Indiana is landlocked, which has never stopped anyone from wanting a beach day the minute it gets hot. Across the state, families can find spring-fed quarry lakes, old-school lake water parks and floating obstacle courses built for kids who would rather climb, balance and cannonball than wade. A few are full-on Indiana water parks; others are quarry swimming spots or lake adventure parks worth the drive.
Here are six Indiana swimming holes and lake adventure parks to consider this summer, starting closest to Indianapolis and working outward. Some make an easy day trip from Indy, while others are better saved for a full-day adventure or weekend getaway.
1. Skylake Adventures
Closest to Indy of the six and also the newest, Skylake Adventures is a lake-based adventure park in Sheridan, just north of Grand Park. It is built around a six-acre white-sand lake with floating obstacle courses, water slides, beach areas and kayak and paddleboard rentals. This is more climb, balance and splash than float quietly in the shallow end, so it suits kids, tweens, teens and adults who want to move.
Good to Know
- Address: 22105 Dunbar Road, Sheridan, IN 46069
- Best for: Active kids, tweens, teens and adults who are comfortable in open water
- Hours: Open daily through the summer, weather permitting, with daily hours posted on the park’s website
- Admission: $55 for ages 10 and up and $50 for ages 4 to 9
- Parking: $15 per vehicle
- Know before you go: Reservations are required. Guests must be at least 4 years old and know how to swim. Everyone in the water wears a Skylake-issued life jacket, and guests cannot bring their own. Anyone under 14 needs an adult along.
2. Hidden Paradise Campground
Hidden Paradise CampgroundHidden Paradise Campground sits about an hour southeast of downtown Indianapolis in St. Paul. The swimming happens in Dream Lake, a spring-fed quarry about 20 feet deep and ringed by limestone cliffs. The designated swimming area has a floating trampoline, an obstacle course, a jumping platform and a slide, along with a large dock and open water. There is no cliff jumping, which is worth saying out loud before anyone gets ideas.
Good to Know
- Address: 802 E. Jefferson St., St. Paul, IN 47272
- Best for: Families who want quarry swimming with inflatables and the option to camp overnight
- Hours: Water activities run 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the swimming season
- Admission: Day passes are $20 for ages 13 and up, $15 for ages 4 to 12 and free for ages 3 and under. Non-swimming adults are $10.
- Know before you go: Life jackets are required and are included with admission, or guests can bring their own. Campers staying overnight swim at a lower rate. Paddleboats and kayaks are available to rent.
3. France Park
About 90 minutes north in Cass County, France Park centers on a clear quarry lake with a sandy swimming area and limestone cliffs around it. Beyond swimming, the park has 15 miles of trails for hiking and biking, fishing at Elzbeck Lake, disc golf, mini golf and more than 200 campsites.
Good to Know
- Address: 4505 W. U.S. 24, Logansport, IN 46947
- Best for: Families who want a quarry swim day with camping, trails and extra park activities
- Hours: Swimming runs Memorial Day weekend through after Labor Day weekend, with swim hours ending at 8 p.m. daily during the season
- Admission: $5 per-person gate fee, which covers beach and swimming access
- Know before you go: Kayaks are permitted only when scuba divers are not present.
4. Pine Lake Water Park & Beach
Family-run since 1922, Pine Lake Water Park & Beach is about two hours away in Berne and combines lake swimming with old-school water park rides. There are water slides, a splash pad, a log walk, a cable ride across the water and a jump tower with 10-, 20- and 30-foot platforms, plus a zero-entry area and smaller slides for little kids.
Good to Know
- Address: 4640 W. State Road 218, Berne, IN 46711
- Best for: Families who want a classic lake water park with options for little kids and strong swimmers
- Season: Opens May 23 and runs through Labor Day, with weekends-only hours during the final two weeks of August
- Hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday
- Admission: $12 for ages 10 and up, $10 for ages 4 to 9 and free for ages 3 and under
- Know before you go: Tickets are sold on-site, and online booking is not required. Deep-water attractions, including the tower, cable ride and lily pads, begin closing around 6 p.m.
5. Old Ben Aqua Park
Old Ben Aqua Park sits in Winslow, about two hours southwest of Indianapolis and less than an hour from Evansville. The park bills itself as Indiana’s largest inflatable water park, with a 300-by-150-foot floating obstacle course on a lake plus paddleboards, kayaks, pedal boats and canoes to rent. The beach area has sand volleyball, a 40-by-25-foot jump pad, a bounce house and games. Worth knowing before you go: there is a shallow wading area at the edge of the beach to cool off, but no designated swimming area, and everyone on the course wears a life jacket. The park also has a high ropes course and climbing wall, called the Dome, and laser tag.
Good to Know
- Address: 5735 E. County Road 175 N, Winslow, IN 47598
- Best for: Older kids, teens and adults who want a floating obstacle course more than a traditional swim area
- Hours: Friday through Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.
- Aqua Park admission: $18 for a one-hour session, which includes 55 minutes on the course, or $36 for an all-day pass
- Non-participants: $5 beach pass; free for ages 3 and under
- Parking: Free
- Know before you go: Participants must be at least 7 years old, at least 45 inches tall and under 250 pounds to use the inflatables. Anyone 14 and under needs an adult along. Watercraft rentals are $5 per half hour. The Dome is $22.50 per hour, laser tag is $8 per 30 minutes and a bundle of all three saves 25%.
6. WhoaZone at Whihala Beach
The farthest of the six and the only one on Lake Michigan, WhoaZone at Whihala Beach sits in Whiting, about two and a half hours northwest of Indianapolis near Chicago. The draw is a floating Wibit obstacle course on the lake, with places to jump, slide, bounce and climb. Families can also use the public Whihala Beach area, rent shaded seating and grab food at the on-site SnackZone.
Good to Know
- Address: 1561 Park Road, Whiting, IN 46394
- Best for: Families who want a Lake Michigan day trip with an added water-adventure course
- Season: June 6 through Aug. 16
- Hours: Open daily 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., weather permitting
- Admission: A Single Splash is $23 for 50 minutes on the obstacle course. Additional sessions are $10 each, and an All Day Splash is $55.
- Parking: Whihala Beach parking is metered and starts at $6 per hour, credit card only
- Know before you go: Participants must be at least 7 years old, over 45 inches tall and able to swim unassisted. Everyone on the aqua park wears a provided life jacket, and a waiver is required. Whihala Beach is public, so tickets are only needed for guests using the WhoaZone aqua park. Advance booking is strongly encouraged.
Whatever you pick, check each spot’s current hours, rates, water conditions and weather rules before you load the car. For more ways to keep everyone cool, see our guide to splash pads in Indianapolis, our list of free things to do in Indianapolis and the rest of our things to do in Indianapolis with kids.
