Williams Dam makes a quiet base from which to explore the karst country of southern Indiana. Spring Mill State Park at Mitchell, 15 minutes south, has a restored pioneer village around a working water-powered grist mill, several show caves of its own, and a museum to astronaut Gus Grissom — Mitchell's most famous son. Bedford, 15 minutes east, sits at the heart of the limestone-quarrying district that supplied the stone for the Empire State Building and the Pentagon. Bloomington, 45 minutes north, is the university town and the natural cultural anchor for the region.
The Hoosier National Forest, much of which lies within a half-hour drive, has hundreds of miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding.