By Alex Bradford Cobb | Published: 8-19-26 | Last updated: 8-19-26
I-70 crosses Indiana from the Ohio border in the east to the Illinois border in the west — about 155 miles that most people drive straight through without stopping. That’s a mistake. Indiana’s I-70 corridor has some of the most genuinely interesting stops in the Midwest: the birthplace of American recorded music, the highest point in the state, one of America’s most significant Underground Railroad sites, and a fudge shop with three dinosaurs and a biplane hanging from the ceiling.
Here’s where to pull over, organized east to west.
Start here: Uranus Fudge Factory & General Store | 6400 National Rd. E, Richmond, IN 47374 | I-70 Exit 156B | Open daily 9 AM – 8 PM (EST)
East of Indianapolis
Exit 156B — Uranus Fudge Factory & General Store, Richmond
6400 National Rd. E, Richmond, IN 47374 | Open daily 9 AM – 8 PM (EST)
The eastern anchor of the Indiana I-70 corridor and the right first stop heading west from Ohio. Uranus Richmond is our largest location — 15,000 square feet on the Historic National Road, right at Exit 156B. A biplane hangs from the ceiling. Three dinosaurs with anatomically incorrect pronated wrists guard the parking lot. Nineteen fudge flavors are made fresh daily in our on-site kitchen.
Ask for Zackary if he’s working. He knows everything about the place.
From here, if you have an extra 20 minutes: the Gennett Walk of Fame is 9 minutes from I-70 in the Richmond Depot District — where Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, and Bix Beiderbecke made some of the earliest jazz recordings in history. Richmond is the Birthplace of American Recorded Music. It’s worth knowing.
A road-tripper stopped by here on July 31st and his name was Carl and he bought fudge.
Exit 145 — Warm Glow Candle Company, Centerville
Centerville, IN | 2 minutes from I-70
A massive candle-shaped building impossible to miss from the highway. Inside: handmade candles, home décor, Indiana-made gifts, and a café. The oversized candle out front is one of the more photographed roadside structures on I-70. Worth 20 minutes if you need to stretch your legs and want to bring something home that isn’t fudge.
Centerville is also the eastern anchor of Antique Alley — Indiana’s 40-mile corridor of over 1,200 antique dealers along US-40. If antiquing is your thing, this exit is where the detour starts.
Hoosier Hill — Indiana’s Highest Point
14 minutes from I-70 near Centerville
Indiana doesn’t have mountains. What it has is Hoosier Hill — the state’s highest point at 1,257 feet above sea level, accessible via a short walk through a wooded trail off a rural road near Centerville. There’s a small sign at the summit. You can be at the highest point in Indiana in about 25 minutes from I-70 and back on the road before most rest stops.
It is not a dramatic peak. It is the highest point in Indiana, which is its own thing.
Fountain City — Levi & Catharine Coffin State Historic Site
7 minutes from I-70
One of the most significant sites on Indiana’s I-70 corridor and consistently undervisited by people passing through. Levi Coffin was a Quaker abolitionist who helped more than 2,000 enslaved people escape to freedom through the Underground Railroad — so many that he was called the “President of the Underground Railroad.” His Federal-style home in Fountain City, built in 1839, was a major station on the route north.
The site is a National Historic Landmark operated by the Indiana State Museum. Tours of the home give genuine context for what the Underground Railroad actually involved in practical terms — not an abstraction but a real house with real hiding places and real risk. An hour here is one of the better uses of a road trip stop in Indiana.
Confirm current hours and admission at indianamuseum.org
Indianapolis
Indianapolis Motor Speedway — IMS Museum
4790 W 16th St, Indianapolis, IN 46222 | Off I-465/I-74
The most famous racing facility in America, and the museum is open year-round. The Hall of Fame Museum has over 75 racing vehicles on the grounds, including multiple Indy 500-winning cars. Even if you’re not a racing fan, the scale of the facility — the track alone is 2.5 miles, large enough to fit four major sports stadiums inside the infield — is worth experiencing once.
