Visit Kokomo Howard Indiana and the surrounding area to see the top sights. Discover the charm and history of Kokomo, Indiana! Experience the car workshop district "Kokomo Downtown" and visit the Automobile Driving Museum. Walk in Glen Miller Park or Lake Shafer. Enjoy local specialities such as the Kokomo style pizza or the "Big Red" snowball.
“Kokomo Sights” sounds like an advertising slogan for some, for me it is more the quiet moaning of a city that runs back and forth between nostalgia and sober progress. Honestly, Kokomo was named after a fictitious Indian boy in 1855 – a bit cheesy, but that explains why the cityscape is playing again and again with small, almost ironic plays on the “Wilde Westen”. The city is located in the heart of Washington Township, Howard County, and thanks to the 19th railway lines a solid industrial core developed; Delco and later the automotive production have swirled more than just dust.
When you arrive by car, simply follow I‐69 or US‐31 – both of which are practically sloping through the city centre, so that you can hardly find a parking space before you find yourself in the getaway. The small airport in the outskirts is a nice bonus if you like the airplane feeling, but most visitors take the train to Indianapolis and then push the rest with the car. I don't quite understand the hype about the big metropolises, but here, between old factory shelves and freshly renovated cafes, you can feel a strange mixture of honest work ethos and an almost romantic longing for something bigger. And that’s exactly what makes the “Kokomo Sights” for me an underestimated treasure – a place that doesn’t overcrow you with bright lights, but with a quiet, slightly cynical invitation to question the everyday.
So if you come to Kokomo for the first time, let me give you the Beberling Mansion put to the heart – this is my personal favorite place because it looks like someone had a Victorian Instagram set from the 19th. Century stolen. I spent a rainy afternoon there the other day, while I tried to outsmart the cracking halls, and suddenly I heard the quiet cricket of a group of school classes who had fun over the “spoken” curtains. Parking is usually a Klacks, as long as you're not there on Saturday night with the whole city centre at the same time, then this will be a little adventure.
Directly next to the mansion lies Kokomo Opal Museum, which I actually only visited because I thought there were a few glittering stones to touch – and yes, that is true, but the true highlight is the story of how Kokomo was once the “Opal Capital” of the USA. I remember how I slept through the exhibition and was suddenly addressed by an older gentleman who told me that he worked as a child in the 70s in the nearby mines. No joke, he could still smell the smell of dust and sulfur in the nose while he showed me a piece of opal that was almost as big as my palm.
If you have enough of precious stones, look at this Kokomo Automotive Heritage Museum on. I don't quite understand the hype about oldtimer, but here the whole thing is served with a portion of local pride that you can only find in small cities. I saw an old Ford Model A there, which still wore the 1925 motor tube stamp – a real eye-catcher. The museum is practically on the highway, so you can arrive without much effort; Parking is free, but the number of visitors increases quickly when the annual “Car-Show-Weekend” is available.
A short walk leads you to Howard County Historical Societywhere you can find not only dusty documents, but also interactive displays that reflect life in Kokomo in the 1800s. I discovered an old diary that was written by a settler who claimed that he opened the first “cococomo coffee house” – a place I still like to visit today because the café serves an amazingly good espresso next to the museum. Practical: The library has free Wi-Fi if you want to connect your Instagram story live, and parking is right behind the building where you almost never have to find a free space, except for the first Saturdays a month when the “Historic Walk” takes place.
For a little fresh air I recommend the Kokomo Riverfront. I spent a sunny afternoon there while I tried to feed a few ducks – but they were not particularly grateful because I forgot to bring bread and instead offered a few fries from the snack next door. The river is not huge, but the promenade is well maintained, and you can rent a bike there for free if you are lucky that the local “bike-share” program is not sold out. On weekends there is often a small street music festival that has more charm than one would expect from a small town.
Another must is the Kokomo Farmers Marketpulsating every Saturday from 7 am to 12 pm in the heart of the city. I tried the best honey bread of my life there – a local beekeeper who told me that his bees only flourish in the fields around Kokomo because the air is “a little sweeter”. The market is a bit chaotic, but this is part of the charm; you just have to make sure that you don't lose your bag between the stands, because the sellers are friendly but very fast in action. Parking is a bit tricky here because most places are occupied by market visitors, but a few free places you still find a few blocks further when you are ready to run a few minutes.
