Great Family Friendly Vacation Stops in Fort Wayne, Indiana

Aug 22, 2023

We love sharing road trips and travel guides with our readers! It’s exciting to share suggestions for an itinerary full of amazing entertainment, excitement, and adventure, and help you discover great new places in the MidWest. Today’s road trip destination is Fort Wayne, Indiana, less than a four hour drive from our hometown of Waukegan. It’s a great getaway for a long weekend or a new destination to shake things up from your usual. So let’s take a look at the fun things in the area, and make some plans together!

Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory is a beautiful botanical garden and conservatory with more than 2,000 indoor and outdoor garden plants, and a stunning set of seasonally rotating displays and events. It first opened its doors in 1983, and has been a prime destination for visitors ever since. This oasis features a Tropical Garden with a waterfall, a Desert Garden with cacti and succulents from around the world, a Showcase garden with seasonal displays, and oh so much more jam packed into its 24,500 square feet of space. It is a must-see stop on your Fort Wayne vacation.

Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo has been charming families since 1965, and it’s easy to see why! Located on 40 gorgeous acres of habitats and walkings paths, you and your family will get an up close look at more than 1,000 animals! In fact, just recently the zoo welcomed a recent addition of a new baby to the Orangutan family This zoo is so beloved that is named one of the nations best zoos, with TripAdvisor ranking it as the 7th best zoo in the nation. It’s a definite point on your bucket list for family fun!

Fort Wayne Museum of Art has both permanent and national traveling exhibitions, and is part of the accredited American Alliance of Museums. The museum’s specialty is American fine and decorative art from the 19th century to contemporary. You can easily spend several hours here perusing the exhibits, and attending special events and lectures on their calendar. Their collection is very unique and features a lot of culturally diverse works.

Science Central Museum is a fantastic hands-on science museum that will delight visitors of all ages! You can check out the remains of a mastodon found right there in Allen County, take an exhilarating ride down the 2-story slide, participate in live science demonstrations, and check out the rotating exhibits.

Public Art Trail of Fort Wayne is an amazing way to take in the sights of the city, while exploring incredible works by local artists. This self guided tour features points of interest like full-scale wall murals, larger than life paintings, functional and interactive sculptures, and many more pieces of public art. You’ll explore more than 100 different “instagrammable” locations and perfect backdrops for family photos. Plus, there’s a special interactive game where you can check-in at different locations and win prizes! Sign up for the mobile pass to track your route and play along while exploring.

Other fun areas to look into include: The Embassy Theatre, Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, The History Center of Allen County, Electric Works and Union Street Market,

Heritage Trail Walking Tour, Historic West Central Walking Tour