Ultimate List of Things to do with Kids in Evansville, Indiana
Looking for a great family getaway without leaving Indiana? If so, then Evansville needs to be the next city on your list! We have some family-friendly things to do in Evansville you want to check out.
Recently, the kids and I took a trip to southern Indiana in search of our next summer adventure. What we found was a city full of friendly faces, beautiful views, and family fun!
Therefore, I decided to compile the ultimate list of family-friendly things to do in Evansville to make your next adventure a breeze to plan and fill it with even more fun.
So, let’s get started!
**Disclosure- This post was sponsored by Visit Evansville. This means that I was provided tickets and accommodations during my time in the city. This was in exchange for experiencing the city with my kids and compiling this list of family-friendly things to do in Evansville, filled with my honest opinions for you. Rest assured, we loved the city, and I cannot wait for your family to experience the city for yourselves!**
Wesselman Woods Playscape
Seeking out fun, family-friendly things to do in Evansville, the last place I expected to be sent was to the woods.
Yet, upon visiting Wesselman Woods we quickly realized why this nature center is such a sought-after kid-friendly activity in Evansville. We set off shortly after arriving in the city to check out the playscape at Wesselman Woods.
Being the first of its kind, this playscape was crafted for kids of all ages using only items found in nature. The structured playscape inspires kids to use their imaginations while engaging in outdoor play. My kids loved building stick forts, climbing rock structures, conquering logs, and even discovering wildlife in this enclosed 3-acre area.
It was amazing to me how easily my kids fell into playing in each “station” of the playscape. I was even more amazed by how well they managed to get along throughout our experience! If you are looking for a major dose of nature without leaving the city, Wesselman Woods is the place to go.
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Crazy Mom Talk
When heading out on your own adventure to Wesselman Woods playscape, be sure to pack the sunscreen and your walking shoes. A lot of the playscape area is not shaded, and no one is having fun with a sunburn. Also,you will need to walk a short nature trail to get back to the playscape, so be sure your choice of footwear leaves you prepared.
Be sure to leave time to visit the nature center while you are at Wesselman Woods. Here my kids were able to visit with several animal friends, as well as learn a bit more about the world around them through interactive exhibits included in the building. It is worth taking a few minutes to check out before you leave!
Mickey’s Kingdom Park
If your kids are a lover of playgrounds (and let’s face it, whose kids aren’t) then you HAVE to make sure a trip to Mickey’s Kingdom Park is on your list!
Located just off the scenic Ohio River Parkway, this newly opened park blew my family’s socks off! From swings and gliders to towers and rock walls, I found equipment on this playground I had never seen before.
Plus, I was very excited to see that while this playground was set up for children of all ages, it was also built for children of all abilities! With multiple swing experiences, wide and accessible equipment choices, and plenty of places available to take a break, this playground was built with all children in mind.
X Whether your child enjoys playing pirates, princesses, or astronauts, there is so much opportunity for their imagination to run wild at Mickey’s Kingdom Park. This makes Mickey’s Kingdom a must-visit on my list of family-friendly things to do in Evansville.
Crazy Mom Talk
I was excited to find that both free sunscreen and a water bottle refill station were readily available at Mickey’s Kingdom! Being in a sunny location, the option for free sunscreen was impressive. Also, since I am an avid user of Contigo cups, water bottle refill stations are always a plus to me because they take a fraction of the time that traditional water fountains do. This means my eyes are back on my kids that much faster.
Mickey’s Kingdom Park is also enclosed, which made my life much easier as a mom of three. Since all three of my kids like to scatter in different directions upon entering a park, knowing I only had to watch for escaping children through one entrance/exit made my day. This was especially true since I was flying solo for this trip.
Mesker Park Zoo
Heading to the Mesker Park Zoo in Evansville I was not sure what to expect.
Having been to big zoos like the Indianapolis and Cincinnati zoos, and experienced small zoos like the Columbian Park Zoo, I knew Indiana’s oldest zoo would fall somewhere in between. The problem was, I wasn’t sure where.
Fortunately, we were left nothing short of dazzled by the experiences and encounters this zoo provided! With up-close animal encounters like the giraffe feeding, budgie exhibit, and indoor rhinoceros viewing, my kids were able to experience several animals in a whole new way.
I was more than relieved about the quantity of indoor vs outdoor animal exhibits. Guys, Indiana summers are no joke.
While it may not be the biggest zoo in the state, Mesker Park Zoo certainly makes the list of family-friendly things to do in Evansville.
Crazy Mom Talk
Now that you want to visit, here are a few things to be mindful of while visiting Mesker Park Zoo.
While the zoo is very stroller friendly and has wide paths making my double stroller a comfortable fit, please remember Evansville is in southern Indiana. This means these well-maintained paths are often situated on beautiful rolling hills.
While this is a lovely thing for those downhill excursions, being mindful of the map and avoiding the direct uphill routes may suit your calves better if you are not used to the exercise. (I certainly wasn’t!) Not a deal breaker, but some thing to be aware of.
