I am a huge fan of travel by train. It is my favorite method of getting to and from Chicago and I…read moretry to not let the summer pass without at least one visit to the ITM. If you read my review of the Atlanta New Earth Festival, well, this is the place where you pick up the train to get there. The ITM also runs the ever-popular Indiana State Fair "shuttle" train to and from the Fishers train station and will be offering this same service to the newly relocated Oktoberfest (now held at the Indy Fairgrounds instead of German Park). I've taken a trip from the ITM twice in recent years: to Atlanta to dine at Fletcher's restaurant and to the aforementioned New Earth Festival. The museum also offers other special events including a pizza train, pumpkin train and polar express trip that are good for entertaining the kiddies. One of the most popular ITM outings, however, is the "Dinner in the Diner" trip....I'd tell you all about it, but it's always sold out by the time I think to make reservations. This trip allows one to dine on a four-course meal in an authentic 1930's dining car while making a roundtrip between Noblesville and Tipton. But here's something really cool about the ITM: if you visit, apart from taking train trip, you can check out lots of old train cars of all types, many in various states of restoration. And, if you're lucky, you may even get a private tour of the train car once owned by Henry Morrison Flagler of Standard Oil fame. The car was later purchased by the Hulman family and is now on permanent loan to the ITM. The ITM's Web site describes the car as a rolling hotel suite and that is definitely not an overstatement. It is absolutely fascinating to see what could be done in 1898 - this car has been very carefully restored in keeping with its original design and the gentleman who took us on our tour knew it upside-down and backwards - we felt so fortunate to have been able to grab some of his time on the day of our visit! After touring the Flagler car, our guide also gave us a peek at two engine cars that were in the restoration/repair process - fascinating! While there's no guarantee you'll get to see the Flagler car if you visit the ITM - I guess it just depends on how busy the staff is - you should definitely ask about it - it's one of the best-kept "local flavor" secrets in metro Indy!

I was looking for a place to take my son and his friend, and was disappointed when I found out…read moreafter driving over there, that it doesn't exist anymore. I'm sure it would've been cool if it was still there...that is all.

When you think about it, it's a train ride. With that in mind, we recently went with the grandkids…read moreon the Easter ride. The train itself is a bit of a step back in time. In this day of fast flights and cramped travel, it was interesting to step back to a time where travel was slower and more spacious. People travelled up stairs in comfortable seats, their luggage was downstairs. Each seat had an ashtray ... if you even know what that is. The car showed its age. They even commented that the cars don't run in the summer for fear the A/C will go out. As for the staff, they try hard to deliver but more could be done with the story line. In the end, if you temper your expectations, the experience is worth the money. Ciao

We've participated in the holiday Santa train ride the past two years. It's a 75 minute ride (out…read moreand back) featuring Santa, hot cocoa, cookies, letter writing and festive elves. The online ticket purchasing can be a little confusing but we always seem to figure it out eventually. Nickel Plate offers a variety of family-friendly and adults only (cocktail themed, etc.) train rides. It makes for a really nostalgic and cozy experience - the train heads north to the Morse Reservoir area with deer sightings along the way. Tip - go to the bathroom at the train station before you head out. The bathroom on the train is quite old and small (aka tough with kiddos). Parking at the train station is a breeze and the park features a train themed playscape to pass the time until your ride is ready to board. Overall, a fun experience.

