Summer fun guide 2005

OK, maybe our Summer Fun Guide isn’t as big as all outdoors, but it’s our biggest ever, covering festivals, theme parks, local parks, outdoor dining, farmers’ markets, flea markets, along with biking, hiking, canoeing, camping, kayaking … whew. Did we leave anything out? Oh yeah: golf, lakes, rivers, skydiving, caving. Plus, our Summer Fun Guide Calendar, and our guide to outdoor concerts, along with suggestions on what convertibles and motorcycles to drive there.

Did we forget anything else? Oh … of course: a roundup of area nude resorts. Hey, it’s summer. Clothes are superfluous. Except for in our fashion story. And in our story on horseback riding. And in our … well, we could go on and on, but why don’t you just take it from here.

Farmers’ Markets

When summer hits, ther e’s nothing better than searching for fresh fruits and veggies and blooming flowers with the early-morning sun warming you, gentle breezes cooling you and live music soothing your week-weary spirits.

The key here is fresh. Indoors or out, these farmers’ markets offer unsullied, Indiana-grown produce. They also provide their fair share of bouquets and smiling faces. Perfect after a bitter Midwestern winter.

1. Adrian Orchards
500 W. Epler Ave., 784-0550

Adam and Eve would have had their hands full here. Apples and apple cider are the specialties, though Adrian Orchards also offers plenty of other sun-drenched delights, such as peaches, nectarines, pears and sweet corn.

2. Broad Ripple Farmers’ Market
820 E. 67th St., 251-2782

After five years in the parking lot west of Broad Ripple High, the Broad Ripple Farmers’ Market has moved. Now on the grounds of the Indianapolis Art Center, this all-consumable open-air market (accessible from the Monon Trail) sits adjacent to the IAC’s new Artspark. Head here for your pick of fresh foodstuffs and flowers.

3. Carmel Farmers’ Market
1 Civic Square, 710-0762

This expanding growers-only market features approximately 50 vendors selling everything from fresh fruits, meats, cheeses, eggs, salsas, handmade crafts and plants. Leave your dogs at home though; there’s a new no-pooch policy at the market.

4. Downtown’s Original Farmers’ Market
222 E. Market St., 634-9266

Slow down city-style on Wednesday mornings. This market offers bedding plants and live music, along with Indiana-grown produce. Other delicious offerings include apple dumplings, fresh eggs, pies, maple syrup and more.

5. Easley Winery
205 N. College Ave., 636-4516

Come here to stock up. Then drink up later. Easley Winery features Indiana wine and champagne, along with freshly squeezed cherry and grape juices. You can also get wine- and beer-making supplies for your do-it-yourself fix.

6. Farmers’ Market at The Barn
1201 E. 38th St., 925-2410

The Center of Agricultural Science & Heritage calls the big white barn on the south side of 38th Street home. We call the big white barn a place for good eats. Here you’ll find everything from carrots, onions, radishes and green peppers to cut flowers, hanging baskets and crafts.

7. Trader’s Point Creamery
9101 Moore Road, 733-1700

Get green (and cream) at this popular spot. The Traders Point green market lets you sample its signature organic dairy products, as well as the meats and vegetables of area certified-organic and natural-farming producers. European-style yogurts, free-range chicken eggs and milks packed with vitamins are all on the menu. Unable to attend? Trader’s Point also sells many of their products around town. Head to Good Earth in Broad Ripple, Wild Oats or the Georgetown Market. Even Marsh carries Trader’s Point products. Trader’s Point won a NUVO Cultural Vision Award in 2005.

8. Waterman’s Farm Market
7010 E. Raymond St., 356-6995

Get on your knees and start picking. Waterman’s plentiful fields offer strawberries, peas, cucumbers, beets and hot peppers that you get to pull from the earth yourself. It’s like a scavenger hunt in dirt. If you can’t make it to Raymond Street, there’s also a Southside Waterman’s (1100 N. S.R. 37, 888-4189).

9. Your Neighbor’s Garden
5224 Grandview Drive, 251-4130

Asparagus, cabbage, cucumbers, herbs, okra and zucchinis are all here, along with much more. This green grocer and clearinghouse of produce — all from Hoosier sources — provides the goods to keep your body healthy and your taste buds sated.

A bit farther from the city, find raspberries, blackberries and blueberries in just about every corner of the state, from Spencer’s You-Pick in Noblesville (7177 E. 161st St., 776-1560) to the Berry Patch in Guilford (9569 W. S.R. 10, 219-956-3687), which has been growing antioxidant-rich fruit for over 50 years.

For a comprehensive list of farmers’ markets and you-pick locations, visit the Office of the Commissioner of Agriculture online at www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/index.htm.

