When you think of exciting RV camping locations, does Fort Wayne, Indiana come to mind? It should win a spot near the top of your list, because the things you’ll find to do with your family in Fort Wayne are the stuff of great vacation memories. To help you plan your trip, here are five ideas for creating a Fort Wayne adventure for the whole family:
Chain O’Lakes State Park, located just thirty miles north of Fort Wayne, features eight small fishing lakes and lots of outdoor adventure. You and the kids can hike the trails, canoe the waterways and fish the lakes for bass and bluegill. There’s also a nice campground that makes it easy for RV camping families to settle in for a comfortable stay.
Another delightful spot formed by rolling hills surrounding a tree-lined lake is Ouabache State Park, found about thirty miles south of Fort Wayne. Large and smallmouth bass, crappie and walleye are favorites with fishing fans on the park’s Kunkel Lake. Ride or hike the trails through the pines; this state park is scenic year-round. A large campground gives Fort Wayne area campers a reason to stretch out the vacation.
Like to combine family vacations with a little learning? The Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory, a lush spot in the heart of Fort Wayne, features both indoor and outdoor gardens for your RV camping crew to explore. The little ones will love the Discovery Gallery, where stories are read by volunteers and the trees can talk! Definitely a fun place to stop for nature-loving families.
And while you’re in Fort Wayne, look to the rivers for hiking and biking opportunities. The three rivers that flow through the city are lined by the Fort Wayne Rivergreenway. Twenty miles of joined trails run near historic sites like Johnny Appleseed’s gravesite and the historic Wells Street Bridge. Learn more and discover the trail right for you here.
One more place to take the kids for a day of history and fun is Historic Fort Wayne, located at the junction of the St. Marys, St. Joseph and Maumee Rivers. The original fort defended early settlers against tribes of Native Americans friendly to the British military. The replica fort now entertains and educates with re-enactments, special events and permanent exhibits on both early settlers and Native American tribes.
Doesn’t all this sound like the beginning of a memorable vacation? Plan to spend some time RV camping in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It’s an adventure the entire family will enjoy.
About the Author:
Joe Laing is the Marketing Director for El Monte RV Rentals. You can see more great RV vacation ideas in their Monty’s Musings RV Travel Blog and be sure to check out their RV Camping Pictures.
Kristen Guthrie is the Marketing Manager at Visit Fort Wayne, where she has the pleasure of sharing Fort Wayne with our potential visitors! She loves exploring downtown and taking her 5-year old son to the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo, where he knows more about the animals than she ever will!
Check out our amazing new video that showcases a great getaway in Fort Wayne, Indiana!
Spend a great day together in Fort Wayne, Indiana!
Kick off your day with a trip to Science Central, Indiana’s interactive science center. Have hands-on fun discovering the world around you!
After lunch, you’ll want to head to the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo, where you can enjoy an African Safari (feed giraffes and get nose-to-nose with a lion!), take a trek through the Australian Outback and explore an Indonesian Rain Forest! In addition, you’ll enjoy rides in every part of the zoo!
And then its time to head downtown, to the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory, where you can experience Tropical and Desert gardens in the heart of downtown Fort Wayne.
Of course, no matter when you come, there’s bound to be a special event or festival in store! Check out our Calendar of Events to see what’s going on when you’re in town!
And then finish your day at Parkview Field where you can enjoy watching the TinCaps play baseball at the “#1 Minor League Baseball Stadium in America!” With seats starting at just $5, it’s the perfect way to end a great day in Fort Wayne!
For more information, or to start planning your next getaway give us a call at 1-800-767-7752!
Kristen Guthrie is the Marketing Manager at Visit Fort Wayne, where she has the pleasure of sharing Fort Wayne with our potential visitors! She loves exploring downtown and taking her 5-year old son to the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo, where he knows more about the animals than she ever will!
I was born on Mother’s Day and my mom always used to tell me that she got the best present in the world on that special day. Now that I’m a mom, I wonder if she was gritting her teeth every time she said that to me. A baby is one of those “presents” that keeps giving, and not always in a good way. Okay, I’ll quit beating around the bush. Being a mother is hard work! So, every year I look forward to that wonderful second weekend in May that is mine, all mine. Yes, I celebrate the entire weekend. All mothers should!
