College Visit Guides

Drive guide · 2 days, 2 campuses

Ball State and Purdue Fort Wayne in 2 Days: An Indiana College Road Trip

A parent-first plan for seeing Ball State University and Purdue University Fort Wayne in two days: how each visit works, where to park, four hotels from budget to upscale, drive times, free museums for siblings and seasonal weather, every fact sourced and checked Oct 28, 2026.

Looking down on Ball State's campus on a clear summer evening: a walkway-lined road curves between red-brick buildings and green trees toward a tall brick bell tower, with a large domed arena and flat Indiana farmland on the horizon
McKinley Avenue through Ball State's campus (Aug 2014). Photo: Momoneymoproblemz · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Last checked Oct 28, 2026. Every fact comes from the pages listed in Sources at the bottom. Some hotel and tour links are affiliate links (disclosure).

The short version

Trip at a glance

Schools
Ball State University (Muncie, IN) · Purdue University Fort Wayne (Fort Wayne, IN)
Days
2 days: Ball State on day 1, then about 1 hr 40 min north to Fort Wayne; a PFW Don Day on day 2. Arrive the evening before.
Fly into
Fort Wayne International (FWA), about 1 hr 30 min from Muncie and under 30 minutes from PFW with no traffic, so you can fly in and out of the same airport. Indianapolis (IND) is about 1 hr 45 min from Muncie.
Best base
Night 1: Courtyard Muncie at Horizon Convention Center, about 4 minutes by car from Ball State. Night 2: Holiday Inn Purdue - Fort Wayne, about 3 minutes from PFW's Admissions office.
Car or transit
Rent a car: the schools are about 80 miles apart, and both campuses are easiest by car.
Registration
Both schools take visit sign-ups online. Ball State's campus tour runs about 90 minutes and its information session about 30 minutes; PFW's Don Day pairs an admissions presentation with a campus and housing tour.

1. Who this guide is for

This plan is for parents with a high schooler, and maybe younger siblings, who want to compare two Indiana public universities in one short trip: Ball State University in Muncie and Purdue University Fort Wayne, about 80 miles to the north.

Ball State's visits start at the Welcome Center in Lucina Hall, and PFW's Admissions office is in Kettler Hall, the first building you see entering campus from Coliseum Boulevard.

Why this order

  • Day 1: Ball State lets you build your own visit from a student-guided campus tour that includes a residence hall (about 90 minutes), an admissions information session (about 30 minutes) and an appointment with your academic department of interest.
  • Day 2: PFW's Don Day includes an admissions presentation and a tour of campus and student housing, with a chance to meet current students.
  • Ball State's David Owsley Museum of Art is free and steps from the Welcome Center, and Fort Wayne's Science Central is about 7 minutes by car from PFW.
Plan ahead: registration and guest limits
  • Ball State: choose your sessions when you register; it can accommodate up to three guests per student because of space.
  • PFW: pick a Don Day on the sign-up calendar. PFW offers weekday morning, weekday afternoon and Saturday visits, plus a Don Day with a department visit.
Tour availability varies by season.
  • Ball State holds special visit events through the year, including Preview Days for all prospective students and College Discovery Days recommended for high school seniors; see its events calendar.
  • Ball State's David Owsley Museum of Art closes for university breaks, including Thanksgiving week and winter break, so check its dates if you visit around a holiday.

2. The suggested 2-day drive

  • Drive and walk times are no-traffic estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, using addresses geocoded with OpenStreetMap Nominatim. Leave extra time at rush hour and in winter weather.

Arrival evening: fly into Fort Wayne and drive to Muncie

  1. Fort Wayne International Airport (FWA) → Courtyard Muncie at Horizon Convention Center (601 S. High St.)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~1 hr 31 min, 62.5 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving and walking
    Rental car

  2. Or: Indianapolis International Airport (IND) → Courtyard Muncie

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~1 hr 43 min, 72.4 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving and walking
    Rental car
  • Flying in and out of FWA means one rental car round trip; if you fly into IND, expect a longer drive home from Fort Wayne on day 2.

Day 1: Ball State University, then north to Fort Wayne

  1. Courtyard Muncie → Ball State Welcome Center (Lucina Hall)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~4 min, 1.9 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving and walking
    ~37 min walk, 1.7 mi

  2. Welcome Center → David Owsley Museum of Art (2021 W. Riverside Ave.)

    Driving (no traffic)
    Leave the car parked
    Driving and walking
    ~5 min walk, 0.2 mi

  3. Ball State → Holiday Inn Purdue - Fort Wayne (4111 Paul Shaffer Dr.)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~1 hr 38 min, 81.5 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving and walking
    Rental car
  • Register for a campus tour (about 90 minutes) and an information session (about 30 minutes); academic appointment times vary by department, so book them so they don't overlap your tour.
  • For lunch, the Student Center Tally in the L.A. Pittenger Student Center has Starbucks, Taco Bell, a stir-fry station, a grill and a salad bar.
  • The David Owsley Museum of Art is free and open to the public Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.; it's closed Sundays and Mondays.

