Edit: 06/14/26 just went there for a party today for my friend and found out he still works there I…read moream not on yelp that much but I had to create an account just to let you know how the service was unacceptable Posted: 05/18/26 I was very disappointed with my visit to The Zone in Kokomo. Near the end of our visit, a young male employee was handling equipment and balls in a rough manner, and one of the balls struck one of my children. I was also upset by how the employee interacted with my kids. He was pushing past them and repeatedly yelling for us to get out of the building even though we were only a few minutes past our scheduled time. I understand businesses have rules and closing times, but I expected staff to treat customers and children with more patience and respect. The way the situation was handled made my family feel uncomfortable and unwelcome. Because of this experience, I do not plan to return.

A blast!! Me and two buddies went for a mid afternoon steam blow off to the laser tag arena. It was…read moreawesome!!! Various game types, and a great host in Ariana! Infection, sniper, defender, etc... great experience. Two story battle arena, primary and secondary weapons, SO. MUCH. FUN.

I stumbled across the Elwood Haynes Museum while traveling on my recent Tenderness Tour in the…read moreKokomo area. While I'd heard about the museum before, I knew very little about it and I can honestly say that visiting it wasn't on my itinerary for my Kokomo visit until we happened to drive by it while searching for our evening dining location. The Elwood Haynes Museum is located in the mansion owned by Elwood Haynes, a Kokomo-based inventor credited with multiple firsts including being the first to produce cars commercially back in 1894. He lived in Kokomo until his death in 1925. Haynes also invented stainless steel. Seriously. Being that the Elwood Haynes Museum was actually a residence, you might guess that wheelchair access is kind of an issue. It definitely is kind of an issue, though kudos must be given for efforts to make the mansion as accessible as possible. You go up a rather narrow, somewhat steep driveway and park in the back of the house. If you have a high vehicle or an RV type vehicle, the odds you're going to achieve this are slim to none. There's only a few parking spots, a likely indicator that visits to the museum tend to be in smaller groups. The guide who was present for our visit acknowledged that the vast majority of visitors are out of towners rather than locals, though they do host local student groups. They've concocted a rather large, wooden ramp designed to provide wheelchair access. It likely meets ADA requirements in terms of grade, though be aware the wood itself feels a little flimsy. For those with limited range of motion or upper body strength, it may be advised to have a companion or assistant with you. You then enter via a side door that leads to your standard residential hallway. As this was a turn of the 19th century house, you can easily guess that hallways are rather narrow. I had zero issues moving into each room on the first floor - a bathroom on the first floor is largely wheelchair friendly with appropriate rails. The second floor would not be accessible to a wheelchair user, while the third floor, a small area, is not open to the public. They also have a basement area that is not open to the public. There's also an attached carriage house that had three of Haynes's vehicles within it along with a safe that had been created from the materials he invented. The Elwood Haynes Museum really is rather fascinating, though it's a rather quick view with a maximum of 1-2 hours needed to enjoy the entire museum. Admission is free, though donations are welcomed and somewhat encouraged in a low pressure sort of way. The exhibit, in addition to the vehicles, includes a wealth of photos, documents, inventions and other items related to Haynes, a figure who contributed greatly to modern motoring yet remains relatively unknown when compared to many others. The volunteer who was present was friendly and knowledgeable about Haynes's history and worked at a comfortable pace in explaining the museum. This was definitely an unexpected gem during my time in Kokomo.

For history buffs, or car buffs, or fans of invention, this is a "must stop" place to visit while…read morein Kokomo. The home of Elwood Haynes is partly a time capsule showing the Haynes residence and all those wonderful antiques you might expect. The other part of the building is the museum tribute to Mr Haynes and some of the other famous inventors/inventions of Kokomo. I hadn't done any research before going, so I was surprised to learn how many incredible inventions were created/discovered by Haynes. What is most commonly related to is that Haynes designed, funded the building of, and drove the first commercially built auto in the country! Local inventors (The Apperson Brothers) owned a shop and were paid by Haynes to build the frame and moving parts of the first auto after Haynes had bought a one horsepower engine that ran on gasoline. At that time, gasoline was considered a waste product from natural gas production and it was another of Haynes' inventions that made gasoline more usable as a fuel. On July 4, 1994, Haynes successfully drove his vehicle for an hour, covering about six miles. But that was just some of what this man accomplished. He discovered a means for making brass at the age of 15. He also invented the small thermostat that is used to regulate home temperature. He also created numerous alloys, including stainless steel and Stellite (used in blading small turbines and numerous other tools/equipment that should not rust.) The museum shows photos throughout the building from Haynes' life. Upstairs, the rooms are not maintained as living spaces, but rather, as tributes to the other inventors and "firsts" that Kokomo is known for. You will see exhibits about the Appersons, the first pneumatic rubber tire, first carburetor, lots of Delco radio inventions, and even some canning innovations. And of course, there are lots of exhibits about alloys and their uses. The staff is friendly and goes the extra mile to make sure you have all the information you desire. Note: Although the garage is off limits, you can still see three of the first cars produced in Kokomo through the windows. Review #2486

