These 10 Towns In Indiana Were Ranked Among US Favorites In 2025

Known commonly as the Hoosier State, the rugged midwestern state of Indiana is known best for the city of Indianapolis, home to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Central Canal, and the Indianapolis Zoo. Yet there are a plethora of smaller towns, as Indianapolis has almost a million residents, that possess their own unique attractions. From French Lick and its mineral springs to quaint Corydon and its historic downtown, fun and excitement await everyone in Indiana. Whether you are visiting with friends, with family, or even alone, these ten towns in the Hoosier State are some of the favorites within the United States.

French Lick - Orange County

Situated at the bottom of the state, only an hour south of the city of Bloomington, French Lick, Indiana, has an abundance of varied activities for all ages. Big Splash Adventure Park offers everything from a phenomenal water park to laser tag to mini-golf to a luxury resort. There are also several other options at Big Splash Adventure, including a seaside market, an arcade, and an on-site restaurant.

Some other attractions in the town of French Lick include the West Baden Museum, showcasing a circus diorama, as well as informational history on basketball star Larry Bird. There are also some great golf courses in the vicinity. The Donald Ross course was first constructed in 1917, while the Pete Dye course is one of over two hundred constructed by Pete Dye.

Shipshewana - LaGrange County

Home to the largest outdoor market in the Midwest, Shipshewana Flea Market, the quaint town of Shipshewana, situated an hour or so east of South Bend, Indiana, is home to several other great sights, like Blue Gate Restaurant & Theater, offering some exceptional musicals and concerts, as well as delicious Amish cooking within a country setting.

Along with the largest outdoor market, Shipshewana is home to a wealth of great shopping locales, like Yoder’s and Davis Mercantile, the former offering everything from fabrics & clothing to hardware & tools to meats & cheeses, and the latter possessing over twenty different stores on four different floors. Some of these stores include Millie’s Market & Cafe and Jojo’s Pretzels.

Auburn - DeKalb County

Auburn, thirty minutes north of Fort Wayne, is known for its many auto museums. These include Duesenberg Auto Museum, the Ford V-8 Museum, and the National Automotive and Truck Museum. NATMUS has several antique vehicles on display, including a 1903 Ford Model A. At Duesenberg, one can see the 2025 Corvette ZR1. The Ford V-8 Museum showcases many Fords, including a Flathead V-8 from 1923.

Auburn is also home to the Greenhurst Commons, 110 acres of nature preserve with several trails, including a scenic two-mile-long paved trail around a quaint pond, for those who wish to see beauty in nature. Eckhart Park, which is 10 acres of land off Cedar Street, features volleyball, disc golf, and playground options. They also have two picnic pavilions, for those who want to spend a casual day outside with friends or family.

Peru - Miami County

An hour and a half north of Indianapolis, the small town of Peru is home to several great museums, including the Grissom Air Museum and the Miami County Museum. Miami County Museum possesses over 75,000 items, including a 1/6th scale model of one of the Wright Brothers’ creations hanging from the ceiling. Grissom Air Museum has twenty different aircraft, including a Bell UH-1H Iroquois military helicopter.

Along with the historic attractions within the town of Peru, several great options cater to the wonders of nature. Mississinewa Lake, ten miles from Grissom Air Museum and twenty minutes from downtown Peru, offers sunny beaches, fishing, hiking, and camping. The Circus Hall of Fame also calls Peru home, with inductees including the Ringling Brothers in 1961 and famous clown Barry Lubin in 2016.

Vincennes - Knox County

The town of Vincennes, along the banks of the Wabash River, is home to around 15,000 people. From the Indiana Military Museum, featuring some historically accurate war reenactments from the two World Wars and the Vietnam War, to the William Henry Harrison Mansion, also called Grouseland due to the amount of Grouse in the area at the time, history is alive and thriving in Vincennes.

There are also several attributes relating to culture and the arts within the town of Vincennes, including the Red Skelton Museum of American Comedy. This rather unique museum features everything from household artifacts to awards to his many recordings, scrapbooks, and sheet music. Vincennes Historic Site also covers a great historic aspect to Vincennes, protecting several old buildings, including Fort Knox II, built in 1803 over the banks of the mighty Wabash.

