Family Vacations: Conner Prairie

Conner Prairie in Fishers, Indiana, gives families the opportunity to travel back in time to the 1800s, where they can experience firsthand how everyday life has changed over the past two centuries. Known especially for its entertaining, yet authentic, presentation of the past, this living-history museum has several different areas replete with costumed interpreters and hands-on experiences that bring the past to life.

Prairietown is a restored and re-created 1836 Indiana frontier village. Be sure to visit Pastport, where families can dip candles, churn butter, and wash clothes on a washboard. At the 1816 Lenape Indian Camp, you can enter a Native American wigwam, learn to throw a tomahawk, help make a dugout canoe, and even chat with a fur trader at the trading post.

Step across a covered bridge to Liberty Corner, an 1886-era rural community, where visiting children can attend the local school as long as they behave accordingly. Conner Prairie offers summer camps, a pioneer program for young children, and special holiday events.

Address: 13400 Allisonville Rd., Fishers, IN

Telephone: 317/776.6000; 800/966.1836

Admission: $11 adults; $7 kids

To learn more about family vacation destinations, see:

Laura Sutherland is a widely acknowledged authority on family travel and has published several books on the topic, including Best Family Ski Vacations In North America and Tropical Family Vacations.

Print |
Citation & Date |
Reprint