Lawrence offers a variety of options for a stay: walking trails and a sledding hill at Lawrence Community Park, wildlife watching along the Fall Creek Trail, and art and events at the Fort Ben Cultural Campus. As you plan, consider whether you’d like to focus more on outdoor activities, culture, or both. The attractions offer different experiences and give you specific options for your time in the city.

Parks and Nature in Lawrence

Lawrence Community Park has walking trails and a sledding hill. Explorer Park also has a walking trail. If you’d like an additional activity to consider when choosing a park, Lawrence Community Park offers sledding in addition to walking. Explorer Park, with its walking trail, is another option for spending time outdoors.

For a larger natural area, visit Fort Harrison State Park, which covers 1,700 acres and is surrounded by residential neighborhoods and businesses in the city of Lawrence. Fall Creek Trail is another nature attraction in Lawrence, but offers a different focus: it provides opportunities for birdwatching and identifying wildflowers and trees, as well as access to fishing. You can choose between a park visit with a walking trail, nature watching along the trail, and fishing opportunities without planning these different offerings as a single route.

Art, History and Events

At the Fort Ben Cultural Campus, interactive Musical Swings invite visitors of all ages to make music together. The campus also has an amphitheater that serves as a venue for festivals and concerts presented by Arts for Lawrence. These attractions appeal to different interests: the Musical Swings focus on making music together, while the amphitheater is used for events. If you’d like to plan your trip around a concert or festival, check the dates in advance.

Lawrence Skate Park also connects the place with local art: it features murals by local artists and skaters, including Casper Jones, Robert Bentley and Chelle Oh. Fort Harrison State Park has a museum and visitor center at historic Camp Glenn. Together with the installations at the Fort Ben Cultural Campus and the murals at the skate park, these offer a variety of cultural and historical places to visit in Lawrence.

Market, Golf and Other Interests

Fort Ben Farmers Market is seasonal. It offers fresh fruit and vegetables, baked goods, honey, specialty items, meat, coffee and plants. If you’re planning a visit to the market, check the current dates in advance; both the dates and vendors may change.

For golf enthusiasts, Fort Golf Resort is another local highlight: it has an 18-hole golf course in Fort Harrison State Park. Waggin’ Tails Bark Park is located in Louis J. Jenn Memorial Park and features obstacle courses and spacious areas where dogs can run. Each of these attractions caters to different interests and can be considered independently when planning your stay in Lawrence.

Discover more destinations: Decatur, Warren Park, Indianapolis, Speedway, Beech Grove

Return to the main travel overview: Marion.