Indianapolis to Erie Road Trip Guide

If you’re a history buff or there’s a trainspotter hiding inside you, you’ll love Whitewater Valley Railroad as it is a piece of history preserved for the present. The railroad was established and initiated in 1972 on 25 miles of lease railroad that are part of the momentous Penn Central railroad tracks that connect Connersville and Brookville in Indiana.

Some of the trains run to this day, from Connersville to the shopping district of Metamora on weekends during the tourist season. Even more interesting and iconic are the train cars that were built in the 1920s as well as the diesel locomotives – now consisting of restored engines.

You’d be able to learn so much about the history of the surrounding area from this historic railroad alone, which also happens to be a museum. One way in which this historical site stands out from the others is because of its maintenance of accuracy that it is often praised for.

The picturesque village of Yellow Springs, in Ohio, is simply an unmissable spot on this road trip adventure. Yellow Springs is an appealing and extraordinarily charming destination. It is the best place to go when you have planned your road trip around the tourist season because this off-the-beaten-path location is known to few.

There are only 3,400 residents in this quaint village and you can enjoy hiking and camping at John Bryan State Park, Glen Helen Nature Preserve, or at the Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve in privacy. The village boasts a magnificent landscape that includes creeks, crystal-like streams, rocky river canyons, and dense forests.

There’s a traditional American diner right outside the Clifton Mill that serves delicious food that looks especially more mouthwatering when you are pleasantly tired from your hike.

In this little village retreat, you will also get a chance to enjoy water activities such as canoeing, fishing, and boating as well as non-water activities like rock climbing, rappelling, and various winter activities.

Maumee Bay State Park in Toledo, OH, is the place to go if you feel the desire to escape into nature. Your road trip isn't just about quaint towns, big cities, and fancy museums; it should also include an unwinding connection with nature. Fortunately, your route takes you to one of the most scenic and stunning state parks in Ohio, situated on the quiet and mesmerizing banks of Lake Erie.

The park offers all the great facilities to make sure your time here is full of adventure. In this beautiful space between the convergence of the land and the water, you can enjoy recreational activities such as golfing, cycling, hiking, and camping. You can also spend time in the water, enjoying swimming and paddling in the lake. The entire site is dog-friendly, and your furry friend can accompany you along the trails that lead to scenic meadows, green marshes, and wet woodlands.

In Alliance, OH, there’s a museum unknown even to many locals. And it is this lack of popularity and crowd that makes this quirky museum even more special. The Troll Hole Museum boasts one of the world’s largest collections of troll toys, holding the Guinness World Record for it.

As you enter this place, you’ll be amazed at all the dolls, trolls, and memorabilia exhibits, nearly 20,000 of them, which is an experience that can best be described as both creepy and fascinating.

Among this vast collection are some of the rarest and most prized dolls in the world, such as the ninja trolls, a vintage Trollmobile, and a three-headed troll figurine.

In case you don’t know, trolls were first created during the 19th century by Danish Woodworker Thomas Dam as toys. Their popularity blew up and they attained a huge fan following in the 1960s and once again during the 1990s. Trolls were inspired by ugly mountain-dwelling creatures of Scandinavian and Norwegian mythology.