Whether you've just moved to Lafayette, Indiana to take a new job or are visiting the town for a conference at Purdue University, you're going to need to occupy yourself in your free time. What's your pleasure? Shopping? Fitness? Toronto Maple Leafs game highlights? Museums? Whatever your preferred method of entertainment, Lafayette can oblige. Below are some of the area's highlights that are most popular with tourists and residents alike.

Points of Interest

Founded in 1869, Purdue University is a great place to start your tour of the city. The school has been the home of numerous aviation landmarks and even has its own airport. A Toronto architect would be interested to view the buildings there as well as in the Ninth Street Hill Historic District. Kids will love Columbian Park, which has a zoo with 190 animals and a golf course for the parents. Shoppers will enjoy a visit to historic downtown, where the Farmer's Market is held on Saturdays.

Outdoors

If a great day for you involves sitting outside and watching an impromptu girl hockey tournament or exploring the great outdoors on foot, Lafayette has a lot of options that will appeal to you. The Jerry Clegg Botanic Gardens has trails that lead through not just local but prairie and savannah plant habitats. The Tippecanoe battlefield combines a walk with a look at local history while Wolf Park gives you the opportunity to watch and learn about (you guessed it): wolves! The Wabash River, which flows through the city, is fairly calm, good for canoeing or boating. Historic Prophetstown is an outdoor experience combined with living history museum.

The Arts

For such a small city, Lafayette certainly has a lot of activities for arts aficionados. So pack up your organic baby lotion and head on out to the Civic Theater to see a play or to a concert put on by the Lafayette Citizens Band, which plays every Thursday during the summer. There's also an opera in Lafayette, a chorale, and a symphony orchestra if your states run more toward the classical. The Tippecanoe Arts Federation has all the goods on visual arts. You can visit them at the Wells Community Center.

Festivals

If you've always wanted to see a re-enactment, get down to Fort Ouiatenon in the fall for the annual Feast of the Hunter's Moon. Close your Toronto B & B to get there if you have to because it's got a lively French vs Native battle, food, games, crafts, and music. Other events that occur annually include A Taste of Tippecanoe food festival in June, the Indiana Fiddler's Gathering music festival also in June, the Haunted Feargrounds each October, and the Round the Fountain Art Fair every Memorial Day weekend.