I absolutely loved my trip to the Seiberling at Christmas! I found it to be one of my favorite…read moreChristmas experiences so far. Every square inch is decorated. There are 3 floors to this historic mansion to explore for only $10. The architecture is amazing. I got a lot of pictures here. It was worth the hour drive to Kokomo from Indy. Staff and volunteers were friendly and helpful as well.

Kokomo, Indiana's Seiberling Mansion is a rather sublime sight to see during the holiday season…read more Serving as home for the Howard County Historical Society, the Seiberling Mansion was completed in 1891 and owned by Monroe Seiberling. Seiberling was an industrialist and entrepreneur who arrived in Kokomo alongside the late 19th century gas boom. He became wealthy, built several factories in the area, and followed all this up by building a rather remarkable mansion. Subsequent owners included Orange Darby, Rev. William Parr (namesake for Parr Methodist Church), real estate developer Franklin Miller, and George Kingston. Kingston was an inventor who invented the carburetor used in Henry Ford's Model T. When Kingston passed away in 1946, Indiana University bought the home and used it as the home of IU-Kokomo until 1964. For several years, the mansion remained empty. Finally, Howard County began looking for a way to move the county museum out of the courthouse. This ended up being a perfect arrangement and IU signed a long-term agreement to turn over the property for use as a museum. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1972, the Seiberling Mansion has both a Queen Anne and Romanesque Revival style. The house has three stories - eight rooms on the first floor, seven on the second floor, and a grand ballroom on the third floor. Parking is free. The parking lot entrance is behind the museum off West Walnut street. The front door is the main entrance, though the accessible entrance is at the rear of the house. It's important to note that only the first floor is actually accessible (there's no elevator), though there is a virtual video available on the first floor for the second and third floors. There are public restrooms on the first and second floors, though it should also be noted these are not wheelchair accessible. The museum is open Tuesday-Sunday from 1-4pm. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for K-12, and free for under age 5. The museum is a Blue Star Museum - this means active military and family members get in free from Memorial Day to Labor Day. They do have periods when they close - so checking their website is always a good idea just to be sure. The Seiberling Mansion can be rented for a maximum of 25 people. Rental rates on the website. The adjacent Elliott House is also available. While I always lament not having full access to places, with historic locations it's understandable and expected that access isn't going to be perfect. This is beautiful to see, though I'm not sure I can give it a full thumbs up for those with mobility issues since entry is $10 and you really only get to access one of three floors. That said, the virtual tour is pretty cool and the building itself is wonderful.

This small town festival packs a ton of fun during the annual three day event. We went early Sunday…read moremorning to avoid crowds. Many of the vendors weren't opened yet, but we found plenty to see and do. The information staff is friendly with great maps and programs of the festival guides. They explained that Saturday night was busy at the fair with several live concerts and carnival rides running late into the evening. The carnival rides and game booths looked sparkling new, colorful and clean. I wished I had brought my granddaughters. On Sunday, you could by a "band" and get to ride everything for one price. There was one booth with locally made glass paperweights. Elwood is famous for glass making for well over 130 years. The festival offered free tours of two local glass shops. The tours were short, only 10 minutes at each stop, but you could drive back over to the shops after the tour. I was hoping to see more glass at the actual festival with information on the Elwood history. There were many booths filled with carnival-type trinkets, local crafts and food. But the best part was a long line of food trucks. There was every type of food, coffee and summer beverages imaginable. The smell of bacon frying filled the air. Since it was early, I grabbed some biscuits and gravy from the Quincy Masonic Lodge truck. The guys in the truck were jovial and fun. I ate my breakfast at nearby picnic tables. They were delicious and stuck to my ribs. Food prices were unbelievably reasonable. There was an outdoor pavilion where concerts and other events happened. Nearby restrooms were available. Admission and parking were free. There was close parking on Sunday morning, but I'm sure parking was a challenge on Saturday. It was easy to get around the park. People are friendly. The festival is worth the visit.

