Mike, Eleven and the whole gang have torn through our screens and back into our hearts with the third season of Stranger Things. In this latest (and arguably best) season, beings from another world terrorise the residents of Hawkins yet again, with another fantastic throwback venue in Starcourt Mall. Now, before you start packing your bags for a Hawkins tour you found online, please understand: Hawkins isn’t real. Get a refund.
However, Indiana is certainly using the show’s fame to attract visitors, building a Stranger Things maze that looks awesome. Besides this, there are still strange things to be found in this Midwestern state that will satisfy your cravings for the peculiar.
Gravity Hill
© OrangeBean Indiana
Many have searched out this stretch of road in the Mooresville area to witness a curious phenomenon. At a certain point, stationary objects start to roll uphill, befuddling witnesses and drivers alike (avoid using your car as a test subject, as there is a substantial amount of traffic along the road). Magnetic fields? Another of the Mind Flayer’s tricks? Paranormal or not, seeing is believing.
Periodic Table Display
© The Elements Unearthed
Let the nerd in you geek out over this display in DePauw University. Featuring real examples of each element and how they are used, it’s also amusing for its tongue-in-cheek representations of elements too unstable to display safely. Fascinating and entertaining, this gallery of chemistry would bring tears of joy to Mr Clarke’s eyes.
Pogue’s Run
© Jason A King, Hidden Hydrology
A glimpse of this human-made underground stream in Indianapolis will invoke images of the Upside Down and leave your neck tingling like Will Byers. With 2-and-a-half miles of concrete to traverse in the dark, many strong-hearted bikers and urban explorers have navigated through to the White River on the other side, wary of its ghostly history.
Schimpff’s Confectionery
Courtesy of Schimpff’s Confectionery
Complete with retro soda machines and floor-to-ceiling shelves of homemade candy, this is a haven for sweet-tooths and the young-at-heart alike. More than a hundred years of experience and experimentation has brought forth unique treats like bourbon balls and caramel-coated marshmallows, documented with care in its Candy Museum.
Mt. Baldy Sinkholes
© Indiana Public Media
Overlooking the southern shores of Lake Michigan, this unassuming sand dune shifts towards a nearby car park every year. The decomposed remains of whatever it has swallowed have caused sinkholes to form in its slopes, even trapping a boy for three hours in 2013. The inexplicable appearances of these holes might seem like portals to the Upside Down, but we recommend you stick to solid ground.
Monroe Allison House
© interclub-cn.com
No trail of breadcrumbs here, but the Gingerbread House, as locals nickname it, certainly wouldn’t look out of place in a warped Grimms fairytale. The dilapidated structure, assembled using a surplus of carpentry equipment, still contains the original furniture and antiquated relics that provide a glimpse into the past. But beware; the wood is more fragile than you think.
Slocum Mechanical Puzzle Collection
© Atlas Obscura
Mike and the gang’s devotion to Dungeons and Dragons might waver across the series, but for Jerry Slocum, a passion for puzzles burned throughout his life. It resulted in an authoritative text on the subject, and an amassment of over 30,000 brainteasers, preserved in Indiana University’s Lilly Library. Sharpen your brains with some mind-benders and out-of-the-box problem solving, and you might be as quick-witted as the kids.
France Park
This country park in Logansport comes with hiking, waterfalls, and a dive site containing sunken mining equipment and a prop aeroplane. Deprive your senses amid the murky depths like Eleven’s chamber, or relive season 1’s telekinetic triumph over the bullies atop the quarry’s cliffs.
Who North America
© Visit Hendricks County
Another beloved and long-running TV series enshrined in a 5,000-square foot warehouse in Camby. You’ll get your Doctor Who fix satisfied and more, with aisles of merchandise, a theatre room, arcade games and, of course, a replica of the iconic police box. Given the success of the store with fans across America, here’s hoping one dedicated to Stranger Things comes up soon.
Bluespring Caverns
© Facebook/Bluespring Caverns Park
Discover the unusual beings that thrive in the dark, as you explore the damp interiors of this cave system in Bedford. From a boat or on a walking trail, Bluespring’s subterranean passageways astound with geological formations. As beautiful as it is eerie, if Demogorgons ever needed a lair, this would be perfect.
Rotary Jail Museum
© Twitter/Katherine Reick
One of the few remaining examples of innovative incarceration, this defunct jail in Crawfordsville provides a glimpse into a concept that seemed sound but didn’t account for limbs caught between the bars. Maybe you’ll find some inspiration here for trapping unnatural beings. Let’s see you escape from this one, Eleven.
Wolf Creek Habitat
© Visit Indiana
This sanctuary in Brookville rescues and nurtures these feral beings to health, while educating the public on their social dynamics. The centre hopes to instil more appreciation and understanding, but the main draw remains: you get to chill with WOLVES. While you’re not fighting otherworldly monsters, I’d say this is still a pretty badass thing to do.
Wanna delve deeper into Indiana’s mysteries? Check out this site for more unusual places you can visit.
But first, get yourself there! Find cheap flights to Indiana
