Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Welcome back to Exploring America, state by state after the Great Lakes and car free islands of Michigan, today we're heading into Indiana, a state carrying real Midwestern heart in every small town and cornfield we pass along the way. Indiana is known as the Hoosier State, and while nobody quite agrees on the exact origin of that nickname, everyone agrees on what the state means to American culture, high school basketball obsession, the roar of the Indianapolis 500 and rolling farmland that turns genuinely spectacular come autumn. For anyone traveling by RV specifically, Indiana holds a special place since the town of Elkhart in the northern part of the state proudly calls itself the RV Capital of the World, building a huge share of the recreational vehicles currently on the road today. The Indiana Dunes Lakeshore Drive winds along Lake Michigan's southern shore, passing dramatic sand dunes and wetlands that most people never associate with the Midwest at all.
[00:00:59] Brown County's Scenic Byway, sometimes called Indiana's Little Smokies, climbs through forested hills that explode into color every fall, genuinely rivaling any Appalachian foliage. Drive further east, the Ohio River Scenic Byway traces the state's southern border, passing historic river towns and limestone bluffs above the water at nearly every bend. And Park County's Covered Bridge Route winds past more historic covered bridges than anywhere else in the country, earning the county its nickname as the Covered Bridge Capital of the World. Turkey Run State park hides sandstone canyons and hemlock forest that feel more like the Appalachians than typical Indiana farmland, with trails that duck beneath overhanging rock ledges. Marengo Cave offers an underground tour through massive limestone chambers most travelers never expect to find in the Midwest at all. Indiana Dunes national park protects towering sand dunes right along Lake Michigan with beaches that genuinely rival anything found on either coast. And Park County's covered bridges scattered across the countryside make for a genuinely peaceful self guided driving tour most travelers complete over a full leisurely day. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosts The legendary Indy 500 every Memorial Day weekend and even outside race day. The museum and track tours offer a genuine thrill for motorsports fans year round. The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, the largest children's museum in the world, packs dinosaur skeletons, space exhibits and hands on science into one genuinely impressive building. Amish country around Shipshewana in northern Indiana offers buggy rides, flea markets and homemade pie that draws visitors from across the entire Midwest and the West. Baden Springs Hotel, with its massive domed atrium, once billed as the eighth Wonder of the World, remains one of the most stunning historic hotels in the entire country.
[00:02:58] A few things worth knowing Indy 500 race weekend brings inflated parking and merchandise prices right around the track, so booking parking in advance and packing your own snacks saves real money on race day. Some Amish country shops cater heavily to tour bus crowds, so ask locally for the family run bakeries and craft shops that serve the actual community.
[00:03:22] And downtown Indianapolis restaurants right on Monument Circle tend to charge a premium compared to equally good spots just a few blocks away from the tourist core. Indiana is genuinely excellent RV territory with flat terrain and a well maintained interstate network including i65, i70 and i80 and 90 connecting every corner of the state efficiently. Elkhart, the RV Capital of the World, is genuinely worth a dedicated stop for RV travelers, specifically home to the RV hall of Fame and Museum, which traces the entire history of recreational vehicle travel in America. The flat, wide roads throughout most of the state make Indiana one of the easiest states on this entire trip to navigate with a larger rig for paid camping. Indiana Dunes State park offers a well maintained campground close to the beach and dune trails an easy, easy walk from the shoreline itself. Turkey Run State park provides a scenic wooded campground right alongside the canyons and hemlock forest for free or low cost. Camping the Hoosier National Forest in southern Indiana allows dispersed camping across large sections of public land, a genuinely generous free camping option for a state this centrally located, though specific rules vary by district and should be confirmed ahead of time. The West Baden Springs Hotel and its sister property, the French Lick Springs Hotel offer a genuinely grand historic resort experience, complete with golf, spas and mineral spring history dating back over a century. Brown county has a collection of cozy cabins and lodges tucked into the forested hills, perfect for a quiet fall foliage getaway away from the crowds and downtown Indianapolis offers everything from budget chains to upscale hotels within walking distance of the Speedway Museum and Monument Circle. Amtrak's Hoosier State and Cardinal lines connect Indianapolis to Chicago, though service runs limited compared to busier coastal corridors elsewhere in the country. The South Shore Line offers commuter rail service from northwest Indiana directly into downtown Chicago, a genuinely useful option for travelers based near the dunes. Beyond those specific routes, Indiana is largely a car dependent state, so plan on driving between most of your stops across the state. Indiana's food identity centers on hearty, homegrown comfort food. Sugar cream pie, the official state pie, is a simple custard like dessert that Hoosiers have been baking for generations at church suppers and family gatherings. The breaded pork tenderloin sandwich, famously oversized and hanging well past the edges of its bun, is a beloved diner staple found across the entire state.
[00:06:06] Sweet corn grown across Indiana's rich farmland shows up fresh at roadside stands throughout the summer months.
[00:06:14] And in Indianapolis, a shrimp cocktail at St. Elmo Steakhouse, famous for its intensely spicy horseradish sauce, is a genuine local rite of passage. Worth the trip alone. Tour the RV hall of Fame and Museum in Elkhart, a genuinely fascinating stop for anyone traveling this trip in an RV themselves.
[00:06:34] Take in a lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway either during race weekend or on a quieter track tour any other time of year.
[00:06:42] Wander the Shipshewana Flea Market in Amish country, one of the largest markets of its kind in the entire Midwest region, and drive the full Parket County Covered Bridge route during the annual Covered Bridge Festival each October, when the whole county celebrates its unique architectural history together.
[00:07:01] Summer brings warm beach days to Indiana Dunes, with Lake Michigan water temperatures peaking through July and August each year. The Indy 500 falls right at the edge of summer over Memorial Day weekend, drawing massive crowds to Indianapolis from around the country. And Brown County's hiking trails are lush and green all summer long, a nice contrast to the more famous fall foliage season most people associate with the area.
[00:07:27] Indiana runs genuinely affordable by national standards, with hearty diner meals often costing well under $15 and camping running 20 to $35 a night at most state parks. The West Baden Springs hotel and Indy 500 race weekend are the clear splurge exceptions, so budget those separately from your baseline travel costs. Overall, Indiana delivers strong value for a genuinely varied road trip across the state.
[00:07:54] Cell coverage is strong along the interstates and throughout Indiana's cities, with reliable signal for navigation and streaming in most populated areas of the state. Coverage drops a bit in the more rural farmland stretches and the Hoosier National Forest, so download offline maps before heading into those quieter regions. That's Indiana, a state holding motor speedway, thunder, covered bridges and the literal RV capital of the world all inside one genuinely welcoming set of borders. Next time we're heading into Kentucky, a state of bourbon distilleries, rolling horse farms and bluegrass music rooted deep in Appalachian tradition. Pack the cooler and I'll see you there.
