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NOTE: If you have reached this page from a search engine, be sure to click here to discover resources about thousands of wonderful family-friendly places! Updates to Kids Love Indiana (new 3rd edition now available) Changes: SW-
French Lick, The French Lick Springs Resort has closed to the public until
December 2006 in order to complete a total restoration of the property at an
estimated cost of $120 million. New Listing: NE – Fort Wayne, DEBRAND CHOCOLATES. DeBrand Corporate Headquarters and Shoppe. 10105 Auburn Park Drive, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46825. (I-69 exit 116, Dupont Road). www.debrand.com or 260-969-8335. Another great chocolate factory tour in the Midwest! Tours begin with a 15-minute video. Groups are then led one at a time to begin the tour. You'll start with a DeBrand tour guide telling you all about their online shipping department, then move on to tour the three DeBrand chocolate kitchens. Here you will learn about the various DeBrand chocolate collections and the delicate chocolate-making process, watching these artisan chocolates being hand-made and sampling some exquisite chocolates. End the tour in their elegant chocolate shoppe where you have the opportunity to use your admission certificate to purchase and take home some of these treats you just saw made … or sit with your group and order delicious desserts and drinks. Tours: Depending on attendance levels, tours typically last 45 minutes. Tours are handicapped accessible. Tour cost is $5 per person. Attendees then receive a $5 off certificate good toward any purchase of $10 or more made that day in the shoppe. More fun information about: C – Indianapolis. (pg 35) CARIBBEAN COVE INDOOR WATERPARK. www.caribbeancovewaterpark.com. Our current 3rd edition description still stands but we have a few notes to add. Most importantly, this waterpark is connected to a Holidome with heated pool, ping pong, pool table, craft shack and lounging areas. The kids eat free with a paying adult meal so that may be appealing to budgeting parents. The Holidome is less noisy than the giant waterpark and, after all that activity, winding down is a good thing. Within the waterpark are ample lounging areas laid out so that Mom and Dad can relax in nearly full view of the kiddies. This is not common to most indoor waterparks and a feature we parent’s truly benefit from. Suggested Day/Weekend Trips: SW – Coasters, Cabins and Choo-choos Trip. Drive in before dinnertime and check in at LAKE RUDOLPH CAMPGROUND & RV RESORT (877-YES RUDY or www.lakerudolph.com - right next door to HolidayWorld). The campground offers a free shuttle service to the amusement park plus discount tickets. For $26.00-$119.00 per night, you can overnight amongst other families “roughing it.” Actually, this is quite comfortable accommodations. We’d recommend camping with your own gear or renting an RV. Either way, you can cook and eat each evening under the stars. If you’re not busy site-seeing, ride your bike, walk or rent a golf cart visiting the camp store, play in the game room, paddleboat or play mini-golf or swim at one of two pools. Their numerous bathhouses provide modern bathrooms and showers for campers. After settling in, head over to the LINCOLN BOYHOOD NATIONAL MEMORIAL (pg. 186). See the plant that killed Lincoln’s mother and learn how her death took the heart out of their home. Can you believe they lived in such a small cabin? Did you know Abe loved to read? What were some of his first books? If you have time, walk the 2/3 to one mile trail called the Trail of 12 Stones. Each of the twelve stone markers details a different phase of Lincoln’s life. Each stone is from the actual foundation of a site Abe visited in his life. Before they finish what may be their last season for a while (lost funding), be sure to see the awesome, kid-friendly YOUNG ABE LINCOLN outdoor drama (pg. 186) It was kid-interactive at some parts and filled with enough song and dance to tell the sometimes sad, storyline, that kept the kids full attention. Many of you know how much we adore historical dramas so please support any that you can with your attendance. Reserve most of the next two days for HOLIDAYWORLD (pg. 192) and back at your lodging. If you’re not cooking breakfast over the open fire, try ST. NICK’S RESTAURANT in Santa’s Lodge. They have a great breakfast buffet for $8.95 adults and free for kids under 8 years old. Now, with lots of energy, plunge into HolidayWorld & Splashin Safari for too much fun. We rate this park high for KIDS LOVE families mostly because it has great atmosphere and caters to kids ages 2-15. Everyone loves the free parking, free sunscreen and especially the free soda (self-serve stations located throughout the park). Their pizza is very good, too. We liked all the shows, the Swing ride and every ride in the waterpark (by the way, lockers are only $3.00 and the showers are warm)! Nearly every water ride comes with tubes which is so nice for adults to “cushion” the ride and makes it easier to manage with kids. It was so clean and the personnel were super pleasant. The most unique ride – definitely the giant funnel-shaped Zinga! On the full day in Santa Claus, head northeast about one hours drive to the FRENCH LICK SPRINGS RESORT (pg. 181) and INDIANA RAILWAY MUSEUM AND TRAIN RIDE (pg. 181). Want to do the day in style? Stay at the French Lick Springs Resort where the kids will be amazed at the huge rooms and lots of hidden staircases. They will especially like the domed pool. What’s that smell? Well, it’s money to the folks around here. The resorts subterranean springs are full of healing minerals and sulfur (thus, the slight smell). The first to enjoy the springs and salt licks in the area were the buffalo. Did you know a chef here invented tomato juice? (their kids menu is available at the LeBistro for under $5.00). Next door, catch a weekend or summer Tuesday afternoon (1:00pm) train (pricing $12.00 adult, $6.00 child (3-11). Pass by Larry Bird’s boyhood home, a log cabin, Parson’s Falls and the coolest part – the long, completely pitch dark tunnel. We all clapped once we made it through! NC – Weekend in South Bend and a touch of Amish Country! Notre Dame and a whole lot more! – the South Bend slogan. Start by contacting the visitors center CVB. (800-828-7881 or www.exploresouthbend.org). We came into town on a Thursday evening and drove up to the chalet-like rough cedar hotel – CARLTON LODGE (420 West University Drive, Mishawaka. 