Super Bowl Comes To Indy

In case you live under a rock, the Super Bowl is Indianapolis. And it's not just a game, it's a two-week party for all ages.

I took my family downtown to the NFL Experience and Super Bowl Village over the weekend, and we had a great time.

NFL Experience: This is a huge exhibit that took over the entire convention center. We hit the kids area first, which featured hands-on activities like kicking field goals, long snapping, throwing passes, running an obstacle course, face painting, green screen photos and more. Colts WR Reggie Wayne also led a Q&A session.

All of these activities were included with the admission price: $25 for adults and $20 for kids.

Next we hit the adult area, which featured many of the same activities only on a bigger, real-life scale. There was punt, pass and kick; kick a field goal (I looked pretty bad on my 20-yard attempt), throwing and more.

There was also a "You Make The Call" area where you could call up any play from any game of the 2011 season and review it. A replay booth and more.

Wilson had an area where they showed how footballs are made. There was display of game balls from previous Super Bowls, a display of championship rings, and of course the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

The kids signed up for a free 45-minute on-field clinic that included two Colts players. The kids were divided into four groups and got to practice pass catching, taking handoffs as a running back, defensive drills and more. They also played two flag football games.

Vendors such as Doritos and Pepsi had separate booths. There was an autograph area, memorabilia show and more.

I could go on and on, but needless to say, we spent about 6 hours there and had a great time.

We exited the Experience and walked through the Super Bowl Village, which has two stages with live bands, bars and other entertainment. We made our way to Monument Circle were IndyCars decaled with all 32 NFL teams are lined up in front of giant X-L-V-I numerals.

It's exciting for Indianapolis to host such a great event. If you live nearby, take advantage of what might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and go experience some of the offerings. - Oh, I forgot to mention the 4 ziplines that run down Capitol Avenue. Wow. That looked like fun.

I have photos posted on the Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/HarmonyTravel) and a video on YouTube (www.youtube.com/harmonytravelindy).

Free Entrance to National Parks on Select Days

Once again, the National Park Service is waiving entry fees to more than 100 National Parks on select days.

In 2012, you can visit all National Parks free of charge on the following dates:

January 14-16 (Martin Luther King Jr. weekend)
April 21-29 (National Park Week)
June 9
Sept. 29
Nov. 10-12 (Veterans Day weekend)

I've already made my summer vacation plans to visit Arches NP and Canyonlands NP in Utah. I can't wait.