5 Cool Places to Visit Near Jasper, IN

Published On: January 18, 2022|Categories: Blog, Places to Stay, Things to Do|Tags: : West Baden Springs Hotel Library, Birdhouse Paradise of Bill Larkin, Blue Flash Backyard Roller Coaster, Bluespring Caverns, Day Trips, jasper IN, Joe Palooka Statue|

If you’re moving to Jasper, you’ll love knowing that there’s always something to see or do nearby – and if you want to venture farther out of town, you can explore one of these five cool (and relatively unknown) places.

5 Cool Day Trips Within a Few Hours of Jasper, IN

Though there are plenty of big attractions in Evansville and other larger cities, check out these five adventures you can get to – and back from – in a day when you live in Jasper:

West Baden Springs Hotel Library
Blue Flash Backyard Roller Coaster
Birdhouse Paradise of Bill Larkin
Bluespring Caverns
Joe Palooka Statue

Scroll down for a closer look at each.

$569,000

1385 Rolling Ridge Road Jasper, Indiana

4 Beds 3 Baths 2,474 SqFt 1.3 Acres

Listing courtesy of SteveLukemeyer from F.C. TUCKER EMGE.

$529,700

3289 St. Charles Street Jasper, Indiana

4 Beds 4 Baths 3,906 SqFt 0.595 Acres

Listing courtesy of BrendaWelsh from SELL4FREE-WELSH REALTY CORPORATION.

$510,800

1089 N 400 W Road Jasper, Indiana

3 Beds 2 Baths 2,940 SqFt 14.82 Acres

Listing courtesy of BryceLain from SELL4FREE-WELSH REALTY CORPORATION.

$384,700

1778 S Raymond Street Jasper, Indiana

3 Beds 2 Baths 3,416 SqFt 0.97 Acres

Listing courtesy of BrendaWelsh from SELL4FREE-WELSH REALTY CORPORATION.

$364,700

1822 W 5th Street Jasper, Indiana

3 Beds 3 Baths 2,964 SqFt 0.96 Acres

Listing courtesy of BrendaWelsh from SELL4FREE-WELSH REALTY CORPORATION.

$300,000

307 Newton Street Jasper, Indiana

4 Beds 2 Baths 3,490 SqFt 0.37 Acres

Listing courtesy of AndrewWelsh from SELL4FREE-WELSH REALTY CORPORATION.

$299,900

5140 W Oak Ridge Drive Jasper, Indiana

3 Beds 3 Baths 1,835 SqFt 0.97 Acres

Listing courtesy of GarySchnell from SELL4FREE-WELSH REALTY CORPORATION.

$275,000

1051 Dorbett Street Jasper, Indiana

2 Beds 1 Baths 1,624 SqFt 0.91 Acres

Listing courtesy of ArletJackle from RE/MAX Local.

$271,500

4702 W 300 N Street Jasper, Indiana

3 Beds 3 Baths 2,363 SqFt 0.53 Acres

Listing courtesy of TamaStemle from RE/MAX Local.

$225,000

1721 Newton Street Jasper, Indiana

3 Beds 3 Baths 3,701 SqFt 0.503 Acres

Listing courtesy of GingerHedinger from SELL4FREE-WELSH REALTY CORPORATION.

Jasper Day Trip #1: West Baden Springs Hotel Library

The West Baden Springs Hotel Library is a quirky little spot that has more than books on its shelves. For years, travelers have left handwritten notes in the pages of the books – and you can leave or take one yourself if you’d like. You can write your secret wishes, share a joke or even put a love letter in one of the tomes. The letters are like a time capsule, because they’ll stay right where you left them (and they’ll still be there the next time you visit).

Jasper Day Trip #2: Blue Flash Backyard Roller Coaster

The Blue Flash backyard roller coaster may not be the thrill of a lifetime, but it’s a cool Midwest oddity nonetheless. Originally built for the owner’s grandchildren, it’s now become the biggest attraction in Bruceville, Indiana. The only way to get a ride on it is to write a letter to the owner, though – and you’ll have to show up after you get an appointment. FYI, you can only ride on weekends from June through September.

Jasper Day Trip #3: Birdhouse Paradise of Bill Larkin

Bill Larkin’s Birdhouse Paradise started out with one man’s dream to surround himself with vibrant color – and today, it’s home to thousands of bright birdhouses. Each time Larkin adds a new birdhouse, he changes the tally on the front fence. You’ll see all kinds of birds, too; so does Larkin, though he admits he’s not a huge fan and that sometimes, the racket that they make is nearly deafening. The Navy retiree lives in a geodesic home at the center of it all, and you’re welcome to stop by and take a tour of the indoors as well.

Jasper Day Trip #4: Bluespring Caverns

Bluespring Caverns is home to the longest navigable underground river in the entire country – and as if that weren’t enough, it’s populated with blind and albino animals that have evolved to use their other senses to get around. This 21-mile-long cave system, first discovered in the 1800s, is humid and dark; that makes it the ideal place for all kinds of creatures such as frogs, crayfish and salamanders (many of which are white or nearly clear, as well as eyeless). You can take an underground tour by boat as long as you visit between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. from March through October.

Jasper Day Trip #5: Joe Palooka Statue

Joe Palooka – a hero straight out of Depression-era newspapers – has his own statue in Oolitic. The cheerful boxer who first appeared in 1930 eventually had his own radio series, and in 1934, he “starred” in a movie. The cartoon character was the first comic strip hero to ever enlist in the U.S. military, and beginning in 1940, the comics followed his adventures for the following five years. His comic strip published its final panels in 1984, and this limestone statue is all that remains of his legacy. (Here’s how to get there.)

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