800-44-lodge or www.carltonlodge.com). You can sleep in reasonably priced rooms with the comfort of a posture-pedic ultra plush mattress, a complimentary continental breakfast, and a heated (warm) pool. The hotel is surrounded by numerous restaurants and shopping and the staff couldn’t be any friendlier (actually, all of this area is comfortably friendly). The next day (a weekday is best), we decided to take the HERITAGE TRAIL AUDIO DRIVING TOUR of Northern Indiana Amish Country (and RV country). Purchase your cd set with accompanying booklet at the ELKHART COUNTY CVB, just off the Elkhart exit of the Indiana Toll Road (800-262-8161 or www.amishcountry.org). Initially, we weren’t sure the kids would enjoy this tour, but it turned out they did. The audio and directions are well done and intriguing. We’d suggest reserving the day to drive and STOP at every suggested site. Some of the sites we visited this trip: RV/MH HALL OF FAME (pg. 82) – the best part- climbing in most of the units to see their varying layouts. Cozy sleeping quarters but convenient; BONNEYVILLE MILL (pg. 79) – try to visit when the mill is open; JAYCO OR COACHMEN RV’S (pg. 88-89); or save your appetite for DAS DUTCHMAN ESSENHAUS (pg. 89) and their famous sweet peanut butter and apple butter spreads on fresh-baked bread. Your kids will be tempted to eat much of this, but, save room for the family-style meal and dessert! Walk off all that “stuffing” browsing around the huge bakery, gift shop, and village. Something not directly mentioned on the driving tour but a must-see is WALTER PIANO (pg. 81). Begin with a demonstration of the inner ‘guts” of just one note – there is so much to it! They play a piano piece with crisp quality – faster than humanly possible – and the piano keys keep up! Once in the factory, you won’t believe all the hand-sanding and hand-tuning that goes on. The smell of freshly sanded wood prevails as you explore the thousands of parts used to make a quality piano. You can’t imagine how much tension is on each string – it’s all about tension to produce that crisp note. Truly amazing to watch! Now, back to South Bend the next day. We started on the NOTRE DAME campus (pg. 96). The Snite Museum of Art conducts Museum Mornings and JumpstART tours for kids. The Dome has 1250 thin strips of 23 karat gold. The “Fighting Irish” became the official nickname of the University in 1927 because the original mascot was an Irish Terrier. The new mascot is a leprechaun. Old College was the first building constructed as the founding of UND. Located next to it is a replica of the Log Chapel built for missionaries. You absolutely cannot visit the area without taking the INSIDE SCOOP tour at SOUTH BEND CHOCOLATE COMPANY FACTORY AND MUSEUM (pg. 103). Go behind the scenes – where few have gone before. These personal tours last a half hour or more depending on who you meet and where you go! The tours, beginning on the hour, enlighten your knowledge of chocolate and cacao beans. Walk inside the factory to gaze at machines with the molten brown liquid pouring or dripping out into molds and morsels. Check out the big vats and nibble on samples. Visitors then make their own chocolate spoons, eat some more samples and then watch an animated film narrated by Koko, the talking Cocoa Bean. Finally, in the museum, look for the largest Valentine heart box in the world or the 1300 year old Mayan chocolate pot (and Cortez thought gold was the most precious commodity the Aztecs discovered!). Definitely the tour for Wonka-wannabes! So well done and paced at a kid’s attention span. We next headed downtown for lunch (as if we weren’t already full from taste-testing all that chocolate) and, where better to go, than the SOUTH BEND CHOCOLATE CAFÉ (122 South Michigan Street, 574-287-0725 located next to the College Football Hall of Fame). Their freshly grilled sandwiches, salads and soups were so yummy (try the grilled chicken Caesar salad on bread). Still have room for dessert? They have America’s Best Hot Chocolate (we agree, a dessert unto itself) or Fondue for Four – oh-h-h! The COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME (pg. 97). This fun-filled, active museum allows visitors to test their aptitude to be a player, strategize plays to win the big games, play with a marching band, sing a favorite fight song, be a homecoming queen or king, or take a picture with a favorite school mascot. We spent a lot of time in Strategy Theatre trying to outwit other coaches and “virtually” score the most points. We love those exhibits that make you think but still play a fun game. Just around the corner is the HEALTHWORKS KIDS MUSEUM (pg. 98, Monday hours too, www.qualityoflife.org/healthworks.htm.) Your body has a lot of neat equipment – ever wonder why it does what it does? Their shows are interactive and provide great body and mind “choices” information. Kids do lots of crafts and even get to vote. The best part – you interact at every station and the folks here are super fun! Finally, if you have time, venture over to Studebakers or the NORTHERN INDIANA CENTER FOR HISTORY (pg. 98). Check out the Voyages Gallery – through life-like dioramas and interactive displays, visitors walk along a replica dredge boat and “the Free Life Theatre” tells of the Underground Railroad sites of Michiana. KidsFirst is still our favorite area. Maybe now head over to BARNABY’S for dinner (713 East Jefferson Blvd, 574-288-4981). Barnaby’s is a tradition in the area and many families go here after games or skating in the park.
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