Activities
The Sherman offers an excellent location in downtown Batesville near many attractions, within walking distance for Liberty Park, restaurants, local shopping, the Batesville Historic Center Museum and other neighboring attractions.
Batesville
Amacks Well Coffee Shop
103 E George St.
Batesville, IN
(812) 932-9355
Named for one of the town founders, Teunis Amack, the shop specializes in making great coffees and offers a variety of baked snacks.
Monday through Saturday
Big Four Café
121 S Depot St.
Batesville, IN
(812) 932-3687
Located across from The Sherman Inn in historic downtown Batesville, the Big Four Cafe blends history with design. Guests enter through doors from a stagecoach inn, dine under original American Furniture Factory lighting and eat on tables made from 100-year-old reclaimed timber. A warm, welcoming space for daily breakfast and lunch.
Breakfast and lunch served daily.
Weberdings Carving Shop
1230 St. Road 46 E
Batesville, IN
(812) 934-3710
This family-owned woodworking shop is known all over the world for its creative, extraordinary work. Stop by, take a tour and visit the gift shop.
Monday through Friday 7:45 am – 4:45 pm
Saturday 8:00 am – 12:00 pm
Gibson Theatre
107 N Main St.
Batesville, IN
(812) 934-3404
Dr. C.W. Gibson built this theatre in 1921 originally for theatrical plays and later “talking pictures.” Live music, community events, and popular movies are all a part of this historic theatre. Check out the website for current showings and times.
Batesville Historical Center
15 W George St.
Batesville, IN
(812) 934-3266
www.batesvilleareahistoricalsociety.org
Just the right dose of a fascinating collection of Batesville history and the surrounding area. Complete with a display of businesses on the second floor and featured exhibits throughout the year on the first floor. Books and souvenirs are available.
Thursday through Friday 10 am – 2 pm and Saturday 9 am – noon.
To visit the museum during other hours call 812-934-3266 or send an email to: BAHS@etczone.com
Admission free. Donations appreciated.
Ertel Cellars Winery and Restaurant
3794 E County Rd. 1100N
Batesville, IN
(812) 933-1500
www.ertelcellarswinery.com
Winery tours available.
Enjoy wine tasting, steaks, fresh fish, and more. Take a break from the hectic pace of the world and escape to the state-of-the-art winery that opened in the fall of 2006. Watch wine being made through the great-room windows or the scenery of the gently rolling hills as you enjoy lunch or dinner and tasting wines.
Check opening times at their website.
Ripley County
Milan ’54 Hoosiers Basketball Museum
201 W Carr St. Milan, IN
(812) 654-2772
The story known around the world with the famous small-town basketball team from Milan won the State Championship in 1954, inspiring the movie “Hoosiers." This museum celebrates not only the 1954 team, but also life in a small town in Indiana in the 1950s. Stop in, you might even get to meet one of the 1954 team members. Gifts are available for the basketball lover in your family.
Wednesday through Saturday 10 am– 4 pm
Monday and Tuesday by appointment only
Admission: $3/person
Versailles State Park
1387 East U.S. 50, Versailles, IN
(812) 689-6424
www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/2963.htm
Versailles State Park offers hiking trails, boating, swimming and horseback riding. Sit by the fire at your campsite and share stories with your family and friends or create new “fish tales” on Versailles Lake.
Enjoy some of the state’s best Mountain Bicycle Trails and home to Indiana’s only Civilian Conservation Corps statue representing the work done by CCC men in the 1930s and 40s, including many buildings at Versailles State Park.
Tyson Temple United Methodist Church
324 W Tyson St., Versailles IN
(812) 689-6976
Dedicated May 16, 1937, this very special Art Deco church is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and was created of materials collected around the world. Stop by the church office in the house next door, on Adams Street, to ask about a tour.
Bel-Air Drive-In Theatre
Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge
1661 West Jpg Niblo Road
Madison, IN 47250
(812) 273-0783
This is 50,000 acres of managed wildlife. Activities are held throughout the year by the Big Oaks Conservation Society. Old Timbers, an old lodge on the property is the site for many events.
