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The Southern Hills and Lowlands
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Explore Southern Indiana’s forested hills, Ohio River towns, limestone caves, historic sites, local food and outdoor landscapes at an unhurried pace.

The Southern Hills and Lowlands is a broad travel landscape across southern Indiana, where forested ridges, limestone country, fertile river bottoms and historic communities create a markedly different character from the state’s flatter central and northern districts. The region is not a single administrative unit, but a useful way of understanding the southern third of Indiana: a varied area stretching from the wooded uplands around Bloomington and Brown County to the Ohio River towns, the caves and springs of south-central Indiana, and the agricultural lowlands near Evansville and Vincennes.
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The hills are most evident in Brown County, where narrow roads pass through hardwood forest and the town of Nashville serves as a centre for galleries, craft shops and country walks. Further south and west, Hoosier National Forest provides extensive public woodland for hiking, camping and wildlife observation. Limestone has shaped both the scenery and the economy of south-central Indiana, producing caves, quarries, underground streams and distinctive building stone. Spring Mill State Park combines a restored pioneer mill village with wooded trails and karst scenery, while nearby communities reflect the long relationship between farming, timber and small-scale industry.
Along the Ohio River, the landscape becomes more open and historically mercantile. Madison, with its well-preserved nineteenth-century streetscape, is one of Indiana’s most impressive historic towns, while New Albany and Jeffersonville face Louisville across the river and retain reminders of shipbuilding, trade and river commerce. In the west, the Wabash and lower Ohio landscapes are flatter, warmer and more agricultural. Evansville provides the region’s largest urban centre, with museums, cultural venues and access to Angel Mounds, an important Mississippian archaeological site.
Southern Indiana’s history is visible in courthouse squares, limestone churches, farmsteads, river warehouses, cave settlements and former industrial sites. It also carries the memory of Abraham Lincoln’s boyhood in Spencer County, the early territorial capital at Corydon and the coal, rail and manufacturing industries that helped shape the southwest. Food and drink range from traditional Midwestern cooking and farm-market produce to independent cafés, breweries, wineries and restaurants in the larger towns. Visitors should plan by landscape rather than assume that the region can be crossed quickly: hill roads, river towns, forests and dispersed heritage sites reward a flexible itinerary with several bases.

Getting to and around The Southern Hills and Lowlands

How to get there

Southern Indiana is primarily reached by road, with Interstate 65 serving the eastern side, Interstate 64 crossing the southern portion and Interstate 69 linking the western area. Indianapolis International Airport is north of the region and is a major gateway for Bloomington and central southern Indiana, while Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport is across the Ohio River in Kentucky and is often practical for the river towns and eastern districts. Evansville Regional Airport lies within the southwestern part of the broader region and provides domestic access. Amtrak’s national network does not provide a comprehensive rail service across southern Indiana, so many visitors combine a gateway airport with a hire car.

Transportation

A car is the most flexible way to connect the region’s state parks, caves, forests, historic towns and rural communities, particularly in the hills and lowlands away from Bloomington and the Ohio River cities. Local buses operate in larger centres such as Bloomington, Evansville and the Louisville-area communities, but rural coverage is limited and does not form a single regional network. Taxis and app-based transport are easier to arrange in urban areas than at remote attractions. Allow extra time on winding hill roads, and check road closures or bridge conditions before travelling along the Ohio River.

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Resorts, valleys and scenic spots worth a trip of their own.

Best attractions in The Southern Hills and Lowlands

Southern Indiana’s attractions are shaped by geology, woodland and river history rather than by one concentrated urban centre. Brown County State Park offers extensive hill-country trails, cycling roads and autumn colour, while Hoosier National Forest provides a larger, more dispersed setting for hiking, camping and wildlife watching. Spring Mill State Park combines karst scenery with a restored nineteenth-century pioneer village and grist mill, and the region’s limestone country supports cave tours and underground landscapes. Historic-town experiences range from Corydon’s early statehood sites to Madison’s preserved riverfront architecture. Around Evansville, Angel Mounds offers archaeological insight into a pre-European Indigenous community, while the city itself contains museums and cultural venues. The lower Ohio and Wabash valleys add birdwatching, boating, farm landscapes and broad river views, and the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial in Spencer County interprets Abraham Lincoln’s Indiana childhood. Because attractions are widely dispersed, the most rewarding itineraries group nearby parks, towns and heritage sites rather than attempting to cover the entire region from one base.

