summer travel

Indiana train rides come in a few flavors: full-day scenic excursions, short caboose rides for younger kids and tiny zoo trains that do the job before someone asks for a snack. This summer, families have several good options across the state, from scenic railroads near historic small towns to miniature trains built for the preschool crowd. Some of these are true destination outings. Others are better as an add-on to a zoo day, park visit or weekend trip. For more warm-weather ideas, check out our guide to summer activities around Indianapolis and our list of Indiana day trips. Scenic Train Rides and Rail Adventures in Indiana Nickel Plate Express Arcadia Caboose Rides Where: Arcadia Depot, 107 W. South St., Arcadia, IN 46030 Summer ride: 30-minute Arcadia Caboose Ride aboard a 1956 Monon caboose Tickets: $15 adults, $12 children ages 3–12 and seniors, ages 2 and under free without a seat For Indianapolis-area families, Nickel Plate Express is one of the easiest ways to get a train fix without turning the day into a full production. The summer ride is short, all ages and built around the real clickety-clack experience inside a historic caboose. This is the pick for kids who want the train, the horn and the bragging rights, but may not be ready for a five-hour excursion. Good to know: Boarding is from the street at the Arcadia Depot, and guests need to manage stairs, gravel and uneven ground. Nickel Plate notes that the caboose can be loud, so hearing protection is a smart call for younger riders or kids with sound sensitivities. Whitewater Valley Railroad Where: Connersville Grand Central Station, 455 Market St., Connersville, IN 47331 Summer ride: Valley Flyer, most Saturdays and Sundays May through October Tickets: $27 adults, $16 children ages 2–12 The Whitewater Valley Railroad is one of the bigger Indiana train rides on this list, with a five-hour round trip from Connersville to Metamora and a two-hour layover in the historic canal town. Trains depart at 12:01 p.m. on most Saturdays and Sundays, which is either charmingly precise or very on-brand for a railroad. Families can also look at the Valley Voyager, a seven-hour round trip with a longer Metamora layover on select Saturdays, and the Wild West Special, which runs on select summer dates with the Circle D Rangers. This is a better fit for kids who can handle a longer outing and parents who want the train ride to be the whole day, not just one stop on the itinerary. French Lick Scenic Railway Where: 8594 W. State Road 56, French Lick, IN 47432 Summer ride: Scenic Train Ride, with date-specific departures listed on the railway calendar Tickets: Starting at $24 adults ages 12 and up, $18 children ages 2–11 and $22 seniors 55 and up. Open-air seating is $32 per person. French Lick Scenic Railway gives families a Southern Indiana ride through hills, rock cuts and the edge of the Hoosier National Forest. The standard scenic ride passes a lake and goes through the Burton Tunnel, which the railroad describes as the second-longest railroad tunnel in Indiana at just under a half-mile. The depot is in the heart of French Lick, so this one works well as part of a weekend trip. The railway recommends picking up physical tickets at Will Call before boarding, and the train typically begins boarding 15 minutes before departure. Translation: this is not the morning to test whether the kids can find their shoes in under four minutes. Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum Where: 507 Mulberry St., North Judson, IN 46366 Summer ride: Diesel excursions on Saturdays and select Sundays, May through September Tickets: $14 adults ages 16 and up, $10 children ages 3–15, ages 2 and under free on a parent or guardian's lap Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum in North Judson offers 45-minute diesel excursions through rural Starke and southern LaPorte counties. Families can choose open-air, coach or limited first-class seating, depending on what is available. From May through August, regular train times are 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. This one is especially good for railfan kids who want more than just the ride. The museum itself is part of the draw, with historic equipment and a working railroad setting. All train times are Central Time, and Hoosier Valley asks guests to arrive at least 30 minutes early. There are no working restrooms on the train, so make the depot stop count. Indiana Rail Experience Ice Cream Train Where: 611 W. Maumee St., Angola, IN 46703 Summer ride: One-hour Indiana Ice Cream Train with complimentary Scoops Ice Cream included with every ticket. The July 5 trips are steam-powered behind Nickel Plate Road No. 765. Tickets: $25 adults and $15 children in deluxe coach, ages 3 and under free on a lap. Other seating classes are available. The Ice Cream Train is one of the easiest Indiana train rides to sell to kids this summer, especially on July 5, when a 1944 steam locomotive does the pulling. The ride is short enough for younger kids, the ice cream is included and the seating runs from climate-controlled deluxe coach to open-window family tables for families who want the breeze. This is a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Indianapolis, so plan accordingly. The