Tigers, waterfalls, and trade furs

When we moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana eight years ago, the ONLY thing I knew about the city was that, as a teen, I loved the zoo here. But fresh off the heels of the Great Recession, we needed a fresh start. And the city landed within the boundaries of a circle we had drawn on the map when deciding how far we could afford to move. So after months of planning, we moved the three hours to a city has offers a whole lot more than meets the eye. As you can imagine, one of my favorite things to do is explore and that's exactly what we set out to do.

Fort Wayne Children's Zoo

We'll start here, since I already mentioned the zoo. Though the animals that you'll find are, more or less, the same ones you'll see at most zoos (although one can never see too many tigers, in my opinion), it's the settings at the Children's Zoo that truly do make this zoo stand out to me.

As I said, I visited with my parents when I was a teen. I LOVED the way it was organized: an area for Africa, an area for Asia, and an area for Australia - and it wasn't just how they organized their animals. Africa offered a savannah-type experience complete with a gondola ride that allowed riders a breathtaking view of the zebra, wildebeest, vultures, and lions (I won't lie, I HATE heights, so this one is a tough one for me to do but the view is killer).

The Asian Trek (which is easily my favorite) allows you to walk through a rainforest-inspired dome followed by a trek along a suspended bridge that weaves through the treetops. In Asia, you'll also find two small counter service restaurants (more on that in a second) along with a carasoul ride.

And Australia, well, that's complete with red dirt that guides to kangaroos and dingos. The aquarium in this area, though small, is also beautiful. Here you'll also find a log ride that is the perfect break from the Australian sun. Petting the sting rays here is completely free, although is almost always crowded so you may have to be patient. Finally, don't forget to take the train ride that takes you out and alongside a lake.

If you simply walk through the zoo, don't expect this to be a full-day experience. While there are plenty of nice corners to rest and do some people-watching. Each area has food available - for a price - but the pizza in Asia was very good and so were the chicken fingers in Australia (sorry, no pictures of this food but no worries. I'll be doing a post on Ft. Wayne restaurants very soon). Also keep in mind that, outside of the park, there are plenty of picnic tables, if bringing your own food is more your thing. And no worries, as long as you have your hand stamped, you can go back in and continue your adventure through the park.

Finally, we all know no trip would be complete without a walk through the gift shop, although take heart. If you have little ones, the floor-to-ceiling wall of stuffed toys might be too enticing to ignore.

I have to admit, zoos are kinda my thing. I'm an animal lover and so are my girls, so they are always must-sees for us wherever we go. But this particular zoo always stands out to me for its fantastic theming. It's well worth a visit during your time in the Fort.

Foellinger-Freiman Botanical Conservatory

If you're a nature lover, you're going to want to hop from the zoo right on over to the Foellinger-Freiman Botanical Conservatory. If plants or beautiful settings are your thing, you're definitely going to love it here.

The gardens here are separated into two main areas (indoor domed gardens) and outdoor gardens, which are further separated into other themed areas. Inside, you'll find a showcase garden that changes throughout the year. One year they had a storybook theme. My kids were younger at the time and were excited about seeing Rapunzel's tower, Alice's cottage, and some other fun little decorations among the bamboo, hibiscus, and other plants. During the holidays, this area is full of poinsettias, lights, Christmas trees, and even visits from Santa and his reindeer.

The next dome is the rainforest, my favorite one here. The waterfall and tropical foliage is just gorgeous, and the paths lead through all kinds of ferns, birds of paradise flowers, and much more. With benches, it's even the perfect spot to read a chapter or two of your favorite book. It truly is the perfect space.

Finally, the third dome features the desert with cacti, sand, and even a few metalworks with a southwestern theme. It's the smallest of the three domes, not my favorite, but that's probably more of a personal preference than anything.

Outside, there are four more gardens with Midwest trees, a koi pond, and a terrace garden.

The gift shop (sorry, my youngest is my shopper so we can't go anywhere without at least poking our head into the gift shops) offers garden seeds, tools, blown glass, and other decorative garden items along with some books, toys, and a few Ft. Wayne souvenirs.

