More than just a quintessential friendly Midwestern state with a strong passion for college football (but really, there’s no denying that Hoosier love), Indiana is a fairly large state with a wide variety of major cities and outdoor recreation opportunities. When planning a visit, it’s helpful to think of Indiana, or Indy, as it’s affectionately called by locals, as a state with two different regions: north and south. And there's plenty to explore in each.
The northernmost part of Indiana has natural features like lakes, forests, and quaint settings perfect for cabin life. It’s also home to Indiana Dunes National Park, an impressive 15-mile-long stretch of shoreline and dunes along Lake Michigan’s gin-clear waters. Here, hikers, beachcombers, and nature lovers alike can enjoy 15,000 acres worth of hiking trails, sandy beaches, and diverse wetlands on lake's scenic shores.
Indianapolis sits in the heart of the state, with the Brown County State Park, Hoosier National Forest, and historic downtowns located just below in southern Indiana. And because this is the Midwest, we’d be remiss not to mention this is also where you can find major campuses like Indiana University Bloomington, so you can expect city centers to have that distinct college town influence. And because college towns tend to draw in throngs of visitors, you can definitely expect to find cabins and design-minded stays for all those out-of-towners, too.
If you’re looking to visit Indiana during the warmer months, take a trip during July and August, when the temps typically stretch into the high 80s. But the early fall might be the best time to visit Indiana (and therein, a cabin in Indiana), thanks to September and October’s pleasant conditions that allow for plenty of time spent outside with low humidity and nice, long days.
Ready to book an outdoorsy escape to the Hoosier State? Check out the following expertly curated picks for the best rental cabins in Indiana.
[Editor's Note: Check out our top picks for Minnesota Treehouse Rentals and the Best Glampsites in Wisconsin for more Midwest R&R options.]