A lap around the track in a two-seater is available for an additional fee and is exactly what it sounds like.
Confirm current museum hours and admission at indianapolismotorspeedway.com
White River State Park — Downtown Indianapolis
801 W Washington St, Indianapolis, IN 46204
A 250-acre urban park in downtown Indianapolis that’s consistently underrated as an I-70 stop. The park contains the NCAA Hall of Champions, the Indianapolis Zoo, the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, and the Indiana State Museum — all within walking distance of each other along the White River. A legitimate half-day stop if you have time.
Free to enter the park itself; individual attractions charge admission.
West of Indianapolis
Plainfield — The Diner
US-40, Plainfield, IN
A preserved 1950s stainless steel diner on US-40 — the Historic National Road — just off I-70 west of Indianapolis. Looks like it was airlifted from 1955 and set down intact. Good food, great atmosphere, and the right aesthetic for a road trip lunch west of the city.
Brazil — Champ the Giant Great Dane
Brazil, IN | About 15 minutes from I-70
A 24-foot, 800-pound fiberglass Great Dane named Champ stands guard at the entrance to Great Dane Manufacturing in Brazil, Indiana. It is exactly as good as it sounds. Dog lovers and roadside attraction enthusiasts alike consider this a mandatory stop. It costs nothing and takes five minutes.
Practical Notes
The route: I-70 enters Indiana from Ohio near Richmond and exits into Illinois near Terre Haute — about 155 miles. The Historic National Road (US-40) runs parallel to I-70 for much of the route and is where most of the interesting stops are located.
Drive time: Non-stop, Indiana on I-70 takes about 2.5 hours. With stops at Uranus, Hoosier Hill, the Coffin site, and Indianapolis, plan a full day.
For the full Historic National Road experience: See Driving the Historic National Road Through Indiana for the complete itinerary including stops beyond the I-70 corridor.
Dining: Old Richmond Inn in Richmond is rated one of the top 25 dining destinations worth the drive in Indiana — 8 minutes from I-70 in a Victorian-era home. Worth a reservation if you’re staying the night.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best stops on I-70 in Indiana? Uranus Fudge Factory in Richmond (Exit 156B), the Warm Glow Candle Company in Centerville (Exit 145), Hoosier Hill near Centerville, the Levi & Catharine Coffin State Historic Site in Fountain City, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and Champ the Giant Great Dane in Brazil.
How long does it take to drive I-70 across Indiana? About 2.5 hours non-stop from the Ohio border to the Illinois border. With stops, plan a full day.
Where is Uranus on I-70 in Indiana? Uranus Fudge Factory & General Store is at 6400 National Rd. E, Richmond, IN 47374 — I-70 Exit 156B, right at the Ohio border. The largest Uranus location at 15,000 square feet. Open daily 9 AM – 8 PM (EST).
What is the highest point in Indiana near I-70? Hoosier Hill, Indiana’s highest point at 1,257 feet, is about 14 minutes from I-70 near Centerville. A short walk through a wooded trail leads to the summit marker.
Is the Levi Coffin House worth visiting on an I-70 road trip? Yes — it’s one of the most significant Underground Railroad sites in the country, 7 minutes from I-70 in Fountain City. Levi Coffin helped over 2,000 enslaved people escape to freedom. Tours of the Federal-style home run by the Indiana State Museum give genuine historical context.
What is there to do in Richmond Indiana off I-70? Uranus Fudge Factory (Exit 156B), the Gennett Walk of Fame (birthplace of American recorded music), Wayne County Historical Museum (featuring an Egyptian mummy), Antique Alley, Hayes Arboretum, and Thistlethwaite Falls. See the full guide at UranusIndiana.com.
For the complete Historic National Road itinerary through Indiana, see Driving the Historic National Road Through Indiana. For things to do specifically in Richmond, see Things to Do in Richmond, Indiana.
Alex Bradford Cobb is a strapping young man who works for the Mayor in a semi-legal indentured servitude arrangement, similar to how Dubai was built, and possibly the pyramids. What works, works, and there’s no need to reinvent the wheel.