Overview
Peru is in Northern Indiana.
5 sights · 2 things to do
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Peru
Circus Hall of Fame
Every year someone new is inducted, and Peru is the amateur circus city. Visit the museum - covering circus history from the start to present, and check out a performance of the Peru Circus - which features young people …
Miami County Courthouse
Circus City Festival Museum and Peru Amateur Circus
See life and memorabilia under the big top.
Miami County Museum
Little buggies, two-headed rabbits, circus stuff, etc.
Cole Porter Grave
The music star was born in Peru and is buried here.
Roxy 5 Theater
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Apr–Oct. Summer highs reach about 85°F; winter lows dip to about 20°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: May and Jul. (climate data from nearby Cumberland)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- FWA Fort Wayne International Airport, Fort Wayne — 48 mi away. Directions
- LAF Purdue University Airport, West Lafayette — 51 mi away. Directions
- IND Indianapolis International Airport, Indianapolis — 73 mi away (major hub). Directions
The Nickle Plate trail connects to Kokomo in the south, and Rochester to the north.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Circus City Festival Museum and Peru Amateur Circus, Miami County Museum, Miami County Courthouse
- Afternoon Cole Porter Grave, Roxy 5 Theater
Day 2
- Morning Circus Hall of Fame
- Afternoon Seven Pillars Nature Preserve
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Harveys Hinklemeyer's is a local diner that is a necessity to visit while in town.
Mr. Weenie's is a local hot dog drive in that locals and visitors alike love. They sell standard hotdog stand food like hotdogs, fries, root beer floats and more.
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
By car
- Business US 24 runs east-west through downtown, and US 24 goes near the north side of the city.
- Indiana 124 ends in Peru.
- US 31 goes north-south a bit outside of the western part of the city
By bike
The Nickle Plate trail connects to Kokomo in the south, and Rochester to the north.
Get around
Peru unfortunately does not have any public transportation options, however the grid style road layout makes driving quite easy, and almost all roads have a sidewalk making the town very pedestrian friendly, and many roads are bike friendly as well with a dedicated bike lane.
See
See Circus Hall of Fame
Every year someone new is inducted, and Peru is the amateur circus city. Visit the museum - covering circus history from the start to present, and check out a performance of the Peru Circus - which features young people from all over the country, performing acts ranging from magic to trapeze to animal husbandry. Check out memorabilia and antiquities from the history of the circus.
See Miami County Courthouse
Do
Eat
Harveys Hinklemeyer's is a local diner that is a necessity to visit while in town.
Mr. Weenie's is a local hot dog drive in that locals and visitors alike love. They sell standard hotdog stand food like hotdogs, fries, root beer floats and more.
Sleep
Peru's most popular place for visitors to stay is the Cole Porter Inn, named after the town's most famous resident, Cole Porter.
Nearby
Logansport
City / town · 7 listings · 15 mi away
Kokomo
City / town · 23 listings · 19 mi away
Greentown
City / town · 3 listings · 20 mi away
Rochester
City / town · 31 listings · 23 mi away
Marion
City / town · 11 listings · 25 mi away
Mentone
City / town · 12 listings · 29 mi away
Huntington
City / town · 13 listings · 31 mi away
Monticello
City / town · 6 listings · 36 mi away
My experience
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