’s been around for generations and, for whatever reason, we Hoosiers just really, really love adorning it with our old sneakers and shoes. Nowadays it’s more like shoe trees since the original Milltown shoe tree was struck by lightning a long time ago and the art installation has since spread to neighboring trees. Bring a pair and make your mark! 3826 S Devils Hollow Rd, Milltown, IN 47145, USA
- The Periodic Display of the Elements
ChemTeacherTraveller/TripAdvisor Tucked away within Depauw University in Greencastle is a cute little mini-museum featuring none other than the ever-intriguing Periodic Table of the Elements in a three-dimensional, observable form. Here you’ll find small samples of most of the elements, as well as their corresponding numbers and designators on the Periodic Table. It’s sodium cool, if you ask us. Check out all the details about this weird and wonderful little attraction here. 204 E Seminary St, Greencastle, IN 46135, USA
- Angel Mounds State Historic Site
Angel Mounds State Historic Site/Facebook Nestled on the bank of the Ohio River in beautiful southwest Indiana is the little-known Angel Mounds State Historic site. Here, you’ll find one of the single best-preserved Native American historical sites in the Midwest (if not the country). Learn about how the people of long ago survived, thrived, and died in places much like (and including) this one. Check out this article to learn more about the significance of this site. 8215 Pollack Ave, Evansville, IN 47715, USA
- Veal’s Ice Tree
Alexandra Stevenson/Flickr What if we told you that, for decades now, one single family in Indiana has kept a pretty odd tradition alive that plenty of folks flock from all over to see? It’s true - this bizarre “ice tree” has been a tradition for decades, and it’s not about to slow down anytime soon. Read more about this weird and wonderful annual Hoosier State tradition here! 6445 Mimosa Ln, Indianapolis, IN 46259, USA
- Jug Rock
Figmig/Wikimedia Did you know Indiana is home to the single largest free-standing table rock formation this side of the Mississippi? Jug Rock is tucked within Shoals, Indiana, and has so ingrained itself into local culture that it’s even been made the area’s high school mascot. You can’t climb it or deface it in any way, of course, but you definitely can (and should) check it out sometime. It’s pretty weird, and pretty cool, too. Read more about it in this article! 722 Albright Ln, Shoals, IN 47581, USA
So, what are your thoughts? What kind of wild and wacky and lesser-known places did we not include here? Tell us about your favorites in the comments!
nycscout/Flickr
Okay, lots of people know this one exists, but do they know why it’s significant? Once known as the West Baden Inn, this incredible behemoth of a hotel was established in the late 1800s. From 1902 until 1913, it had the single-largest dome over its atrium in the United States. The hotel is such a stunning and wonderful place that it was quite literally nicknamed “the 8th Wonder of the World” by numerous news outlets of its time. Today, it’s a wildly popular, not-so-hidden hidden gem right here in the Hoosier State; plenty of people know it’s here, but very few know about its remarkable history. Read more about the “8th Wonder of the World” here!
8538 W Baden Ave, West Baden Springs, IN 47469, USA
Jerry Bedwell/Flickr
Nestled within Milltown on south Devils Hollow road sits a strange work of public art known as The Shoe Tree. It’s been around for generations and, for whatever reason, we Hoosiers just really, really love adorning it with our old sneakers and shoes. Nowadays it’s more like shoe trees since the original Milltown shoe tree was struck by lightning a long time ago and the art installation has since spread to neighboring trees. Bring a pair and make your mark!
3826 S Devils Hollow Rd, Milltown, IN 47145, USA
ChemTeacherTraveller/TripAdvisor
Tucked away within Depauw University in Greencastle is a cute little mini-museum featuring none other than the ever-intriguing Periodic Table of the Elements in a three-dimensional, observable form. Here you’ll find small samples of most of the elements, as well as their corresponding numbers and designators on the Periodic Table. It’s sodium cool, if you ask us. Check out all the details about this weird and wonderful little attraction here.
204 E Seminary St, Greencastle, IN 46135, USA
Angel Mounds State Historic Site/Facebook
Nestled on the bank of the Ohio River in beautiful southwest Indiana is the little-known Angel Mounds State Historic site. Here, you’ll find one of the single best-preserved Native American historical sites in the Midwest (if not the country). Learn about how the people of long ago survived, thrived, and died in places much like (and including) this one. Check out this article to learn more about the significance of this site.
8215 Pollack Ave, Evansville, IN 47715, USA
Alexandra Stevenson/Flickr
What if we told you that, for decades now, one single family in Indiana has kept a pretty odd tradition alive that plenty of folks flock from all over to see? It’s true - this bizarre “ice tree” has been a tradition for decades, and it’s not about to slow down anytime soon. Read more about this weird and wonderful annual Hoosier State tradition here!
6445 Mimosa Ln, Indianapolis, IN 46259, USA
Figmig/Wikimedia
Did you know Indiana is home to the single largest free-standing table rock formation this side of the Mississippi? Jug Rock is tucked within Shoals, Indiana, and has so ingrained itself into local culture that it’s even been made the area’s high school mascot. You can’t climb it or deface it in any way, of course, but you definitely can (and should) check it out sometime. It’s pretty weird, and pretty cool, too. Read more about it in this article!
722 Albright Ln, Shoals, IN 47581, USA
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