7 Quirkiest Indiana Towns You Didn't Know Existed
There’s so much more to the Hoosier State than cornfields, basketball, and racecars! These quirky, slightly off-beat towns are some of the best ways to experience Indiana’s weird side. From a Christmas-themed town to a former utopian colony, life is never boring in Indiana. If you’re the type of traveler who hits the brakes every time you see a sign for an offbeat attraction, you have to add these towns to your Indiana bucket list. They may be small and obscure, but they offer one-of-a-kind adventures you won’t find anywhere else.
Santa Claus
You don’t have to travel to the North Pole to experience Christmas! East of Evansville in southern Indiana is the delightful town of Santa Claus, where every day is Christmas. All the street names have holiday themes, like Christmas and Holiday Boulevard. There are statues of Santa everywhere, and charming stops like the Santa Claus Museum and Village. While the Christmas spirit is on display all year, the best time to visit Santa Claus is in December during the Santa Claus Christmas Celebration, which kicks off the season with a parade, food vendors, and holiday lights.
However, the best attraction in Santa Claus is Holiday World and Splashin' Safari (formerly called Santa Claus Land). It’s a family-friendly theme park where you can celebrate Christmas every day, even in the summer. You can explore themed holiday areas of the park, like Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July. There are fun roller coasters, like The Voyage, and an amazing water park that’s only open in the summer.
Corydon
Just across the Ohio River from Louisville, you’ll find Corydon—the state’s very first capital. Corydon played a big role in Indiana history, with notable sites peppered throughout the town honoring Corydon’s historical legacy. You can check out Battle of Corydon Memorial Park, where the only Civil War battle fought in Indiana took place. To learn more about the town’s rich history, be sure to stop by the Corydon Capitol State Historic Site, which hosts a variety of the original structures of Corydon that you can explore.
While Corydon’s history is vast, it is what you’ll find underground that makes this town unique. Corydon is where you’ll find the Indiana Caverns, a complex cave system that is one of the top ten longest in the entire United States. A guided tour takes about four hours to complete, where you can get up close and personal with 40,000-year-old Ice Age fossils and a stunning 35-foot underground waterfall.
Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee, is known for its vibrant music and arts scene, and so is Nashville, Indiana! Located south of Indianapolis in central Indiana, Nashville has been a haven for artists since the early 1900s. The gentle rolling hills of the untouched wilderness surrounding Nashville earned it the nickname the “Little Smokies”, and the impressionist painter T.C. Steele established the Brown County Art Colony in 1907. You can still visit the Art Colony today and take a tour of some of its most famous works inspired by the rich history of Nashville. There is also a host of other galleries in the area, like the Hoosier Artist Gallery and the Brown County Art Gallery.
If you want to explore the countryside that inspired countless artists who flocked to Nashville in the early 20th century, there’s no better spot than Brown County State Park, often called the “Little Smokies”. It has over 18 miles of shaded hiking trails and lakeside vistas at Ogle Lake and Strahl Lake. Not too far from the T.C. Steele State Historic Site is the Yellowwood State Forest, which offers over 25,000 acres of untouched wilderness that inspired so many artists from Nashville over the years.
New Harmony
Ready to experience a utopia in the Midwest? New Harmony is a small community of under 1,000 residents along the Wabash River on the Illinois border. It was founded in 1814 by the Harmony Society with the goal of creating a utopia through shared property and equality. The admirable social experiment failed by 1827, but the residents of New Harmony preserved its history through the remaining buildings and landmarks of its early days.
There are still quite a few original structures from its days as a utopia, like the Roofless Church and local galleries inspired by New Harmony’s past, like the New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art. However, the most interesting attraction in the area is the Labyrinths of New Harmony. Located within the New Harmony State Historic Site, the Labyrinths are a series of branching walking paths designed for deep meditation and spiritual awakening. At the center of the labyrinth is the Rappite Temple, which is an original structure from the utopian experiment of the 1800s.
Wakarusa
Life's a little sweeter in Wakarusa. This charming community, located in northern Indiana south of South Bend, is famous for its sweet side. Every March, the area comes alive during the Wakarusa Maple Syrup Festival, a festival that celebrates all things maple syrup. There’s a craft fair, a maple syrup queen competition, pancake breakfasts, and even a maple syrup tasting booth. During the festival in the 1960s, a local candy maker debuted his newest creation: the jumbo jelly bean. If you miss the jelly beans at the festival, don’t worry! You can still grab this famous sweet treat at the Wakarusa Dime Store, known for its wide selection of candy.
If you want to learn a little more about this historical town, make sure to swing by the Wakarusa Heritage Museum, which depicts the history of the area through exhibits, demonstrations, and classes. You can grab a bite to eat at the charming Bianas Diner before heading to Wakarusa Memorial Park to walk its shaded, paved trails right in the heart of town.
Rockport
Along the Ohio River in southern Indiana is where you’ll find Rockport, known for its well-preserved history. The Lincoln Pioneer Village and Museum is a must-see for history lovers. Rockport was where Abraham Lincoln called home during his childhood, and many of the buildings reflect what life was like for Lincoln during his early years. Visitors can explore a replica of the Lincoln Homestead Cabin, as well as an old church and schoolhouse.
Located along the banks of the Ohio River, there are plenty of opportunities to take in the beautiful riverside views in Rockport. Visitors can stop by Darlena's Lincolnland Restaurant for a bite to eat before heading out to enjoy the water views in Rockport. You can visit Rocky Side Park, which isn’t too far from the iconic Lincoln Landing Monument.
Alexandria
Are you ready for something a little out of the ordinary? The humble community of Alexandria is located in central Indiana, northeast of Indianapolis. This classic Midwestern town has all the staples you’d expect: the vintage Alexandria Movie Theatre, classic diners like Blueberry Hill Pancake House, and green spaces like Madison County Fairgrounds. What you may not expect to find in Alexandria is the World’s Largest Ball of Paint.
Located just west of central Alexandria, the World’s Largest Ball of Paint feels like a retro Route 66 landmark. However, it’s not just a museum attraction that you admire from afar and then move on. The giant paintball is an interactive experience where each visitor gets to add a new layer to the 10,500-pound ball suspended from the ceiling. Currently, the ball has around 29,000 layers of paint, and visiting the site allows you to be a part of its history!
Explore the Oddest Corners of the Crossroads of America
From jumbo jelly beans at the Wakarusa Dime Store to the artist colony in the “Little Smokies”, Indiana is full of surprises. Only in the Hoosier state can you see the World’s Largest Ball of Paint in Alexandria and add a new layer to become a part of its history. Sometimes, the most memorable trips are to towns that celebrate their quirky side. So, when you’re ready to travel slightly off the beaten path, these small Indiana communities are sure to make your travels through the Hoosier State memorable.