Flea markets

Once you’ve loaded up on fresh fruits and vegetables at the farmers’ markets, you’ll want to hop back in your car in search of antiques. Flea markets have been around for hundreds of years, offering entrepreneurs easy ways to start their own businesses — by setting up a booth, dropping down some stuff and pulling in the green. Flea markets are also perfect for shoppers, because hidden treasures lurk in the most unexpected places. As you shuffle your way past tables of new and used merchandise, you just might chance upon that favorite toy from your childhood, or shriek when you see the replacement dish you once owned but broke, just as it was being discontinued in the stores.

If you’re into traveling for your loot, we’ve got the dish on some super-smokin’ flea markets around the state. Hop on http://collectors.org/FM/US_in.asp for information on even more fleas than you can find here.

1. Antique & Flea Market
Vanderburgh County 4-H Center,
Evansville, Ind.,
812-471-9419

Hosted by the Collectors Carnival Shows, this flea is scheduled to open Aug. 14-15 and Oct. 30-31. Occupying the 150-acre fairgrounds, the flea attracts more than 300 sellers and shoppers numbering in the thousands. Stamps and coins, books, clothing, crafts, tools and sports memorabilia are among the spoils.

2. Bargersville Flea Market
North of S.R. 135 and Old Plank
Road, Bargersville, Ind.,
317-535-4730

Not only are the booths filled with lots to choose from, but you can also get some of the tastiest roasted corn on the cob at this event. When you head south on S.R. 135 on Saturday and Sunday mornings, you’ll run right into this flea that hosts hundreds of vendors. Make sure you stop.

3. Brookville Flea Market
White’s Farm on Holland Road,
Brookville, Ind.,
765-647-3574

Some say the drive to Brookville is worth the trip alone. Rolling hills and pastures make driving pleasant, but the Brookville Flea makes the trip spectacular. Every Wednesday, rain or shine, the farm located 3 miles southeast of Brookville opens up to buyers and sellers alike, with more than 300 dealers in regular attendance. Fresh produce, collectibles, crafts and even livestock have a price tag in Brookville.

4. Dalle’s Folle Flea Market
2302 S. U.S. Hwy. 41,
Veedersburg, Ind.,
800-761-7230

Summer holidays should be spent shopping, at least that’s what they think in Veedersburg. The town opens up on Independence Day and Labor Day weekends to welcome approximately 100 dealers to the area.

5. Friendship Flea Market
One mile east of town on S.R. 62,
Friendship, Ind.,
859-341-9188

You can find more than friendship in Friendship. This open-air flea draws vendors from Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, along with shoppers from across the nation. Surrounded by hills, the town of Friendship will slip out of its solitude June 11-19 and Sept. 10-18 this year. Thousands of visitors pour into the area to find booths of beads, clothes, glassware, jewelry and more.

6. Shipshewana Flea Market
345 S. Van Buren St.,
Shipshewana, Ind.,
260-768-4129

Every Tuesday and Wednesday throughout the summer, the small town of Shipshewana explodes with activity. More than 800 vendors invade the area, while customer counts clock well above 20,000. You can find everything from fresh fruit to handcrafted furniture at this “do-not-miss” Hoosier tradition.

7. World’s Largest Garage Sale
Downtown South Bend, Ind.,
574-299-4768

Brag to your friends that you’ve shopped at the world’s largest garage sale. We’re not sure if this is the world’s largest, but we’re willing to take their word for it. (For one, where’s the garage? Secondly, how do 250 sellers and 8,000 customers fit into it?) Without questioning the details too much, head to South Bend the first Saturday in June and get your pick of new and vintage booty.

LOCAL Parks
Quit your job (or maybe just call in sick) and take in one of the many great parks in Indiana. Call it a “Mental Health Day” … and we’ll continue to lobby for an official one on the calendar. In the meantime, head to www.indyparks.org if you need more information on some great spots to celebrate, mother-nature style.

1. Broad Ripple Park
1550 Broad Ripple Ave.

In the past, Broad Ripple Park was the site of an amusement park, a carousel (now at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum) and a steam locomotive (now at the Transportation Museum in Noblesville). It was also the location of the Olympic tryouts for swimming in 1924 and 1952. Now it’s just a park — but a good one … for you and your dog. One of only two canine companion zones (the other is Eagle Creek), Broad Ripple Park lets dogs run free. It also has lots of picnic spots and play zones where humans can run, and it’s within walking distance of the commercial district for loading up on foodstuffs and drinks.

2. Brookside Park
3500 Brookside Pkwy.

Established in 1898, Brookside Park has 108 acres of rolling wooded green that’s less than five minutes from downtown Indy. The heart of the park is the 20,000-square-foot family center, which hosts athletic and education programs for area youth and adults. Sports fields, including a disc golf course, an aquatic center and a golf course take up where the family center leaves off.

