The Top 10 Reasons Indiana Has the Absolute Best Summers in the Country

Indiana — the Hoosier State — provides some of the best summers in the county based on its recreation, weather, festivals, and natural wonders among other great factors. From the Indy 500 on Memorial Day Weekend to state-special Coney dogs and everything in between, the months of May to September in Indiana are some of the most enjoyable to experience.

Discover what makes Indiana summers the best in the country. 

Beaches, Lakes, and Rivers

A summer vacation can’t start without sandy beaches. Though it looks landlocked, Indiana does have 15 miles of shoreline along Lake Michigan, split into nine different beaches. It also has other lakes and rivers that enable you to spend lazy days in the sun.

Lakes

First on the list, of course, is Lake Michigan. The Indiana Dunes State Park abuts Lake Michigan, providing miles of beach for locals and tourists to enjoy. Of the beaches on Lake Michigan, Indiana Dunes State Park and West Beach of the National Park garner the most visitors. However, if you’re looking for a quieter beach day away from splashing, try visiting Portage Lakefront & Riverwalk, Dunbar, Lakeview, or Mount Baldy.

Outside of Lake Michigan, Indiana has 86 other lakes — many of which have beaches or recreational activities. To make the most of your summer in Indiana, try swimming at Pokagon Beach, lounging at Lake Monroe, finding Hidden Paradise, or bringing friends and family to Brookville Lake.

Rivers

Tippecanoe River remains one of the best canoeing and kayaking spots in Indiana to enjoy the scenery and float down a calm river on a bright summer day. In addition to Tippecanoe, several other rivers, creeks, and streams lend themselves to water recreation sports, like fishing, boating, tubing, and paddleboarding. After you’ve floated the Tippecanoe, venture to one of these great rivers next:

• The Blue River
• Wabash River
• White River
• Flatrock River
• Wildcat Creek
• Big Pine Creek

Outdoor Recreation

Families who enjoy adventuring outdoors will have their itinerary full in Indiana. With dozens of parks, lakes, trails, and historical sites, there’s a plethora of activities to choose from on any given summer day. 

Before you embark on a camping trip, consider the outdoor adventure sports center in Indianapolis: Go Ape Zipline and Adventure Park. The natural attraction features a treetop ropes course and zipline the whole family (ages 10 and up) can enjoy. Or, choose to play an outdoor escape game.

If you’re looking for a scenic hike and tranquil camping spot, pick Brown County State Park. This park is the largest of all the state parks in Indiana and one of the biggest in the United States at over 15,000 acres. At Brown County State Park, families will enjoy the rolling hills for mountain biking, hiking, fishing, horseback riding, and more. The state park even has an inn, with a restaurant and aquatic center, for glamping-inclined families. 

Looking for an outdoor recreation experience that ends with food? Visit Traders Point Creamery in Zionsville for a tour of a 19th-century dairy farm before settling down to a seasonal farm-to-table dinner and artisan ice cream flavors.

Pleasant Weather

Between May and June, as well as between September and October, Indiana has the best weather. While the temperatures and weather conditions depend on location, statewide weather between these months is usually hot, sunny, and pleasant. It also coincides with the beginning and end of the tourist season, meaning less crowds and better hotel prices. This weather is a welcome change from springtime, when thunderstorms and tornado watches happen regularly.

Toward the north, Lake Michigan lowers the temperatures and creates more rain in the summer months. The southern part of the state tends to get less rainfall and has hotter, more humid temperatures. In Indianapolis, tourists can expect a balmy 70 to 90 degrees on any given day. Across Indiana humidity remains high. Fortunately, most of Indiana receives gusts of colder Canadian air throughout the summer, breaking up the monotony of humid and hot days. 

While in Indiana, be sure to enjoy the rolling summer thunderstorms — from the comfort and safety of your home, of course!

Vibrant Festivals and Events

Throughout the year, Indiana holds festivals across the state. In the summer, locals and tourists can take the parks, amphitheaters, outdoor restaurants, and arts venues to enjoy music. Many towns, including Whitestown, Fishers, Westfield, and Zionsville hold a Concert Series for their communities in the summer months. Compliment the free music show with a delicious meal at a nearby restaurant or find a new favorite band during the show.

