Overview
Southern Indiana is a region of the state of Indiana in the United States.
4 things to do
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Southern Indiana
Adventure Trail
A 24 mile trail that runs through the Harrison-Crawford State Forest and O'Bannon Woods State Park near Corydon.
Knobstone Trail
Indiana's longest hiking trail runs 58 miles through lands owned by the Department of Natural Resources. The southern terminus is located at Deam Lake State Recreation Area and the northern terminus is located at Delaney…
Tecumseh Trail
A 42 mile trail that the runs through the Morgan-Monroe and Yellowwood state forests near Nashville.
Paoli Peaks
A rural downhill ski resort.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Apr–Oct. Summer highs reach about 89°F; winter lows dip to about 28°F. Wettest: May and Apr. (climate data from nearby Louisville)
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.
- SDF Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, Louisville — 35 mi away (major hub). Directions
- IND Indianapolis International Airport, Indianapolis — 77 mi away (major hub). Directions
I-64 heads east-west through southern Indiana connecting New Albany with Illinois.I-65 heads north from Louisville toward Indianapolis. I-265 connects both I-64 and I-65 near New Albany. IN-37 heads from Indianapolis down to I-64. Work is being carried out to extend I-69 from Indianapolis to Evansville, via Bloomington; the section from Bloomington to Indianapolis has already opened.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Sample 3-day trip
- Day 1: Bloomington — Hoosier National Forest, Lake Monroe, Lake Lemon.
- Day 2: Madison — Madison 6, Hanover College Sports, Hanover College Theatre.
- Day 3: New Albany — Culbertson Mansion State Historic Site, Scribner House, Town Clock Church.
Built from the best-covered destinations in this region; open each for its own day plan.
Places in Southern Indiana
Bloomington
City / town · 75 listings
Madison
City / town · 47 listings
New Albany
City / town · 42 listings
Corydon
City / town · 41 listings
Columbus
City / town · 39 listings
Bedford
City / town · 35 listings
Jeffersonville
City / town · 30 listings
Seymour
City / town · 15 listings
Clarksville
City / town · 12 listings
Brown County State Park
Park · 10 listings
Lawrenceburg
City / town · 8 listings
Salem
City / town · 6 listings
Floyds Knobs
City / town · 3 listings
Georgetown
City / town · 3 listings
Scottsburg
City / town · 2 listings
Clifty Falls State Park
Park · 1 listings
Greensburg
City / town · 1 listings
Charlestown State Park
Park
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Cities
- Bedford
- Bloomington - the main campus of Indiana University and famous limestone quarries
- Corydon
- Clarksville
- Georgetown
- Jeffersonville
- Lawrenceburg
- Madison
- New Albany
- Seymour - Hometown of world famous rocker John Mellencamp
- Columbus - A city known for its public art and architecture.
Other destinations
- Brown County State Park
- Charlestown State Park
- Clifty Falls State Park
- Hoosier National Forest
Get in
By car
I-64 heads east-west through southern Indiana connecting New Albany with Illinois.I-65 heads north from Louisville toward Indianapolis. I-265 connects both I-64 and I-65 near New Albany. IN-37 heads from Indianapolis down to I-64. Work is being carried out to extend I-69 from Indianapolis to Evansville, via Bloomington; the section from Bloomington to Indianapolis has already opened.
By bus
Miller Trailways/Hoosier Ride, serves a number of towns within the region, from its main hub in Indianapolis' Greyhound Bus Station. One can purchase tickets at the Miller Trailways website; alternatively, if one also travels by Greyhound, one can purchase a single through ticket at the Greyhound website, with one of the coupons covering the Miller Trailways segment of the trip (typically, from Indianapolis to wherever you go in southern Indiana).
Bloomington is also connected to Indianapolis by the Go Express airport shuttle and, during the school year, by the Campus Commute shuttle (IU Bloomington - IUPUI).
By plane
While there are no major airports within Southern Indiana, the area is surrounded by 3 international airports. Indianapolis (IND), Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky (CVG), and Louisville (SDF) are all located within a short drive of the region.
The smaller Evansville Regional Airport (EVV) (within the region covered here as Southwestern Indiana) flies to over 8 airports. Destinations include Chicago, Charlotte, and Dallas on American Eagle, and Atlanta via Delta Connection, and
Destin/Ft. Walton Beach, Orlando/Sanford, and Tampa/St. Pete via Allegiant Air.
By rail
Do
Festivals and Events
- late April Thunder Over Louisville Clarksville and Jeffersonville. The opening ceremonies to Louisville, Kentucky's Kentucky Derby Festival. Thunder Over Louisville is the largest annual fireworks show in the country, and the best viewing is along the Indiana shore of the Ohio River. If you plan to get a good seat, prepare to come the day before and camp. In the afternoon, private and military aircraft provide a magnificent airshow. After sunset, the fireworks begin and last nearly half an hour.
- Mid-September Lanesville Heritage Weekend Lanesville. A fall festival typical of many in southern Indiana. Is similar to a county fair, but later in the year. Local food and crafts are available, while rides and tractor and truck pulls provide entertainment.
- Early-mid October Harvest Homecoming Festival New Albany. The largest festival in southern Indiana brings participants from miles around. The festivities begin with a Saturday morning parade through the streets of New Albany. The festival lasts for several weeks, and includes vendor booths downtown and carnival rides.
Trails
Do Adventure Trail
A 24 mile trail that runs through the Harrison-Crawford State Forest and O'Bannon Woods State Park near Corydon.
Do Knobstone Trail
Indiana's longest hiking trail runs 58 miles through lands owned by the Department of Natural Resources. The southern terminus is located at Deam Lake State Recreation Area and the northern terminus is located at Delaney Park near Salem. The trail passes through Clark State Forest, Elk Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area, and the Jackson-Washington State Forest.
Ski Resorts
Nearby
Louisville
City / town · 146 listings · 29 mi away
Saint Matthews
City / town · 18 listings · 32 mi away
La Grange
City / town · 1 listings · 37 mi away
Jeffersontown
City / town · 37 mi away
Brandenburg
City / town · 15 listings · 45 mi away
Shepherdsville
City / town · 25 listings · 47 mi away
Mount Washington
City / town · 11 listings · 47 mi away
Edinburgh
City / town · 2 listings · 50 mi away
My experience
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