Did you know that there’s a Hamilton County in Indiana? Well there is! Just north of Indianapolis lies Hamilton County and it’s chock full of fun things for families to do while visiting. And the best thing is that you can take a road trip to this area with less than a tank of gas. It only takes about two hours to reach Hamilton County and it’s so crammed full of fun things to do that you don’t really need a whole lot of gas while you are there to reach the different small towns and cool attractions. There are attractions galore to keep your family occupied day and night, inside and outdoors. I’m going to give you a glimpse of how we spent two busy days in the cool cities of Hamilton County, Indiana. I’m hoping that our explorations will inspire you to plan your own family trip. It would place to go for a weekend mini vacation.
Hamilton County, Indiana
Here’s how we spent two days in Hamilton County, Indiana. We tried several great new (to us) restaurants, sampled some great craft beers at the local breweries and explored some fantastic local attractions. Many thanks to our friends at Visit Hamilton County, Indiana for helping us plan this special trip. If you are going to plan a trip to this area visit their website to find things to do, where to dine, where to stay and much more!
Lunch at Pure Eatery Fishers:
The first stop on our mini vacation was Pure Eatery Fishers for a bite of lunch. I have a pretty strict rule on our vacations that we have to try new places to eat, and so when we were invited to try Pure Eatery I was excited. The menu offerings were right up our alley…creative, wholesome and delicious. They offer a variety of interesting menu choices and have several vegan and vegetarian options as well. I had the chicken caprese panini and it was SO GOOD. And the kid’s menu has a Nutella + Strawberry sandwich on it! Holy moly….I tasted Henry’s and it was delish. The art at Pure Eatery is quirky cool, the service was friendly and welcoming, and they have a great craft beer menu as well.
Conner Prairie:
Before our trip to Hamilton County I had not heard of Conner Prairie but I did some research online and it sounded like a really fun place to visit with the family. Not only was it a great place to learn about history and Indiana’s past, but it was a wonderland for children to learn in a hands on manner. The kids rode in a big balloon, petted farm animals, talked to historical period actors, made airplanes that could fly and explored a giant tree-house. We spent hours exploring the grounds and building of Conner Prairie and the whole family learned so much and had SO MUCH fun!
Museum of Miniature Houses:
The Museum of Miniature Houses was just one of the many places to visit in Carmel that focus on the arts. We picked the Museum of Miniature Houses to visit because we thought it would be a great experience for all ages in the family and we were right. The museum is home to some intricate and exquisite pieces of fine craftsmanship. You will be amazed at how many miniature items they have on display, and it’s not just your run of the mill dollhouses! They have some amazing miniature homes and buildings on display and they have step stools throughout the museum so that their small visitors can see inside the homes. They also have miniature replicas of anything from fine art to everyday home items, along with vignettes, small toys (even a display of Kinder Egg toys), and LEGO creations. It really was a fascinating place to spend an afternoon.
Dinner at Stone Creek Dining Company:
Since our visit to Hamilton County was just before the school year started we decided to celebrate the end of summer by taking the children to a nice restaurant for dinner. We dined at the Stone Creek Dining Company located at the Hamilton Town Center Mall in Noblesville. The decor was lovely, our server was superb and our meal was divine! It was nice to have a fancy dinner with the children. The best part was that they had a really reasonably priced kids menu that offered some great choices for them, including steak and ribs! We ended our meal with Creme Brulee and cocktails and it was a perfect evening out.
Get a Good Night’s Sleep at Cambria Hotel & Suites:
We were invited to spend the night at the Cambria Hotel & Suites and our family stayed in a fabulous suite. There were two bedrooms and a comfy living area with a desk, chair and a pullout sofa, so plenty of space for all six of us. There was also a small kitchenette area in the entryway with a refrigerator, microwave and coffee maker. The kids were disappointed that our trip was only going to last one night because they loved our suite. The hotel offered a delicious buffet breakfast in the morning, and my family loves nothing more than to hit a breakfast buffet and eat whatever their heart’s desire! They also spent time at the pool with their dad while Mama enjoyed some peaceful quiet time in the suite. The hotel also offers Free Wi-Fi, a fitness center, laundry services and they have a cool restaurant/bar area in the lobby. It’s a great place to stay while you explore the Hamilton County area. We give it two big thumbs up!
Try a Sandwich on the Tenderloin Trail:
While we were visiting Hamilton County we kept hearing word of a “Tenderloin Trail”. My curiosity got the best of me and so I googled it. Apparently pork tenderloin sandwiches are a favorite in Indiana, whether they be grilled or deep fried. The tenderloin sandwich is such a favorite that in Hamilton County they have a “Tenderloin Trail” of many different restaurants that serve these tasty concoctions. When our friend from the Visitor’s Bureau suggested I try the Tenderloin sandwich when my family ate lunch at Grand Junction Brewing Restaurant in Westfield I decided I just had to have it. This sandwich was out off this world (and as big as my head). I had never had anything like it and this sandwich alone is a driving force in making me want to visit the Hamilton County area again. I’m eager to hit another spot on the Tenderloin Trail to try another next time I’m in the area!
Check out the Craft Beer Scene:
If there was one thing that surprised us about the Hamilton County area it would be the craft beer explosion that has happened (and is still happening) there. We knew we would make time to visit a brewery or two, but we had no idea that there would be so many breweries in that area that we’d have a hard time choosing which ones to visit! We picked a few to stop by when the weather got rainy on our trip and we were really impressed. We waited out the rain and played Exploding Kittens with the kids at Sun King Brewing in Fishers, stopped by Upland Brewing’s Carmel Taphouse for appetizers in between activities, and we ate lunch at Grand Junction Brewing (everything on their menu was great…including the tenderloin sandwich). All three breweries had a great atmosphere and some really interesting beers to try. And now we know that when we visit again there are many more breweries to explore as well!
While we crammed in more fun that I could have imagined we could in Hamilton County there’s still so much that we did NOT manage to fit in, there’s just so much to do in this area! So I know that we will be planning another trip so we can get to know even more about this area. If you are familiar with the Hamilton County, Indiana area and have suggestions on things to do and see please comment below and let us know about it.
Disclaimer: Our hotel stay, visit to Conner Prairie and a few of our meals were complimentary for review purposes, but all opinions are 100% my own.
