Fair Oaks Farms

April 13, 2011 By

This review of Fair Oaks Farms has been submitted by Nicole Wiltrout of Arrows Sent Forth.

A stop at Fair Oaks Farms in northern Indiana is a great opportunity to teach your kids where their milk, cheese and ice cream comes from. Fair Oaks Farms is one of the largest dairy farms in the country. You’ll see cows being milked on a mass scale. Often, you’ll get to see a calf being born in the birthing room. While it’s not an organic farm and the sheer number of cows being raised there (30,000+) can be a bit overwhelming, the farm is committed to sustainable practices. It’s a chance to see what life is like on a real, working farm.

Fair Oaks

Fair Oaks Farms is also great because it’s one of the few stops on the three-hour stretch between Chicago and Indianapolis that offers kids something to do. Anyone who has traveled this stretch of road knows that it’s quite rural and lacks entertainment options or pit stops beyond fast food restaurants and gas stations. Read more about Nicole’s experiences at Fair Oaks Farms here and here.

Distance from the nearest interstate: Less than one mile from I-65

Date last visited: September, 2010

Hours of operation: Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Central time)

Admission cost: To take the Dairy Adventure tour, cost is $10 for adults and $7 for kids 3-12. In addition to the tour, this includes access to the Mooville play area (a large dairy farm-inspired outdoor playground) and the Dairy Fun Room, an indoor exhibit space devoted to educating kids about dairy farming.

The tour itself is probably not ideal for kids three and under. Our little guy (18 months old at the time) got pretty squirmy, although he did enjoy getting to see the cows. Next time we visit, we’ll skip the bus tour and spend more time letting him explore the playground and the Dairy Fun Room.

Fair Oaks

Dining options: If the admission price is beyond your budget, you should still plan a stop at the Cheese Factory building on the property. Here you can get Fair Oaks cheese, ice cream, milk, grilled cheese sandwiches, and other gifts. We ordered some delicious grilled cheese sandwiches and bought some of their cheese cubes to snack on the road. There is also a Subway at this exit.

Website: http://www.fofarms.com

Directions: Take I-65 to Exit 220 (Winamac/SR 14). Fair Oaks Farms is located just west of the exit. You can see the big barns from the highway and there are plenty of signs to direct you.

Nicole Wiltrout is a stay-at-home mom (who rarely stays home) and lives in Columbus, Indiana. Nicole writes about adventures at home and away with her husband and two-year-old son at http://arrowssentforth.com. You can also find her on Twitter at @arrowssentforth. She loves Hoosier road trips and is an Expert Blogger for the state’s tourism blog, the Indiana Insider at Visit Indiana. 

Dinosaur World visit with kids

January 7, 2010 By

Photo courtesy of Dinosaur World website711 Mammoth Cave Road
Cave City, KY

Just 10 miles from Mammoth Cave National Park, Dinosaur World in Cave City is a great place to stop and play while traveling I-65. While walking (or probably running!) along the well-groomed paths, kids come face-to-face with life-sized dinosaurs complete with displays with their names, era, etc. Says parent reviewer Kristy of Appleton, WI, They not only have life-size dinos along paths in the woods, but also a fossil dig area, playground, museum, and picnic areas. We loved it¦it was cool to stand next to the dinos! (There’s also a Dino World in Plant City, FL and Glen Rose, TX.)

Distance off the interstate: Directly off the interstate.

Hours and Admission Prices: Open 8:30 am until sunset every day of the year except Thanksgiving and Christmas. Prices: $12.75 for adults, $9.75 for children ages 3 to 12, $10.75 for seniors over 60 (friendly pets on leashes – free!)

Food Services: From the official website: there is no food service at Dinosaur World, however, we have excellent picnic areas. Bring a picnic lunch or enjoy one of the local fast food or dine-in restaurants and bring the food back to the park picnic areas.

Website: http://www.dinoworld.net/

Directions: Right off I-65 at Exit 53 – you can even see some of the dinosaurs from the interstate!
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Gunter Air Force Base

May 25, 2009 By
Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base

Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base

Gunter Air Force Base
Montgomery, Alabama

As today is Memorial Day, it seemed fitting to post a pitstop for military families. If that applies to you, and you are driving I-65 in Montgomery, Gunter Air Force Base may be a good (and affordable) overnight option. Lucia at Dim Sum, Bagels, and Crawfish stopped over with her family recently: $46 for two bedrooms separated by a bathroom and fairly close to major interstates. We stopped at the commissary the next morning to stock up on gas and snacks for the road.

Distance off the interstate: 4.5 miles

Food Services: Check out the commissary (links are below).

Website: Both of these provide good contact information:
http://militarymediainc.com/maxwell/
http://www.au.af.mil/usefullinks.asp

Directions: From I-65 south:

Take Exit 172. Turn right at Herron St. Herron St turns slightly left and becomes Bibb St. Continue on AL-108/Madison Ave, then turn left at Federal Dr. Continue on Cong W L Dickinson Dr, then turn right at N Turner Blvd, turn right at Spaatz St, turn left at S Morris Ave, and turn left at Clarke Park.

From I-65 north:

Take exit 173 for North Blvd toward US-231, then merge onto AL-152/Northern Blvd. Turn right at Emory Folmar Blvd, left at Cong W L Dickinson Dr, right at N Turner Blvd, right at Spaatz St, left at S Morris Ave, and left at Clarke Park.
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