If you’d said the word “spelunker” to my three young children before our May family vacation, you’d have been greeted by a trio of slightly amused, very confused faces.
But thanks to one adventurous trip to southern Indiana with the kids — Jillian, 9, Eddie, 6, and Milo, 2 — that funny word now holds meaning and fond memories. In fact, between exploring the subterranean playground of Marengo Cave in Marengo, canoeing down the tranquil Blue River just four miles away, and enjoying whimsical attractions at Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari in the town of Santa Claus, the Hoosier State is clearly a destination for family fun.
Our adventure began in the dimly lit, 4.6 miles of Marengo Cave: a natural wonder formed some one million years ago and comprised of drier, upper-level passages and parallel underground rivers. The National Landmark Cave was discovered by a pair of school children in 1883, and has since become one of Indiana’s most popular attractions.
“This is like a big basement,” said Eddie, marveling at the surroundings.
Sure, a basement — but with bats (and we’re not talking baseball). The kids noticed a few of the flying critters resting on the wet walls, sharing space near stalagmites and stalactites in striking formations. Our guide informed us that visitors are not allowed to touch any of the formations, since they’re still morphing. However, there is a spot about 200 feet from the surface where you can pitch pennies toward the ceiling. Hit the right moist spot, and your coin can stick there and stay in perpetuity. It took eight attempts before one of my little Lincolns hit its target and remained overhead.
We emerged from the cave’s cool, 52 degrees and into blazing sunlight. Fortunately, our next destination was Cave Country Canoes in Milltown for a leisurely excursion down Indiana’s Blue River.
We squeezed into a single canoe for a seven-mile journey along the waterway, which is relatively calm and easy to navigate (there are a few rapids, but none stronger than a Class II). The water levels are high enough to move at a decent clip down stream, so the kids worked on their paddling as they observed turtles sunning on rocks, river otters scampering through the brush and great blue herons taking flight. Of course, the river proved irresistible: We all eventually jumped in for a refreshing swim.
After reveling in Indiana’s natural beauty, it was time for a bit of man-made fun.
There’s a lot that distinguishes Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari from other theme parks, such as it’s location in the whimsically named town of Santa Claus, as well as the park’s four unconventional zones: Christmas (naturally), Halloween, Thanksgiving and Fourth of July. But its attentive staff and complimentary amenities — including soft drinks and suntan lotion gave Holiday World a friendly, personalized feel that’s hard to find at other amusement spots.
Jillian and Eddie took full advantage of meeting the height requirements for many of the park’s attractions (48 inches) and eagerly hopped on thrill rides like The Raven: a wooden roller coaster that zips through a forest setting and over Lake Rudolph. But when the mercury hit 87 degrees, even the adrenaline-pumping excitement of The Raven — which Jillian and Eddie braved five times —couldn’t match the lure of Kima Bay, Holiday World’s newest addition. The four-story, monkey-themed structure features seven water slides and more than 100 playful features, including 125 water jets and a 1,200-gallon bucket of water that tips over when filled.
Watching the kids splash and laugh in Kima Bay was the perfect way to round out a wet, wild and wonderful vacation.