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Best landmarks in The Southern Hills and Lowlands

The region’s most recognisable landmarks include the Harrison County Courthouse in Corydon, associated with Indiana’s first state constitution and early statehood, and the carefully preserved historic district of Madison, where nineteenth-century houses, commercial buildings and civic architecture reflect Ohio River prosperity. Angel Mounds near Evansville is a landmark of Indigenous history, with large earthworks marking the former Mississippian centre. The Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial in Spencer County commemorates the landscape and community in which Abraham Lincoln spent his youth. In the hills, the sandstone and limestone formations, forested ridges and cave systems of Brown County, Hoosier National Forest and south-central Indiana function as geographical landmarks as much as recreational sites. The Ohio River itself is a defining regional feature, crossed by bridges and lined with towns whose form was shaped by shipping. Quarries around Bedford and the surrounding limestone country also reveal the geological foundation behind much of Indiana’s historic architecture.

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Explore The Southern Hills and Lowlands on the map

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Best restaurants in The Southern Hills and Lowlands

Dining across the Southern Hills and Lowlands combines Midwestern comfort food with produce from farms, orchards and river-valley communities. Independent cafés, family restaurants and traditional diners are common in small towns, while Bloomington, Evansville, New Albany and other larger centres provide broader choices, including contemporary American cooking, international food and craft-beer-focused venues. Southern Indiana is associated with local pork, fried chicken, biscuits, seasonal vegetables, apples and other farm-market produce, though menus vary considerably from town to town. In the limestone and hill districts, wineries, breweries and rural food producers add a regional dimension, while Ohio River communities retain a tradition of hearty, practical cooking shaped by trade and agriculture. Farmers’ markets are useful places to find Indiana-grown produce, baked goods and preserves, but their days and seasons vary. Tipping follows customary United States practice in table-service restaurants and is normally added to the bill.

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Best bars in The Southern Hills and Lowlands

Evening life is concentrated in Bloomington, Evansville, New Albany and the larger Ohio River communities, while smaller hill and river towns generally centre their social life on pubs, restaurants, breweries, wine rooms and occasional live-music venues. Bloomington’s student population gives its compact centre a broader selection of bars, cafés and performance spaces than most rural parts of southern Indiana. Evansville provides the region’s most substantial urban programme of entertainment, including restaurants, cultural events and music venues. In Brown County, Nashville and nearby communities offer relaxed evenings associated with galleries, country music, dining and seasonal tourism rather than a large nightclub scene. Historic river towns favour old inns, taverns and restaurants in preserved commercial districts. Opening arrangements and entertainment calendars change, so visitors should check locally rather than assume that a small town will have late-night services every day.

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Best nightclubs in The Southern Hills and Lowlands

Evening life is concentrated in Bloomington, Evansville, New Albany and the larger Ohio River communities, while smaller hill and river towns generally centre their social life on pubs, restaurants, breweries, wine rooms and occasional live-music venues. Bloomington’s student population gives its compact centre a broader selection of bars, cafés and performance spaces than most rural parts of southern Indiana. Evansville provides the region’s most substantial urban programme of entertainment, including restaurants, cultural events and music venues. In Brown County, Nashville and nearby communities offer relaxed evenings associated with galleries, country music, dining and seasonal tourism rather than a large nightclub scene. Historic river towns favour old inns, taverns and restaurants in preserved commercial districts. Opening arrangements and entertainment calendars change, so visitors should check locally rather than assume that a small town will have late-night services every day.

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Best shops in The Southern Hills and Lowlands

Shopping is strongest in the region’s small historic centres, university communities and river towns rather than in a single major retail district. Nashville in Brown County is known for galleries, craft shops, artworks, seasonal decorations and locally made gifts, while Bloomington combines independent bookshops, galleries, specialist food shops and everyday retail around its central districts. Madison, Corydon, New Albany and other Ohio River towns offer antiques, homewares, art and locally owned shops in historic commercial settings. Farmers’ markets provide seasonal fruit, vegetables, baked goods, honey, preserves and handmade products, with availability varying by town and time of year. Regional purchases can include Indiana limestone objects, pottery, textiles, woodwork, paintings, wine and craft beer, though visitors should distinguish genuinely local products from generic souvenirs. Larger shopping centres and chain retailers are easiest to find in Evansville, Bloomington and the Louisville metropolitan area across the river, while remote hill communities have more limited opening days and retail choice.