Indiana Rail Experience also runs the Indiana Picnic Train on May 2 and Aug. 1, and the Hillsdale Traveler diesel excursion across several summer dates if a different ride fits better. Hesston Steam Museum Where: 1201 E. 1000 North, Hesston, IN 46350 Summer ride: Weekend train rides, noon to 5 p.m. Central Time Tickets: Open-air coach train fare is $9 for adults over age 13 and $5 for children under 13. Special event trains use premium pricing. Hesston Steam Museum is a Northwest Indiana pick for families who want the sound, smell and mechanics of steam. The museum has multiple railroad experiences, including a narrow-gauge railroad that runs over a two-mile line through woods, past farms and up grades, plus smaller miniature railway rides. The museum is open on weekends from noon to 5 p.m. Central Time, with open-air train departures at frequent intervals. It is not close to Indianapolis, but it makes sense for families already headed toward Michigan City, New Buffalo or the Indiana Dunes area. Short Zoo Train Rides for Younger Kids Indiana Live Steamers Where: McClain Station on Cabin Street, inside Johnson County Park, 2949 North St., Nineveh, IN 46164 Summer ride: Public run days begin Saturday, May 16 and continue on the third Saturday of each month through October, noon to 4 p.m. Tickets: $4 per person, cash only Indiana Live Steamers is a Johnson County miniature railroad club with ride-on scale trains that wind through Johnson County Park. The club's 7.5-inch gauge railroad is small, but for kids who love trains, that does not matter at all. Small trains count. Sometimes they count more. This is one of the most budget-friendly options on the list, but it is also volunteer-run, so check the schedule before loading everyone into the car. Public run days start at noon, and the club lists the last call for tickets at 4 p.m. Fort Wayne Zoo Z.O.&O. Railroad Where: 3411 Sherman Blvd., Fort Wayne, IN 46808 Summer ride: Z.O.&O. Railroad inside the Fort Wayne Zoo Tickets: $4 per guest or included with a ride wristband. Zoo admission is separate. The Z.O.&O. Railroad is a good fit for families who want the train ride as part of a full zoo day. The Fort Wayne Zoo unveiled a new electric train engine in 2026 after more than 60 years of service from the original diesel engine, and the zoo says the ride includes wheelchair accessibility. The zoo is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For little kids, this is the kind of train ride that can save the second half of the visit, especially after everyone has walked just far enough to regret the shoe choices. Potawatomi Zoo Train Where: 500 S. Greenlawn Ave., South Bend, IN 46615 Summer ride: Zoo train during regular zoo hours, weather and operations permitting Tickets: $3 attraction ticket, plus zoo admission Potawatomi Zoo in South Bend has a train ride that works well for younger kids, especially when paired with the zoo's summer hours. From June 1 through Aug. 31, the zoo is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., with last entry at 6 p.m. The train and carousel close 15 minutes before the zoo closes. Attraction tickets are $3 each and can be used for the train, carousel, giraffe feeding or bison feeding. Regular daily admission is $16 for ages 15–61, $14 for children ages 3–14 and adults 62 and up, and free for zoo members and children ages 2 and under. Good to Know Before Booking an Indiana Train Ride Check the time zone. Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum and Hesston Steam Museum list train times in Central Time. French Lick Scenic Railway is on Eastern Time. Always check the official schedule before leaving, especially if you're driving across the state. Book ahead when possible. Many of these trains use timed departures, limited seating or volunteer-run operations. Walk-up tickets are not always a safe bet. Expect different comfort levels. Some rides have open-air cars, some have vintage seating and some have limited restroom access. This is part of the charm, allegedly. Check the official schedule before leaving. Train rides can change because of weather, equipment, track conditions, special events or staffing. Which Indiana Train Ride Should Families Choose? For a quick train outing near Indianapolis, start with Nickel Plate Express or Indiana Live Steamers. For a full day built around the rails, Whitewater Valley Railroad is the strongest pick because the Metamora layover gives the day a natural middle. French Lick Scenic Railway works best as part of a Southern Indiana weekend. For a Northeast Indiana day with the strongest kid hook, the Indiana Rail Experience Ice Cream Train pairs a short family train ride with included ice cream. The July 5 trips add a steam-powered ride behind Nickel Plate Road No. 765, which makes it the standout for serious train kids. Hoosier Valley and Hesston make more sense for families already traveling through Northwest Indiana. For toddlers and younger kids, the zoo trains at Fort Wayne Zoo and Potawatomi Zoo are the lowest-lift choices. They are short, easy to pair with animals and much less likely to involve a child asking, "Are we still on the train?" 90 minutes into a scenic excursion.

summer travel

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