Very interesting tour of a very interesting home. We had a Finish architect on our tour that drove…read morevery far out of his way to see the Miller Home and he was also very pleased.

The visitors Center is an extraordinary resource for anyone interested in learning about Columbus…read moreand it's incredible architecture and history. I only stopped by to get a map, but instead spent several hours watching films about Irwin Miller, his home and the architecture of Columbus. The building itself is lovely with modern artistic areas and a fabulous Chihuly glass sculpture. The staff is super friendly, helpful and knowledgable. One staff member played a film for us (alone) to learn about the local architecture. They offer guided tours of the city and the Miller house. Reservations are required for the tours, which fill up quickly. They have information on their website about the tours so you can book in advance. Their gift shop is filled with art and books about architecture. There is plenty of parking in their private lot. Restrooms are available.

There is a reason this staff was hired to welcome people to Indianapolis. They will go out of their…read moreway to explain directions and tips to enjoying your time in Indianapolis. They have Nicey popsicles available which is a game changer on a hot summer day. They have other novelty items but it does seem to be a classic tourist drop in. It located right at the entrance of White River state park so it is a good place to drop in for restrooms as well!

It seemed a bit barren and the use of space was not the best. But they had restrooms and HOOSIER…read moreDADDY shirts, so, yeah, there ya go.

The visitors center right off the square in Franklin is one of the best! It has a Photo Booth, a…read moremini replica water slide, mini theater, and a mini dj booth that you can practice DJ'ing. Now for the nations 250th birthday they have a really cool light up flag and you can sign the huge Declaration of Independence as well as have your picture taken in the statue of liberty. They have a mini gift shop with neat shirts, bags, posters things like that. They have a great selection of brochures for all around. Franklin has a GREAT farmers market that will be starting up soon as well as a great splash pad area amphitheater as well as home to the 104 year old Artcraft Theater!!!! Great town just south of Indy!

I was in downtown Franklin for a friend's birthday party. I'd arrived early in order to grab lunch…read moreand visit the nearby Artcraft, but I also had some extra time and decided I would check out some other Franklin establishments. Of course, a stop at the "Festival Country Indiana Visitor Center" was a must as it was about a block of the town square and serves as the area's visitor's center. I will admit that I hadn't heard of the "Festival Country" campaign, a campaign that encompasses Johnson County communities including Franklin, Greenwood, Edinburgh, Bargersville, Whiteland, New Whiteland, Trafalgar, and Princes Lakes. The Visitor's Center is located in a brightly decorated building on Water Street. It's level to the ground and wheelchair accessible, though it is in an older building and the front door is a touch heavy. It's a relatively small location. You enter - to the left immediately is an area for retail purchase of t-shirts, posters, etc. I will admit I was really tempted by an Artcraft poster. You, of course, also have a large rack of flyers and brochures related to things to do in Johnson County. There is a staffed counter on one side, a couple of photo op exhibits toward the back, and a video that plays in an area set up to look like a mini-Artcraft auditorium. The theme here is obviously emphasizing the area's many festivals. It has to be a little difficult right now, however, considering so much is impacted by the pandemic. You were expected to wear a mask when entering and to respect social distancing. The volunteer (I'm assuming) working the counter actually wasn't wearing a mask when I entered, but quickly realized it and put theirs on. This spot also offers free wifi. The photo opportunity was fun, though not particularly wheelchair friendly. However, it's a cute idea that plays off the fact that there's a place you can do paragliding and skydiving in Franklin. The website has a ton of information about area attractions, restaurants, lodgings, etc. There are also some special deals. To be honest, I spent only a few minutes in this actual location. I watched their film. I checked out their sales items. I read through some information about local breweries. I also picked up some brochures. If you're in downtown Franklin and wondering what to do - this is a great place to stop, get information, and ask questions. While there's not much "to do" here, it's a central location to get all the needed info and directions before moving on to enjoy your Johnson County day. It always feels like Franklin, in particular, is farther away but it truly is just one county south and it's a fun little college town. It's an easy day trip with some great spots to visit.

