Exploring Fort Wayne Indiana (Family Friendly Options)

Aug 29, 2024

Today we’re taking a Midwest road trip over to our neighbors in Indiana! This family-friendly and affordable road trip destination is perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer stay. You’ll find plenty of affordable fun, top notch restaurants and dining, amazing arts and entertainment, and lots of kid-friendly activities. It’s chock full of local American history, unique small businesses, and a community that takes pride in maintaining a welcoming atmosphere. Here’s some great places to explore while you’re in the Fort Wayne area!

What is there to see and do in Fort Wayne, Indiana?

Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo covers more than 40 acres of immaculately kept landscaped grounds, award-winning animal habitats, four distinct sections, numerous rides and playspaces, and hands-on experiences that are perfect for families. Each area in the park has its own animal residents as well as plenty of unique attractions. Visitors recommend heading to the Central Zoo area first; this area houses the Monkey Island, Coastal Cove exhibit, Penguin Beach, ZO&O Railroad ride , the new Gem Mining Exhibit, and the Indiana Family Farm. Next, check out the African Journey exhibit; here you’ll enjoy the incredibly popular Safari Trail, the African Village and Veldt lookout, the Zebra Research Station, and the Sky Safari slide ride. Australian Adventure offers beautiful aquatics at The Reef, stunning birds at the Australian Aviary, the Kangaroo Yard, and the Crocodile Adventure Ride. The Asian Trek houses the Red Panda Ridge, Rainforest Room, Tiger Forest, Tree Tops Trail, Jungle Aviary Dome, and special rides like the Endangered Species Carousel and the Bamboo Forest Adventure Play area.

Foellinger Freimann Botanical Garden is a stunning conservatory featuring multiple garden environments over 24,500 square feet of indoor garden space, with additional outdoor gardens to continue explorations. Indoors, visitors can enjoy more than 2,000 plants; the Showcase Garden features a 4-season selection of rotating exhibits as well as several permanent displays including plants from the Mediterranean; the Tropical Garden houses a waterfall and koi pond, orchids, ferns and other tropical rainforest habitat plants, including the cacao tree; the Desert Garden features plants of the Southwest such as yucca, prickly pear, and jojoba just to name a few. The outdoor gardens feature the Exploration Garden, the Terrace Garden, Salon Plaza pollinator and native plant garden, and the Beverforden area.

Fort Wayne Museum of Art is located in the Fort Wayne Arts District, and has a beautiful collection of more nearly 5,000 pieces of art primarily from 19th century artists to present day, as well as a specialty dedicated Print and Drawing Study Center. The museum presents more than 20 exhibitions and rotating exhibits each year, aimed at driving excitement for the arts and art history. You can easily spend a half an hour to an hour also exploring the sculpture found in and around the grounds for even more creative inspiration. Current exhibitions include: “Sam Gilliam: His Art of Printmaking”; “Rowland Ricketts: Invisible Forces”; “The Glass Wing at FWMoA”; “From Their Indiana Home: Artists of the Hoosier Salon”.

Fort Wayne Air Museum is located right at the airport open to airline passengers or tourists who book a pre-arranged tour session. It focuses on airline and aviation history, including a special display of women in aviation! There are numerous displays with artifacts, detailed historical information, pacards and photographs. It’s an interesting, eclectic display of local Fort Wayne and national aviation history. ** Make sure you book a tour in advance unless you’re flying, as it is located inside the upper level of the airport; walk-ins are not possible to non-passengers.

Allen County War Memorial Coliseum encompasses three venues under one roof, and hosts everything from local sports like the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons to consumer trade shows, concerts, family performances, and special events. In front of the venue is a special Veterans Plaza featuring a Korean War Era F-84F Thunderstreak airplane, and other wartime related memorabilia. It is the largest event center venue in Northern Indiana, making it a great place to catch a really exciting concert or show!

Sunken Gardens is located a short drive away in the town of Huntington. Once an abandoned and derelict stone quarry, it has since been transformed into a verdant floral and botanical paradise. You’ll enjoy beautiful fountains and water features, rock walls, a gazebo, a playground for children, scenic walking paths around a large pond, and additional curated gardens with local plants and flowers.

Science Central offers more than 200 hands-on exhibits focused on fostering a love for the sciences and teaching fundamental science concepts in a unique and engaging way for all ages of visitors! In addition to their permanent collection of exciting displays, there are also numerous national touring exhibits for limited engagements. Kids will learn about geography from the TopoBox exhibit, engage in engineering concepts with the Ball Wall, enjoy a moment of zen at the GeoGarden, get creative and innovative at the Giant Kaleidoscope, and much more! They’re also anticipating the under-construction planetarium to open in late 2024 or early 2025, so be on the lookout for that exciting development.