Mid-April through November: Mon & Fri, 2nd & 4th Saturdays, 7:00 am – 4:30 pm
Covered Bridges
Ripley County, IN
(812) 689-7431
Ripley County, Indiana is home to two covered bridges: Busching Covered Bridge and Otter Creek Bridge. The Busching Bridge, near Versailles at the Versailles State Park entrance, was built in 1885.
Otter Creek Bridge, near Holton, was built in 1884. The bridges are listed on the Ripley County Map. Contact the Ripley County Tourism Bureau for more information.
Damm Theatre
117 N Buckeye St., Osgood IN
(812) 689-DAMM
The Damm family started a theatre in this location in 1922. The building was remodeled and opened again in June 2008.
Ripley County Historical Society Museum
The Corner of Main and Water Streets,
Versailles IN
(812) 689-3031
The museum is open each Sunday from 2 – 4 pm between Memorial Day and Labor Day, as well as the last Saturday of September. Members of the Historical Society have collected many artifacts from throughout the county to have on display for visitors.
Stone Arch Bridges
Ripley County IN
(888) 747-5394
www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/2963.htm
Built in the late 1870s and 1880s, Ripley County is home to many stone arch bridges, and is one of very few counties that still have handcrafted stone arch bridges in use. They are located on a 4-color Ripley County map provided by the Ripley County Commissioners. The maps are available in many county offices, as well as at the Ripley County Welcome Center, 220 E. U.S. 50, Versailles, Indiana
Call the Ripley County Tourism Bureau at (812) 689-7431
Underground Railroad Driving Trails
Versailles, IN
(812) 689-7431
Spend a day or two traveling the countryside and learning about the history of the Underground Railroad throughout Ripley County, as well as other places of historic note. Five driving tours are outlined in a free booklet that you can follow, mile by mile. The trails all begin on the Ripley County Courthouse Square in Versailles. Brochures are available at the Ripley County Historical Society (on the Courthouse Square in Versailles), OR the Ripley County Tourism Bureau located at 220 E. US 50 in Versailles. Brochures are located outside the Tourism Bureau/Welcome Center so they are available 24/7.
Surroundings
Morgan’s Canoe and Cabins
7040 Whitewater River Ln, Brookville, IN
(888) 304-49044
Outdoor adventures in Canoeing, Kayaking, Rafting and Camping
Wolf Creek Habitat & Rescue, Inc.
14099 Wolf Creek Rd, Brookville, IN
(765) 647-4735
Wolf Creek Habitat is here to educate.
Topic: Wolf
All visitors are welcome on the weekends.
Saturday and Sunday 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
Gates open at 10:30 am to sign up for interactions
Michaela Farm | Sisters of St. Francis
7040 Whitewater River Ln, Brookville, IN
(812) 933-0661
https://www.oldenburgfranciscans.org/michaela-farm.html
The farm derives its name from Sister Michaela Lindemann one of the first women to join the new congregation of the Sisters of St. Francis in 1851. Sister Lindermann began directing the work on the then newly acquired land in 1854.
Metamora, Indiana
The whole town is a site to see ~ it's a step back in time!
Whitewater Valley Railroad
(765) 825-2054
https://whitewatervalleyrr.org/
Travel through time on Indiana’s most scenic railroad. The Whitewater Valley Railroad operates trains and special events throughout the year.
Whitewater Canal Trail
(513) 295-4820
The Canal Trail follows the historic canal route as it travels through the heart of the Whitewater River Valley in Franklin County, Indiana.
Whitewater Canoe Rental
(765) 647-2330, (765) 647-5434, 1-800-634-4277
Whitewater River float trips renting canoes, kayaks, rafts, tubes and campsites on the privately owned sections of the Whitewater River; Shuttle service available.
Whitewater Canal State Historic Site
(765) 647-6512
www.indianamuseum.org/whitewater-canal
The Whitewater Canal State Historic site operates a horse-drawn canal boat, the Ben Franklin III, as well as the Metamora Grist Mill.