Day 2: Purdue Fort Wayne Don Day, then fly home

  1. Holiday Inn Purdue - Fort Wayne → Kettler Hall (PFW Admissions)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~3 min, 0.9 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving and walking
    ~12 min walk, 0.6 mi

  2. PFW → Science Central (1950 N. Clinton St.)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~7 min, 3.1 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving and walking
    Rental car

  3. PFW → Fort Wayne International Airport (FWA)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~29 min, 12.7 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving and walking
    Rental car
  • A Don Day is an admissions presentation followed by a campus and housing tour; pick your session on PFW's sign-up calendar.
  • Grab a bite at Einstein Bros. Bagels on the ground floor of Kettler Hall, or Don's at Walb on the ground floor of Walb Student Union.
  • If you flew into IND, the drive back from PFW is about 2 hr 51 min, 139.8 miles, with no traffic.

3. Campus by campus

Looking down on Ball State's campus on a clear summer evening: a walkway-lined road curves between red-brick buildings and green trees toward a tall brick bell tower, with a large domed arena and flat Indiana farmland on the horizon
McKinley Avenue through Ball State's campus (Aug 2014). Photo: Momoneymoproblemz · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

Ball State University (Muncie, IN)

Where visits start
  • In-person visits start at the Welcome Center in Lucina Hall. When you register, pick from a student-guided campus tour that includes a residence hall (about 90 minutes), an admissions information session (about 30 minutes) and an academic appointment with your department of interest.
  • You can also add Honors College, Study Abroad or Transfer Center appointments, and bring up to three guests per student.
  • If no scheduled visit fits, Ball State has a self-guided audio tour in English and Spanish; stop by the Welcome Center in Lucina Hall and staff will explain the tour.
Visitor parking
  • Self-guided visitors who stop at the Welcome Center get a parking pass for the Welcome Center Parking Lot, weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. only.
  • Otherwise, meters and pay stations are typically $1 an hour, and the Lucina Hall lot (P14) allows up to 3 hours. Visitors can also buy a $5 pass online or at Parking Services to park in yellow or green permit lots.
  • Yellow and green lots are free after 5 p.m. on weekdays and on weekends; garages and red lots are free after 7 p.m. and on weekends.
Getting there
  • Ball State is about 4 minutes by car from the Courtyard Muncie and about 5 minutes from the Hampton Inn & Suites Muncie with no traffic.
What to know
  • The Ball State photo in this guide looks northeast along McKinley Avenue, the corridor that runs through the middle of campus.
  • The David Owsley Museum of Art, in the Fine Arts Building just west of McKinley Avenue, is free and open to the public year-round.
Contact
Ball State University, 2000 W. University Ave., Muncie, IN 47306; 800-382-8540 or 765-289-1241. Undergraduate Admissions in Lucina Hall: 800-482-4BSU (4278).

Last checked Oct 28, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: Ball State: Visit Ball State · Ball State: Self-Guided Tours · Ball State: Special Visit Events · Ball State: Visitor Parking

The Hilliard Gates Sports Center and Athletics Center at Purdue Fort Wayne, a long brick-and-glass building with a covered entrance, behind a wide paved plaza and a parking lot lined with red- and orange-leafed trees under a blue sky with big white clouds
Hilliard Gates Sports Center, Purdue Fort Wayne (Oct 2021). Photo: Jpbrenna · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

Purdue University Fort Wayne (Fort Wayne, IN)

Where visits start
  • Don Days include an admissions presentation and a tour of campus and student housing, with a chance to meet current students.
  • PFW's visit options also include a Don Day with a department visit, a department visit on its own, special events and virtual visits; choose weekday morning, weekday afternoon or Saturday.
  • Can't make it in person? Schedule a virtual appointment (meeting, text or phone call) with an admissions counselor.
Visitor parking
  • You don't need a permit to park in PFW's B lots, or on garage levels above the first; first garage levels are reserved A parking until 5 p.m.
  • PFW has said it was working to set aside dedicated parking near Kettler Hall for families visiting Admissions; ask about it when you register.
Getting there
  • PFW is about 3 minutes by car (or a 12-minute walk) from the Holiday Inn Purdue - Fort Wayne, about 10 minutes from The Bradley downtown and about 29 minutes from FWA with no traffic.
What to know
  • The PFW photo in this guide shows the Hilliard Gates Sports Center and the Athletics Center. PFW points visitors to the Mastodon statue and Helmke Library on its virtual tour.
Contact
Purdue University Fort Wayne, 2101 E. Coliseum Blvd., Fort Wayne, IN 46805. Office of Admissions: admissions@pfw.edu or 260-481-6812.

