Terre Haute, IN Road Trips

The name "Terre Haute" is French for "high land" and refers to the area's history from the French colonization of the Americas as well as its geography next to the Wabash River. Though the city limits exclude some of Vigo County, the metropolitan area includes the nearby towns of West Terre Haute and Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. Terre Haute's history reaches back to the early 1800s with the construction of Fort Harrison as a permanent settlement within the Indiana Territory. The city grew up primarily around industry and river traffic on the Wabash River. The growth of the railroads and a short-lived oil boom contributed to the city's prosperity, but the decline of both, along with the Depression, resulted in the city becoming a model of Midwestern urban decay up through 1980s. Since then, mayors have worked hard to reverse this image, and have begun making gains in turning the city back around. Terre Haute Convention & Visitors Bureau. 643 Wabash Avenue, Terre Haute. ☏ +1 812-234-5555 or ☏ +1-800-366-3043. 24-hour information line: +1 812 238-TALK.

1 Eugene V. Debs House (Eugene V. Debs Museum), 451 N 8th St, ☏ +1 812-232-2163, [email protected]. Tu Th 3-7PM, W F Sa 10AM-2PM; ring the doorbell before entering. This was the house of the late 19th- to early 20th-century leader of the Socialist Party of America. Each room is filled with Eugene V. Debs artifacts up to the third floor, where the ceiling is completely covered in a beautiful mural painted by John Laska. The house really gives you an idea of the time period. Call ahead if you would like to arrange a tour at a different time. Free. (updated May 2017) 2 Swope Art Museum, 25 S 7th St, ☏ +1 812-238-1676. Tu-F 10AM-5PM; Sa noon-5PM. A small but good art museum in downtown Terre Haute that features art primarily from the twentieth century. The museum also houses plenty of Hoosier artists, and hosts traveling collections as well. Free admission. 3 Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods (NW on 150 to St. Mary's Road), ☏ +1 812-535-3131, toll-free: +1-800-860-1840. The Sisters of Providence, founded by Saint Mother Theodore Guerin in 1840, welcome tourists and pilgrims to their grounds to see the shrines, scenery, historic architecture, eco-justice center and alpaca herd. 4 Terre Haute Children's Museum, 727 Wabash Ave, ☏ +1 812-235-5548. Impressive children's museum for a smaller town. Hands-on exhibits, lots of different activities, and a gift shop. (updated Aug 2015) 5 CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center, 1532 S 3rd St, ☏ +1 812-234-7881, [email protected]. $5. (updated Dec 2020)

1 Vorhees Skate Park, Corner of State Road 63 & Vorhees Road. Park closes at dark. You can have fun at a little skate park. Free. Clark-Lansdbaum Holly Arboretum, 500 S Fruitridge (in Deming Park), ☏ +1 812-232-0147. Park closes at dark. Horticulture and park grounds outside with the Spirit of Terre Haute Minitature Train. Free. Dobbs Park Nature Center and Native American Museum, 5170 E Poplar St (in Dobbs Park), ☏ +1 812-877-1095. M-Sa 9AM-5PM. Nature trails and deer, turtles woodchuck on display, with Phoebe the cat overseeing things. Adjacent at museum find some exhibits on indigenous people of the area. Free.

1 M. Moggers Restaurant & Pub (Moggers), 908 Poplar St, ☏ +1 812-234-9202. M. Moggers (or "Moggers," as it is called by the locals) is a turn-of-the-century brewery converted for use as a restaurant. The food here is generally standard fare that one would see in a typical American bar/restaurant, but tastes very good, especially with one of the 170 beers kept on the premises. The ambience, especially in the bar area, is very different from other restaurants in the city, and this is one that should be on any travelers' itinerary. 2 J. Fords Black Angus, 129 S 7th St, ☏ +1 812-235-5549. Chef-owned steakhouse with an upscale-casual vibe presents high-end American fare & wine classes. Specials change daily and many of their dishes use local fruits, vegetables and meats. On the pricey side, but unparalleled in Terre Haute. (updated Aug 2015) 3 Bush Restaurant, 932 Locust St, ☏ +1 812-238-1148. 4 Rick's Smokehouse & Grill, 3102 Wabash Ave, ☏ +1 812-235-8335. First Wok, 2570 Wabash Ave, ☏ +1 812-232-3298. Royal Mandarin Express, 1 Meadows Shopping Center, ☏ +1 812-478-1113. Royal Mandarin Express, 43 Southland Shopping Center, ☏ +1 812-235-7877. China Garden, 1353 Wabash Avenue, ☏ +1 812-232-2228. 5 Oy Vey Bakery & Deli, 901 Lafayette Ave, ☏ +1 812 223 8794. An authentic kosher deli known for its fresh-baked bagels and deli sandwiches. $10-$20. Square Donuts Inc, 935 Wabash Ave, ☏ +1 812-232-6463. This odd little place has amazing, fresh-made donuts. A must for breakfast one day on your visit to Terre Haute. Make sure to get napkins.