One lucky lady stocks up at the Mothers Day Plant Sale.
This year my family is taking me to the Mother’s Day Plant Sale on Saturday. It’s located at the roomy McMillen Ice Arena, 3901 Abbott Street. I buy all of my vegetable starters, my herbs, my annuals, my perennials and my hanging baskets at this sale because the prices are amazing and the plants are extremely hardy. There’s a plant list at www.botanicalconservatory.com. The sale is Friday, Saturday and Sunday, but on Saturday there will be local gardeners on hand answering questions and talking about how to grow your own fresh food at home, starting with soil care, choosing plants, watering, and fertilizing.
Spend time with Mom at the Botanical Conservatory
Then, on Sunday, after the whole family helps me plant my trunk-load of goodies, they’re taking me to Mothers Day in the Garden at the Botanical Conservatory on Calhoun Street. Mother’s get in free! The Butterflies of Malaysia exhibit is in town and they’re hatching like crazy. I don’t know what’s more beautiful—the Cethosia cyane butterfly or the endless array of flowers growing inside and outside the Conservatory. There are fragrant blue petunias, hot pink cockscomb, yellow lantana, green and burgundy coleus and every color impatient you can imagine. I’ll wonder through the Desert and Tropical Gardens as well that day. Admission for the rest of the family is $5 for adults, $3 for children ages 3 – 7, and children 2 and under are free.
Doesn’t that sound like the perfect weekend for a tired, greatly appreciated mom?
Natalie Eggeman is the Public Information Officer for the Fort Wayne Parks & Recreation Department. After working behind the scenes in TV news for 16 years, and spending six more years producing videos in the financial services industry, Natalie feels right at home around local media, or anyone carrying a video camera. She’s a perfect fit for Parks & Recreation because she loves staying active playing tennis and riding her bike on the Rivergreenway. For more information about Fort Wayne Parks & Recreation, visit www.fortwayneparks.org.
I’ve always admired the beauty and grace of butterflies. Who doesn’t? But until I did a little research for this blog, I didn’t spend much time thinking about what those butterflies are doing as they flutter about their business, besides providing me with a flash of nature’s charm. I discovered those graceful movements are keeping them alive. Butterflies are very near-sighted like most insects, so they need to rely on their other senses for food, to mate and to avoid their enemies. Did you know that butterflies have a great sense of smell even though they don’t have a nose? They have sense receptors in their antennae, their feet and other parts of their body. They hear sounds through their wings, and they taste with their feet. Isn’t that crazy? I’ll never look at a butterfly the same way again.
See butterflies up close this summer.
With all this new knowledge, I can’t wait to visit the Butterflies of Malaysia Exhibit coming to Fort Wayne’s Botanical Conservatory. This butterfly display, from April 14 – July 8, will feature butterflies from Southeast and Central Asia, along with the Asian countries of Australia, Burma, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Asian butterflies are well known for their magnificent wingspans ranging from 3 to 6 inches and sometimes up to 8 inches!
The butterflies will be under an enclosed canopy in the Conservatory. You can go inside and stroke their wings and let them land gently on your finger. Or, just have a seat on a bench and observe the habits and the movements of these amazing insects. You can even watch them hatch at the Emergence Laboratory as they come out from the chrysalises to begin their lives as adult butterflies.
Get up close - and hands on - with these beauties
After you carefully leave the tent with the help of an attendant, who will make sure you don’t take any butterflies home with you on your clothes, you and the kids can enjoy hands-on activities that will help you learn more about the natural world experienced by a butterfly. And don’t forget to explore the gardens before you leave. In the demonstration beds outside the tent, visitors will be able to observe horticultural plantings and techniques for late spring and summer flowers such as ageratum, begonias, butterfly bush, caladium, coleus, croton, dianthus, gerbera daisies, kalanchoe, petunias, primula, oxalis, salvia, sabiosia, stock, verbena, and many other plants for our Midwestern climate. W0w – it’s time for me to do some more research because I have no idea what most of those flowers are!
The Desert Garden and Tropical Garden will also be open for your enjoyment as well, and admission to the entire building is the regular Conservatory fee of $5 for adults, $3 for children ages 3 – 7, and children 2 and under are free.
