Hop in the car for this 90-mile tour you can make in an afternoon.

Back Roads Ramble

South of Indianapolis, Indiana's level farm country begins to dip and roll. Two-lane roads twist to ridge tops where you can see for miles, then, they plunge across misty hollows. Much of this region remains undeveloped, with vast wilderness tracts that include Brown County State Park and Hoosier National Forest. Start this roughly 90-mile tour in Nashville, a haven for artists and crafters (65 miles south of Indianapolis).

Cruising south to the forested Ohio River Valley, you'll discover that time seems to stand still in the communities of Madison and Vevay. Majestic Gothic Revival estates and fanciful "Steamboat Gothic" mansions, with columns and ornate trim, recall the golden days of paddle wheelers. During that era, those towns thrived on a brisk river trade.

Many of the fine old buildings have been lovingly preserved and now house inns and restaurants, as well as shops selling antiques and crafts. Allow time to linger as you ramble the hills and trace the proud history of these engaging river towns.

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