Excellent day. Staff were constantly willing to help pull boats on shore at the landing sites. We…read morehope to go back!

Jameson Camp is a hidden gem located off of Bridgeport Road just north of West Washington Street…read more First I'd like to take a moment to tell you of the wonderful work Jameson Camp does and how your rental fees help with that mission. The Camp is a beautiful venue for events while the affordable rental fees help support the children and youth programs for at-risk youths. The Camp began in 1928 and you or your grandparents may be familiar with their history of serving ill children. Jameson Camps' focus is on children's social, behavioral and emotional challenges and equipping them for productive and responsible lives. Responding to an increasing concern for childhood obesity a Wellness Camp was launched in 2006, a creative program that utilizes camp to teach healthy choices in fitness and nutrition. Last, but certainly not least, is their Camp Tataya Mato for children affected by HIV/AIDS which is the only residential camp to these special children in Indiana. As you can see your rental fees support the outstanding work Jameson Camp does serving children with health needs in the Indianapolis area. In 2006 they replaced the original headquarter with a beautiful new center, lodge, health center and a nature and arts and crafts center. No only providing enhanced program facilities for the children, these buildings provide new opportunities to serve as a community partner and provide funding from the rental fees. This is a wonderful venue for events as small as a corporate business meeting to an elegant wedding. Several sizes of venues are available or even rent the entire camp for the ideal wedding or family reunion where your event along with family and friends are residing at one location. The Lodge and Cabins are so affordable compared to the cost of hotel rooms and transportation for your wedding guests, business associates or family traveling. The Lodge is its own large facility and sleeps 24 for $450. What a savings compared to a Hotel!! There are four meeting areas of various sizes and prices along with 6 cabins for lodging that accommodates 24 in each plus don't forget The Lodge. The Challenge Course is available to incorporate into your event with low and high ropes plus a climbing wall. Other amenities include a basketball court, swimming pool, open game fields and a campfire circle. The Jameson Center is picturesque with a majestic-pine-framed dining room with a striking two sided fireplace that accommodates 140 persons for dinner. If that's too large select the smaller dining room with fireplace and seats 30. The Jameson Center rental includes the use of their FULL commercial kitchen including the walk-in refrigerator and walk-in freezer. A Chefs' dream whether you use a preferred caterer or you personally prepare the meals. Vanessa, the Office Manager, was telling me of recent large wedding with a beautiful large tent adjacent to the Jameson Center where the guests stepped directly into the tent from the dining room. You can have your wedding and dinner inside and dancing outside. So many options here! Leadership training, Corporate Team Meeting, Weddings, Reunions, endless uses for this venue. Be sure to check out this scenic facility and grounds. Give Vanessa Fry a call for a tour or e-mail her at Vanessa@jamesoncamp.org for additional information.

I would have given more than 5 stars if I could…read more This place is special. You can feel it the moment you drive up the 1-mile-long gravel driveway. You are greeted by the most fun energetic staff ever. Then you see the breathtaking grass field called the valley. If you are lucky you can see the morning fog lingering in the valley and smell the campfire embers from the night before. Then they grab your stuff and hike up the hill to your home for the summer. The most quaint and beautifully rustic cabin. The cabins have names like Black Snake Lodge, Fox's Den, Deer trails, etc. It is truly what every kid dreams of. You can tell right away that not only will it be a fun time for your child but they will make friends for life. It is more like family than fellow cam mates. I went here as a camper and then work there for many years in the late '80s and early '90s. It was my happy place. I loved it so much that my daughter started going and now she is on staff. It is her happy place too. 40 years later I am still in touch with my summer family from my time there. I heard a psychologist once say we can teach our kids almost everything to prepare them for life, but there is one thing it is impossible to teach our kids......independence. Camp introduces your child to independence at an early age and makes them a more well-rounded independent being later in life.

I took my son to this camp they were making paper airplanes and my son wanted to make one so I…read moreasked the lady and she told me no.

We had my daughter's 6th birthday party here and it was such a great experience. The package…read moreincluded two hours with the horses, where the kids got to pet and ride them, plus time in the petting zoo. They even provided a cake, which made things so much easier. The venue itself was really nice, and everything felt well organized. The staff was kind, helpful, and made the whole process smooth from start to finish. Overall, it was a fun and memorable day for the kids. We'll definitely be back!

