Columbus

This midsize town of 44,000 provides lots to see and do. Thanks to its unusual history, the modern architecture here is some of the best of its kind for a city this size. (Or any size, for that matter.) Several tours offer good opportunities to take in the structural sights, either by bus or on foot. Highlights include the Miller House, a modern residential marvel designed by Eero Saarinen in 1957, and the vibrant yellow Chihuly chandelier in the visitors center stairwell.

If architecture isn't your thing, the small but lovely downtown provides good local shopping venues, a diverse restaurant scene and the People Trail walking-biking path. The whole area is compact enough to be walkable yet holds plenty of fun options. The lovingly preserved 1900s-era Zaharako's Ice Cream Parlor is a must-stop for old-fashioned sundaes, floats and sodas (they make all their own flavored syrups) and a gander at the gleaming woodwork and working orchestrions. Afterward, let the kids burn off excess energy by flushing themselves down the giant toilet at the worthwhile Kidscommons children's museum just down the block or scaling the 35-foot Luckey Climber at the Commons across the street. 

Antique lovers will want to check out the Antique Mall, the largest in the state of Indiana, and the Edinburgh Outlets just outside town on Interstate-65 are a great place to bargain hunt.