In the month of May, the talk of the town revolves around racing. The Indianapolis 500 runs on Memorial Day, so every day prior to the race, Indianapolis has something going on. The race itself remains steeped in tradition dating all the way back to the 1930s. Purdue University plays its World’s Largest Drum and the winner of the race takes a sip from a bottle of milk. 

Going to Indiana in the later summer? That’s one of the best times to go, as festivals abound. You can’t miss the Indiana State Fair, often held the last week of July or the first week of August. Or, get your meat fix and swing by the Chicken and Beer Fest or the SausageFest — both in August.

Natural Wonders

Indiana has three national parks that bring in 3.1 million visitors a year. One not to be missed during the summer: Indiana Dunes. As mentioned above, the Dunes lends itself to wonderful beach days, splashing in the waves, and sunny afternoons. In addition to Indiana Dunes, you’ll want to visit the George Rogers Clark National Historical Park and the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail. Both offer a slice of history along with varied habitats teeming with wildlife.

The Hoosier National Forest provides exceptional nature to explore, especially in the summer. The warm months open the park’s recreational areas, invite fishermen to float on the water, and create the perfect environment for activities like camping, hiking, horseback riding, and nature viewing. Hoosier National Forest also has several lakes, like Monroe Lake, where paddleboarding, kayaking, and fishing are popular summer activities. 

Finally, ​​Cataract Falls — voted Indiana’s best waterfall — is a can’t-miss in late summer and early autumn as leaves begin to change colors. 

Culinary Delights

In the summer, Indiana cuisine takes flight from the ordinary to the extraordinary. 

Starting in the late spring, farmers’ markets abound with fresh produce, jams and jellies, baked goods, and more. When visiting Indiana, keep the following markets on the top of your list:

• Chesterton’s European Market (that features unique vendor stands and live music).
• Zionsville Farmers Market (runs on Saturday mornings and features upscale produce and byproducts like honey, cheese, and baked goods).
• New Albany Farmers Market (which runs year-round in a bustling downtown and supports both produce and craft vendors).

Food festivals also take center stage in Indiana summers. Don’t miss the Taste of Tippecanoe event in June, which regularly pulls in 50,000 visitors from across the state and region to delight in local Lafayette cuisine. A blend of pastries, spirits, entrees, and dessert vendors from the town come together to hold this event. The proceeds directly contribute to maintaining and growing the art scene in northern Indiana schools.

Outside of festivals and farmers markets, visitors from outside the state should experiment with some of Indiana’s regional cuisine, including Triple XXX Root Beer, Indiana-grown popcorn, sugar cream pie, fried bologna sandwiches, persimmon pudding, fried brain sandwiches, and Lake Perch.

Family-Friendly Activities

With the kids off school for a few months, you’ll want to find the best family-friendly activities and attractions in Indiana to ensure an ideal summer vacation destination. Lucky for you, the state’s theme parks, zoos, water parks, and other attractions cater to families and provide memorable experiences.

Theme and Water Parks

Florida may be the theme park capital of the world, but Indiana draws hundreds of thousands of visitors every year to its major theme and water park attractions.

Holiday World sounds just like its name: a theme park dedicated to four major holidays Americans celebrate — Christmas, Fourth of July, Halloween, and Thanksgiving. Located in Santa Clause, Indiana, Holiday World is open all summer long, from May to October. Holiday World also features a water park with two of the longest water coasters in the world!

The Indiana Beach Amusement Resort in Monticello has a dozen rides and shows to delight kids and parents alike. Also featuring its own water park, Indiana Beach has bumper boats, log flumes, scrambler rides, and more. The best part: children who measure 36 inches tall and under get into the park for free!

Zoos and Museums

Did you know Indiana has over 10 zoos and museums to enjoy? A local favorite remains the Indiana Zoo, which greets guests with a wild critter from the moment they step in. Five unique biomes are covered, and kids will learn and explore the natural world with hands-on activities and accessible exhibits.