Another tidbit that is important to note is that there is a tram located on the property that will take you around the zoo for a few tokens. This may be preferable to those not wanting to tackle the hills in the summer heat.
Also, you can use those same tokens to hit the carousel (which my kids LOVED) that is located in the zoo! I mean, the carousel alone should make put Mesker Park Zoo on my list of family-friendly things to do in Evansville, right?
Burdette Park Aquatic Center
When it comes to water fun, my kids are all in all the time. This makes Burdette Park Aquatic Center a super easy add to my list of family-friendly things to do in Evansville.
Visiting aquatic centers in the past, we have often found that the offerings for older kids are limited to a deeper pool and a diving board. Burdette Park Aquatic Center, however, brings the full monty for all ages. From splash pads and kiddie slides to the 4 large slides found on the property. Here there is a pool for everyone, along with something fun for them to play on.
We also really appreciated the amount of space to spread out that this location offered to families coming to play. With lockers and lounge chairs available to families, there was plenty of room to store your things (for only $.25!) and find space to relax and enjoy your time by the pool.
The staff on site is amazingly attentive and respectful, which was refreshing after dealing with the staff at some city pools.
Crazy Mom Talk
Super important for mom’s with littles, Burdette Park Aquatic Center is friendly to outside flotation devices such as puddle jumpers and life jackets.
While they cannot be worn on the large slides or diving boards, the pools all allow such devices. It was amazing to be able to bring in ones my kids were already familiar with as opposed to renting them!
It also should be noted that the aquatic center does have a gift shop for any items you may have forgotten at home. This is in addition to the two concession stands on site. I found both of these area’s to be very reasonably priced.
Also, you can rent tubes and rafts for the pool area from a little booth outside of the gift shop if floating is more your speed.
Franklin Street Bazaar
While visiting Evansville, IN, we lucked in to being in town to experience the Franklin Street Bazaar.
This bazaar is a local market that takes place every Saturday, from the end of May thru the end of August on the lawn of the library on Franklin St.
Shopping at the Franklin Street Bazaar was spread out enough to keep things comfortable, but not so spread out that it was overwhelming to the kids. We were able to check out local vendors , crafters, musicians and food trucks.
As a convenience to me, my little’s were able to take it all in from the comfort of their stroller.
What made the Franklin Street Bazaar experience even better, was that the owners of these shops were both friendly and engaging with me AND my children.
One shop owner was even teaching the kids jokes and tongue twisters! It really brought a sense of just how great this community is.
Crazy Mom Talk
The Franklin Street Bazaar was free to attend, but also was affordable to shop. The farmers market goods and crafters treasures alike were priced well in my opinion. This made the bazaar a great stop to pick up Evansville souvenirs!
Plus, there were fun things for the kids such as meeting the cats from a local pet shelter and making art with a local gallery.
As I mentioned before, this bazaar was not something that took up blocks upon blocks of space, making it an easy Saturday morning activity.
The friendly faces, ease of pace, and unique experiences are what puts it on my list of family friendly things to do in Evansville.
The Koch Family Children’s Museum of Evansville
If there is one thing my kids are all about, children’s museums are it. It is when they discover a new one in a city that we visit that my little monsters often turn to tiny critics. All the while I sit nervously on the edge of my seat, waiting on their reviews.
Thus, when the positive reviews began pouring out over the CMOE exhibits and interactions, I was ecstatic!
With 4 levels of fun, the Koch Famiy Children’s Museum of Evansville provided engaging activities for all three of my kiddos, despite their age gaps. They acquired money skills using a pretend ATM and bank facility, put on their own production, and made food across the world. This is all in addition to playing in the multiple playground like areas.
We also had a ton of fun experiencing the “Wet Zone”. is a water fun area that actually interacted with another exhibit on an upper floor!
Crazy Mom Talk
This museum makes the list of family-friendly things to do in Evansville, but there are a few things for you to know.
While the CMOE is stroller-friendly, it is housed in an older building in Evansville, which means the elevators are REALLY small. Word to the wise, buckle those kids into the stroller before you get on the elevator. There is no room for them to run around like crazies in there.
Make sure you also check out the musical instruments on the sidewalk in front of the Children’s Museum! The selection they have out there is super fun to play with, and my kids loved messing with them, even on the days we were just walking past on a stroll downtown.
There you have it! My list of family-friendly things to do in Evansville.
I am sure there are some things we did not have time to hit during our short time in the city.
I am also sure, however, that this list includes the biggest and best things to do that my kids are STILL raving over. (Honestly, Brendan is convinced we should move to Evansville if that tells you anything.)
If you are looking to visit Evansville soon, I recommend seeking accommodations at the DoubleTree by Hilton in downtown Evansville. We are graciously accommodated by this location during our stay, and their service and amenities were nothing short of amazing!
Are you planning a trip to Evansville in the near future? Be sure to check out the Visit Evansville website for their amazing resource for planning your trip.
Also, let me know which of these locations you are adding to your list to visit below!Want to check out some other places to explore in southern Indiana? The Indiana Cave Trail is just a hop, skip and jump away! You can find one of my cave review posts here.
