The Great Outdoors
Thrills for the Outdoor Enthusiast
Discover an affordable destination in your own backyard that offers mountain biking, caving, camping, and hiking surrounded by the unique, natural beauty of Southern Indiana. With access to our team of experts who can guide your experience, you can focus on making lasting memories with your fellow outdoor lovers in Corydon!
Day 1
Thursday Evening
Take in some of the beautiful natural scenery on the Indiana Creek Trail — you’ll forget you’re just outside of town on this paved path winding along the creek among wildlife such as deer, bald eagles, and blue herons. This trail connects to Hayswood Nature Reserve, where you’ll find paved and gravel trails winding through the forest.
While you’re near downtown, enjoy a brick oven pizza and delicious microbrew at Beaver Street Tap Room, just across from Corydon’s historic square. (Ages 21+)
Outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy the camping options at our state and county parks, but sometimes a day of adventuring calls for a hot shower and comfy bed, which you’ll find out our modern hotels, vacation rentals such as High Ridge Log Cabins and Along Blue River Cabin Rentals, or several options on Airbnb or Vrbo.
Day 2
Friday
Morning: Take advantage of reduced weekday traffic at one of our most popular attractions, Indiana Caverns or Squire Boone Caverns. Guided tours take you deep into our greatest natural treasure where you can walk alongside underground streams, investigate captivating cave formations, discover fossils, and observe fascinating plant and animal life hundreds of feet below the earth’s surface. Tours vary in length and terrain, but most are easy walks with stairs. And with a constant temperature of 52 degrees, the caves are a perfect outing all year long.
Lunch: Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, you can find a delicious lunch at Boone’s Kitchen and Candy Shop in the pioneer village at Squire Boone Caverns. All of their food is made from scratch, down to their delicious freshly baked bread and treats. This is casual fare, such as pulled pork or chicken salad sandwiches, perfect for a quick stop before more adventures. If you’re visiting during a different time of year, Corydon’s restaurants are just a quick trip back into town, or you can plan ahead with a picnic lunch on the grounds of either cave.
Afternoon: O’Bannon Woods State Park is 2,300 acres of rolling hills, dense forests, streams, and scenic outlooks situated on the Ohio River. There you’ll find 18 miles of day-use trails, from very accessible to more challenging, so you can pick which experience best suits you. No matter which trails you choose, you will not be disappointed!
Dinner: By now you’ve earned a delicious and relaxing meal, and The Overlook Restaurant is the perfect spot. Just down the road from O’Bannon Woods State Park, the dining room here has a panoramic view of the Ohio River — the perfect place to enjoy a sunset. You’ll still feel right at home here in your hiking boots dining on their locally famous fried chicken.
Day 3
Saturday
Morning: Get an early start this morning with a ½ day canoe or kayak trip on the Blue River, made easy with a visit to Cave Country Canoes or Old Mill Canoe Rental. Whether you rent one of their boats or bring your own, they do the work for you by driving you and your canoe upstream for easy access to the river. Enjoy a quick rest or a picnic lunch along the public gravel bars and beach areas and stay on the lookout for the abundant wildlife including turtles, eagles, otters, and more.
Lunch: Plan ahead with a picnic lunch you can enjoy on the river, or at Cave Country Canoes you can usually pick up a bite from a local food truck parked at the end of your trip. Maybe a bite in town sounds better — stop into Frederick’s Café or Koa’s Lodge for a tasty sandwich.
Afternoon: Spend an afternoon taking in Corydon’s smalltown charm. You won’t want to miss Zimmerman’s Art Glass, a family business in operation since 1942, which offers free glassblowing demonstrations. Visitors of all ages will be mesmerized as unique works of art come together before their eyes! Just down the street, you’ll find Butt Drugs, a third-generation family-owned classic soda fountain with delicious shakes and a funny name!
Learn more about the town’s history as the first State Capital with a stroll guided by our historic walking tour map, taking in Corydon’s square, shops, and other public spaces. Download a copy or pick up a printed brochure at our visitor center.
Dinner: 1816 Modern Kitchen and Drinks in downtown Corydon pays homage to the town’s history while also serving up modern Southern comfort foods and craft cocktails. (Reservations recommended.)
Day 4
Sunday
Morning: End your long weekend at Squire Boone Caverns Zipline Adventures. The adventure begins with a climb to the treetops of beautiful Southern Indiana and continues over scenic forests and ravines in a way you’ve never experienced before. Choose from tours lasting 1 ½ or 3 hours, which take you from ridge to ridge over the beautiful Buck Creek Valley.
Lunch: If you’d like to grab lunch before hitting the road, consider stopping in at one of our fast and delicious locally owned Mexican restaurants, Rita’s Taco Shop, El Nopal, and El Nopalito.
want to stay longer?
Check out these bonus ideas for your vacation
Harrison County Fairgrounds
Host of Indiana’s oldest county fair and many other events throughout the year.
The ultimate guide to corydon and Harrison County
Don’t stop here. There’s so much more!
Discover all Corydon has to offer with the official 2022 travel guide. Jam-packed with plenty of things to do, see, and eat — find everything you need to plan an inexpensive, exciting trip you’ll be talking about for years to come.
Additional Itineraries
Not the right fit? We’ve got you covered.
Choose from one of our many itineraries to make the most of yourgetaway in a town that offers something for everyone. And more.