If the Indiana Zoo is too crowded, consider the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo. Ranked as one of TripAdvisor’s “Traveler’s Choice” attractions in 2023, this zoo features cool animals like amphibians, pandas, zebras, kangaroos, and more. Specifically designed for kids to get an up-close experience with the world’s different creatures, this zoo makes a great half-day trip.

If you’re still looking for more animal exhibits, consider the Columbian Park Zoo, the Wolf Park, the Washington Park Zoo, or the Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden.

Trying to keep cool in the warm Indiana summer? Visit one of the many museums in Indiana. The Children’s Museum of Indiana, located in Indianapolis, remains the largest of its kind in the entire world and is a must-see attraction. It features 130,000+ artifacts over five floors and has an abundance of interactive exhibits to foster a love of learning. It even ranks as one of USA Today’s Top Children Museums in America. Indiana has a variety of other museums — from STEM to automotive and more, you’re never at a lack of opportunities to discover something new (or old!) in Indiana.

Other Attractions

For even more unique attractions during your summer vacation in the Hoosier State, consider visiting the following:

• Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium
• Conner Interactive Prairie Park
• Marengo Cave National Landmark
• Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Gaze up at the stars, learn how colonial Americans lived, or crawl through stalactites at these different child-friendly activities. 

Cultural Heritage

Indiana’s rich Native American culture comes to life during the summer season. The entire state has a deep respect for the land and agricultural industries, making Farmers’ Markets more of a statewide pride rather than off-the-cuff activity. 

Did you also know that Indiana played a significant role in the Civil War? The state had already outlawed slavery in its first constitution, so it sided with the Union. The armies even fought a major battle, the Battle of Croydon, on Indiana soil. 

Families can explore more about the rich culture and history of Indiana at museums like the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, the Indiana World War Memorial Plaza, and Conner Prairie, a living history museum. In the summer, each of the museums has special events and speaker series based on their newest exhibit.

Scenic Drives and Road Trips

If you’re not spending your entire summer vacation in Indiana but still want to see the state’s beauty, choose scenic drives and road trip routes that showcase its natural beauty. Or, pick one that offers opportunities for exploration and adventure.

Indiana Road 62 crosses almost the entire state of Indiana, covering a variety of cities, historic towns, forests, rivers, and even some Amish communities. This route also features scenic lookouts to see the otherwise flat state’s picturesque plains.

For a scenic route with lots of family-friendly spots along the drive, choose the Ohio River Scenic Byway.  The way is littered with bed and breakfast options, which offer more unique stays than a regular hotel. You’ll pass Harmonie State Park for swimming, hiking, and biking, as well as Indiana Caverns for spelunking and a boat ride. In addition, the towns and cities you’ll pass on it often hold craft festivals, Farmers’ Markets, and antique shows.

Finally, The Historic National Road has 140 of its 620 miles in Indiana. This route was the first federally-funded highway in America, making it a landmark in highway construction history. For a family of history buffs, they’ll enjoy the 30+ National Register sites along the drive, the Victorian-style homes, and old diners waiting to share their history.

Welcoming Atmosphere

Priding themselves on their “Hoosier Hospitality,” Indianans have a warm and inclusive attitude toward visitors. They actively seek out opportunities to include them in their favorite local traditions or share the state’s history with anyone who wants to learn. Indiana residents are so kind, they’ve enabled the state to rank number six out of 50 for the friendliest states in America.

Visitors to Indiana assert that the locals have a unique charm not found anywhere else. They’re genuine, well-natured, quick to make a joke, and relaxed. 

In true midwestern fashion, Indianans are quick to set aside time to talk to a new or old friend, come to a gathering bearing food, and love to volunteer to help someone in need. Even the author Kurt Vonnegut loves people from the state. He’s quoted as saying, “I don’t know what it is about Hoosiers. But wherever you go there is always a Hoosier doing something very important there.”

Spend a Summer in Indiana and See for Yourself

After reading all these reasons, are you planning a summer trip to Indiana yet? The state offers something for everyone in the summer months; from indoor and outdoor activities, to delicious food, to a vibrant heritage and welcoming atmosphere that makes you feel right at home.

Up next, discover where Indiana’s flag came from and some of the animals you can find in the state.

Summary of the Reasons Indiana Has the Best Summers

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