Visit Dale Boone Indiana and the surrounding area to see the top sights. Dale, Indiana: Small adventure in the Hoosier National Forest! Experience the natural wonders of Freedom Springs State Recreation Area and Patoka Lake. Feel the tension in the Holzfallr Museum or try the food in local specialty shops. Simple adventure, joy and history in one!
Honestly, if you ask yourself why Dale, Indiana exists at all, you need to travel back to 1852, as a few ambitious railroaders decided to mark a piece of land at the crossroads of Indianapolis and Fort Wayne. The city then grew slowly because the rails stopped here more often than drive – a bit like an unhappy dance partner who repeatedly missed the pace. I first saw the small train station when I left the I‐69 by train from Indianapolis; the connection is surprisingly good if you don’t look at the “only a few times a day” sign.
Now that you're here, let me show you some of my favorite places – and yes, I don't understand the hype around the old town hall, but the little bakery around the corner is really great because it has the best cinnamon cake wide and wide. Right next to the place where the cattle drives ended earlier, there is a park that has more charm than some big city oasis, and without overpriced tickets.
If you're looking for a place that breathes history, but isn't overrun by tourists, you're right here. Dale Sights are not the loudest, but the most honest – and this is the true travel highlight for me.
I have to confess to you: the first thing I want to put to you about Dale, Indiana, is that Dale Covered Bridge. Yes, just the crunchy wooden bridge that runs over the Little River and has been standing there since 1875 – a piece of Indiana history that you can't just cross without showing a little respect. I was there the other day, in the middle of the summer, and I just put myself on the old wooden plank to listen to the quiet noise of the river. Parking is usually easy, except on Saturday night, there will be a real problem because the whole Bridge-Biker-Crew will appear from the area.
A short walk further (approximately five minutes, if you don't want to shoot pictures like me constantly at every corner) Historic District by Dale. This is where old brick buildings come together, and the old town hall, which now serves as a small museum, tells stories of mayors who knew more about the weather than about politics. I don't understand the hype about historic city cores, but the sounding parquet in the town hall has something magical – especially when the light falls through the high windows and you feel like standing in a movie from the 30s.
If you are looking for a place to relax your feet, then the Dale Community Park That's right. A small but well-kept park with a playground that is used more by the children of the city than you think, and a basketball court where the locals throw the bet on Sundays. I once made a picnic there, and an older gentleman offered me a piece of self-baked apple cake – no joke, that was better than anything I've ever eaten in the more expensive cafes of the city.
Another must is the Dale Public Library. Sounds like a place where you're supposed to read quietly, but that's a disgust. The library has a small reading café, and the staff knows every visitor by name. Last year I borrowed a book about the history of the Covered Bridge, and the librarian immediately showed me an old photo album from the 1920s – a real treasure for anyone who really wants to get to know Dale.
Now comes a little culinary comfort: the Dale Diner. That's not some diner, that's the heart of the city when it comes to good, honest food. I tried the “Dale Burger” there – a juicy piece of beef, which is between two crispy rolls, and pommes that are so crispy that you hear the sound when eating. The service is friendly, but not intrusive, and the sign at the door says: “No joke, we cook with love.” And that's true, at least to my taste.
Finally, a hint that might help you plan the whole thing: if you follow Dale Attractions search, you will quickly realize that the city is small, but each corner has its own charm. Most of these places are in the centre, so you can walk from one to the other – this saves you the annoying search for parking and gives you the opportunity to see the friendly faces of the locals who are always a bit curious about visitors.
I drove to Lebanon on a lukewarm Saturday afternoon, because the old-honored building of the Boone County Courthouse just didn't get out of my head – the massive brick building that has been throning over the marketplace since 1909, has something from a stiff but charming grandfather that you like to visit, although he is constantly sneaking over the latest tax reforms. At arrival, parking was surprisingly uncomplicated, as long as you did not arrive at lunchtime, then a small mud field of cars is formed, which is more reminiscent of a village festival. I dropped onto the wooden bench before the main entrance and enjoyed the sounding echo of the steps of the visitors who moved through the halls like in a time capsule.
Only a few blocks further lies the Boone County Historical Society Museum – a place I constantly underestimate because it acts from the outside as an inconspicuous storage space. Inside, however, artefacts are stacked, which range from the pioneering period to the 1950s, and I had to admit that the old tractor museum revived my childhood memories of rusted toy cars. A particularly memorable moment was when I accidentally triggered the alarm because I was walking around to curious about an ancient typewriter; the shrill beepen was the loudest “welcome” since my first trip to Dale.
A short trip to Zionsville brought me to Eagle Creek Park, a huge green piece that seems to have more water than land – a paradise for canoes and picnic lovers. I had rented a little canoe because I thought it was romantic, and finally landed in the mud because I underestimated the flow. Parking is almost always a children's game, except for the weekends when the families with barbecue equipment block the entrance. Nevertheless, the walk around the 2,5-mile lake is worthwhile, where ducks and a single, very self-confident beaver form the main attraction.
A little further south, just under 30 miles from Dale, the White River stretches through the city area of Indianapolis. I spent a few hours there to see if the rumor is true that you catch the best river fish here in autumn. The result: I didn't catch a fish, but a few curious ducks that took off the water while I tried to throw out my fishing. Access to the river is free, and parking on the Riverside Park is usually easy as long as you don't get to the Rushhour – then entering and leaving becomes a small Survival training.
No visit to the area would be complete without a trip to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I have to admit that I have never understood the hype about the “Indy 500” completely – the loud moaning of the engines sounds for me more like a crazy party where no one really dances. Nevertheless, the museum around the race track is a real treasure: original signs, old helmets and a few photos that show how the whole of a modest dirt track developed into an international legend. Parking is a bit tricky here, because the lots are often only reserved for the big events places, but in a normal weekday you can easily find a free place.
A last stop that always surprises me is Newfields – the former Indianapolis Museum of Art. I came over there because I thought it was just an art museum, but the grounds are a huge park with sculptures, a botanical garden and even a small lake that is populated by ducks in the summer. I spent a few hours there to review the current exhibition, and I found that the outdoor café serves the best piece of cake in the city – a real secret tip that I hardly betray anyone. Parking is usually easy as long as you do not get to the exhibition opening, then the terrain becomes the parking microcosm.
So, if you're in Dale the next time and ask yourself what you can do outside the city, look at these Dale Attractions – they offer a mix of history, nature and a bit of unexpected charm that will make even the most cynical travellers sneak.
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