I always love getting the opportunity to go for a kayak with Frank's Livery!…read more The staff are friendly and informative. They make sure you are comfortable before heading out on the water! We rented kayaks and they loaded them up in the van and drove us to the drop off point. It was a lovely day to float on the river with friends. The staff were there at the end point to help us out and make sure we had all of our belongings. Looking forward to the next opportunity I have to get back here!

I've had a few adventures with Frank's Paddlesports Livery now and it's one of my favorite things…read moreto be able to kayak around Indy! Their base is located near the 30th street bridge, and offer transport to a couple launch locations around Rocky Ripple. This is a great group outing since the transportation is in passenger vans for 9-10(?) people. They offer single and tandem kayaks, along with standup paddle boards and canoes. I have only rented the single occupant vessels and I typically pay around $50 or so after taxes and such for 5 mile trips. I consider this pretty good value since they take care of all the logistics for you, then you and crew just show up. They have reduced rates if you have your own vessel, since they provide transport for that. I've been here on group outings organized by Frank's, but also We Walk Indy, Women Who Explore, and Pink Paddle Club have organized outings here. All the staff I've encountered over the years are super friendly. My most recent outing was their first public outing on Fall Creek. The conditions were quite nice and the guides on the trip were helpful in navigating the small rapids. You can be sure to find me here every now and again when the weather is right!

We had my daughter's 6th birthday party here and it was such a great experience. The package…read moreincluded two hours with the horses, where the kids got to pet and ride them, plus time in the petting zoo. They even provided a cake, which made things so much easier. The venue itself was really nice, and everything felt well organized. The staff was kind, helpful, and made the whole process smooth from start to finish. Overall, it was a fun and memorable day for the kids. We'll definitely be back!

We decided to go horseback riding to celebrate my birthday. My children (10 & 12) have never been…read morehorseback riding before and, though nervous, were excited to experience it. I rode quite a bit many years ago. I had a service expectation in my mind for how things would go and unfortunately the team at this ranch did not deliver. On arrival, parking was not clearly marked (broken signs and no arrows to direct you). Once out of the car, there was no one to greet us or give next steps. We were told by visitors already waiting to step inside the barn to sign a waiver. Once inside, the staff member who wondered out of the dark handed the waiver to me and explained it. Yet she never said hello or introduced herself. It all felt very transactional or as if we weren't welcomed. I can only assume how many trail rides are provided in a day or week but the experience is still special to visitors. I would like to think they still remember this. My children were assigned horses (Cherokee and Widow) and given basic riding instructions from other staff members (they stated afterward the women providing them were not very warm). I was given a horse named Stitch that I did not enjoy or recommend to anyone who has never ridden before. He was headstrong and unfriendly. I can say: The 60 minute ride through the wooded trails was beautiful and very quiet. Our group totaled six so I guess I assumed there would be conversation from the trail lead but there was none. No water was provided or information about the land we were on. I was grateful for the instructor stopping before bigger hills to describe what was ahead and how to best handle it, it helped my kiddos, but I can't say as I would come to this place again. The horses looked thin and tired. Not to mention the barn bathroom was exactly what you'd expect: dusty dirty and rusty. Perhaps our expectations were too high? One big plus: the friendliness of my children's horses and the barn cats.

Was wonderful. The kids absolutely loved it! They also each got 3 of the delicious cheeseburgers at…read morethe concession stand. Everyone is so nice and friendly!

Do not like the new changes!!!! Now you have to wait in line to get in with a splash pass?? And…read moreshow ID?? I did that when I purchased it.. Kiosk to order food with a card really what a ridiculous mess and longer wait lines that will cause while the staff just stands around and talks.. was told 30 minutes to get pizza you open at 11:00 pizza should be ready at 11:00. no clocks, no music and only 1 bottle of sunscreen . So many changes that I am sure only benefits your bottom line! So disappointed!! This has been my favorite place for years. I no longer have a desire to return! Do better Freedom Springs!

Holcomb Gardens turned out to be an interesting place too visit, and we got some nice pictures…read moreclose to the waterfalls :-) Tip: The path around the pond isn't handicapped friendly Like with most venues of this type, there are a lot of insects here, so it's a really good idea to bring along some bug spray. Admission here is free, and spending some time in the Gardems can be quite enjoyable :-)

Beautiful and peaceful place, great for walking, picnics, or a nap under a tree if you want I guess.read more

White River State Park is one of the most popular parks in the city, and for good reason! The…read morenickname for it is Indy's backyard. With riverfront and canal-front trails, a pedestrian bridge to the zoo, proximity to the city, and the amphitheater, so much goes on down here. Over the years, my favorite special events have been the food truck festival and the solar eclipse festival. The area is kept to be pedestrian friendly, with parking being underground to the park and wide walking and biking lanes. During warmer weather, I often see a hotdog vendor for a nice and easy lunch. There's lots of sculptures around the park too, which helps to keep things scenic. There's also a huge lawn space for running around.

