On this page
The towns near Monrovia, Indiana are the small towns of Morgan County: Mooresville, Martinsville, Brooklyn, Morgantown, Paragon and Eminence. Mooresville is about 10 minutes from Monrovia (7 miles) and has Pioneer Park and Value Market, and Martinsville, the county seat, has a Kroger and a Walmart Supercenter open 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM every day.
Brooklyn sits between those two and has the Centerbrook Drive-in. Morgantown holds Colonel Vawter Day in mid-September, and Paragon is home to the historic Paragon Speedway.
The towns at a glance
- Value Market, Mooresville: a meat, poultry and produce market with custom cut meat. Best for: a large meat order, called in ahead so it is cut and ready.
- Kroger, Martinsville: a grocery store with in-store shopping, curbside pickup and delivery. Best for: the main grocery order, placed ahead for pickup.
- Walmart Supercenter, Martinsville: open 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM every day, with a pharmacy, a liquor counter and a Murphy Fuel Station. Best for: a late evening run.
- Pioneer Park, Mooresville: the main park in the Mooresville system, with an aquatic center, seven picnic shelters and a paved walking trail. Best for: a picnic at a shelter with the whole group.
- Downtown Martinsville: a largely pre-Civil War downtown commercial district with a performance venue that hosts local events. Best for: catching a local event downtown.
- Centerbrook Drive-in, Brooklyn: a drive-in theater between Martinsville and Mooresville. Best for: a movie night for everyone.
- Morgan-Monroe State Forest: forest trails about 40 minutes from Monrovia (21 miles). Best for: a longer hike on a free day.
Getting here and around
Monrovia is in the northern part of Morgan County, near the northern county line. Mooresville is the second largest community in the county. Martinsville is the county seat, and Brooklyn sits between Martinsville and Mooresville, so one loop through those three towns covers groceries, supplies and most errands.
The other towns are farther out. Morgantown is in the northeast corner of the county, at the crossroads of Morgan, Johnson and Brown Counties. Paragon is southwest of Martinsville, and Eminence is a tiny community on the western edge of the county.
For guests flying in, Indianapolis International Airport is about 20 minutes from Monrovia (15 miles). By car, Columbus Municipal Airport is about 57 minutes (38 miles) away and Terre Haute Regional Airport about 67 minutes (45 miles). Our page on getting here from Indianapolis covers the roads in.
A group arriving in several cars has room to spread out: there is plenty of parking on the property, and there is no street parking. If your party is bigger than the house, hotels and short-term rentals for extra wedding guests are 5 to 15 minutes away.
Where to eat and get coffee
Restaurants are 10 to 20 minutes from the house. These are the places we can point you to:
- Zydeco’s Cajun, Mooresville: Mooresville, about 10 minutes from Monrovia (7 miles), is the home of the Indiana State Flag and of Zydeco’s Cajun. Best for: a Cajun meal out in Mooresville.
- Subway inside the Martinsville Walmart Supercenter: open 8:30 AM to 9:30 PM every day. Best for: a quick lunch for whoever is doing the big supply run.
- Walmart bakery and deli, Martinsville: two counters inside the same supercenter, and the bakery has its own phone line, 765-352-0629. Best for: picking up baked goods and deli food on the same trip as the groceries.
- Value Market platters, Mooresville: the produce department takes preorders for fruit and vegetable platters for special events. Best for: a welcome spread or a rehearsal night table ordered ahead.
For coffee, we have not checked a local coffee shop well enough to recommend one yet.
Groceries and supplies for a group
Stocking a house that sleeps 16 takes a real shop, so plan one big run. Supermarkets are 5 to 15 minutes from the house.
- Value Market in Mooresville: a meat, poultry and produce market with sister stores in Cloverdale and Gosport. Customers come for steaks, pork loins and chicken, and you can call in advance to place a large order so everything is cut and ready when you arrive. Best for: the meat for a big cookout.
- Kroger, Martinsville: at 380 E Ruth Rusie Way, phone (765) 342-7151, with fresh produce, meats, seafood, dry goods and home supplies. Best for: the main order, so one person collects it while everyone else heads to the house.
- Walmart Supercenter, Martinsville: at 410 Grand Valley Blvd, phone 765-342-3786, open 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM every day. Its services include grocery pickup and delivery and liquor, and its departments include party supply. Best for: paper goods, decorations and the late forgotten-item run.
The Kroger offers curbside pickup and delivery in Martinsville, which saves a cart trip for a group order.
The Walmart also holds sensory-friendly hours from 8:00 to 10:00 AM every day, with a calmer shopping environment. That helps if someone in the group finds busy stores hard.
Things to do nearby
Most outings here are easy half days, which leaves the evenings for the house. For a reunion with cousins of every age, a park morning and a drive-in night make a full day.
- Pioneer Park, Mooresville: a 152-acre park at 1101 North Indianapolis Road, at Indianapolis Road and Old State Road 67, with East Fork White Lick Creek running through it. It has the Mooresville Family Aquatic Center, seven picnic shelters, playgrounds, six baseball diamonds, soccer fields, three horseshoe courts, cornhole boards, a sand volleyball court and a paved walking and jogging trail around most of the park. Best for: a picnic and a pickup game with a big group.