Again, don't plan for a full day here. At best, it'll take you two to three hours to visit and that's if you make use of the benches and enjoy the settings. If you have young kids, most of your time will be spent in the playground set in the seasonal gardens and the talking tree/play area just beyond the ticket desk. After that, they'll likely get pretty bored. But it's an inexpensive way to spend an afternoon.

Old Fort Wayne

If history or educational experiences are more your thing, and it's open for tours, Old Fort Wayne is a great replica of the fur-trade forts that started the city back in the 1800s. We visited the fort during a reenactment weekend when the entire fort was open with fully costumed staff explaining the barracks, dining hall, a hospital, and blockhouses, Outside, the main fort in the "village" area (a row of four or five buildings), there was a working blacksmith and a woodwright along with some bakery goods for sale. There's space in this area for kids to run some steam off or even roll down the hill (when my girls were younger this was their favorite part of the visit). You can also cross the metal bridge into some outdoor gardens and trails and then return to the fort if they are planning on firing off an old cannon or doing other reenactment shows.

No restaurants here (save those baked goods) and no shops here either. In fact, except for a couple of portapotties, you won't find restrooms here either, so take all of that into account before you set off for a visit to Old Fort Wayne.

I believe we spend an hour and a half here tops, so it can easily be coupled with other activities. But it's worth a stop and neat to see, especially if you've never been anywhere else like it.

Catch a game

If you checked out my article about the hotel in downtown Fort Wayne, then you already know there's a minor league team in town that makes a great night out for families, couples, or anyone who loves baseball. Every time we've gone, we've had a great time, but do keep in mind that, while the tickets aren't terribly expensive, food and drink can be. A family of four (like mine) can easily drop $40-$60 on some pop and hotdogs, and while the chicken fingers here are pretty good, there are a couple of places you can grab the same food for less if doing the whole game experience isn't a must for you or your family. If it is, however, rest assured that you'll find just about any ballpark treat you can think of - and of course a gift shop with plenty of Tin Cap merchandise to show off your ballpark story to your friends. Finally, during the season, don't forget to keep an eye on the schedule as there are plenty of nights that feature a pretty good firework show after the game at no additional cost.

No one in my family is really a sports person, but all of us have had a great time every time we've gone.

Other sightseeing stops in Fort Wayne

These three sights are far from the only ways to spend your day out with your family. Fort Wayne also has Science Central (a hands-on science museum that is pretty cool but also can get insanely busy. We went once and enjoyed it, but we also weren't able to see a lot because the crowds were so heavy. Hit this one up at opening or mid-afternoon to try and miss some of the crowds but again, very busy and you might want to pack some patience for your visit).

Fort Wayne also hosts not one but two art galleries/museums. The Fort Wayne Museum of Art boasts a very nice collection, but my favorite is the Castle Gallery which features various collections for sale while being set in the owner's home.

Castle Gallery is located in the historic West Central neighborhood, and walking through the home is in of itself a real treat. But what makes this gallery very cool is the fact that you can see the pieces of art in real-home settings, so there's no guessing what it might look like over the fireplace or in the foyer. Whether you're in the market for art or just want to appreciate the setting, I highly recommend a stop here.

There's a downtown theatre that features local plays and even the occasional well-known comedian, the Coliseum that hosts anything from Disney on Ice to concerts to trade shows, and festivals throughout the year.

Quiet Times

You've done the sightseeing, caught a concert, and now are looking for a chance to wind down and do some reading outside in a quiet space. Or maybe you need to enjoy your daily run. Or maybe you want to rent a stand-up or seated scooter to take in the cityscape downtown. With miles of trails, some beautiful parks (Lakeside Park and Rose Garden shouldn't be missed), and more reserves than you might expect, you'll find opportunities to take in the outdoors, people watch, or maybe even write your first (or 50th) novel.

Fort Wayne is often overlooked as being just another, small midwestern city. And it's true, it can't boast the culture of Chicago or New York, and it is certainly in the heart of farmland (don't be surprised to find horse-drawn Amish carriages if you venture onto country roads or on the furthest reaches of the north-eastern side of the city limits), but its, perhaps surprisingly, more than that. While I couldn't recommend it as a "vacation destination" all by itself, it is certainly worth a short, or maybe even a long weekend's, stay, or even a great layover if you're on your way to Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, or southern Indiana. And as you'll soon see, there's some great bookish stops to add to your list.