The Visitors Center in Nashville has a ton of information about Brown County, Nashville and other…read moretowns in Brown County. I stopped by yesterday to pick up a map and get directions to a gallery. The maps were laid out on the counter when I walked through the door! The clerks are friendly and helpful and walked me through the symbols on the map. I asked about a restaurant for lunch and was told to try her favorite (and I did). I gathered information about recreational things to do that I didn't know about. There are places that offer horseback riding and zip-lining that were new to me. The Center has a small gift shop with logo apparel, water bottles and stickers. There is also a slideshow running that highlights some of the things to do in the area. A small play area with nature related toys is available for the little ones while parents browse. There is street parking close to the building or a public lot behind the building. The Center is worth a visit and will help you make the most of your day.

I was really impressed by the Brown County Convention and Visitors Association during a recent…read morequick visit to Nashville. I was on the hunt for a public bathroom and this spot is ideally located in the heart of downtown Nashville walking distance from all the action. And, might I add, conveniently located a few doors down from the new-ish Ooey Gooey Cinnamon Roll shop. (side note: holy jamoly, this was the best cinnamon roll I've ever had) I digress, the visitor's center is very clean, well laid out and I was impressed by the great branding and fun visual maps you'll find inside. The whole space seemed very new and especially trendy for the small town area. They had a few style "Brown County" inspired clothing and trinkets for sale on the back wall. Worth noting, the bathrooms were clean. If you're popping into Nashville, I recommend giving the visitors center a quick peek.

If you want to find something (practically anything) about Bloomington, then I highly recommend…read morestopping by the Visitors Center on North Walnut. It is easy to find if you are approaching from the north and use the business bypass to reach Walnut. Otherwise, you can head north on Walnut passed the SR45/SR46 intersection. The building has its own parking and is much larger inside than it appears from the street. Inside the first set of doors are rows of brochures (free) that you can help yourself to. I grabbed a Visitors guide and a Nature Preserve Guide for my use, but saw maps and festival pamphlets too. Inside the second set of doors, there is a central desk with someone to help you. Surrounding that area are numerous display shelves and racks for picking up merchandise that is for sale. 2018 was the Bicentennial year of the city, so there were celebratory items for reaching that goal like t-shirts. There are also posters, local artisan products like Dillman Farms jellies and salsa, and local popcorn. I found the information available to be quite useful and the person at the information desk very pleasant to talk with. She was quite knowledgeable of the area and was able to direct me to some points of interest that I had not visited before. If you like to explore, or simply to learn more about the area, make a point to stop by here. Review #1977

This is the place for visitors to the Bloomington area to begin a wonderful visit. Friendly faces,…read morelots of great information on area attractions, things to do and restaurants, a fun little gift shop and more! Information specialists are on hand Monday through Saturday to provide you with expert local advice, customized recommendations and driving directions, should you need them. Information vestibule is open 24 hours a day, stocked with area visitors guides, maps and other helpful information.

This is a nice place to find out what's happening in Seymour. And there's of course another tribute…read moreto John Mellencamp. During a festival I attended, it even served as a nice venue for small acoustic music shows. All in all, a nice room.

