Lincoln Caverns — Attraction in Porter Township

My recent high-school graduate was just going with the flow when he agreed to see the caverns where his sister works for the summer.

While as her mom I was intrigued by the size and diversity of the group she handled that day, something struck me more.

You see, I wasn't thrilled about going either. I mean it's a cave. I've seen them before---

But then I went. And fell in love with it.

While I know my phone has a crummy camera, I found myself taking photos of all the thinsg I couldn't wait to tell my friends about.

It's isn't the biggest or brightest cave I've seen. There's something more special.

It's close, and diverse. I mean I grew up with sesame street so I have about a 30 second attention span (I still love the fuzzy characters BTW) and even in the large group that day it seemed as though there was something new to look at in every direction.

And so many of the sights were just so close --- it's a different experience than my childhood or taking my younger children elsewhere.

It's more like a 3-D "I-SPY" adventure.

On my first trip, there was a handful of young kids,, about 8-10 adults, a grandmom, a kid who likes to be active, and a mom with a baby.

It was interesting how the caves drew each of them in. The kids kept pointing and talking and coming up with what they thought things looked like. The adults heads kept spinning around and they shared what they saw with each other. Grandma made it just fine. Every generation had their cameras out.

I didn't see anyone with that "OK we're on another tour" glazed eyes. People kept looking to see what was next, over here , over there--- It just drew us all in.

And we all waited to see as the mom with the baby was enthralled and made her way through an optional, but obviously intriguing to her, narrow passageway.

And while it took that full 1.5 hours, there was a small emptiness when it was over.

SO, on my second visit, tired of hearing what a great time I had, my son walked up to the cave.

Josh had his attention at the cave entrance. "What ARE those?" Having been there a few years, his experience I admit was a treasure. I think we were in the third spot to explore when my son naturally took out his camera.

He bounded up the steps to see the original entrance, was enthralled by the SR--JR story (our kids loved to wander and explore-- still do apparently) and couldln't put his camera down!

The fun continued in the gift shop when a thought to get one family member a memento, turned into a themed gift for each member of the family, so while we are now in separate towns, we are connected by our turtles. :)

And an earlier purchase meant I also had a wooden postcard when we got to the cascading flow & he was frustrated trying to capture the image. The postcard captured it well, but I'd better get my bonus free copy for a friend from the car!

I smiled at the enthusiasm in his voice as he recounted what he'd seen not only to me in the car, but also to my daughter's college roommates, and then to dad later that eve.

And yet he couldn't capture it either. You just have to go.

Friends ask me how my daughter is doing and I find myself telling people where she works,--- and then I gush about the caves and how cool they are. Well, at least until I see their eyes glaze over. I mean, it's not hearing about them that is so awesome

It's being there, and in my opinion, Lincoln Caverns is a really cool place to be.(literally and figuratively, but no worrie--- they have...

We took our niece and her family to see this beautiful natural wonder on 4th of July. We realized we were going to be late for our tour so we called and they kindly moved us to a later time. Obviously, this is only possible if they’re not totally booked. I recommend booking the tour ahead of time online - they take Apple Pay. They do accept walk ins and you can call on your way to find out their availability. Our 8 year old great-niece was enthralled, as were the children (ages about 6-11?) in the other family on the tour. Us adults were impressed as well. All of the staff were very friendly and helpful. Our guide, Zack, was incredibly knowledgeable, patient and kind, especially with the kids. He made the tour fun and interesting, and inspired me to me to write a review, which I don’t usually do! The tour was about 90 minutes, mostly because we took our time and asked lots of questions. I think you can do it in an hour. The store was full of good quality memorabilia and gifts. Our great-niece panned for gems for $6 and got a decent size bag. Here are some things to note: Food: Store has snacks, ice cream, candy and drinks. No restaurant on site. Bathrooms: Clean, nice facilities on site. Parking: Easy and plentiful. What to wear/bring: Sturdy walking shoes - caves are damp with steep stairs and uneven ground. Sweatshirt - temperature is a constant 52 degrees Fahrenheit year round. Don’t bring your big bag or backpack as there are some tight spots. Note that the caverns are not handicap accessible - the natural pathways are too narrow and steep for ramps. I hope you enjoy your visit as...

We chose Lincoln Caverns on a hot day when we were vacationing nearby at Raystown Lake Resort. We were thoroughly impressed. For starters, they offer family admission discounts though their website and kids under 4 are free. The location is easy to get to if you're coming from the south, but it is right off Rte 22, so be prepared for that. The gift shop and ticket area were really nice, with a large selection of toys and gifts, as well as a small snack bar. The staff was extremely accommodating; they made sure groups stayed together for the cavern tour, even if paying separately; they upgraded two of my kids to panning for fossils from panning for gems since the fossil bags were on discount that day; and they were kind, friendly, and courteous. They offer jackets and sweatshirts for people of all sizes to borrow since the caverns are cool. Our tour guide, Cassidy, did a great job describing the history and science of the caverns, keeping the tour moving, and keeping our hyperactive 8 year old in check. She was calm and patient with his continuous testing of the boundaries, but she was firm, which I appreciated. The caverns themselves were interesting and beautiful. The tour includes two caverns with a short uphill climb between the entrances. You could easily spend a couple hours here, and it would be worth your...