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The Southern Hills and Lowlands essentials

Currency and Payment
The currency is the United States dollar (USD), as throughout Indiana and the wider United States. Credit and debit cards, including contactless payments, are commonly accepted in hotels, larger attractions, restaurants and shops, although smaller rural businesses, seasonal stalls, parks and some cultural sites may still prefer cash. Carry a modest amount of dollars for farmers’ markets, small-town cafés, parking facilities and places with unreliable mobile reception. Tipping is customary in table-service restaurants and for several personal services; the expected amount is normally calculated as a percentage of the pre-tax bill.
Safety
Ordinary precautions are appropriate in towns, parks and visitor areas: secure valuables, avoid leaving belongings visible in vehicles and take care after dark in unfamiliar places. Outdoor conditions deserve more attention than major urban risks. Forest trails can be remote, cave environments are cool and slippery, and summer heat, ticks, storms and changing river levels may affect plans. Wear suitable footwear, carry water and follow signs in state parks and forests. Drivers should expect deer, narrow bends, farm vehicles and changing weather, especially on wooded roads and after heavy rain.
Emergency Situations
Dial 911 anywhere in Indiana for police, fire or ambulance services, and give the dispatcher your exact location, particularly when using a remote trail, forest road or cave area. Mobile reception may be weak in wooded valleys, so download maps and tell someone your plans before hiking. For water incidents on the Ohio or Wabash rivers, contact 911 and follow instructions from emergency responders; do not attempt a crossing or rescue independently. State parks and public forests provide their own visitor information and ranger contacts, but these do not replace the national emergency number.
Do's and Don'ts
Do observe posted rules in caves, forests, archaeological sites and state parks, stay on marked trails and leave natural and historic features undisturbed. Do drive patiently through small communities and yield appropriately to farm equipment, cyclists and pedestrians. In private or religious historic sites, ask before photographing interiors or people. Do remember that Indiana’s customary tipping practices apply in restaurants and bars. Do not enter abandoned mines, quarries or riverbanks beyond marked access, and do not assume that a rural road or trail remains passable after storms.
Local Tips
The region is easiest to understand through contrasting itineraries: combine Brown County or Hoosier National Forest with Bloomington for wooded uplands, choose Madison or Corydon for Ohio River and early-statehood history, and use Evansville or Vincennes as bases for the western lowlands. Autumn foliage attracts large crowds to Brown County, while spring wildflowers and summer swimming make the parks busy at different times. Small towns may have limited evening dining and accommodation, so check arrangements before leaving larger centres. Farmers’ markets and local wineries are generally seasonal and may operate on particular days.
Eve, your Evendo local guide

From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
HelloHowdy[Ha-dee]
GoodbyeSee ya later[See ya lay-ter]
YesYep[Yep]
NoNope[Nope]
Please/You're welcomePlease/No problem[Please/No prob-lum]
Thank youThanks a bunch[Thanks a bunch]
Excuse me/SorryExcuse me/Sorry 'bout that[Ex-cuse me/Sorry 'bout that]
How are you?How ya doin'?[How ya doin'?]
Fine. And you?Good, and you?[Good, and you?]
Do you speak English?Can ya speak English?[Can ya speak English?]
I don't understandI ain't got a clue[I ain't got a clue]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseCan I see the menu, please?[Can I see the menu, please?]
I don't eat meatI ain't eatin' meat[I ain't eatin' meat]
Cheers!Cheers![Cheers!]
I would like to pay, pleaseCan I pay, please?[Can I pay, please?]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!Help![Help!]
Go away!Get lost![Get lost!]
Call the Police!Call the cops![Call the cops!]
Call a doctor!Call a doc![Call a doc!]
I'm lostI'm lost[I'm lost]
I'm illI'm feelin' under the weather[I'm feelin' under the weather]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...I wanna buy...[I wanna buy...]
I'm just lookingJust lookin'[Just lookin']
How much is it?How much is this?[How much is this?]
That's too expensiveThat's way too pricey[That's way too pricey]
Can you lower the price?Can ya bring the price down?[Can ya bring the price down?]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?What time is it?[What time is it?]
It's one o'clockIt's one o'clock[It's one o'clock]
Half past (10)Half past ten[Half past ten]
MorningMornin'[Mornin']
AfternoonAfternoon[Afternoon]
EveningEvenin'[Evenin']
YesterdayYesterday[Yesterday]
TodayToday[Today]
TomorrowTomorrow[Tomorrow]
1One[One]
2Two[Two]
3Three[Three]
4Four[Four]
5Five[Five]
6Six[Six]
7Seven[Seven]
8Eight[Eight]
9Nine[Nine]
10Ten[Ten]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?Where's a...?[Where's a...?]
What's the address?What's the address?[What's the address?]
Can you show me (on the map)?Can ya show me on the map?[Can ya show me on the map?]
When's the next (bus)?When's the next bus?[When's the next bus?]
A ticket (to ....)A ticket to...[A ticket to...]

