I was also going to recommend the Toledo zoo and the Toledo area. We went there because they had animals my kids wanted to see that weren’t in larger zoos including the Chicago ones. It was much better than expected.

St. Louis is also nice and like the other poster stop in Casey,IL on the way over to see many world’s largest Guinness book items on display.

St. Louis

The St. Louis Zoo is free and is consistently ranked as one of the top 3 zoos in the country. City Museum is a more of playground than a museum but it's a blast and there's nothing like it anywhere else. The Science Museum is nice and also free. The Magic House is a very good kid's museum. They converted the International Shoe Factory into a playground/art installation. City Garden is downtown and it's a lovely outdoor sculpture park. You could also go to the Arch, if you like.

Another Chicago vote.

Only about 3 hours from Indianapolis, I think, and Spring is the perfect time to visit.

Definitely Pittsburgh! Great children's museum and science center, plus the incline and art museums if they are interested in that at all.

Agree Pittsburgh is good for kids. I liked their children's museum better than Indy's. The Indianapolis one seemed really commercialized and museum-y, not as hands on, but that may just be my kids/their ages when we did each, etc.

Forgot to mention in Indy we also went to Holliday Park, which has a nature center, hiking trails, The Ruins. It's more of a local thing than a tourist thing, but we often do stuff like that. However, it appears that their huge playground is currently closed. https://www.hollidaypark.org/

Pittsburgh has the National Aviary, in addition to the children's museum. Apparently also has a good zoo, but I haven't been.

We did Indy and St. Louis last summer, although we flew and rented a car. The City Museum is fun but some people might not feel comfortable with a four year old there. They also have a great zoo, science museum, a children's museum, an aquarium, the Arch, Conner Prairie. More than we could fit in. Casey, IL in between Indy and St. Louis has a bunch of world's largest things that are fun to find.

Holiday World in Indiana. Country’s first amusement park, maybe?

PP, can't believe I forgot mention Imagination Station! Similar to COSI, but more compact.

Toledo can be surprisingly enjoyable. They have a great zoo, Mud Hens minor league baseball is cheap, and an extensive parks system. And there's always Tony Packo's for the M*A*S*H fans. I also like the Toledo Museum of Art but not sure your 4 year old would find it all that interesting.

Oglebay is on the way to Indiana, right at the halfway point pretty much. That would be fun for a night or two. In Ohio, Hocking Hills has beautiful waterfalls and hikes.

Anonymous wrote:What time of year?

Spring break - mid April

What time of year?

Pittsburgh is great for a couple of days

I like your Louisville idea

West Va has some amazing parks you could go hiking in

https://olliatwvu.org/media/5856/wv-state-parks-map.pdf

Nemacolin resort might be fun.
https://www.nemacolin.com/experiences/kids-club/

Chicago! Not that much further and so much to do

I have about 10 days to travel (solo) with my 4 and 8 year olds. We want to go to Indianapolis for the children’s museum but not sure where else we should explore. We’ve done Columbus for the zoo and Cosi already. Where else would you recommend? I was thinking maybe Louisville for Mammoth caves, slugger museum and corvette museum but would love some other ideas.

We’re leaving from MD and driving. They’re great in the car and don’t mind road trips.