Java Haute, 3805 Wabash Ave, ☏ +1 812-234-5282. This hip and a little funky coffee shop is a local hangout for everyone from young to old. Local artists have work on display. The 24/7/365 drive thru is awesome. Oh yeah, free wi-fi. Joe Muggs, 3362 S. U.S. Highway 41 (part of the Books-A-Million store), ☏ +1 812-232-0856. Copper Bar, 810 Wabash Ave, ☏ +1 812-238-0033. M. Moggers Eatery & Pub, 908 Poplar St, ☏ +1 812-234-9202. Moggers features about 170 beers from around the world, mostly bottled. This is an excellent place to go for good beer. Bar Bosco, 804 S. 7th St, ☏ +1 812-917-3298. Italian food and cocktails. Sonka's Irish Pub, 1366 Wabash Ave, ☏ +1 812-234-8802. A great little pub located just east of downtown, this bar features many different kinds of beer and wine, but no liquor. The beer lineup is constantly changing, though you will always be able to find a pint of Guinness on tap. The Verve, 677 Wabash Ave, ☏ +1 812-234-9536. A great place to go to hear music, primarily rock and blues from local and regional bands.

For easy access to I-70, there is a cluster of hotels off the Terre Haute Highway 41 exit: Comfort Suites Terre Haute, 501 E Margaret Ave, ☏ +1 812-235-1770. Drury Inn Terre Haute, 3040 S US Highway 41. 1 Fairfield Inn by Marriott Terre Haute, 475 E Margaret Ave, ☏ +1 812-235-2444. (updated Apr 2017) Hampton Inn Terre Haute, 3325 U.S. 41 South, ☏ +1 812-242-2222. Near Indiana State University, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. Offering free hot breakfast, free WiFi and free parking. Holiday Inn Express Terre Haute, 3300 S US Highway 41, ☏ +1 812-232-6081. 2 Candlewood Suites Terre Haute, 721 Wabash Ave, ☏ +1 812-234-3400. (updated Apr 2017) 3 Hilton Garden Inn Terre Haute, 750 Wabash Ave, ☏ +1 812-234-8900. (updated Apr 2017)

Most people in Terre Haute and the surrounding regions use Indianapolis International Airport, which is a 1-1½ hour drive east of the city on Interstate 70. Rental car services to Terre Haute are available at the airport. Terre Haute is served by Terre Haute Regional Airport, but there have not been any commercial flights from there since 1999. There are three main highways which run through the city: Interstate 70 running east to west through the south of the city (near Honey Creek Mall); U.S. 41 (known locally as Third Street) oriented north-south; and U.S. 40 (also known as Wabash Avenue) as the road which separates the north and south parts of the city. U.S. 40 splits near the central business district. The westbound traffic turns onto Cherry Street, and the eastbound traffic runs into Ohio Street. In the event of an accident on the interstate, traffic is often re-routed through U.S. 41 and 40. Greyhound provides service to Terre Haute, with daily buses departing from Indianapolis and St. Louis.

Automobiles are generally the easiest ways of traveling in Terre Haute. Pedestrian travel is the best on the north portion of the city (including Wabash Avenue), but several of the cross-streets on Third Street have short traffic signals. While there is no "rush hour" like those seen in larger cities, during the afternoon and early evening, the south end of town on U.S. 41 can become hectic. Also, many people cannot manage to drive the speed limit. Bicycling is becoming increasingly popular due to the heightened gas prices, although cyclists should use caution when riding, as bike lanes and paths are still few and far between. Sidewalks are usually the preferred paths for bikes, but some of the sidewalks on secondary roads are in poor condition. This is being improved by the city. The general speed limit on the streets is 30 miles per hour (48 km/h). Wabash Avenue and Third Street have a slightly higher speed limit. Terre Haute has several train tracks which run through the city, so becoming "railroaded" is a common occurrence. Construction is ongoing around the central business district. Alamo: +1 812-234-1449 Avis: +1 812-877-6969 Budget: +1 812-238-9963 Enterprise: +1 812-235-3142 National: +1 812-234-1449 Terre Haute is served by a public bus system, which runs Monday through Saturday from 6AM to 6PM. Routes run throughout the city, including several shopping centers. There are tenuous plans to have midnight routes which will serve the local bars and universities. Since 2025 the public transport in Terre Haute is free of charge.

Terre Haute is generally a safe city, but the same precautions for any other city apply here. Don't go out alone at night, don't flash money around and avoid the sections of town without streetlights, as crime tends to be higher there. Although it is on the edge of Tornado Alley, Terre Haute does experience severe thunderstorms and the occasional tornado warning. Most of these occur in the spring and summer but there have been severe weather events in other months. There are sirens near Indiana State University, but they can only be heard within a mile of the campus. It is usually recommended to tune into local television or radio stations if there is a chance of severe weather.