Marengo Cave: A Mystifying Experience for your Kids

Continuing my family’s tour of the Indiana Cave Trail, we found ourselves traveling to the national landmark known as Marengo Cave.

Now I know what you are thinking, a cave is a cave. You could not be more wrong my friend.

***Disclaimer- I was provided overnight accommodations in nearby Corydon, IN, as well as tickets for my family and I to experience the cave in exchange for this post. Rest assured, all opinions and observations are my own.***

Upon pulling into Marengo Cave, I was immediately flooded with childhood memories of visiting the landmark when I was just a kid. I remembered the being speechless throughout the cave, because how could something that beautiful exist beneath our feet?

Honestly, during this trip, these same memories started flooding back! Only now, I was able to see the wonder of the caverns through the eyes of my three children. My three babies were doing everything in their power to take in all that Marengo Cave had to offer.

Two Tours Sure to Dazzle

Setting this cave apart from the other caverns on the Indiana cave trail, Marengo Cave offers two separate and very unique walking tours. While either tour is sure to please those in your group, it is very doable to accomplish both tours in one trip! Plus, you can save up to $11 dollars by purchasing a combo ticket, and I am all about saving the dollars.

Another notable piece of info on the tours, my 4-year-old easily accomplished both of these on foot! (Back-to-back even.) The path through the cave is nice and open and allows him to easily navigate the tour without becoming overly tired.

Word of the wise, please make sure your kiddos use the bathroom before exploring the caves. There is not a bathroom accessible along the tour, and Brendan (who already has a nervous bladder) spent the last 10 minutes of the second tour arguing with me over why he could not pee in the puddles in the cave.

Boys, right?

The Crystal Palace

This 40-minute cave tour leads you through cave rooms, beautifully decorated in formations that only nature could accomplish. As is the same on any cave tour, touching the cave walls/formations is not permitted as it can destroy the ever-growing cave. This rule is cast aside however in a couple spots on this tour, where my kids (ok, and myself) are able to touch a previously broken formation, as well as feeling the water that is descending from a live drip!

Continuing on the tour, the trail winds THROUGH the cave formations, allowing you to pass between pillars and columns. You will experience the cave as the two children who discovered it back in 1883 did, using nothing but the light of a single candle. Not excited yet? This tour is named for the breathtakingly beautiful Palace Room and is one popular location where weddings take place in the cave. By far, it is my favorite cave room that I have seen to date.

The Dripstone Trail

If you are up for a bit longer of a tour, the 60-minute Dripstone Trail tour is sure to please! Following the cave path along the same route that the river that created the caverns did years ago, you will find yourself in awe of the different formations on display in this tour. From stalagmites and stalagmites to old excavation sites and more soda straws than you can count, this tour was filled with something for everyone.

My kids were particularly impressed by the “penny ceiling”, where they were able to throw coins at the ceiling of a cavern room in an effort to make them stick among the thousands of other coins stuck there. Also along this tour, you were able to see where church services, weddings, and even plays were presented in the caverns in the time before air conditioning! I mean, can you imagine?

Gem Mining

Find yourself wondering what you will do with the time between tours? Never fear! Marengo Cave boasts not one, but two sluice locations on site where your kids (and you too if you choose!), can mine for their own gems or fossils.

Whether the weather is sunshine and perfection, or slush and ice, Marengo Cave can cater to all! With one sluice indoors and the other out, families can bond over gem classification any time of year. Also, Marengo offers gem bags at multiple price points making this an affordable activity for any budget.

Tour Guides Who Inspire

Every cave tour has a tour guide, but our guide at Marengo Cave was seriously AMAZING!

Introducing himself to us by the name “Cowboy”, I may have been a bit worried at first. Cowboy did nothing short of dazzling our entire group, however! Not only was Cowboy completely passionate about this cave, as well as caves in general, he was funny and personable, which added that much more to the tour. He even pulled Addi up to walk with him throughout the tour so that he could answer every question she had. (Thank goodness, because otherwise we might still be there.)

When I thanked our guide for being so patient and engaging with the kids, his answer was one that will forever stick with me. “I want kids to be excited about caves, and I want to help build that. Their excitement will build the passion for the next generation of cave explorers.”

Seriously, guys, this hit my soul! If you have the ability to tour with Cowboy on your trip to Marengo Cave, I highly suggest it. You will not regret it!

A Gift Shop FULL of Resources

This is one of those rare times you will catch me telling you to visit a gift shop with all of your children. Marengo Cave’s gift shop is one for the books though!

Hosting everything from old-time cookbooks and cave exploration guides to large agate slabs, you can find so many treasures here. After leaving this location, the gift shop seriously has me trying to justify adding an agate slab to my home decor! Not only that but even the ladies who were running the gift shop were highly educated regarding the caverns and the surrounding area. This made finding out the answers to those pesky questions I could not think of while on the tour a piece of cake.

Property Extra’s

Cave Exploring

Find yourself itching for more after accomplishing both cave tours?

Great news!
Marengo Cave offers 5 tours (four of which are for ages 10+) that will get you down and dirty exploring the caves by headlamp! These tours are very reasonably priced (honestly, much more affordable that I figured they would be) and they allow you to see the cave in a different light than you would if you were just on the walking tour. While I was unable to do one of these tour’s due to having the little’s with me. I am seriously considering sending Addi and her dad back after Addi turns 10 in August!

Want to find out more about the tours and how to book yours? Click here!

The Crawl

Kiddos want to see what it is like to explore the caves like a cave explorer, yet don’t hit want the mud or wet? No problem! They can still visit The Crawl and get their exploring on!

Kids 8+ years of age can visit The Crawl, and travel through a man-made cave exploration simulator to get a feel of what cave exploration would be like. Tours are available for only $3, and at the end of your child’s tour, they will still be as clean as when they started! #MomWin

Canoeing

Just five minutes down the road from Marengo Cave, you will find Cave Country Canoes on the beautiful Blue River! Ages 3 and up can go spend half a day, or a full day exploring the river by canoe and simply taking in the sights.

The scenic views, limestone ledges and Indiana wildlife will thrill and excite your family, leaving you with memories above ground to last a lifetime.

Camping and Cabins

Looking for a place to spend the night after a busy day of caving? Be sure to check out the Marengo cabins and campground!

With electric camping sites, and spacious one-room cabins at very affordable pricing located in the campground just off the cave parking area, you will not have to go far for accommodations! While we stayed in nearby Corydon, IN (more details below) I did check out the campground and would be more than excited to camp there in the future!

Accommodations

While traveling through the Indiana Cave Trail, my crew stayed in the Hampton Inn by Hilton in nearby historic Corydon, IN. The hotel provided my kids with a much-needed swim following a warm day of spelunking through the caves. The hotel also boasts wonderful accommodations that were enjoyed by all!

The staff was beyond amazing, and very friendly. Also, the complimentary breakfast had something for everyone in our group to enjoy! I cannot thank them enough for accommodating our crazy, and would definitely stay with them in the future!

You can make your own reservations with the Hampton Inn in Corydon by visiting their website here.

Seriously though, if you are planning a trip to Southern Indiana, Marengo Cave is one that NEEDS to make it onto your list. Not only will your kids have an experience that they are not soon to forget, but you will leave with family memories unique to those you make above ground!

While you are in the area visiting Marengo Cave, be sure to check out the other caves on the Indiana Cave Trail! Visit all four and you will score yourself an awesome t-shirt. You can learn more about Indiana Caverns here, and Squire Boone Caverns here.