3. Christian Park
3868 E. Pleasant Run Pkwy.

Acquired in 1921, the 74-acre Christian Park has attracted Little Leaguers and pick-up players for decades. With picnic shelters, playgrounds, walking trails and a fitness course, the park offers plenty to keep you busy, and the spray pool can cool you off when you’re done.

4. Ellenberger Park
5301 E. St. Clair St.

Historic Irvington spills over with charm, and Ellenberger Park is one reason why. Established in 1909, the Eastside park was developed and landscaped by an urban architectural master: George Edward Kessler. Now it’s a quaint 42-acre stretch that serves as an escape from city stresses. Beautiful lawns and trickling waterfalls make every day at Ellenberger a relaxing retreat.

5. Glenn’s Valley
8015 S. Bluff Road

Go early or go late. Watch the sun rise while a cup of steaming coffee warms your digits, or head down here in the evening, when you can chase lightning bugs at the first sign of their brilliance. Tall grass prairies, hardwood forests, aging oak and poplar trees and gravel paths make up Glenn’s Valley Nature Park, a property deeded to the city in 1992. Used to encourage the growth of native Indiana plants, the park also supports growth of another kind for Southside residents — spiritual, relaxing and natural.

6. Holliday Park
6363 Spring Mill Road

One of Indianapolis’ oldest parks, Holliday Park gets better with age. Located along the banks of the White River, Holliday’s 95 acres of woodland and trails feature an arboretum, native prairie plots, natural springs and wetlands, extensive landscaping and even limestone ruins, which cast an ancient — yet world-wise — air to the place. And once you’re done taking in its overwhelming sense of history, take a load off and relax in its natural beauty.

7. Martin Luther King Jr. Park

This neighborhood park, about a block north of the historic Old Northside, was the site where Robert Kennedy gave a speech on the day King was assassinated. Off College Avenue west of the 38th Street Men’s Club, the park now spreads across 14 acres in a primarily African-American neighborhood, and a Peace Memorial sculpture honors the two leaders. A plaque quotes Kennedy’s speech from the day that went down in civil rights history.

REGIONAL PARKS

8. Eagle Creek Park
7840 W. 56th St.

Eagle Creek, the fourth-largest city park in the country, boasts 1,400 acres of water and 3,900 acres of dry land — and it’s only 10 minutes from downtown Indy. Catamaran on the reservoir, make like a caveman and build fire from sticks and then barbecue on the shore. Hike, sail, fish, bird watch or just get lost (it’s big enough). Eagle Creek lets you get back to nature any way you’d like. Amenities include boat rentals, a nature preserve and sanctuary, along with a pistol/archery range.

9. Garfield Park
2450 S. Shelby St.

With a conservatory, sunken gardens and an arts center, the 130-year-old Garfield Park is a surprising oasis of beauty, culture and nature plunked down in the middle of the city. The conservatory houses 10,000 square feet of tropical plants. The sunken gardens include three acres of classical European gardens. Graceful fountains, paved walkways and benches are perfect for breezy afternoons in the park just south of downtown Indy. The modern Aquatic Center keeps kids busy, and an amphitheater brings local talent to light. With 123 acres of activities, you’ll feel like you’re just getting started when it’s time to go home.

10. Riverside Park
2420 E. Riverside Drive

Founded in 1898, Riverside Park had a zoo once, a flood twice (1904 and 1913) and three times a naming: first Riverside, then Taggart Memorial (after Thomas Taggart) and then Riverside again. With the White River to the west, South Grove Golf Course to the south and the Rivers Edge and Riverside neighborhoods to the north and east, the park boasts 96 acres of park-lovin’ fun, and it’s a cool 5 miles from downtown. The Riverside Oddbreakers, an AAU basketball team, call the family rec center at Riverside home, as does Sarge Johnson’s Boxing School. Here you’ll find swimming pools, water slides, playgrounds, a boat launch for the White River and more.

11. Sahm Park
6801 E. 91st St.

A 400,000-gallon pool, three slides and lap lanes might have something to do with the Aquatic Center, which opened in 1999, remaining the central focus here. But it’s not the only thing to do to while away a sunny afternoon. With Sahm Golf Course across the street, and nature trails, sports facilities and picnic spots in the park itself, Sahm holds its own as a destination worth the drive. Other amenities include sand volleyball courts.

12. Southwestway Park
8400 Mann Road

Southwestway Park, joined with Winding River Golf Course and Cottonwood Lakes, recently acquired approximately 100 additional acres. It’s now second in size to Eagle Creek, and plans to add an aquatic center, tennis courts and more shelter houses to continue the park’s growth. Walk the trails, watch a Decatur Central Little League game or pop open a cold one and relax.