Last checked Oct 28, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: PFW: Visit · PFW: All visit options · PFW: Virtual Appointment · PFW: Parking

4. Where to stay: one night in Muncie, one in Fort Wayne

Price tiers (Budget, Mid-range, Upscale) follow each hotel's star class on Expedia. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Hotel · Our pickMid-range

Courtyard Muncie at Horizon Convention Center

601 S. High St., Muncie, IN 47305

Why here

  • It's about 4 minutes by car from Ball State's Welcome Center and about 1 hr 31 min from FWA, and Expedia notes it's near Ball State University.
  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 3-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists free self-parking, an on-site restaurant (1925 PubHouse) and a minimum check-in age of 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateMid-range

Holiday Inn Purdue - Fort Wayne by IHG

4111 Paul Shaffer Dr., Fort Wayne, IN 46825

Why here

  • Our night-2 base: about 3 minutes by car or a 12-minute walk from PFW's Admissions office in Kettler Hall, and PFW itself notes that the Purdue Fort Wayne Holiday Inn is close to campus.
  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 3-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists free self-parking, an on-site restaurant (The Mastodon Grill) and a minimum check-in age of 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateBudget

Hampton Inn & Suites Muncie

4220 W. Bethel Ave., Muncie, IN 47304

Why here

  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 2.5-star property, so we place it in the Budget tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
  • It's on Muncie's northwest side, about 5 minutes by car from Ball State's Welcome Center with no traffic.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists free full breakfast, free self-parking, an indoor pool and a minimum check-in age of 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateUpscale

The Bradley

204 W. Main St., Fort Wayne, IN 46802

Why here

  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 4-star property, so we place it in the Upscale tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
  • It's downtown near Promenade Park and the Embassy Theatre, about 10 minutes by car from PFW's Kettler Hall with no traffic.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists valet parking for a fee, two on-site restaurants and a minimum check-in age of 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Sleep in Muncie the first night so you can be at Ball State early, then drive north after your visit and spend night 2 near PFW. Check out on day 2 and head to FWA, under 30 minutes from campus.

5. Meals between tours

Hours change, so check before you go.

On campus at Ball State

Ball State has dining in 10 buildings and over thirty eateries, open to the community, and takes credit cards, Apple or Android Pay and cash.

Eat

Student Center Tally

L.A. Pittenger Student Center

Starbucks, Taco Bell, a stir-fry station, homestyle and grill stations, soups and a salad bar, per Ball State.

Details →

Eat

The Atrium

Art and Journalism Building

A pay-up-front, one-trip eatery with Maka Mia pizza, a salad bar and deli sandwiches, per Ball State.

Details →

On campus at PFW

PFW's dining is run with Fresh Ideas Food; check location hours before you go.

Eat

Einstein Bros. Bagels

Kettler Hall, ground floor

In the same building as Admissions, per PFW.

Details →

Eat

Don's at Walb

Walb Student Union, ground floor

In the student union, which also has the Java Spot on the first floor, per PFW.

Details →

6. Things for siblings along the route

With siblings

David Owsley Museum of Art

2021 W. Riverside Ave., Muncie, IN

Free, on Ball State's campus and about a 5-minute walk from the Welcome Center. Open Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.; closed Sundays, Mondays and university breaks.

Official page →

With siblings

Science Central

1950 N. Clinton St., Fort Wayne, IN 46805

A hands-on science center about 7 minutes by car from PFW. School-year hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; it's closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

Official page →

With siblings

A Cardinals or Mastodons game

Muncie and Fort Wayne, IN

Check the Ball State and Purdue Fort Wayne athletics calendars for a home game on your dates.

Official page →

7. Practical tips

Driving and parking

  • Ball State to the Holiday Inn at PFW is about 81.5 miles and 1 hr 38 min with no traffic, so plan the drive for after your Ball State sessions.
  • At Ball State, the Lucina Hall lot (P14) has pay stations for up to 3 hours; at PFW, B lots and upper garage levels need no permit.

Flying in and out

  • Fort Wayne International (FWA) is about 1 hr 31 min from the Courtyard Muncie and about 29 minutes from PFW with no traffic, which makes it the easiest round trip.
  • Indianapolis (IND) is about 1 hr 43 min from the Courtyard Muncie and about 2 hr 51 min from PFW with no traffic.

Weather by season (1991–2020 NOAA normals: Fort Wayne International Airport)

  • Spring: April averages about 61°F highs and 39°F lows, with about 3.7 inches of rain.
  • Summer: July averages about 84°F/64°F, with about 4.1 inches of rain.
  • Fall: October averages about 64°F/43°F, with about 3 inches of rain.
  • Winter: January averages about 33°F/18°F, with about 11 inches of snow, so pack for cold on the walking tours and allow extra driving time.