History of The Southern Hills and Lowlands

Mississippian Communities at Angel Mounds

Long before European settlement, people of the Mississippian tradition built a substantial ceremonial and residential centre beside the Ohio River near present-day Evansville. Angel Mounds, occupied approximately from the eleventh to the fifteenth centuries, included platform mounds, dwellings and organised public spaces. Its position connected the community to river transport, agriculture and a wider network of Indigenous societies in the Mississippi and Ohio valleys. The preserved archaeological site is one of the most important reminders that southern Indiana has a deep Indigenous history extending far beyond the later frontier period.

French and Early American Frontier Settlement

The lower Wabash and Ohio valleys were shaped by French trading networks, Indigenous diplomacy and later American territorial expansion. Vincennes, founded as a French settlement in the eighteenth century, became an important centre in the Old Northwest before Indiana achieved statehood. River routes supported the movement of people and goods, while treaties and forced removals profoundly disrupted Indigenous communities. The region’s early American history therefore combines frontier commerce and new political institutions with the displacement of Native peoples whose presence long predated European settlement.

Corydon and Indiana Statehood

Corydon, in southern Indiana, served as the capital of the Indiana Territory and became the state’s first capital when Indiana entered the Union in 1816. The state constitution was drafted and adopted there, and the historic Harrison County courthouse remains a visible symbol of this formative period. The capital moved to Indianapolis in 1825 as the state’s population and political centre shifted northwards. Corydon’s buildings and historic sites preserve the region’s importance in the creation of modern Indiana rather than merely its later rural identity.

River Commerce and Nineteenth-Century Towns

The Ohio River was a major transport corridor during the nineteenth century, linking southern Indiana with the wider interior of the United States. Madison, New Albany, Jeffersonville and other river communities grew through shipping, manufacturing, banking and trade. Flatboats, steamboats and later railways carried agricultural produce, timber and manufactured goods, while shipyards and warehouses supported busy commercial economies. The surviving streets, houses and civic buildings of these towns reflect prosperity generated by river connections, as well as the changing transport patterns that eventually reduced the river’s dominance.

Abraham Lincoln’s Indiana Boyhood

Abraham Lincoln spent much of his formative childhood in southern Indiana after his family moved to Spencer County in 1816. The family farmed near Little Pigeon Creek, where Lincoln’s mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln, died in 1818. The Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial interprets the farm, community and frontier environment associated with these years, while the wider landscape helps explain the importance of woodland, small farms and self-reliance in the young Lincoln’s experience. His later national career gave this local chapter an enduring place in American historical memory.

Limestone, Coal and Industrial Change

Southern Indiana’s geology influenced both building and industry. High-quality limestone from south-central Indiana was quarried for public buildings and monuments across the United States, while coal deposits in the southwest supported mines, railways, power generation and associated communities. Stone towns such as Bedford developed around quarrying, and coal shaped places including Linton and parts of the lower Wabash region. These industries brought employment and infrastructure but also altered hillsides, waterways and settlement patterns. Their legacy remains visible in quarries, rail corridors, industrial landscapes and regional architecture.

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