We decided to go horseback riding to celebrate my birthday. My children (10 & 12) have never been…read morehorseback riding before and, though nervous, were excited to experience it. I rode quite a bit many years ago. I had a service expectation in my mind for how things would go and unfortunately the team at this ranch did not deliver. On arrival, parking was not clearly marked (broken signs and no arrows to direct you). Once out of the car, there was no one to greet us or give next steps. We were told by visitors already waiting to step inside the barn to sign a waiver. Once inside, the staff member who wondered out of the dark handed the waiver to me and explained it. Yet she never said hello or introduced herself. It all felt very transactional or as if we weren't welcomed. I can only assume how many trail rides are provided in a day or week but the experience is still special to visitors. I would like to think they still remember this. My children were assigned horses (Cherokee and Widow) and given basic riding instructions from other staff members (they stated afterward the women providing them were not very warm). I was given a horse named Stitch that I did not enjoy or recommend to anyone who has never ridden before. He was headstrong and unfriendly. I can say: The 60 minute ride through the wooded trails was beautiful and very quiet. Our group totaled six so I guess I assumed there would be conversation from the trail lead but there was none. No water was provided or information about the land we were on. I was grateful for the instructor stopping before bigger hills to describe what was ahead and how to best handle it, it helped my kiddos, but I can't say as I would come to this place again. The horses looked thin and tired. Not to mention the barn bathroom was exactly what you'd expect: dusty dirty and rusty. Perhaps our expectations were too high? One big plus: the friendliness of my children's horses and the barn cats.

Great place for kids and adults to and be in the middle of nature. A lot to offer, swimming,…read morecanoeing, zip lining and camp programs. Family reunions are also a big hit .

Beautiful. I have been here many times for Indiana University retreats, boot camps, and seminars…read more It is so nice to unplug from work and to get to know your co-workers and our leadership. I would like to spend more time here! It's so nice.

Camp Tecumseh has great facilities and a legacy serving generations of kids and adults through…read morenumerous traditional camp activities and leadership events. I especially like the leadership center for organization retreats and the outdoor challenge course activities.

My son recently came back from a trip here and gave me the rundown. Initially him and his friends…read morewere not looking forward to this trip because previous experience at these camps were not enjoyable such as the lack of air condition or showers. This place on the other hand was very modern and clean and well equipped to take care of a bunch of seventh graders. He was pleasantly surprised and had fun throughout, even though it was a bit rainy. They did the high ropes course, which was a smashing success. There was variety of different activities to build camaraderie amongst his classmates. He reported that the food was not bad. It contained all of his favorite, such as mac & cheese, pasta, etc. The cabins themselves also are updated with air-conditioning although he did comment it took a while to figure out how to get the AC to kick on.

This park is huge spanning over 160 acres. It is a very nice park that has tons of amenities and…read moreparking. It is a very well maintained park, especially considering its size. It is also home to the Avon HS Cross Country team. It the front they have a full basketball court that is pretty decent, a sand volleyball court, a gazebo, and 2 covered shelters that you can reserve. Each shelter has grills and picnic tables. There are also picnic tables scattered around the area, an open field that is well maintained, and a small lake. The lakes are rumored to be stocked, but I did not see anyone fishing. You will also find a very nice playground up there that has a jungle gym for small kids and one for bigger kids. The ground is covered with shredded tires. The playground also has a cargo net to climb, tire swings and regular swings. if you venture to the other part of the park in the back that is where you will find over 5 miles of paved trails, a splash pad, an outdoor fitness area, a reception hall, an small amphitheater, another lake with a fountain, 2 more covered shelters with picnic tables and grills, restroom facilities and another playground. The playground is very nice and is lined with a rubbery surface and has equipment including swings, monkey bars and other stuff that looked like it was purchased from Ikea. This is an awesome park and a great part of the Avon community. They have tons to do and can keep an entire family busy for hours. This place is very scenic and has some picturesque bridges and landscape. It is also home to the historic 1876 Whipple Iron Truss.

This park is beautiful! It's well maintained and looks fun for older kids too. There plenty of…read moreseating everywhere and bathrooms located right next to it. There's a basketball court and volleyball nearby. Plenty of shelters to plan a bbq or just chill. We came here to this park for a program that was at the pavilion center and the center and it's surrounding area was nice too. There's even a splash park and trails nearby. If we ever drive 40 mins from the center of the city again I'd def come back here

Recently came here for work, we hold a retreat for our Juniors each year, and they decided to come…read moreto this camp. It is tucked down in Trafalgar Indiana so it's quiet and peaceful. The staff is very friendly and make the meals for campers as well, which was pretty tasty food! There is a lot of space for activities, we did some ice breakers, kickball, a night hike, and even got to zip line witch was awesome! The camp is also well maintained and kept, I'd come back here given the chance.