And because I'm just on the theme of "Cokomo Sights", I can't forget that Kokomo Community Center not only has a swimming pool, but also an ice rink in winter. I once tried to turn a few pirouettes there, and I instantly jumped off from an enthusiastic hockey player who told me that the ice here is “always a bit faster” than in the big cities – a good reason to bring your skates with you if you feel that you need a little more action than the quiet city life.
At the end of the day, when you have fought through these colorful corners, you will notice that Kokomo has more to offer than you would suspect at first glance – a mix of history, splendour and a bit of slanted charm that will make you smile and roll your eyes. And the next time you pass one of these places, remember: I was here, and I survived all this, so you can.
I have my first real discovery tour outside the Kokomo centre on a lukewarm Saturday morning on Greentown Lake started – a small but fine lake, hidden like a hidden jewel between fields and corn rows. The water is clear enough that when fishing you almost feel like seeing a fish with a naked eye. I unpacked my old kayaking because parking there is almost always a klack, as long as you don't get to the high season on Sunday night – then the cars stack like in a bad sitcom. The way to the lake leads over the County Road 300, a short stroller to the north of the US-31, and the sign “Greentown Lake” is hardly overlooked because it is crowned by a huge, slightly sloping wooden turtle that radiates more charm than precision.
A short trip after Milan I was going to Milan High School Football Museumthat I only knew from the movie “Rudy”. I have to admit, I don't quite understand the hype about the little town, but the museum is a real treasure for anyone who likes a bit of nostalgia and a lot of dust from the 1950s. The showcases are full of worn leather helmets, yellowed jerseys and an original trophy that celebrates the “Milan Miracle”. I discovered an old photo that shows my big aunt from the 60s – an unintentional family proof that I am not the only one who comes here to sniff the past. Parking is a bit tricky, because the museum is located in a former gym, but a small sideway leads to a free parking lot, which usually has space as long as you don't get to school.
Further north, almost a little fell from time, this is Wabash and Erie Canal Park in Peru. I have seen the old lock system, which still goes quietly, as if it wanted to remind us that once there was the backbone of trade. The park is a perfect place to make a picnic while listening to the sound of canoe roars in the background. I met an old guide who told me that he played here in the mud as a child – a bit of romance that you rarely find in modern amusement parks. Parking is an open field that is quickly full in the summer, so better to come early, otherwise you have to leave the car at the edge of the road and take a short walk.
A small detour to Delphi I was going to Delphi Fossil Museumhidden in a former bank building. I was skeptical if a museum in a small town really has something to offer, but the collection of Devonian fossils is simply impressive. I have seen an almost complete fish skeleton that is so old that it is almost a piece of history that you can touch. The museum director, an enthusiastic paleonologist, has explained to me that the fossils originate from the nearby Fossil field, which is visited every year by hobby geologists. Parking is a small parking lot behind the museum, which is usually empty as long as you do not arrive on Saturday morning when the school classes have their excursions there.
At the end of my small tour, I took the Indiana Beach at Lake Shafer – a classic amusement park that still enchants my face despite its somewhat worn roller coasters. I shot a few rounds on the “Blue Streak”, which does not offer the most modern technology, but conveys a real sense of freedom that is missing in most modern amusement parks. The entrance is not cheap, but parking is a huge, open car park that has almost always enough space as long as you don't arrive on the long weekend. The path leads across the US-31, then right to Monticello – a short stop at a sign that announces “Welcome to Indiana Beach” and you’re in the middle of the colorful chaos.
So if you feel that Kokomo has more to offer than only industry and asphalt, look at this environment – from quiet lakes to historical football temples to prehistoric treasures and nostalgic amusement parks. The diversity of the surroundings makes every trip a small adventure, and that's exactly what I'm about Kokomo Attractions Love: They are not perfect, but they are real, and this is worth more than any perfectly staged tour.
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