Beautiful greenspace on the outskirts of downtown all along the White River, as the name implies,…read moreand the canal. Lots to see and do, or just relax, enjoy a little nature, walk or run along the water, enjoy all sorts of trails, enjoy some of the public art hidden here and there, have a little picnic, whatever you feel like. There is an outdoors concert venue, a souvenir shop, the zoo, various museums, such as the Eiteljorg, the Indiana State Museum and such. You can rent multi-seat bikes or a segway and cover more ground. Go and discover.

Excellent quick hike getaway in Avon. - no entrance fee or…read moremembership needed - easy to find right in heart of Avon no long trek - on-site free parking - deep forest & streams - secluded, no crowds - connect with nature - flat easy to navigate trail, short distances

This nature preserve has a lot of undeveloped potential. The land (83 acres) is forest with a…read moresmall creek running through it. The park has little information (no kiosk) but does have a sign asking visitors to wipe the soles of their shoes BEFORE entering so that they don't bring in seeds from invasive plants. The park entrance is at the southwest corner of the preserve (near the highway). From there, a trail leads back to the first loop (Blue) that covers roughly the middle third of the park. On the north end of the loop, there is a sign that directs you back to the entrance or north to the second loop (red) which covers the northern third of the park. Basically, the red loop covers the area on the other side of the creek. Both loops and the connector trails consist of moderate size trees with foot worn paths between them. A few wooden bridges rest on the ground to get visitors through the wettest areas of the park. The loops have very little elevation change so I would rate the hikes as easy to moderate. Although the preserve does not have its own parking, the neighboring church (to the west) allows park visitors to use the church lot any time other than Sunday morning. I can see not wanting to develop the land for visitors, but information about the parks plants and animals would be useful. Trail lengths and a map of the layout would also be helpful for first time visitors to plan their treks. Review #806

This farm was awesome! The owner Kadeem is very personable, friendly, and loves interacting with…read morethe kids. The farm land is huge and the animals are all well behaved so even if you're scared, you won't be for long. We took the Girl Scout troop on an outing here and the girls loved it. Kadeem is really eager about introducing farm life to city kids and helping make the comfortable and knowledgeable. I loved the way he allowed them to interact with the animals in ways they would never be able to other places. He does not restrict the kids and uses everything as a learning opportunity. My daughter was upset we had to leave without the alpaca. We will definitely be returning again. They also do petting zoo and horse rides for parties. He was so nice to even walk with my daughter bc she was scared to ride. 10/10 I definitely recommend to anyone looking for an up close, personal. Memorable animal experience!

Omgggg I absolutely love this farm! It really brought out the kid in me and brought up so many…read morememories from childhood fieldtrips! Broganville is a family owned farm and the atmosphere gives just that! Kadeem Brogan (the owner) was so nice and welcoming. He gave us a full tour of the grounds as well as a horse and buggy ride. We got to meet all of the animals and we even got to feed some of them. This is definitely a great place for children and adults alike to really connect with nature and learn about the farm life!

In this time of social distancing and mostly staying indoors, on those rare occasions when I find…read moremyself heading out in search of supplies I've tried to take the opportunity to responsibly also get a little fresh air. With state parks now closed and many local parks having restrictions, this means that a lot of the city's more obvious places can get a little too crowded for those of us who take social distancing seriously. Located on Indy's Northside near 73rd and Keystone, Ravenswood Overlook Park isn't actually much of a park and it offers very little in the way of amenities other than a couple picnic tables, pretty terrific fishing, nearby canoe unloading access, and lots of green. It's right on White River and a perfect spot to grab some fresh air, enjoy a breeze, look out at the river, and mostly avoid a crowd other than an occasional other person fishing or area teens walking through the park. Ravenswood Overlook has had a couple of recent upgrades - sorely needed considering both this area and the nearby Stamm Park have long been neglected by the City of Indianapolis. Indy Parks has put up a sign officially declaring this a park, though it's not yet on their website, and several new trees have been planted. They've also put up a guardrail across the length of the park to prevent people from driving up to the water or driving on the grass. Sadly, it's already been hit by graffiti. This is a highly residential area and it's not particularly surprising. Very few people realize that until 1989, Ravenswood was actually a town before finally becoming officially part of Indianapolis-Marion County upon executive order by former Mayor Hudnut. While Ravenswood Overlook is kept up better than it used to be, it's still a difficult area if you're in a wheelchair. There's nothing resembling a sidewalk and the ground can be uneven and has more than a few spots where you could easily trip (walking or wheeling). As a fun note, Geocachers should be aware there's a Geocache in the park. Ravenswood Overlook is a great spot to stop, enjoy nature, appreciate White River, and simply get away from the busyness without actually leaving the busyness. With a complete lack of amenities, you're not really going to do much in the way of activities here unless you do something self-organized. However, during this time when avoidance of crowds is recommended I can definitely recommend this spot. Parking is limited and gravel (though not rough for a wheelchair). This is a fairly secluded area - both a good thing and a potentially risky thing as this area can get a wee bit rough at times. So, I'd probably recommend either coming during the day or with a friend or friends. R