- Old Town Park, Mooresville: the oldest park in town, at 299 E. South Street, with a shelter built in 2020, modern restrooms added in 2023 and new playground equipment from 2024. Best for: a short stop with small children.
- Bicentennial Park, Mooresville: an urban park at Indiana and Main Streets that serves as a gateway to downtown Mooresville. Best for: a short walk downtown.
- Landersdale Trail, Mooresville: a trail on E. Landersdale Road. Best for: a walk close to town.
- Jimmy Nash City Park, Martinsville: a city park at 360 N. Home Avenue. Best for: stretching your legs after a Martinsville supply run.
- Fred and Dorothy Meyer Nature Preserve, Martinsville: a nature preserve on Observatory Road. Best for: a quiet morning outside.
- Morgan-Monroe State Forest: about 40 minutes from Monrovia (21 miles), at 6220 Forest Road, with hiking trails. Best for: a longer hike on a free day.
- White River: float down the river in a canoe or kayak. Best for: a relaxing afternoon on the water.
- Centerbrook Drive-in, Brooklyn: a drive-in theater between Martinsville and Mooresville. Best for: a movie night everyone can go to.
- Downtown Martinsville: a largely pre-Civil War downtown. The Downtown Martinsville Performance Venue at 183 N. Jefferson Street, at the corner of Jefferson and Pike Streets, was completed in 2022 and hosts a variety of local events. Best for: an easy walk and whatever is on that weekend.
- Paragon Speedway, Paragon: a historic track in a tiny town southwest of Martinsville. Best for: race fans.
Shelter reservations at Pioneer Park go through the Mooresville parks office, which is based in the park itself.
Events through the year
A few local events are worth checking when you pick your dates, either to join in or to plan around.
- Monrovia Festival and Parade: the Monrovia Festival Civic Association hosts this festival and parade every year in town. Check the Town of Monrovia events calendar for what is coming up.
- Colonel Vawter Day, Morgantown: held in mid-September each year.
- Dust Bowl 100, Eminence: Eminence is the home base for this annual bicycle event.
- Pioneer Park, Mooresville: the park is the site for many seasonal activities and festivals.
- Downtown Martinsville Performance Venue: hosts a variety of local events through the year.
For a wedding, our wedding weekend planning guide covers the timeline.
When to come
If you would rather have quiet roads, check the town and county calendars before you settle on dates.
The indoor pool is open all year and kept at 75°F, and guests can ask for it to be warmer, up to 85°F, for $125 per 5 degrees per day, with at least a day’s notice. That makes a winter reunion as easy to plan as a summer one, even when the parks are quiet.
Good to know before you go
- Pharmacy: the Walmart Supercenter in Martinsville has a pharmacy that closes hours before the store and shuts for a half hour in the early afternoon, so call ahead before you drive over. Flu shots and immunizations are at 765-349-1138.
- Fuel: the Murphy Fuel Station at the same Walmart is open 5:00 AM to 10:30 PM Monday to Thursday, 5:00 AM to 11:00 PM on Friday, 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM on Saturday and 6:00 AM to 10:30 PM on Sunday.
- Car trouble: the Martinsville Walmart also has an Auto Care Center for tires and service.
- Town office: the Town of Monrovia office is at 60 Marley Way, phone (317) 996-6112. If part of your plans happens in town rather than at the house, ask there about the town’s event permit.
- Back at the house: quiet hours are 10 PM to 8 AM. Amplified outdoor music needs the owner’s approval, and fireworks are not allowed anywhere on the property.
“Everyone loved it and it was private and peaceful.” (a guest, June 2026)
For a family trip, our family reunion checklist helps split up the grocery run and the outings, and our guide to Monrovia, Indiana covers the town itself. When you are ready to plan the stay, see the lodge.
Questions
Where can I fill up the car near Monrovia late in the evening?
The Murphy Fuel Station at the Martinsville Walmart Supercenter stays open until 10:30 PM Monday to Thursday and Sunday, and until 11:00 PM on Friday and Saturday. It opens at 5:00 AM on weekdays and 6:00 AM on weekends.
Can I order party platters near Monrovia for a rehearsal dinner?
Yes. The produce department at Value Market in Mooresville takes preorders for fruit and vegetable platters for special events, and the Martinsville Walmart has a bakery with its own phone line at 765-352-0629.
Is there a quieter time to shop for someone who finds busy stores hard?
The Martinsville Walmart Supercenter holds sensory-friendly hours from 8:00 to 10:00 AM every day, with a calmer shopping environment.
Where can kids play near Monrovia besides Pioneer Park?
Old Town Park in Mooresville has a shelter built in 2020, modern restrooms added in 2023 and new playground equipment from 2024, which makes it a good short stop with small children.
Do I need a permit for a wedding event in Monrovia outside the house?
If part of your plans happens in town rather than at the house, ask the Town of Monrovia office about the town's event permit. The office is at 60 Marley Way, phone (317) 996-6112.
What local events should I check before picking dates?
Look at the Monrovia Festival and Parade on the Town of Monrovia events calendar, Colonel Vawter Day in Morgantown in mid-September, and the Dust Bowl 100 bicycle event based in Eminence. Checking town and county calendars also helps if you want quiet roads.