This is such a lovely space with so many things to offer. I've visited the park before to board…read morethe Nickelplate Express. You will also find an aquatics center, picnic areas, playgrounds, a merry-go-round, Tom Thumb mini golf, a disc golf course and tons of wide-open green space. It is adjacent to a golf course, as well. On this day, we were going to visit the pool area but found that the majority of pool chairs had already been claimed, so we opted for a picnic instead. We stopped by the nearby KFC and grabbed some chicken and sides. I keep folding chairs and blankets in the trunk of my car for just this sort of occasion, so we laid out a couple of blankets and enjoyed some fresh air, vitamin D directly from the sun, and literally touched grass. It was nostalgic, calming and peaceful. There were several other groups of people present. There were parents with young children on the playground. There was a group hosting a baby shower underneath one of the picnic shelters. There were several young ladies and women enjoying the swings. There was a group of teenagers/young adults listening to music and tossing a ball around. We also observed several young men enjoying the skate park (I forgot to mention the skate park earlier) and riding e-bikes and bicycles around the park as well. There were several barbecues/cookouts taking place as well. There is, indeed, something for everyone to do and enjoy here. I was happy to see such a mix of people of all ages, ethnicities, and sexes present to enjoy this beautiful space.

The park that truly has it ALL? Check out Forest Park…read more It has my FAVORITE playground for kids who are just starting to walk It's the perfect place to let toddlers safely explore and gain independence while playing. Bonus: kids get the added excitement of seeing real-life trains nearby They have the perfect 9-hole golf course to teach your littles--no water hazards, super beginner-friendly, and it's actually Hamilton County's oldest golf course I CANNOT wait for the pool to open!My favorite time to go is Tuesday and Thursday mornings for Tiny Tots They have such a great fenced-in toddler area and splash pad, plus a diving well and long course pool. They even do movie nights in the pool ‍ But seriously... you NEED to try the mini golf here It's ONLY $3 per person and feels like stepping back in time in the best way. The holes are fun, unique, and old-school with moving features you just don't see anymore The second playground at this park is the newer one--and it's such a win for all ages The third playground at this park is such a fun old-school option for older kids There really is nothing else quite like this around here. Pack snacks, bring the kids, and plan to stay awhile

it's a fun little historical museum about Carmel, Indiana if you have 30 minutes of spare, you'll…read morehave enough time to walk through the entire exhibit. We learned a lot and had a couple of laughs. Which is a win in my book.

For being free this museum has a lot of great history and artifacts that shed a light on the…read morehistory of the Monon Trail in Carmel. Our Museum guide was very informative and helpful.

Such a fun place to take the wonderful girls I nanny for, I come from having SkyZone and this kicks…read moreits butt. The staff makes sure that everyone is being safe and no risks or accidents can even begin to happen which I really appreciate while being trusted with someone else's children. Highly recommend

Below average facility. Hand in your pocket from moment you…read moreenter. The location is in a business park.

Carter's Play Place is tucked away off of 32 in Westfield. The quiet parking lot is safe for the…read morelittle guys. This play place is full of great activities for little guys. They have a "climbing walk", play gym with obstacles and slides, a merry go around, a full-sized trampoline, a "food truck" and bbq for the cooks in a "fenced yard". interesting swings, a foam pit, a ball pit, two cars to tool around in, two projected "video games"... Outside the main play area there are several themed rooms and a quiet room to take a break. They have a kitchen area with coffee, hot water, tea, hot chocolate, and popcorn. There is an ice cream bar, but that was not in action. They have plenty of little and big tables for people to snack. There are massage chairs for adults (pay to relax) as well as various comfy chairs and benches to sit and watch. They have wifi. I am sure I missed some of the amenities. This is a great place to hang out and wear out the little guys. Staff is pleasant and the process is easy. Be sure to fill out a waiver before you get there to save time.

We came here on my daughter's first birthday and she had a place. Fun option especially in the…read morewinter months. I feel there was plenty for her to do and a lot more options as she gets older. It was only $10 too (I believe this is the price for all kids under 2) they have a one time purchase of socks to use there too Free popcorn in the waiting area too! 3 different themed party rooms if wanting to celebrate a birthday party or other occasion here. We will definitely be back!

