Local Indie family activities and day trips?

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by DC 38

Holiday World is great. I can also get there in two hours coming from Indianapolis. The free drinks only adds to what is already a great park.

I would not waste any time at Kentucky Kingdom. Last time I was there, they charged to rent the inner tubes in the water park; and the water park is not even that great. They nickel and dime you for everything at Ky Kingdom. I never returned after my one and only visit there.

Besides Holiday World, it is still a much cheaper amusement park for this region. I haven't been in two years, but when I went, I never saw a charge for inner tubes? Even if there is, it is cheaper than Cedar Point, or Kings Island, which is more its competition in the Midwest (and other Six Flags parks in STL, Chicago, etc). Also, from what I hear, they did a multi million dollar renovation to the water park that makes it much better than Holiday World, etc. There is even a large kids area.

Water Park: Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom

[Toxic Toast]

Originally Posted by stx12499

I haven't been in two years, but when I went, I never saw a charge for inner tubes?

Water Park: Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom

Taken from the general information section of the link you provided:

TUBE RENTALS

Single tubes are available for rent.

When I went, it was something like 3 dollars to rent the freaking inner tube. Holiday World has free parking, free drinks, and better rides, IMO. I will happily drive the extra time to Holiday World every time given the choice. Actually, given the choice; I would visit Holiday World, King's Island, Cedar Point, and Six Flags STL all before I visit Ky Kingdom.

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by DC 38

Taken from the general information section of the link you provided:

TUBE RENTALS

Single tubes are available for rent.

When I went, it was something like 3 dollars to rent the freaking inner tube. Holiday World has free parking, free drinks, and better rides, IMO. I will happily drive the extra time to Holiday World every time given the choice. Actually, given the choice; I would visit Holiday World, King's Island, Cedar Point, and Six Flags STL all before I visit Ky Kingdom.

Guess we will agree to disagree. I think Six Flags in general is more family friendly than the coaster crazy Ohio parks (dont get me wrong, Cedar Point kills them all for mega coasters). 3 bucks stinks but is trivial when you consider the savings on the coke cans. The OP wanted to know more about family friendly things, and the Six Flags in Louisville is the closest to Indy (and the cheapest city with a six flags).

[Zoo Animals On Wheels]

Cincinnati Museum Center is 80 - 110 minutes away, depending upon where in the Indy area you are located.

Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal

It is actually three museums and an OMNIMax theater in the old Union Station Terminal (an amazing old building that would be fun to walk around in and gawk at even without the museums!). Admission is VERY reasonable IMO. For about the same cost as admission to Indy's Children's Museum you get access to Cincinnati's children's museum, museum of science and natural history, and museum of Cincinnati history, as well as the OMNIMax movie.

You can also get admission to just one museum, the theater, just three museums without the theater...basically, you can decide what you want to do and only pay for what you decide to buy a ticket for.

Some of the elaborate recreations reminded me of Universal Studios. The Museum of Science and Natural History even has a mock cave to walk through that feels very much like the real thing. The Cinti Museum of History lets you explore an old steamship, then walk through an old-fashioned "town." Very neat.

In the summertime, Cinti is a great place to go for the weekend, as there's also the Cincinnati Zoo, King's Island (in Mason about 20 miles away) and the Newport Aquarium in Newport, KY (also about 20 miles away).

One of the nice things about Indy is its proximity to other cities (no, that's not a backhanded compliment!).