The Elwood Glass Festival is an underrated festival based in Elwood, Indiana, a relatively small…read morecommunity located in both Madison and Tipton Counties and organized by the Elwood Chamber of Commerce. Despite having existed for 50 years (51 in 2022), the Elwood Glass Festival seems rather modestly known outside the Madison and Tipton County areas. I only heard of it because of a friend who lives in the Elwood area. It gave me the opportunity to more fully explore a part of the state that I've never really visited. The festival is a tribute to the unique, beautifully crafted hand-blown art-glass produced throughout the Elwood community since the earliest days of the Indiana Gas Boom, more than 100 years ago. It's held during the third weekend of August from Friday-Sunday and includes a parade, carnival rides, bus tours, food, collectibles, demonstrations, and contests. The festival is crowded but manageable and most Indianapolis festival-goers will likely consider it fairly modest compared to some Indy fests. The crowd was friendly when I attended and accessibility is fairly solid with the obvious exception of some of the carnival rides. The glass festival is considered family friendly and admission is free. The festival takes place in Callaway Park, an Elwood city park that is rather nice sized. The Elwood Glass Festival also includes The Vintage Rollers Car Show that brings more than 300 classic and antique cars each year along with live bands and other entertainment at the Jim Knoop Amphitheater inside Callaway Park. Free bus tours are available daily and include stops at Carol's Legacy Glass and the Historic Elwood Opera House. Both of these are worth the short trip up from Indy. The Elwood Glass Festival is only about an hour North of Indy if that. It's an easy drive and a great day trip with Anderson about 30 minutes from Elwood. This is definitely a festival worth putting on the family calendar.

The Pork Festival is one of the greatest things I go to every year! The food is amazing, there are…read moremany carnival rides to go on, and you get to hang out with friends! Overall, the Pork Festival deserves 5 stars.

This is no longer a pork festival and hasn't been for years. The town booted out the Pork…read moreProducers that actually started this festival years ago and it's been downhill ever since. We went yesterday and it's just like any other fair. The city took the most unique aspect out of this festival to use it for their own financial gain.

5 large screens with good seating showing latest movies. Prices very good - Matinee (before 5) is…read more$5.50. Seniors (55 and above) $5.50, kids (12 and under) $5.50 and adults $7.50. Get tickets at concession stand (prices are like most theaters - way too much for popcorn and soda). Offers free movies during the summer. Down side was that we could hear the loud noises from theater next to us while watching our movie - distracting.

The theater has very cramped seating that offers little to no leg room. The camera system in the…read morefront upper part of the theater that monitors you while watching a movie is creepy.

Had no idea about the history of Circuses wintering in Peru. Outstanding collection of memorabilia…read moreand artifacts. It's great that some of the original buildings have survived. As a volunteer at a Museum where restoration is constantly occurring, I appreciate the work that these volunteers are doing. Of course there are pieces that are not yet restored, but they are always working on them and most importantly, they are saved. Doesn't matter if they get restored in 5 or 10 or 50 years. If it wasn't for the effort of the volunteers, these pieces would be lost to history forever. THANK YOU for that!!! For our visit, the regular tour guide was away, so we had her husband take us on the tour. He had mobility issues, but soldiered through to give us the full experience. We greatly appreciate your dedication to your visitors!! HINT: The office in front is not where you check in. Drive or walk down the gravel road just before the office - that's where the Gift Shop/Entrance is.

When you drive into Peru, (be it from Indy or Chicago or...Toledo?) don't think much about where…read moreyou're going or what in the world it could look like...because inevitably...you'll think big circus tent, lions, tigers, a man roaming the perimeter on a unicycle. In reality though...a man might be roaming the perimeter...so beware. It's more haunted circus than circus museum or Hall of Fame. BUT, Wait, Wait, Wait! You're getting the wrong idea...still go! Yes, doesn't a haunted circus call for more adventure and less asking yourself "why did I go to Peru?" once leaving than would a traditional Circus Hall of Fame. C'mon. It's like having the circus off-season in Florida in your Indiana back yard! Speaking of off-season...when I was there in August...a man from Texas was passing through (apparently "working the State Fair circuit" which is glorious to hear in person) and this Texan brought along Tigers and Elephants. Really. There they were...elephants in the Hoosier farmlands...roaming amongst antique circus wagons (as seen in Big Fish, which the owner won't let you forget). In a strange way...if someone asked where to go to get the real Indiana, the Indiana I would want people to know about: the Circus Museum & Hall of Fame is on the list. This comes from a kid who didn't like the circus and a man who doesn't like the circus (you know...taser-ing animals...caging animals...laughing at animals...) The folks that run the place aren't interested in you being there. Or it seems that way...so be prepared to twist their arm to figure out what's going on...but really, they don't have answers. What they do have though...is a key to their Gift Shop that's closed and grown-over. Ask them to open it and buy a tee shirt -- they're beautiful.