My kids have been going here for 15 years! Great summer camp, my kids always have a blast.read more

When you look back on your childhood, are there experiences that really served as a sort of…read morefoundation for who you are? For me, Camp Riley is one of those experiences. I had the opportunity to return to Bradford Woods recently and was taken back to those days of figuring out who I was, how I was supposed to live, and how to develop a social circle while also living with spina bifida, paraplegia, hydrocephalus, and other disabilities. While I seldom actually went to Riley Hospital, I found my way to Camp Riley and it changed me for the better in a myriad of ways. Founded in 1955, Camp Riley is based out of Martinsville, Indiana's Bradford Woods. Bradford Woods is Indiana University's Outdoor Center. While it is known for many things and hosts quite a few programs, it is likely best known for being the dazzlingly accessible host of Camp Riley. Camp Riley "empowers children with physical and cognitive diagnoses by providing life-changing experiences in a camp environment tailored to their individual needs. Campers shatter perceived limitations, make new friends, and reach higher achievements, returning home with an increased sense of independence and confidence." Each summer, hundreds of campers with physical and cognitive diagnoses make their "home away from home" at one of eight Camp Riley sessions, enjoying facilities and activities at camp that are designed to be barrier-free. In case it's not obvious, Camp Riley receives quite a bit of financial support from Riley Children's Foundation. This support ensures that no camper is turned away due to financial reasons. Camp sessions include round-the-clock physician support/availability along with medical and nursing directors, resident physicians, nurses, and a pharmacy team. A good majority of the staff counselors seem to be college students, social workers, case managers, and others in various stages of their social service careers. Bradford Woods offers 2,500 acres and is named after landowner Thomas Bradford. Camp Riley? You can probably figure out that one yourself (for Indiana newbies - poet James Whitcomb Riley and, of course, Riley Hospital for Children). Camp Riley offers the Beyond the Woods mentor program is for teens age 14-18 with a physical disability that are part of the Venture session of Camp Riley. Campers are matched with adult mentors (I've been one myself) who have been through similar life experiences. Camp Riley offers a fairly traditional camping experience for kids with disabilities along with counselors who are supportive in a myriad of ways. It should be noted that Camp Riley is residential -the kids actually stay here for their sessions and are supported by counselors, medical professionals, and pretty much anyone you can imagine to help make the camping experience positive. Activities are very much adapted for those with disabilities, an essential ingredient for both Bradford Woods and Camp Riley. The facilities, which are much improved from my days as a camper and were already pretty awesome, are designed to be barrier free. Activities include: Archery Climbing towers Scuba diving Swimming Waterskiing and much more! I'm digging up some of my older photos of my own camp experience, though cameras were much more basic back then. I remember several of my counselors to this day as I figured out what I could do, couldn't do (very little), how to build a social circle, and I may have even learned about streaking at Camp Riley (in a world that treats the disabled body as an "other," learning about streaking was actually pretty awesome). Camp Riley is definitely one of Indiana's true gems and a marvelous opportunity for kids with disabilities. As a fun fact, Yelper Olivia M. works for Riley Children's Foundation and is part of the many folks who help bring this to life!

What a wonderful place to get out of the city and just slow down! My honey took me here 4/26/26…read moresince we've had some nice weather lately. Pleasantly surprised they have many picnic tables, the cover bridge to see and of course the Falls. Just be careful when walking to the lower fall as you are pretty close to the ledge of the falls. Plenty to enjoy here. Next time we shall have a nice picnic and enjoy the scenery. You can swim too.Parking is easy but i'm sure it gets crowded in the summer time!

Cataract Falls is a geological wonder worth visiting and only an hour west of Indianapolis. These…read moremagnificent Falls were created over millions of years as ice and water carved into the ancient limestone resulting in Mill Creek and two sets of falls. The Upper Falls drops 20 feet and can be viewed near the entrance to the park at several overlooks. We visited this week on a bright summer day. The waters were loud and rapid after recent rains. This is one of Indiana's most beautiful sites. There is a large parking lot near the Upper Falls along with picnic tables, grill, pavilion and small playground. We brought a picnic lunch so we could enjoy the Falls. There are pit bathrooms near the playground in a second parking lot. The Lower Falls are a short drive through the park. A nearby lot provides plenty of parking. The short path to view the falls is not paved, but an easy walk. These falls drop 18 feet with incredible views of the layered limestone exposed west of the falls. I was envious of a lone kayaker below the falls. There are marked trails through dense woods descending near the creek. You'll want to wear good hiking shoes and bug spray if you are up for the adventure. The property was donated by Agnes Stuckey in memory of her mother, Agnes Steiner. The Park is maintained by the Indiana DNR. There was no admission during our midweek visit.