Travel Information for Indiana
Posted By:
Travel Commune Staff
on 16 November, 2006
Visitors to Indiana will find both highly populated areas and rural communities, making this state a surprisingly diverse area. The northern, central, and southern regions all have various cities and towns that thrive on different economies. In each region, you'll find a variety of towns, cities, colleges, universities, and more.
Northern Indiana
Because of its proximity to Chicago and major Indiana universities and colleges, much of northern Indiana is a busy, highly populated area. The northwestern portion of Indiana is basically an extension of the Chicago metropolitan area. Cities like Gary and Hammond serve as commuter cities, as the South Shore Line commuter train provides almost hourly transportation to downtown Chicago from these and other Indiana cities in the northern region. Other major cities located in northern Indiana include South Bend and Fort Wayne. Fort Wayne, home of University of Indiana-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW), offers its residents and visitors a thriving art and theatre scene, exciting night life, and interesting history. South Bend is home of the renowned Notre Dame University and the Studebaker National Museum.
Central Indiana
The central part of Indiana is where the capital of the state, Indianapolis, is located, so this area is quite busy and populated. Because Indianapolis is intersected by many major Interstate and U.S. highways, the state has been given the nickname "Crossroads of America." Other major cities in this area include Anderson, Bloomington, Columbus, Lafayette, Terre Haute, and Muncie. Many premier universities are located in this region as well. West Lafayette is the home of Purdue University's main campus and Bloomington is the location of Indiana University's main campus.
Southern Indiana
While the Southern Indiana is the region of Evansville, the third largest city in the state, this portion of Indiana is known mostly for its scenic farmlands and forests. The Hoosier National Forest, a 200,000-acre nature preserve, is located in this area. Unlike the northern and central parts of Indiana, Southern Indiana has rolling hills. One such set of hills is known as the "Knobs," which is a series of 1,000-foot hills that are parallel to the Ohio River. This part of Indiana also has many limestone caves; in fact, Southern Indiana is one of the biggest limestone quarry region in the United States. Southern Indiana is part of the tri-state area, which includes Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky. Larger southeastern cities--Clarksville, Jeffersonville, and New Albany--make up part of the Louisville, Kentucky, metropolitan area, so even though this part of the state may be best known for its rural settings, the urban areas are also quite significant.
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