This year, we had a hard summer with our elderly dog. She passed away peacefully in August, but all summer we worried about leaving her for more than a few hours at a time.
Planning a big family vacation just didn’t seem right this summer. Typically, we leave our dogs in the care of my parents, who are only a few minutes from our house, but I honestly felt guilty leaving our old dog behind for even a few days.
So, instead of planning one big trip, we took a bunch of day trips. We would have my parents or my husband’s parents stop by to let the dogs out a time or two while we were gone that day, but we would still be back home for our nighttime routine with our dogs.
Here were our day trips we took as a family this summer:
Bloomington, Indiana
My husband and I both graduated from Indiana University, so Bloomington is a second home to us. We typically get down there a few times a year, and this summer was no exception. Our favorite stops to eat are Mother’s Bear pizza (they have a GREAT lunch special if you’re there during the week!) and our beloved Dagwood’s Deli (my go-to sandwich for almost 20 years is the Ultimate Turkey). Our boys also love designing their own cookies at Baked!
But besides great food, there’s so much to do in Bloomington, both on campus and off. We love the Wonder Lab science museum. We also love walking around campus and stomping in the Campus River (formerly called the Jordan River). The art museum on campus is FREE and is a great walk-through with older kids or if you have kids in strollers who need to nap.
Dayton, Ohio
We visited the National Museum of the United States Air Force in June. I had visited once when I was a kid, but did not remember much. It was free to get into (also free parking!), and it was massive. Bring your walking shoes. The amount of airplanes, helicopters, space items, and memorabilia they pack into this huge museum is insane. My boys (3 and 6) loved this museum, although I wish we had taken a wagon for when their legs got tired. My favorite part was visiting the inside of a former Air Force One plane and seeing the spot where Lyndon B Johnson took the oath of office in the air after JFK was assassinated. We will 100% be back to that museum in a few years because, as hard as we tried, we did not see everything in the 4+ hours we were there. (Bonus: The Huber Heights Buc-ee’s is about 15 minutes away for another fun stop!)
Anderson, Indiana
We visited Mounds State Park over the summer. You can visit the ceremonial mounds of the Adena and Hopewell people. They also have some great hikes along the White River. They also have a campground if you’re into that sort of thing! On the way home, we finally took the plunge to visit the Uranus Fudge Factory. It is … something. But we all enjoyed some fudge and some candy on the way home!
Springfield, Illinois
In fairness, my oldest son and I went alone on this trip, and we did spend one night. My best friend moved there semi-recently, so we went to visit. We also went to check out everything Abraham Lincoln. We saw his tomb (his wife and 3 of his kids are also laid to rest there) and went to the Abraham Lincoln museum. This presidential museum was so well done. I feel like I learned more about Abraham Lincoln on this short trip than I have ever learned in my whole life! We stopped to eat at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on the way home, and that was a great place to stretch our legs and see a new-to-us college campus!
Franklin, Indiana
We love the Wild Geese bookshop and the Main & Madison breakfast/lunch spot. But Franklin also has a great park for bike riding with two nice playgrounds for the kids!
Cincinnati, Ohio
We love Cincinnati. My sister-in-law lives there, and we have been able to do so many great things in this city. Of course, they have the Newport Aquarium and an award-winning zoo. They also have two Jungle Jim grocery stores to explore. (Plan to spend at least an hour or two there!) They also have so many beautiful parks. My husband and my oldest also always take in a Reds game each summer. Next summer, our boys will be big enough to really enjoy Kings Island. Cincinnati does not get the credit it deserves for being a fun and, honestly, beautiful city!
Battle Ground, Indiana
We did this trip last summer, but it was such a good hidden gem that I needed to include it. Battle Ground has a wonderful wolf park, complete with other animals including turtles and a herd of bison. We took an amazing tour of the park, saw some amazing animals, and even did a kid-friendly scavenger hunt. Battle Ground is about 8 miles from West Lafayette and Purdue University’s campus, and even this IU Hoosier family enjoyed some dinner and root beer at the Triple XXX Family Restaurant.
Muncie, Indiana
Muncie is the home to Ball State University. But it is also home to my favorite bakery of all time, Concannon’s, which I was introduced to when my sister lived around the corner while attending the university. Once or twice a year, my sister and I will travel to this bakery with my mom, who brings bags and bags to take stuff home and freeze. Brownies, cupcakes, donuts, cakes, cookies – everything. My favorite is their chocolate cupcakes, but my boys like their donuts the best. While you’re in Muncie, check out the pretty campus. They also have a great little children’s museum downtown. It is perfect for toddlers. It is all one huge room, so you don’t have to worry about your kids running too far ahead of you. If the Indianapolis Children’s Museum overwhelms you, the Muncie Children’s Museum is worth the drive!
Now that our dog has passed, we are planning to take some longer trips over the next few years. We are currently planning two trips to Chicago, and maybe trying to hit a Michigan beach next summer. But our summer of day trips was a lot of fun and filled with memories, too!
