Marion - Indiana - United States. Guide & Hotel Reservations from Cheap Hotels

Called Mississinewa, which means laughing waters  by the native peoples, Marion Indiana is located in Grant County. This city of about 31,000 people is located about 60 miles from Indianapolis, the capital of the state.

There is no shortage of accommodations for any visitors to Marion. If you like staying in bed and breakfast establishments, there are plenty of them for you to choose from. Stay at the Big Pine Farm Bed and Breakfast, a rural establishment located on a 32-acre farm. The Loft Bed and Breakfast is a historic Greek revival home with high ceilings, crystal chandeliers and a Victorian style dining room. If you prefer to stay at a hotel, then you have plenty of choices here as well, with the Holiday Inn, Best Western, Hampton Inn and many others. There are also campgrounds where you can park your RV or pitch a tent, such as Green Acres, which is open all year round, CJ's Hidden Lake, open from April until October or one of several others in the area.

For your dining pleasure, the selection of restaurants and fast food outlets is staggering. Enjoy home-cooked meals at Casey's Café or unique healthy cuisine at Food For Thought. If barbecue is more your style, then you should try the Flying Pig and Rosie's Little Italy has Italian food as its specialty. You can dine on seafood, Mexican and Southwestern cuisine, pizza, or tender steaks. In addition there are several bistros and cafés where you can drop in for lunch.

The children will really enjoy a day at Aladdin's Castle with its many rides and video games. From April until November, you can have loads of fun at Mindy Indy Go-Carts where you'll find bumper boats, go-carts, batting cages and slam dunk basketball.

For the history buff, there is a whole host of historic sites, such as the Cumberland Covered Bridge, James Dean's Birth site, the Marion Indian Cemetery and the Mississinewa Battlefield, the site of the first US victory during the War of 1812. The James Dean Memorial Gallery features the life of this famous actor and the Fairmount Historical Museum has other memorabilia of Dean as well as Jim David, the creator of Garfield.

With three parks to choose from, you have ample space to rest and have a picnic while the children enjoy themselves on the playground. There are activities here for all ages. Enjoy miniature golf at the River's Edge Family Golf Center or take a horseback ride through Hoosier National Forest and many other locations. Golfers have plenty of opportunities to test their golfing skills with three golf courses to choose from and you can also enjoy rafting and archery.

The major shopping area is North Park mall with over 60 stores to choose from. There are also antique stores and specialty boutiques scattered throughout the city where you will find something unique as a reminder of your vacation.