Every year travellers from all over the world book flights to Indiana for two reasons: Hoosier Hysteria and the Indianapolis 500. Hoosier Hysteria takes place during basketball season and twice as much when the Hoosiers hit the playoffs. The Indy 500, held every Memorial Day weekend, is a haven for car and racing enthusiasts. Indiana flights and hotels are booked up to a year in advance for this weekend.
But before there were Hoosiers or Indycars, there were Indians. The Shawnee Native American tribe inhabited Indiana before it was handed over to the Kingdom of Great Britain at the end of the French and Indian War in the 17th century. Indiana found its way back to the governance of the United States after the American Revolution and in 1816, Indiana was officially declared the 19th state in the union.
Today, more than six million people call Indiana home, including late night talk show host David Letterman and the legendary multi-Grammy-award winning Jackson family. Indiana’s love of sports draws thousands of visitors every year and with four different airports serving the Hoosier State, it’s no wonder people find it easy to fly to Indiana for a game. If sports and racing don't appeal to you don't despair, there's always something to do in Indiana.
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Indiana’s winters are a bit milder than other states on the Great Lakes, but still cold. The average temperature in January is in the minus figures (about minus six or so Celsius), and December and February are only slightly warmer in the plus figures. The region near Lake Michigan receives much more snowfall than other parts of the state. July and August tend to be in the 20s and can go upwards of 26 degrees. Spring and autumn are mild with average temperatures in the tens and teens.Because Indiana is so flat, it is on the path of any weather system in the area and has strong winds. March to June is tornado season.
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Peak Season:
Peak season runs from March through September, and it starts getting crowded in May. The Indy 500 can triple the cost of hotel rooms during the race months of May, August, and September. Autumn is cooler and a great time to visit, especially for outdoors activities.
Off Season:
To find a cheap flight to Indiana, Winter is the slowest season with the fewest crowds but not much to do.
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- Contrary to popular belief, Indiana’s architecture is among the most impressive in the country and the small city of Columbus is ranked 6th in the nation for its architectural innovation. Take a tour of the town’s modernist buildings including a 1954 bank designed by Eero Saarinen and the public library designed by I.M Pei.
- Make sure to stop by and explore some of the most breathtaking, perfectly landscaped gardens of Columbus’s historic homes and farmhouses.
- Are you crazy about cars? Then you’re in the right place. Indiana has two of the most prominent car museums in the country: the Indianapolis 500 Hall of Fame Museum which has 75 sleek racing cars and the Studebaker National Museum.
- Fans of the legendary actor should flock to the James Dean Gallery in Fairmont, Indiana - his hometown and final resting place. The museum which is located in a restored 1905 Victorian home boasts a substantial collection of original memorabilia including personal items and artwork by Dean himself. It also has a state-of-the-art theatre that regularly screens the actor’s film clips, television appearances, and documentaries.
- Chocoholics can tour a real life Willy Wonka-style chocolate factory. The 38,000 square foot South Bend Chocolate Factory produces homemade chocolate, rare chocolate molds, delicious fudge, a 1,600-year-old chocolate pot and much more.
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