I'm not quite sure why I've never been in HobbyTown, but I was in the neighborhood and had some…read moretime between obligations. So, I stopped in to check it out. HobbyTown is located in the long strip center adjacent to the former Weekends Only (and soon to be Vasa Fitness). It's definitely not the most active strip center, however, it seems like a good location for this type of business. HobbyTown is a franchised retail toy/hobby store with over 100 locations nationwide including three in Indiana (Granger and Evansville also have one). It's based in Nebraska. HobbyTown has a bit of a retro vibe, craft store meets hardware store meets toys like RC vehicles, RC aircraft, models, toys, games, learning toys, arts and crafts, and trains. I would probably describe myself as a wannabe hobbyist. I found myself completely captivated by the trains, RC options, and some of the models. I loved models as a kid - I was lousy at putting them together, but I really enjoyed it. They also had more board games than I expected. Parking here is pretty easy. It's not the most accessible building, however, it's not far from Concentra with a great curb cut. The store itself was pretty easy to get around, though aisles are occasionally a bit crowded. I had no difficulty and found the place friendly and helpful. The prices are pretty consistent with other hobby/toy shops. Yes, you can spend a lot here. For sure. You can also find affordable hobby options and gift options. A five-star might be a tad generous, however, I really liked the place and loved the variety of toys and hobbies. I enjoyed hanging out for a bit and got some great ideas. I'd say it's pretty certain I'll be back.

I used to go here for model train items but for about the last 8 months the shelves are nearly…read morebare. I asked an employee what was going on with the lack of restocking and he said they just can't get things since Christmas. They didn't restock before that (not just train items out of stock) so that doesn't make sense to me. The older men that work there are not very friendly at all. If you ask them something about anything they act like you're stupid if you didn't already know. They are just rude old grouchy men. So because of those issues I'm done going there. It is too bad because at one time it was a great place to go. I guess I will buy more online and look my questions up there as well. I wonder if they are getting ready to close?

What went well was Go Karting, Food, and Arcades. It's worth to go but a bit pricey. It is worth it…read morethough.

The rwxing was great. However, 2 things need improvement. The worker explaining things before…read moregetting helmets and getting to our cars talked so fast we couldn't understandwhat the directions were.. The last time we did this had a similar unsatisfactory explanation of rules and expectations. Thr other thing is their arcade games that come with some of the racing packages as a bonus, but they are a joke. You get $20 card but only get to play about 4 things and the quality of them is subpar. Not really a positive add on. Racing, however, was a blast.

Excellent selection, very good prices, excellent customer service! 20+ orders over the years, never…read moreany issues.

From the owner: Enterprise Games is a web based company which specializes in vintage and new board games with a…read morefocus on historical and military titles. We carry a large range of military history simulations from the 1950's to today, with emphasis on out of print titles, and we also stock a full range of war game magazines. If you are looking to sell your wargame collection or portions of it, we would be glad to offer you a price. We will pay for the shipping to us and for large collections, we can travel throughout the Midwest United States for pick up. Although board gaming is our focus, we also buy and sell other hobby products including non-sport trading cards, Magic the Gathering cards and military minatures.

The third phase thrift store started out as just another place to do community service for juvenile…read moreprobation. As I continued to go, it became an eye opener for me. I began to see the type of person I would be if I didn't correct my course in life, although the reality of it hadn't hit me yet. I met lasting friends there at the food pantry whom I still talk to today. Today, after 3 years of prison the reality has hit. I am changing my life and the third phase is an integral part of my level of maturity today. Because of this place, what they do, and the people who work there, I know where I am headed in life. Who knows... Maybe after 3 years they forgot who I am. But I didn't forget them and I never will. I have found a different course in life. One that will lead me to success and happiness, and years down the road when I am on oxygen and my grandkids are yelling at me from their carseats to go faster, I'll drive past the place where the third phase used to sit with a tear in my eye and thank the Gods that they blessed me with those people. So, if your looking for "another place" to do your "stupid" community service; I would like for you to know that if you let them, these people can help you. If you let it, this can be more for you than...." Just another place." Yours Truly- Sean P. Robinson

I love bringing my "nice" donations here knowing that there's no middle man! Donations go directly…read moreto those in need locally.