This is the place to find out what's what in Seymour and Jackson County. It's located inside the…read moreformer Southern Indiana Railroad Freight House so as you might guess, there is a certain amount of railroad theme to the location. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places and inside you'll find exhibits that tell interesting stories from the history of Jackson County, some gifty souvenirs and books about Jackson County. (If you have time, venture into town to the corner of 2nd and Indianapolis Streets to see the mural of John Mellencamp.) One of the interesting stories from county history is the Reno Gang. It's a long story, but the thumbnail sketch is that the Reno Brothers were life-time criminals. After the Civil War, the Reno brothers returned home to Rockford, Indiana with counterfeiters, thieves, bounty jumpers, questionable characters and general ne'er do wells. The gang was soon pulling off numerous crimes but they reached their pinnacle October 6, 1866 when John and Simeon Reno, with gang members, boarded a train and stole somewhere between $12-18,000 from the safe. It was the first moving train robbery in the United States and it wasn't the last train robbery committed by the Reno Gang, either. Witnesses would mysteriously assume room temperature and no one was every convicted of the train robberies. In July 1868, when citizens were fed up, vigilantes stopped a train just west of town. The train was taking three gang members to the county lock-up. The vigilantes overpowered the guards and pulled the three Reno gangsters from the train. The gang members were hanged from one branch of a nearby beech tree. Five nights later, the vigilantes did the same thing to three more gang members, at the same location, from the same branch of the same beech tree. A third and final vigilante lynching happened at New Albany, Indiana after members of the Reno gang were removed from their cells and hanged in the jailhouse. One of those cells is on display outside the Visitor Center. The site of the first two lynchings became known as Hangman Crossing. The beech tree blew down in a windstorm and there is no marker at the spot, but the story of the Reno Gang lives on in Seymour. There may not be a historical marker at Hangman Crossing but when you go to the Visitor Center, you'll meet the center's watch cat. His name is Reno. Stop in and scratch him behind the ears, if he'll let you.

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.

This park is such a gem! As I write this review while listening to "Here Comes The Sun" by The…read moreBeatles, I feel like I'm right back walking through the beautiful pathways and taking in skyline views. From the canal and trails to the open green spaces, there's something here for everyone to enjoy. Plenty of smaller festivals and walks/runs are held at this park, and it truly seems like the perfect spot for them. My favorite festival that happens here is the Taste of Indy, which takes place in the summer and the MS Walk is always a well organized event here. I also really enjoy walking the paths behind the zoo, especially in the spring when the cherry blossom trees are in bloom. Absolutely gorgeous! Ps - As beautiful as it is, be sure to stay alert while on the pathways!

I attended my first Covered Bridge Festival yesterday. I have to admit that I was a bit overwhelmed…read moreby the traffic and vendors. We attempted to drive early into the heart of the festival, Rockville. The traffic was crazy. We were able to park long enough to get a festival brochure to learn the routes to see the bridges. We also explored a couple of art vendor booths around the courthouse. We were able to see four bridges along two of the routes, though asking for help at one point. The traffic was heavy along the narrow roads. People stopping to the see the bridges were friendly. The bridges were amazing and picturesque in the beautiful weather. As we wound our way to Bridgeton, we found our selves in an immense parking lot surround by circus tents. The scene and crowd of people was uncomfortable. We were able to leave on a route that took us away from the bridges. We had intended to have a nice lunch at a local restaurant in Park County, but did not find any restaurants along the two partial routes that we travelled. We did find a nice restaurant in Putnam County that was serving lunch. I hope to return to Parke County after the festival to see the bridges and experience some of the local restaurants.

Every Oct, Parke County hosts the largest festival in IN. The covered bridge festival. Parke County…read morehas more covered bridges than any other place in the world. I love that they have a festival to celebrate these pieces of history. The county is made up of small towns with tight roads, and parking isn't in abundance. So when 2 million people show up, you're going to feel it. Be prepared to walk. I didn't visit any bridges or see any sites. I was just there for fair food, artisan crafts, and my sister. It's nostalgic for me. I love an Indiana fair in the fall. I cannot believe how many questionable food decisions I made today though. The grape milkshake was at the top of the questionable list. -I'm such a sucker for Amish stands. Elephant ears, persimmon pudding, fried bologna, Mexican corn, apple cider slushies, and that grape milkshake. Ugh. Have cash on hand. While many of the stands take plastic, not all do. So just have some cash. I was just thinking this was a one and done experience but my sister is making plans for us next yr too. I'll have to remember to skip the grape milkshake next time.