Madison - Jefferson County

Less than fifteen minutes from Madison, Clifty Falls State Park, along the Ohio River, is the ideal place to take a vacation from the hectic bustle back home. With four phenomenal falls, including 60-foot Big Clifty, 60-foot Little Clifty, 83-foot Tunnel, and 78-foot Hoffman, as well as numerous trails around the waterfalls, the scenic beauty of nature is everywhere in Clifty Falls State Park.

Even closer to downtown, the town of Madison is home to several historic aspects, including the historic district of Madison, which features several old buildings, like Lanier Mansion, most of which were first constructed before the American Civil War, and the Railroad Station Museum. This informational museum is within the restored railroad station from the end of the 1800s. They even have a recently restored caboose.

Nashville - Brown County

The quaint town of Nashville, not to be mistaken for its cousin in Tennessee, has a plethora of great attractions. Home to the Yellowwood State Forest, with twenty thousand acres of fishing, camping, hiking, and boating options, and including Brown County State Park, with its own share of amenities like cabin rentals and an Olympic-sized swimming pool, Nashville might be just the place to visit this year.

The town of Nashville is also quite near several awesome wineries, including Cedar Creek, Bear Wallow, and Country Heritage. Brown County and the town of Nashville also have several establishments catering to the magic of the arts, including Brown County Music Center, the Brown County Antique Mall, Brown County Playhouse, and the Brown County Art Gallery.

Franklin - Johnson County

Home of much that makes a town worth visiting, including several great museums, the town of Franklin is a wonder to see with friends, family, or even alone. The Johnson County Museum of History has a variety of displays, including information on pioneer settlers, the Victorian era, and the Fabulous Fifties. Camp Atterbury Museum has an awe-inspiring collection of military paraphernalia, like seventy-plus years of uniforms, photographs, and artifacts from as early as World War II.

The cultural and natural attributes in Franklin are also great for all ages. From Youngs Creek Park, which has the largest playground in town, to Franklin Halloween Town, a fun and exciting festival held annually in October with events such as Rock the Block walk, Howl-oween Pet Costume contest, and the Halloween Hustle 5K, the thrill of adventure is around every corner.

Angola - Steuben County

On the Ohio border and five minutes south of Pokagon State Park, offering hiking through the Hell’s Point Challenge, swimming, fishing, and boating on Lake James, and camping overnight or even for the weekend, the town of Angola is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. If you like being outside but not necessarily in the woods, Angola is also home to some awesome golf courses, including Glendarin Hills and Lake James.

Some in-town features of Angola include Commons Park, Fireman’s Park, and Lion’s Park. They also have some comfortable lodging and some delicious dining options in town. Sutton’s Deli is on the Public Square, while Village Kitchen is out on Superior Street. The Potawatomi Inn, situated right along the banks of Lake James, has 126 rooms and 12 cabins. It even offers its own dining facility, Lakeview Restaurant.

Corydon - Harrison County

The quaint town of Corydon, thirty minutes outside of Louisville, Kentucky, is home to several great natural attractions. One of the largest would be O’Bannon Woods State Park, which is fifteen minutes to the west of downtown. With some awesome amenities, like fishing, hiking, and biking along the Ohio River, this scenic state park has something for all ages, including camping overnight.

Corydon is also home to several historic sites, including the site where Corydon became the first capital of Indiana, the site where the Battle of Corydon occurred during the American Civil War, and the Harrison County Discovery Center. The Discovery Center, right across from the Corydon Capital State Historic Site, is considered to be one of the most unique museums in Indiana.

Whether you yearn to experience what it was like to fight in World War I in Vincennes or want to hike Hell’s Point Challenge in Pokagon State Park in Angola, the grand midwestern state of Indiana is worth visiting. From tiny towns like French Lick, home of Larry Bird, to slightly larger Franklin, home of a plethora of parks and museums, these ten towns in Indiana surpass most others in natural, historic, and cultural values.