Sometimes life is nothing short of noisy. We seek to escape when things get too overwhelming, and you know, there’s just something so lovely about being able to. We’ve put together this handy shortlist of peaceful things to do in Indiana for the next time that urge to escape overtakes you; we think you’ll enjoy them as much as we do!

1. Get lost in the woods. Any of ‘em.
Turkey Run State Park, 8121 Park Rd, Marshall, IN 47859, USA
Tom Gill/Flickr
Indiana’s forests and woodlands are nothing less than magical. If you’re a fan of the outdoors, or just good old-fashioned peace and quiet, you’ll be hard-pressed to find better spots for silence than those within our forests. The Indiana Division of Forestry maintains 15 state forests, totaling more than 158,680 acres. You’re sure to find something amazing! Pictured above is some of the fairy-tale forestlands you’ll hike through at Turkey Run State Park.
2. Hike to one of Indiana’s amazing waterfalls.
Scott Weingart/Flickr
Did you know that Indiana is home to more than 22 waterfalls, each varying in volume and sheer amazingness? Many of them are a simple hike away, and some are a more complicated hike away (you get to pick which one you go see based on your skill level and just how sweaty you want to get). Either that, or you can embark on any one of our awesome Indiana waterfall road trips.
3. Cruise the Ohio River Scenic Byway.
Ohio River Scenic Byway, Madison, IN, USA
Paul/Flickr
This is quite the long haul – 303 miles of it run through the Hoosier State, and it’s some of the most breathtakingly beautiful scenery you’ll find. This one is great if you enjoy clearing your mind with a nice, solid drive; there are lots of places you’ll want to pull over for photos, too, so make sure to take your time and bring your camera. Click here to read more about the byway.

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4. Get an Airbnb and forget about responsibilities.
Nature's resting place/Airbnb
You would NOT believe how many cute, unique, modern, beautiful (or all of the above) Airbnb listings there are all over Indiana. They range from strange and unusual to hip and contemporary, and no matter how you’re looking to pamper yourself, you’re sure to find something you’ll never want to check out of. Here's one of our favorites.
5. Fall in love with small-town Indiana with a visit to Rising Sun.
Rising Sun, IN 47040, USA
J. Stephen Conn/Flickr
Rising Sun, Indiana, is a CUTE little town with tons of things to do and see. We don’t know what you’ll love more: the unique shops and eateries, or all the riverfront amazingness you can handle. It’s got a population of under 1,500 people, and it’s easily one of the most underrated small towns in the entire Midwest. Read more about why Rising Sun is a criminally underrated town in this article!
6. Kill an entire afternoon at the amazing Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.
Indiana Dunes National Park, Porter, IN 46304, USA
Indiana Dunes National Parks/Flickr
The Indiana Dunes are settled alongside Lake Michigan and, if you didn’t know you were looking at a lake, you might mistake the locale for the ocean. It is breathtakingly beautiful and during the week is relatively quiet. Spend a low-key afternoon here and take time to appreciate the amazing wonder that is Indiana’s landscape. Learn more about the dunes in this article.
7. Lie down somewhere on a wind farm and forget about life.
Greg Derylo/Flickr
If you’ve never laid underneath an enormous wind turbine and closed your eyes, letting the steady swish-swish-swish of the turbine’s blades calm your spirit and quieten your soul, you haven’t lived. Though some folks might argue that they’re an eyesore, we feel like there are few things as strangely hypnotic as watching a wind turbine up-close. Weird? Maybe a little. Relaxing? Somehow, yeah. Definitely. Click here to learn more about one of our beautiful wind farms.

So, there you have it: some ideas for your next “I’ve gotta get out of here” kind of day. Indiana is full of all sorts of amazing places, and the more you explore, the further in love with it we guarantee you’ll fall. What are your favorite places to run away to? Tell us about them in the comments.

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