Indiana travel guide: Indianapolis, the Indiana Dunes and Amish country

T By Thomas · Updated 21 October 2026 · 2 min read

Airports

Indianapolis (IND) via a US hub; or Chicago O'Hare (ORD), direct from Heathrow, about 1 hour to the Indiana Dunes and 3 hours to Indianapolis

Best time to go

May-October; the Indianapolis 500 is held in late May

Type

State

Indiana is quintessential Midwest: farmland, small towns, basketball obsession and friendly people. Its big draws are motor racing in Indianapolis, the sand dunes and beaches of Lake Michigan, and a slower pace of life in the Amish communities of the north and the wooded hills of the south.

It is rarely a first trip to the USA, but it pairs naturally with Chicago, whose airport is closer to much of northern Indiana than Indianapolis. For the wider picture, see our USA guide.

Things to do

1. Indianapolis Motor Speedway – home of the Indy 500 each May; the museum and track tours run much of the year.
2. Indianapolis – the Children's Museum (one of the largest in the world), the Eiteljorg Museum of Western and Native American art, the Canal Walk and a lively food scene.
3. Indiana Dunes National Park – beaches, dunes and hiking trails along Lake Michigan, with views of the Chicago skyline on clear days.
4. Amish Country – around Shipshewana and Nappanee, with farm stands, quilt shops, markets and horse-drawn buggies.
5. Brown County and Nashville, Indiana – rolling wooded hills, art galleries and fine autumn colour in the south.
6. Columbus – a small town famous for its modern architecture, with buildings by I.M. Pei, Eero Saarinen and others.
7. New Harmony – a historic utopian community on the Wabash River.
8. College basketball – catch a game at Indiana University in Bloomington or Purdue in West Lafayette.

Where to stay

• Downtown Indianapolis – walkable to museums, restaurants and sports venues. Prices soar during the Indy 500.
• Chesterton and the Dunes area – cottages and inns near the beaches.
• Shipshewana and Middlebury – country inns in Amish Country.
• Bloomington and Nashville – for Brown County's hills and the university town.

Getting there

There are no direct flights from the UK to Indiana. You can connect to Indianapolis (IND) via a US hub, or fly direct to Chicago O'Hare (ORD) and drive: around an hour to the Indiana Dunes and roughly three hours to Indianapolis. The South Shore Line train links downtown Chicago with the Dunes. A hire car is essential elsewhere. UK visitors need an ESTA.

Best time to visit

Late spring through early autumn is best. Summer is warm and good for the Lake Michigan beaches. Late May brings the Indy 500 and big crowds in Indianapolis. October is lovely in Brown County as the trees change colour. Winters are cold and grey, with snow in the north.

Top attractions in Indiana

Nature

Central Park

Manhattan's 843-acre green heart, with lakes, meadows, bridges and woodland stretching for 51 blocks between Midtown…

Landmark

Statue of Liberty

The copper colossus in New York Harbor, a gift from France in 1886, visited by ferry with Ellis Island on the same trip.

Indiana on the map

We research every guide carefully, but prices, opening times and timetables change. Check them shortly before you travel. Links to our booking partners are affiliate links.