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39º | Cloudy | 0% chance of rain | Sunrise 8:06 a.m. | Sunset 5:33 p.m.
 

🔦 Take a trip down south

Our guide to visiting 7 of the best national parks
Brown entrance sign surrounded by trees reading "Mammoth Cave National Park" in white letters.
Mammoth Cave National Park is less than 1.5-hours from downtown Louisville. | Photo by NPS
Wondering which national park is best for your next trip? Mammoth Cave National Park is only ~3 hours from Indianapolis.

We left no stone unturned — check out when to go, what fees you’ll pay, how to camp, and what to do at one of our country’s greatest national parks.

Getting there
The main way into the park is via I-65, through the visitor center on the south side of the Park. GPS isn’t reliable out here, so keep the map handy, and follow the directions to the center.

Open hours and seasons
The park is open 24 hours a day, year-round, but attractions are limited after hours. Services, like the visitor center, are typically closed at 4:30 p.m. in the winter + 6 p.m. in the summer. Check for seasonal closures before you go.

Fees and passes
Entrance to the park is free, but many areas of the caves cannot be explored without booking a tour. The schedule is full of spelunking opportunities — make a reservation in advance.

Participants of the Lantern Tour walk in a row through the caves of Mammoth Cave National Park.

The Lantern Tour affords a unique view of the caves

|

Photo via Mammoth Cave National Park

Cave tours
Here are a few of our favorite spelunking scenes:

Star Chamber
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Length: 1 mile
This two and a half-hour experience tells the tale of Mammoth Cave’s early history, plus a trip to Gothic Avenue — where rocks formed to look like Gothic architecture and early visitors left behind signatures + artifacts.

Accessible tour
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Length: 0.5 miles
Take a stair-free tour through the historic Cleaveland Avenue. Sights include sparkling formations and historic signatures.

Violet City Lantern Tour
  • Difficulty: Difficult
  • Length: 3 miles
Travel up and down tunnels exclusively by lantern light like the early explorers. This three-hour tour is perfect for those who love to hike.

Want to venture out even farther? Check out our guide to national parks across the country.
Explore more
Events
Thursday, Oct. 5
  • Tinker House Taco Takeover | Thursday, Oct. 5-Thursday, Oct. 26 | 5-10 p.m. | Tinker House, 1101 E.16th St., Indianapolis | Cost of purchase | Every Thursday, Gordito’s Food Truck will be serving up tacos + tortas to enjoy on the pet-friendly patio.
  • Heartland International Film Festival | Thursday, Oct. 5-Sunday, Oct. 15 | 7 p.m. | Multiple locations | $12-$20 | From local films to blockbuster sneak peeks, there are 120+ mesmerizing movies at this 32nd annual international film festival.
Tuesday, Oct. 10
  • BOOville: The Children’s Museum Guild’s Haunted House | Tuesday, Oct. 10-Tuesday, Oct. 31 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | The Children’s Museum, 3000 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis | Museum admission | Check out the nation’s oldest continuously operated haunted house where you’ll encounter Halloween villains such as witches, Dracula, Frankenstein, mummies, ghosts, and skeletons.
Wednesday, Oct. 11
  • Wake Up Wednesday | Wednesday, Oct. 11 | 9-11 a.m. | Monument Circle, Indianapolis | Cost of purchase | Head over to SPARK on the Circle to start your hump day right with Tinker Coffee and Ohanalulu Donuts.
Friday, Oct. 13
  • Indy Library Store Book Sale | Friday, Oct. 13-Tuesday, Oct. 17 | Times vary | Library Services Center, Indianapolis | Cost of purchase | You can buy used and like-new books at discount prices to support library programs and services through The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
 
Tech

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This service protects your personal data not only from targeted ads, but also from scammers and identity thieves. | Images by Incogni
Ring ring: Who’s there? No, not your husband, mom, or daughter... It’s another spammy robocall.

The good news? There’s something you can do about it.

Incogni reduces spam emails, robocalls, and access to users’ personal information on reverse-lookup websites. (If we never get another call about our car’s extended warranty again, sign us up.)

Plus, our readers can now snag an Incogni annual plan for 55% off with the exclusive discount code 6AMCITY.
Less spam, more life
News Notes
Sports
  • Jonathan Taylor has reportedly signed a three-year, $42 million extension with the Colts. Perhaps the good news spurred the team to a 23-16 victory over the Tennessee Titans yesterday. (ESPN)
Eat
  • Order up — Fishers Test Kitchen is welcoming six new restaurant concepts this month. Wurst-n-Wiener, The OG, Sandwich Cat, Chick Magnet, Deja Vu Kitchen, and Li Pu will open for business on a rotating schedule. (WISH)
Arts
  • The final mural in the Bicentennial Legends Series was unveiled on Friday on the east wall of the Steak ‘n Shake building overlooking the new Bicentennial Unity Plaza. It features 43 famous Hoosiers spanning 200 years of history. (WRTV)
Traffic
  • Unless getting a speeding ticket was on your 2023 bingo card, you may want to slow down on I-465 and I-69. Indiana State Police and IMPD are increasing patrols to help slow down traffic in construction zones. (WRTV)
Sports
Feel Good
  • Students from 12 local Primrose Schools just raised $2,000 and donated over 250 toys to the Riley Hospital for Children. If you’re inspired to make your own donation, check out the hospital’s wishlist. (WISH)
Wellness
Plan Ahead

🌑 Countdown in six (months)

Six months out from the Total Solar Eclipse in Indianapolis
Eclipse map graphic
As you can see, Indy will be the star of the show in 2024. | Map via Visit Indy
We’re officially six months out from April 8, 2024 — when Indianapolis will be in the path of a total solar eclipse. But who’s counting.

The Circle City will be the perfect spot to view the solar eclipse and all around the city, local organizations will be taking advantage of the opportunity to celebrate.

Here are just a few events in the works:
  • The Children’s Museum | Experience this once-in-a-millennium solar phenomenon at the world’s largest children’s museum. There will be giveaways, activities, and festivities to celebrate the historic event.
  • IMS | NASA will broadcast live from the facility, and NASA experts will be on-hand to answer questions about the scientific phenomenon.
  • Newfields | Celebrate this once-in-a-lifetime experience with a music festival, food, and festivities. At 3:06 p.m., bask in the moon’s shadow for three and a half minutes while toasting with champagne across Newfield’s campus.
Stay in the loop and get ready for this historic moment with Visit Indy.
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The Wrap
 
Nicole-Hernandez-Headshot-INDY

Today’s edition by:
Nicole
From the editor
I’ve made it a goal to try to visit as many national parks as I can, so back in June I took a little weekend road trip to Mammoth Cave. It was so cool — I’d definitely go back. During that trip we even ventured out a little further to Burgess Falls in Tennessee and that was stunning, too.
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