When you’re on a budget, it feels difficult finding something to do that won’t leave you eating ice soup for dinner until the next pay check. Fortunately, Evansville provides loads of affordable options! Here’s a short list of things you can do for $12 and under.
Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial
Discover where one of America’s favorite Presidents grew from boy to man. Here you’ll see the places that shaped Abraham Lincoln into a man of strong moral fiber and a great leader.
Cost: Free
Evansville African American Museum
Celebrate diversity and get educated on African American culture and traditions at the Evansville African American Museum!
Cost: $5
Classics, exotics, muscle cars, vintage trucks and so much more! This is a pretty cool museum even if you’re not a car enthusiast.
Cost: $10 for guests 13 and older
Free for guests 12 and under
Focused primarily on Evansville and the surrounding areas contributions to World War II, this museum is a must see for its military history and commitment to acknowledging the cost of our freedom.
Cost: $5
Grouseland or “The White House of the West”
Constructed in 1804, this beautiful home and National Historic Landmark hosted William Henry Harrison (9th President of the United States) and his family when he served as Governor to the Indiana Territory.
Cost: $7
Visit Children’s Museum of Evansville (CMoE)
Perfect for an outing with your kids, CMoE is dedicated to igniting a child’s curiosity and imagination. You and your kids can engage hands-on in their interactive galleries and learn together!
Cost: $8
Attend an Otter’s Baseball Game
Support Evansville’s own minor league local baseball team and enjoy an evening at Bosse Stadium!
Cost: $5-$12
Attend a Thunderbolts Hockey Match
Another local sports team, the Evansville Thunderbolts have been taking the community by storm. Show your support by attending a match!
Cost: $12 for Goal End seats
Play sand volleyball
You don’t need a beach to enjoy a little game of sand volleyball! Here’s a list of places you can play!
- University of Southern Indiana
- Wesselman Park
- Talk of the Town Pizzeria
Skate your heart out without breaking the bank at Swonder Ice Arena!
Cost: $6 plus $3 skate rental
USI Bike Trail
Bring your bike to University of Southern Indiana’s bike trial and see if you can make it all the way to Burdette Park and back! Or if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, take a detour into the woods and explore the dirt trails.
Cost: Free!
Enjoy arcade games, mini-golf, and an intense round of lazer tag at Walther’s!
Cost: $8 for mini-golf; $7.50 for lazer tag
Visit Evansville’s local zoo and spend a day admiring exotic animals!
Cost: $9.50
Whether you want to bike it, hike it, or picnic it up, Harmonie Park offers a variety of activities to help you reconnect with nature.
Cost: $5 (per car)
Hike and rock climb your way through Shawnee National Forest! Enjoy the dramatic rock formations and keep an eye out for Devil’s Tower and Camel’s Rock while you’re there. Climb at your own risk!
Cost: FREE!
One of the best preserved Native American sites in the country, Angel Mounds was originally dated to have been built between 1000 – 1450 AD. Learn about the history of the Mississippian culture, and visit Angel Mounds!
Cost: $7
Float the day away and work on your tan at Burdette Park’s Aquatic Center! Or, explore rolling hills and hit their primitive trails!
Cost: Aquatic Center $8; Hiking/Biking: Free
Visit this historic park and hike through 10-miles of trails rich with Indiana’s history. While named after Abraham Lincoln who spent part of his boyhood in this area, this park is dedicated to the remembrance of his mother, Nancy Lincoln.
Cost: $7
Among one of Evansville’s oldest parks, Garvin Park offers a variety of activities from swimming to tennis. Visit here during December to enjoy Ritzy’s Fantasy of Lights!
Cost: Free; $7/car for Fantasy of Lights
Enjoy over two miles of hiking trails at this urban park!
Cost: FREE!
Discover the link between nature and civilization at Spring Mill State Park. Learn how pioneers used natural resources to their advantage to create mills and enjoy visiting Spring Mill’s Pioneer Village, Nature Center, Grisson Memorial, and Twin Caves Boat Tour.
Cost: $7-10 (additional $3 for boat tour)
Enjoy a swim at Lloyd Pool! The only public indoor pool in Evansville that does not require a membership, Lloyd Pool is available to everyone.
Cost: $3
A walk through the woods at this urban park will give you an idea of Indiana prior to European settlement. Plus they just opened a new Playscape, which is a place where kids are encouraged to discover, get dirty and enjoy wildlife!
Cost: $5
Children (Ages 3-12) – $3
Make the most of a summer night and bring a cooler and blanket to enjoy an outdoor movie experience at Holiday Drive-In Theatre!
Cost: $10 (cash only)
Willard Library is well-known for being haunted by the Grey Lady. If you’re brave enough, visit yourself and see if you can’t feel the unearthly presence or smell a strange perfume. If you’re lucky, maybe you’ll see the ghost yourself.
Cost: Free
County Fairs
Vanderburgh, Posey, Gibson… all of the surrounding counties in the Evansville area host annual week-long fairs! These often include rides, concerts, mud volleyball, and pig wrestling. Whether you want to watch or play, you have the option of keeping your spending within your $12 budget.
Take a day trip to French Lick and visit West Baden Springs Hotel. You don’t have to be a client to admire the beautiful atrium and be awed by what was once called the “eighth wonder of the world”.
Cost: Free!
Bonus Tip: On your way back from French Lick (or Holiday World), stop by Santa Claus, Indiana’s Santa’s Candy Castle and get some Frozen Hot Chocolate. Please trust me when I say this will be the best decision you’ve ever made.
Take a walk through a community that’s famous for its attempt at establishing a utopia. While you’re there, don’t miss visiting the Roofless Church and Labyrinth.
Cost: Free
Ages 21+
Apart of the Hoosier Wine Trail, Mystique Winery is picturesque and an excellent choice for a quick day trip. Local musicians will occasionally play outside on the patio so you can enjoy sunshine, soft music, and a glass of wine. I highly recommend the Katrina wine slushie.
Cost: Wine-tasting is free; $6 wine slushie
Take a quick trip up to Bloomington and visit the always beautiful Oliver’s winery! For only $5 you are treated to 8 wine samples of your choice during a guided wine tour.
Cost: $5 for wine tasting
Dedicated to sharing their German-heritage, Winzerwald is a must-try winery set on the edge of the Hoosier Forest.
Cost: Wine-tasting is free.
Enjoy a variety of old school games such as Pac Man, Galactica, Donkey Kong, Super Mario, Frogger, Street Fighter, and many more at High Score Saloon! While these are free, be sure to bring some change if you want to try your hand at pinball.
Cost: Free!
Play pool
Sportsmans, J’s Sports Bar & Grill (Free on Mondays, Wednesdays, & Sundays)
Show off your brain at trivia
Franklin Street Tavern (Thursday)
Cost: $3
Evansville Brewhouse (Thursday)
Cost: Free
Kevin’s Backstage Bar & Grill (Thursday)
Cost: $3
Karaoke
Go to a Social or Bierstube
The best part of summer in Evansville is the amount of socials and Bierstubes around the tristate. Delicious food, great beer, and even better people make these events fun places to hang out. (Stay tuned for more details on this one!)
