Evansville, population 121,582,is the third largest city in Indiana and an entertainment, culture and recreation hub for southwestern parts of the state. This Ohio River town is home to the University of Southern Indiana and the University of Evansville.
In downtown Evansville visitors can find a riverboat casino complete with restaurants, shops and a hotel. Strolls downtown provide views of the river and architecturally significant buildings: Reitz Home Museum, Willard Library, the Pagoda and Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Coliseum. There are more than 30 shops and restaurants downtown.
The Hands On Discover Children's Museum is also downtown. Other museums in town include the Evansville Museum of Arts, History and Science and the Evansville African American Museum, which is housed in an early public housing project. Evansville's World War II history can be explored onboard the LST 325 warship. Mesker Park Zoo and Botanical Garden features 500 animals on 70 acres.
Each October a large street festival, the West Side Nut Club's Fall Festival, fills the streets near downtown. In July, fireworks and an air show downtown and hydroplane races on the Ohio River highlight the Evansville Freedom Festival.
Just south of the city, Angel Mounds State Historic Site preserves more than 600 acres of Native American mounds. Archaeological digs onsite are uncovering the history of this 1100 A.D. settlement. There are 15 golf courses in the area. Trails along the Ohio River and Pigeon Creek and at Howell Wetlands and the Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve and Wesselman Park allow exploration of the area's wetlands and forests. Boat launch ramps provide access to the Ohio River for boating, waterskiing and fishing.
Evansville is located 110 miles south of Terra Haute and 120 miles west of Louisville, Kentucky. It is accessible via Interstate Highway 164, U.S. Highway 41 and State Highways 62 and 66. There are many national chain hotels and motels in the city.