Natalie Eggeman is the Public Information Officer for the Fort Wayne Parks & Recreation Department. After working behind the scenes in TV news for 16 years, and spending six more years producing videos in the financial services industry, Natalie feels right at home around local media, or anyone carrying a video camera. She’s a perfect fit for Parks & Recreation because she loves staying active playing tennis and riding her bike on the Rivergreenway. For more information about Fort Wayne Parks & Recreation, visit www.fortwayneparks.org.
When you find yourself in downtown Fort Wayne for either work or play, there are definitely a variety of things to do and places to go.
However, if you find you need a moment of peace while you’re here, there are plenty of options open to you for taking a well-deserved break. My top five favorites are:
1. The Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory: Situated in the heart of downtown, the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory provides visitors with a chance to stop and let the world go by, while taking in the sights and scents of natural, floral beauty. Wander casually through their Showcase Garden with featured seasonal displays, take in the beautiful Tropical Garden with gorgeous orchids and a soothing waterfall, or enjoy the serenity of the Desert Garden. Visit the Botanical Conservatory Tuesday – Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. The Conservatory is closed on Mondays, New Year’s Day and Christmas Day. Admission is $5 adults, children (age 3-17) $3; children age 2 and under admitted free.
The Allen County Public Library offers a peaceful stop - and a Dunkin' Donuts on site!
2. The Fort Wayne Museum of Art also offers a quiet respite in the middle of the city. Walk the whisper-quiet galleries at your own pace, taking in exhibitions and collections designed to provoke thought, insight or amusement. The museum is located at 311 Main Street, and is open Tuesday – Saturday, 11a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Art Museum is closed on Mondays and major holidays. Admission is $5 adults, $3 for students Kindergarten through college and $10 for families. The museum offers free admission on Sundays and Thursdays.
3. If you’re looking for a different kind of quiet, check out the Allen County Public Library. Make a quick stop at Dunkin’ Donuts (conveniently located adjacent to the southeast entrance) to pick up a treat and your favorite hot or icy beverage. The library’s main hall alone is worth the time to walk and explore. The two-story open area is home to a larger-than-life wall mural featuring inspirational quotes from some of the world’s most profound thinkers. Wander the departments, peruse a book or two or check out the featured exhibits on display. The main library is open Monday – Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. (Please note the main library is closed on Sundays from May 27, 2012 to September 1, 2012. You can find the library at 900 Library Plaza (bordered by Wayne St., Ewing St. and Washington Blvd.)
Beautiful Freimann Square offers downtown serenity, despite being only steps away from busy Main Street
4. We’ve all heard jokes about the fickle tendencies of Indiana weather: “If you don’t like it, wait a minute and it’ll change,” and the weather in Fort Wayne is no exception. However, if you’re lucky enough to have a little bit of time on a pleasant day, visit Freimann Square. This fountain-adorned park offers a surprising amount of serenity despite being only steps away from busy Main Street. Pick a bench and enjoy cool shade or the full-on warmth of the sun, bring your lunch or enjoy a book. Freimann Square is located on the west side of the Arts United Center/Fort Wayne Civic Theatre. (Parking entrance accessible from South Clinton St.)
5. Finally, tucked into former firehouse number 3 – located at 226 W. Washington Blvd. – is the Fort Wayne Firefighter’s Museum. Station 3 was closed in 1972, and within a couple of years, plans were being made to turn the building into a museum full of local history. Years of work ensued, and the museum opened on a limited basis in 1981. In 2001 a staff was hired and regular hours took effect. The equipment and memorabilia in the museum were all once used by the Fort Wayne Fire Department, and were generously donated by the firefighters and their families. The museum is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The museum is closed Wednesdays, Sundays and most holidays. Admission is $4 adults, seniors and students (K-12) $3. Children 5 and under are free.
What about you? Are there any downtown quiet spots that you’d recommend?
Rebecca Cameron is a non-native Fort Wayne resident, but has lived here for half her life. She currently works in corporate communications, and has over a decade of freelance writing experience as a contributor to local, regional and national publications. When she is not working or writing, she helps her husband keep six children (ranging in age from 2 to 19) on their radar. When she finds any other free time, she enjoys running, knitting and keeping up her blog, Back to Square One at www.squareonemom.blogspot.com
