15 Family Fun Activities to do in Richmond & Wayne County, Indiana

Looking for a fun family adventure to enjoy with the kids this summer? Head east to Richmond and Wayne County, Indiana, where you’ll find a great seasonal slate of attractions, recreation and artsy activities to fill up a day or a weekend!
The weather’s perfect for outdoor explorations, and Richmond’s got plenty to offer. Stop by the Old National Road Welcome Center to pick up a Whitewater Valley Fossil Hunt Passport and take your gang on a treasure hunt of their very own. The Whitewater Gorge, particularly around the scenic Thistlethwaite Falls, teems with fossil fragments dating back millions of years. After collecting five specimen, head back to the welcome center to receive an embroidered fossil patch.

For another perspective on the gorge, borrow a complimentary bike from Cycling and Fitness Warehouse to cruise the Cardinal Greenway. Those who prefer to stand on their own two feet can hike the forested great outdoors at Hayes Arboretum. (Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife sightings.) Across town near Centerville, the Cope Environmental Center offers another three miles of hiking trails and a self-guided labyrinth walk to check out. During the summer months, Middlefork Reservoir rents paddleboats, rowboats, and kayaks for leisurely excursions on the water. And don’t forget to seek out Hoosier Hill in Bethel 15 miles north of Richmond, the highest point in Indiana 1,257 feet above sea level.

If you’ve got small kids along for the ride, set a course to the Dougherty Orchard (opening this weekend) in Cambridge City where you can get up close to a selection of familiar and exotic animals, then cool off with some sweet apple cider. Just across the state line in New Paris, Ohio, Quiet Harmony Ranch proposes the chance to admire and learn about a 200-head elk herd, in addition to maintaining a restaurant, gift shop and activity zone.

Little prince and princesses will love the Enchanted Fairy Trail, a scavenger hunt for tiny magical dwellings across Richmond and Wayne County; pick up a map at the welcome center to get started. And to burn off a little energy, take the kiddos to one of Richmond’s many parks and green spaces. Spacious Glen Miller Park features a playground, a music garden, a skate park, tennis courts and a splash pad that sees a lot of use through the summer; while Clear Creek Park boasts baseball diamonds, basketball dream court, disc golf, pickleball facilities and a sensory playground. And what could be more fun for the whole family than rooting on the home team Richmond Jazz during baseball games at Don McBride Stadium?

For a rainy-day option, or any time, Richmond houses two authentic Egyptian mummies to marvel at — one in the Wayne County Historical Museum and one at the Joseph Moore Museum of Natural History on the Earlham College campus. For something creative, try your hand at decorating a plate, mug, bowl or other pottery at Paint the Towne in Richmond’s historic Depot District.

For more great ideas and family-fun suggestions on how to make the most of your trip to Richmond and Wayne County, visit our Things to Do page