I know you remember the feeling of going to school on field trip day. You weren't tired and groaning, wishing you were still in bed; instead, you were slightly excited and skipping a little as you hopped onto the bus for field trip day. Field trips are one of the most exciting part of a kid's school year, and Indiana has some amazing field trip destinations.
In case you've forgotten, here are 11 amazing field trips you likely took as a kid that you'll want to revisit immediately.
1. Conner Prairie - Fishers
Conner Prairie was a staple field trip destination for most kids in Indiana. Conner Prairie showed kids what life was like before most modern advances and includes places like Prairietown (set in the 1830s), the Civil War Journey, and the Balloon Voyage.
2. Holiday World - Santa Claus
Every Hoosier kids got super excited when learning one of their field trips would be to the infamous Holiday World. With amazing characters, thrilling rides, an awesome water park, and free soda, Holiday World was the ultimate Indiana field trip destination.
3. Fort Wayne Zoo - Fort Wayne
The Fort Wayne Zoo is a favorite field trip spot for many kids (though southern Hoosiers might have gone to the Mesker Park Zoo and central Hoosiers to the Indy Zoo). At zoos, get to partake in mini-classes, learn more about geography, science, and culture, and, of course, take in a wide array of animals. Rekindle your childlike wonder by returning to the Fort Wayne Zoo.
4. The Children's Museum of Indianapolis - Indianapolis
This award winning, world renowned museum was the ideal stop for fun, learning, and inspiring creativity. Children could explore dinosaur exhibits and so much more. The exhibits have only gotten better with time, so take a trip down memory lane and swing by to rediscover your inner child.
5. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore - Chesterton
While you might have only been lucky enough to visit this gorgeous state park and beach if you lived in northwestern Indiana, the kids who went always had a blast. If you've never been, you should definitely check it out.
6. Richmond Art Museum - Richmond
Anyone in eastern Indiana can attest that this museum is highly underrated. Not only does the Richmond Art Museum have a wide variety of art galleries, but they also have a ton of interactive activities for kids, making this place a field trip favorite.
7. CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center - Terre Haute
Sometimes, the best field trips are the ones that move you. When Hoosier students read The Diary of Anne Frank and were learning about the Holocaust in history class, a field trip to the CANDLES Holocaust Museum became the perfect companion. While certainly a field trip for older students, this experience is an extremely profound one.
8. New York Central Railroad Museum - Elkhart
What kid isn't excited by trains? The New York Central Railroad Museum allowed children to explore trains through role playing games, a toy train layout exploration, and of course, time spent playing on real trains. Lucky students got to learn all about railroads and trains past on these fun-filled field trips.
9. WonderLab - Bloomington
What better way was there to understand science than by visiting WonderLab Museum in Bloomington? This amazing hands-on museum let you find the fun in science through interactive learning and student experiments. While it's a relatively newer place (21 years old), I bet plenty of young Hoosiers were still lucky enough to score fields trips here.
10. Rotary Jail Museum - Crawfordsville
This historical museum was once a working jail, and is one of three rotary jails in the US. What makes this jail special, however, is that it still turns. Students who went on this field trip were able to learn more about the role of jails in history, while taking in this building's unique construction and design. Plus, you never misbehaved on this field trip!
11. Clifty Falls State Park - Madison
Those able to go on this awesome field trip likely lived in southern or eastern Indiana. Including awesome nature exhibits, a stunning waterfall, and informational hikes, this field trip was all about encouraging kids to get outdoors and explore.
Feeling nostalgic yet? Don't worry, you can still visit all of these incredible destinations. Which of these awesome field trips did you get to take in school? Were there any memorable field trips you took that were left off this list? Let us know!
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