Traditional wisdom tells us that Indiana's just full of corn, farmers, and more corn. Maybe even a little soybeans every now and then! But there is another side to Indiana! From quaint Amish villages, to adrenaline rushing rollercoasters, to the world-famous Indy 500, Indiana has plenty of tourist attractions for any type of vacation! Here is my list, as a Hoosier, of the top ten vacation spots in Indiana, in no particular order...

For more information on Indiana's attractions, check out the Indiana Vacation Blog!

Lucas Oil Stadium

The Lucas Oil Stadium replaces the now demolished RCA Dome as the home of the Indiapolis Colts NFL team.  Located in the heart of Indianapolis, here you can come watch the Colts play in their home arena.  When the Colts aren't in town, the stadium is host to a variety of events.

Conseco Fieldhouse

The Conseco Fieldhouse, also located in downtown Indianapolis, is the home of the Indianapolis Pacers NBA team.  Aside from basketball, the stadium hosts big-ticket concerts (such as Metallica), trade shows, ice shows, and much much more!

These two stadiums are great vacation destinations not only for the sports fan in your family, but for an assortment of other interests as well.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is home to the world-famous Indy 500 and Brickyard races, as well as the occasional Formula One Grand Prix. The Motor Speedway attracts many international vactioners to Indiana, and it's a top Indiana vacation spot due the the historical nature of the race.

As testament to the history of the Indy 500, there is a racing museum located onsite filled with a slew of race cars to please the speed demon in your family.

Santa Claus, Indiana is home to one of the greatest vacation spots in Indiana - Holiday World amusement park and Splashin' Safari waterpark. Holiday World is fun for the whole family! At this holiday themed amusement park you can meet Santa year round, ride thrilling roller coasters such as The Voyage, and ride a variety of other attractions!

Adjoined to Holiday World is Splashin' Safari, one of Indiana's top waterparks. Along with some intense water slides, you can take a lazy cruise along the Bahari River, or experience some tubular waves in the wave pool!

Located in Nappanee, Indiana, Amish Acres is a quaint Amish community. Amish Acres is one of my top Indiana vacation spots due to its historical and educational nature. The Amish live a simple lifestyle, void of electricity and many modern conveniences. At Amish Acres you can witness this way of life first hand, tour a round barn, and purchase many fine Amish products.

Nearby Amish Acres is Shipshewana, Indiana.  Shipshewana is home to the Trading Place of America, the Midwest's largest fleamarket.  You can also shop at over 100 stores, many of which carry fine Amish products.  Shipshewana shops are open year round, 6 days a week.

Northern Indiana's Monticello is home to Indiana Beach Amusement Resort. Indiana Beach has been a top vacation spot for Indiana residents since 1927. Here you can boat around Lake Shafer, ride one of the six roller coasters and scores of other attractions, and watch the fantastic Fourth of July fireworks!

Indiana Beach has a nice waterpark with slides that cater to every audience, as well as a man-made beach along the lake! Indiana Beach is a great vacation spot, and with its close proximity to the Chicago area it is extremely popular. Read this article for more information on Indiana Beach.

The Indiana Dunes State Park (located in Chesteron, Indiana) and National Lakeshore is located along the Indiana coast of Lake Michigan in Porter, Lake, and LaPorte Counties.  The Dunes are a top vacation spot due to the natural beauty of the area and the close proximity to Lake Michigan.  Here you can take a boat ride, wade in the fresh waters, build a sand castle on the beach, and hike the dunes.

Number seven in my list of the ten best vacation spots in Indiana is Nashville, Indiana.  Known as "the artist colony of the Midwest," Nashville is home to dozens of stores of knickknacks and art.  It's beautiful in the fall and a great place to visit.

Right next door is Brown County State Park.  Brown County is Indiana's largest state park, featuring numerous trails for people of all hiking ability, beautiful fall colors, and historic covered bridges.  These make Brown County and Nashville top vacation destinations for the naturalist and artist in you.

Named by National Geographic as on of the top 50 adventure towns in the United States, Bloomington, Indiana is a beautiful college town housing the renowned Indiana University.  Bloomington has a variety of shops that are found nowhere else in Indiana, including herbal stores and a plethora of bike shops.  Home of the Little 500 bicycle race and the setting for the movie Breaking Away, Bloomington is an Indiana vacation spot to hit for sure.  There is always something to do in this town, with bands visiting nearly every weekend and a host of festivals. 

The Hoosier National Forest covers a good portion of the southern tip of Indiana.  The national forest is a must for hunters, equestrians, fishers, and hikers vacationing in Indiana.  It has some of the best horse trails in the state, as well as open hunting and fishing.  Come camp in the Hoosier National Forest on your next Indiana vacation!

Last, but not least in my list of the top Indiana vacation spots is the Indianapolis Children's Museum.  The children's museum is repeatedly chosen as one of the best children's museums in the country, and has a variety of educational and fun activities for your children.  They also have a large IMAX theater that shows both feature films and educational documentaries.

I hope my top ten greatest vacation spots in Indiana helped give you an idea of places to visit and exciting things to do in this great state. Have a good time on your Indiana Vacation!