Things to Do in Franklin

Where prospectors once used the running waters of a river to search their hauls for gems and gold, Copperhead Creek Gem Mining Company employs a winding wooden sluice. Deputized geologists shovel scoops of raw material sourced from 12 mines into wire mesh sifters, allowing the current to carry off the dirt and reveal the colorful stones that lie within. The company also offers bags of mining rough that are likely to contain fossils and arrowheads, along with geodes that visitors can crack at home by using a hammer or throwing them really hard against a tree.

Paintball Indiana's owner and operator Chris bought his first marker––a PCS Storm––almost 20 years ago. He was hooked from the very first paintball shot, and within five years began refereeing games and designing his own equipment. Six years ago, his passion led him to purchase Paintball Indiana's expansive 20 acres of fields, which revolve around a central defensive castle. Chris now employs his own referees, a staff of young and passionate players that regulates games of speedball, woodsball, or scenario play on the three fields and lobby sofas. Chris' fields also play host to three- and five-man speedball leagues, which help players hone their marksmanship before upcoming tournaments. Large-scale games are de rigueur as well, as Chris and the staff takes down the nets between fields for the Big Game––an event hosting vast armies of players battling across 700 feet of terrain in the hopes of capturing the castle's prized Beanie Baby collection.

Surrounded by the bright butterflies, trees, and flowers painted on You Are The Potter's walls, patrons transform bare, gray dishware into vibrant works of art. After choosing a piece from the hundreds of raw bowls, platters, and mugs that line the shelves, artists use brushes, stencils, stamps, and ideas from project books or encouraging staff members to personalize their creation. Staff glaze and fire the finished products, making them ready to hold food or the attention of pets who have been told they contain food.

BounceSpot's pint-sized citizens romp through a colorful panorama of inflatable entertainment. With feet clad in socks or stuffed into willing sock puppets, kids can frolic through a labyrinth of inflatable moonwalks, slides, and obstacle courses. At the end of each day, the BounceSpot staff sanitizes every inch of the inflatable obstacle courses and ticket-arcade machines that span the 11,000-square-foot play space. These meticulous scrub-downs are part of BounceSpot’s policy to foster a safe, cheerful environment. Staffers also supervise bounce houses to ensure kids play gently and haven’t smuggled in performance-enhancing pogo sticks.

As kids clamber across colorful inflatables, parents can lounge at nearby tables and cruise complimentary WiFi or stop by the concession stand for pizza and ice cream.

Sprawling over 500 acres, eXplore Brown County at Valley Branch Retreat entertains guests with a swath of old-fashioned adventure in the middle of Indiana. Fourteen ziplines, two sky bridges, and a rappelling tower offer a bird's-eye view of the scenic forest year-round. As zipliners soar back and forth above land and lake, guides lead tours of ATV riders on off-road explorations below. The rhythmic cough of paintball guns echo through the trees as teams compete for dominance on one of 10 scenario fields, some of which feature crashed planes. After a day of fun, visitors retire to the climate controlled cabins or open campgrounds for a night spent in the embrace of Mother Nature.