STATE PARKS

13. Brown County State Park
State Road 46, Nashville, Ind.

The drive to Brown County is worth the trip. Winding two-lane roads, thick layers of trees and the calls of birds and mouthy bugs as you whiz past make getting there a treat. But Indiana’s largest state park, Brown County, starts to feel like the prize at the end of a 45-minute race when you see its numerous summertime offerings, like scenic vistas, hiking trails, horseback rides and fishing areas. Though it’s only a short distance from Indy, you may want to stay overnight at the Abe Martin Lodge (812-988-4418) or camp in the park itself, then wake early and shoot over to the commercial district in Nashville for breakfast and a day of art gallery browsing and impulse shopping.

14. Fort Benjamin Harrison
5753 Glenn Road

Fort Benjamin Harrison, a park and nature preserve with some serious Indiana history behind it, was created from 1,700 of the defunct 2,500-acre military post in 1995. Fork out a couple of bucks for the entry fee and you’ll find one of the largest tracts of unbroken hardwood forest in Central Indiana, several small lakes, trails and picnic areas. For equestrians, horseback rides are offered; for fishing enthusiasts, Fall Creek, which runs through the park, lets you cast your line; and for nature lovers, the park provides opportunities to see woodland wildflowers, warblers and maybe even a few woodpeckers.

15. Indiana Dunes State Park
1600 N. 25 E., Chesterton, Ind.

Indiana Dunes State Park and the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore make for the perfect two-day trip. Spend day one at the park, where you can take in the sights of nearly 1,450 plant and 330 bird species. Hike, bike, swim, fish and lay in the grass. Take in the towering Mount Toms, the tallest dune (192 feet). Then head over to the National Lakeshore on day two to check out Mount Baldy, the tallest moving dune (124 feet), and lay in your skivvies on the beautiful white sand beach.

16. Mounds State Park
4306 Mounds Road,
Anderson, Ind.

Located off of I-69 just east of Anderson, Mounds State Park features 10 “earthworks” built by prehistoric Indians, known as the Adena-Hopewell people. A popular theory among archaeologists: The largest earthwork, the “Great Mound,” was constructed around 160 B.C. Many also believe these sites were used for religious ceremonies. If you’ve got some spiritual work ahead of you, Mounds State Park seems the perfect place to get your God on. Then bring yourself back down to earth with the abundance of nature activities like hiking, picnicking and swimming.

OTHER PLACES TO PONDER

17. Holcomb Gardens
Butler University,
4600 Sunset Blvd.

Holcomb Gardens blooms with flowers and trees, while sculptures and benches make it easy to spend a day in the breeze. The adjacent canal, as well as the statue of the Greek goddess Persephone, adds to the environs. The key here: Sit, read a book, ponder life or just enjoy the sound of wind (and time) blowing by you, because playing Frisbee and picnicking are discouraged.

18. Indiana War Memorial Plaza
Downtown north

Set aside in 1821 to be a state university housed between Vermont and New York streets, University Park is the oldest section of the five-block memorial plaza. The neoclassical War Memorial gets top attention here, but landscaped grounds with trees, flowerbeds and statues are a sight for computer-sore eyes. The area also features the Depew Memorial Fountain (circa 1919) and the obelisk, a 100-foot–tall “silent testimony” to peacetime soldiers. American Legion Mall is great for people watching, Frisbee ducking and checking out occasional live concerts.

19. Skiles Test Nature Preserve
6828 Fall Creek Road

Its history is almost more interesting than its present beauty. Legend has it that Diamond Chain Company heir Skiles Edward Test kept his deceased wife in a glass coffin surrounded by blue lights in his home, once situated on the property. The exterior, also illuminated in blue, earned the residence the moniker “the house of blue lights.” Apparently, Test was also an animal lover, making graves with tiny headstones for his many departed furry friends.

Test, his wife’s body, the animals and the abode are all gone now, and the 80.9-acre estate is a nature preserve that includes a new family — this one of Eastern coyotes, along with a 2.45-mile gravel hiking trail, upland forest with sugar maple, American beech and a wealth of oak trees. Exotic vegetation, such as Amur honeysuckle, is also said to be moving in. A 14-acre planted prairie features big and little bluestem and Indian grasses, as well as an array of wildflowers. Many spots are overrun, though Indy Parks crews regularly work to clear the areas. The peculiar history, however, they can’t seem to erase.

20. White River State Park
Downtown southwest

Beautiful waterways, lush lawns and tree-lined boulevards populate this state park, which not only spruces up the downtown scene with nature, but also with objets d’art and stunning architecture. Large limestone-block walls and sculptures add to the sophisticated appeal of the park, which includes the old Washington Street bridge. The zoo, Victory Field, the Indiana State Museum and the Eiteljorg are just a few of the attractions accessible here, but “irresponsible” skating, according to the Web site, isn’t. Skateboarding and inline skating on non-flat surfaces is punishable — by park people, of course.