Auburn, IN Outdoor Activities

Originally built as a one-room house in 1816, the Morse Mill Hotel grew to 5,300 square feet under the watchful eye of engineer John Morse, a former Confederate officer and suspected warlock. In its present state, the hotel may house ghostly figures who once took up residence in one of its 33 rooms. Jesse James and company signed their marks in the guest register, and a famous female serial killer, Bertha Gifford, was kept in the hotel's employ; a nearby gravesite marks her resting place. A burial ground for Confederate soldiers, relics of Al Capone's old brothel, and a dungeon also add to the sinister air. An expert paranormal guide leads amateur ghost gumshoes through the 33-room, four-story Morse manse, providing advice on where to find the friendliest demons. If they dare, guests are encouraged to snap photos to document their occult encounters with phantoms, specters, or eerily expensive minibars.

Looking to put a new spin on a classic family activity, the minds behind Glowgolf decided to give the game a phosphorescent update. Incandescent courses place friends and family amid a tropical-fantasy golf world of neon orange, green, and violet surroundings. Players putt luminous orbs through vibrant treasure chests and glimmering windmills while negotiating tricky obstacles near walls portraying black-light-lit aquatic scenes. With more than 20 locations spread over 10 states, Glowgolf's fluorescent labyrinths challenge human players and traveling gnomes.

Noble Hawk Golf Links brings the haggis-flavored flair of Scottish course design to this 6,817-yard Northeast Indiana haunt. A moderate-length opener, hole 1 (par 4) tests club-wielding precision from the first tee with a series of deep bunkers hugging well-contoured fairways. From there, a round gets rowdier with diverse challenges such as a drive between water at hole 4, a huge mound bisecting the green at hole 5, and an over-water tee-shot into a large, undulating green at hole 15. Click here to take an online tour of the course, or let the innovation, diversity, and slumbering deer on the luscious greenery surprise you while you play. Pre- or post-round, practice drives with the large bucket of balls to fine-tune form and eliminate embarrassing mid-swing pirouettes.

A classic lazy river drifts in a circle around Splash House Water Park’s more than 30,000 square feet of deck as visitors soak in the sun in between dips in the water. An undulating wave pool tosses tube-riding swimmers to and fro, and twin waterslides whip riders in high-speed loops before firing them out into a pool of water or a misplaced Super Big Gulp container. Younger visitors frolic in the semi-submerged kids' play zone, constructed of nets, colorful piping, and bright yellow platforms with hidden, water-spewing spouts. Concession stands fuel the continuous fun with cool drinks, hot eats, and room-temperature napkins.

The flowing waters of the Maumee River gird the northernmost fairways of River City Links' 18-hole putting course, inviting misaimed golf balls to plop alongside the aquatic artery’s cargo ships floating down from Lake Erie. The waterway nestles alongside the course without cutting through it, enabling the course to maintain its straightforward layout. This, in turn, lets golfers focus on the fundamentals of their game without the distraction of elaborate hazards such as lava pits and ball-eating goats. After a relaxing day on the course, players can lounge on the clubhouse’s white wraparound deck and look out over the river, listening to the breeze that whispers through the weeping willows.

When fitting clubs, the skilled staff at Golf Etc follows a seven-step process led by customer interview to analyze shots and swings and determine optimal shaft weight and launch angle. In creating a custom fit and build, the shop aims to cut shot dispersion in half and boost overall distance.