Spring Mill State Park is about twenty minutes east of Bedford and one of the most rewarding excursions in southern Indiana. The centrepiece is a reconstructed pioneer village from the early nineteenth century, built around a working grist mill that still grinds corn meal on a creaking wooden wheel.
The park also has caves you can tour by boat, miles of hiking trails through karst woodland, and a small memorial to astronaut Virgil "Gus" Grissom, who grew up nearby. It is an ideal half-day or full-day trip from Bedford, with picnic spots, a swimming pool, and a campground if you want to stay.