Vacations For Families
With plenty of activities for kids and adults alike, you can have a variety of adventures and still have the serenity of a peaceful and relaxing retreat.
A Brown County Family Vacation
Brown County is the perfect place to spend a week reconnecting with your family. There’s so much to love….horseback riding, gem mining, and of course the ice cream!
Day 1
Morning: Arrive at the Abe Martin Lodge for your family vacation, a hotel located in the Brown County State Park complete with a 12,000 square foot aquatic center. After settling in, go ahead and take the kids to the aquatic center where they can have fun going down the water slide, while you relax in the whirlpool with the waterfall. A great way to start a relaxing vacation!
Afternoon: After all that swimming, everyone is sure to be hungry. Stay close and go eat at the Little Gem Restaurant at Abe Martin Lodge. You can enjoy the inside for its rustic charm and the outside patio for a great view of the woods and park. Spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the park. There’s hiking, horseback riding, fishing, great views, and a Nature Center all right inside the park.
Evening: Venture outside the park for dinner at one of our several restaurants in the Village of Nashville and homemade fudge or gelato at the Nashville Fudge Kitchen (and make sure you bring some back for later too of course!)
Day 2
Morning: Arrive early for a delicious breakfast at one of our Village of Nashville restaurants such as the Hob Nob Corner Restaurant or Muddy Boots Café. Stop by the Visitors Center for a map of the Village, menus of all the local restaurants, and expert advice from the friendly staff members. Now it’s off on a shopping adventure! Start north for specialty shops such as Life is Good and the Holly Shop (where it’s Christmas all year round!)
Afternoon: Stop and rest for lunch. If you are a Hoosier fan, you’ve got to check out That Sandwich Shop; it’s filled with Hoosier and Bob Knight paraphernalia. The owner is a friend of Bob Knight – how cool is that? Not into the Hoosiers? It’s ok, we still like you (kind of). There’s plenty of other places to eat, like Harvest Moon with yummy calzones and pizzas or the Ice Cream Cottage with their delectable “Walking Taco” (which won the People’s Choice Award at the 4th Annual Taste of Brown County in 2011). There’s still plenty more shops to hit, but first, take some time for the kids to do gem mining at the Copperhead Creek Mining Company, which is located right smack in the middle of the Village. They will love it!
Evening: Wind down after your full day of shopping and roaming the Village at the Big Woods Pizza Company, which features 5 different kinds of craft beers for mom and dad, and a delicious variety of gourmet pizzas that kids and parents will love. Sometimes there’s even local music to enjoy while you eat your dinner.
Day 3
Morning/Afternoon: Following breakfast, go to the Brown County IGA for some picnic lunch items (Grab some coffee at McDonalds if you need it!) and head on out to T.C. Steele State Historic Site on State Road 46 West, the last home and studio of Indiana artist Theodore Clement Steele and his second wife Selma Neubacher Steele. Steele was attracted to Brown County by the scenery he encountered while hiking in the area. He purchased the land that now comprises the T.C. Steele State Historic built a home to what became known as the "House of the Singing Winds." Enjoy a peaceful picnic at your own secluded spot in or around the area. Be inspired and make sure you take your camera/ art materials to create your own artwork at one of the many gorgeous spots around the area.
Evening: Rest and enjoy the State Park some more, as well as the aquatic center!
Day 4
Morning/afternoon: Driving day! Spend the day scouting out all the artists that have studios in different parts of the county or pick up a map from the Visitors Center and go visit several covered bridges on the Covered Bridge Loop. It’s a scenic drive no matter which way you go! Want a good ole country breakfast to start your family out right? Visit the Gatesville Country Store on Salt Creek Road for some awesome biscuits and gravy.
Evening: Finish a great day with dinner and performing arts!
Day 5
Morning/Afternoon/Evening: Ready for some adventures? Go Holler Hoppin’ Zip Lining or Horseback Riding at Rawhide Ranch, rent canoes/kayaks at Most High Adventures for the family to paddle down Salt Creek, or have some fun at Paintball Valley and on an ATV Tour at Explore Brown County at Valley Branch Retreat. Yellowwood State Forest is 23,326 acres of horse and hiking trails, gold panning, fishing, hunting, and a lake.
Day 6
Morning/Afternoon: Wanting to do some more shopping? Spend more time in the Village of Nashville or go to Edinburgh Premium Outlets in Edinburgh, which is only about 30-40 minutes away and is packed with department outlet stores.
Evening: Go south a little bit for some upscale Hoosier cuisine at Story Inn, a beautiful restored 19th century town that has been in “one inconvenient location since 1851.”
*Has your day turned rainy? Click here for more indoor activities.
