Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari
Santa Claus takes the top spot for family fun this summer. The town is home to Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari, two world class parks in one. Enjoy free soft drinks, free sunscreen, free parking, and tons of rides for little kids and big kids alike! The park is home to the Thunderbird steel roller coaster and the Voyage, TIME Magazine’s choice for the #1 wooden roller coaster in the nation.
Splashin’ Safari is ranked as one of the nation’s Top 3 Water Parks by TripAdvisor.com and features the world’s first launched water coaster, Cheetah Chase, two wave pools and numerous family water slides. The Wildebeest water coaster was voted the #1 water ride on the planet by Amusement Today. The little ones will love riding Dasher’s Seahorses and playing in Holidog’s Treehouse.
Santa’s Candy Castle
While you’re in Santa Claus, don’t miss a visit to Santa’s Candy Castle. Inside this unique castle, you’ll find a large selection of old-fashioned & hard-to-find candy, decadent hand-made confections, 35 flavors of cocoa, frozen hot chocolate & more!
Santa’s Reindeer Ranch
Santa’s Reindeer Ranch offers Reindeer Encounters just minutes from Santa Claus. Scheduled tours of small groups will ensure visitors have a special, close-up experience interacting with a reindeer, so be sure to purchase tickets in advance!
French Lick Scenic Railway
Hop aboard the French Lick Scenic Railway in French Lick, Indiana for a train ride through the beautiful Hoosier National Forest and one of the longest railroad tunnels in the state. Special kid-themed rides are offered throughout the year!
Big Splash Adventure
Also located in French Lick, Big Splash Adventure Indoor Waterpark is a great place to take the family, rain or shine! This 40,000 square-foot indoor water park is fully enclosed in a beautiful glass structure and features slides, splash pads, lagoons, a lazy river, laser tag, mini golf and even an under water virtual reality experience! The water park has an attached hotel and restaurants, making it a one-stop shop for a family trip this summer.
Wilstem Wildlife Park
Wilstem Wildlife Park
is located near French Lick and is one of the most unique experiences you can have in southern Indiana! Animal lovers can get up close and personal with sloths, giraffes, kangaroos, elephants and otters at this 1,100-acre wildlife park. The park also includes cabins, hiking, biking, ATV tours, horseback riding, and zip lining for even more family fun.
Mesker Park Zoo
Another animal favorite spot is Mesker Park Zoo in Evansville. It is home to more than 700 animals on over 45 beautifully landscaped acres. Experience Amazonia, an enclosed walk through a wild expanse of the South American Rainforest, complete with exotic plants, howler monkeys, toucans, capybara, tapir, and a daily rain shower! Hop on the zoo tram, ride the carousel and paddleboats, and hand feed penguins and giraffes at Indiana’s oldest zoo!
Children’s Museum of Evansville
The Koch Family Children’s Museum of Evansville, affectionately known as cMoe, is three floors and 20,000 sq. feet of interactive exhibits to inspire play-based learning just for kids!
Falls of the Ohio State Park
Falls of the Ohio State Park in Clarksville lets visitors hike on 390-million-year-old fossil beds! Walk through the remnants of the ancient sea that once covered southern Indiana. The Interpretive Center is 3,000 square feet of immersive exhibits, river and wildlife viewing rooms, a gift shop and more.
Schimpff’s Confectionery
In downtown Jeffersonville you’ll find a candy shop still rolling out vintage sweets after more than 130 years! Schimpff’s Confectionery features live candy-making demonstrations, an antique candy museum and a vintage soda fountain from the 1950s!
Old Ben Adventure Park
Whether you just want to relax on a sandy beach or try your skills on the trapeze, you don’t want to miss Old Ben Adventure Park in Winslow, Indiana. It’s Indiana’s largest inflatable park and its football field-sized floating obstacle course includes swings, slides, monkey bars and trampolines. There are also paddle boards, pedal boat, kayaks and canoes available to rent.
Spring Mill State Park
Spring Mill State Park in Mitchell is a unique Indiana State Park with something for everyone! It offers camping, fishing, boating, hiking, and swimming. There is also a restored historic village and several underground caves to explore! If you’ve got a little scientist, they will also enjoy the Grissom Memorial Museum which honors the life of Mitchell, Indiana native Virgil I. “Gus” Grissom, one of the original Mercury Seven astronauts. There you’ll find hundreds of space program artifacts including the Gemini III “Molly Brown” spacecraft that Grissom piloted.