Parent checklist

  • Register for a Ball State campus visit for day 1 and a PFW Don Day for day 2.
  • Book a rental car; the schools are about 80 miles apart.
  • Book night 1 in Muncie and night 2 in Fort Wayne.
  • Bring a card for parking meters at Ball State, or plan on the Welcome Center lot pass if you take the self-guided tour.
  • After each visit, take five minutes to jot down what stood out to your student.

8. Student-athlete recruiting visits

For families whose student hopes to play a college sport. Rules below are the NCAA's; each school's links were checked Oct 26, 2026.

Coaches arrange the recruiting part of a visit, not the admissions office. The tour sign-ups in this guide are for the regular family visit. An official (school-paid) visit is offered by the school, and contact with coaches follows NCAA rules that vary by division, sport and grade level.

Start with your sport's questionnaire, then email the coaches. The NCAA suggests emailing coaches with your achievements, highlight videos and interest in their program, including your name, position, NCAA ID and graduation year.

2 Division I

NCAA basics for parents

  • Unofficial visit: any campus visit you or your family pay for. You can take as many as you like; in Divisions I and II each one has to come after the first permissible date for your sport.
  • Official visit: a visit paid for by the school. Each school can offer your student only one. Before a Division I official visit, your student must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center, be on the school's institutional request list, and the school must have their high school transcripts.
  • Division I (Ball State University and Purdue University Fort Wayne): on an official visit the school can pay for travel for the student and up to two family members, lodging, up to three meals a day for the student and up to four family members, and up to $60 a person in entertainment, including five home-game tickets. On an unofficial visit there are no free meals, but the school can give up to three home-game tickets. Division I uses recruiting calendars with contact, evaluation, quiet and dead periods; in a dead period, no in-person contact and no visits.
  • Rules change. Confirm with the coach, or check the NCAA's recruiting page and recruiting calendars, before you plan dates.

Planning around the season

  • Check each school's athletics schedule (linked above) before you pick dates, so a coach meeting doesn't land on a road trip or game day for your sport.
  • Our recommendation, not a school rule: ask the coach whether they can line up an admissions session or tour around your meeting. If not, book the regular family tour yourself through the official sign-up links in this guide, and leave time between the two.

Student-athlete sources

All checked Oct 26, 2026.

  1. NCAA, 2026-27 Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete (pp. 3, 21–25)
  2. NCAA.org: NCAA Recruiting
  3. NCAA: Division I and II Recruiting Calendars and Guides
  4. NCAA Directory: Ball State University
  5. Ball State University Athletics (official site)
  6. Ball State University Athletics: Compliance
  7. Ball State University Athletics: Staff Directory
  8. Ball State University Athletics: schedule of events
  9. NCAA Directory: Purdue University Fort Wayne
  10. Purdue University Fort Wayne Athletics (official site)
  11. Purdue University Fort Wayne Athletics: Compliance
  12. Purdue University Fort Wayne Athletics: Staff Directory
  13. Purdue University Fort Wayne Athletics: schedule of events

Trip planner

Plan this trip

Add your dates and how you're getting there, and we'll pull this guide into one plan: tour sign-up links, the hotel base, parking or airport notes, the route and meals.

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Sources

All checked Oct 28, 2026. Tour schedules change constantly, so always confirm on each school's official sign-up page. Photo credits are under each photo and on our About page.

  1. Ball State University: Visit Ball State
  2. Ball State University: Schedule a Campus Visit (official sign-up)
  3. Ball State University: Self-Guided Tours
  4. Ball State University Parking Services: Visitor Parking
  5. Ball State University: Special Visit Events
  6. Ball State University Dining: Student Center Tally
  7. Ball State University Dining: The Atrium
  8. Ball State University Dining: Campus Locations
  9. Purdue University Fort Wayne: Visit
  10. Purdue University Fort Wayne: Visit Options (official sign-up hub)
  11. Purdue University Fort Wayne: Don Day registration (official sign-up)
  12. Purdue University Fort Wayne News: Admissions and Career Development Center trading spaces
  13. Purdue University Fort Wayne University Police: Parking
  14. Purdue University Fort Wayne: Dining
  15. Purdue University Fort Wayne: Campus Visit Day (contact and lodging note)
  16. Purdue University Fort Wayne: Virtual Appointment
  17. OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap), driving profile
  18. OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap), foot profile
  19. OpenStreetMap Nominatim geocoder
  20. NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 Monthly Normals, Fort Wayne International Airport, IN (USW00014827)
  21. Expedia listing: Courtyard Muncie at Horizon Convention Center (star class, address and amenities, checked 2026-10-28) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Muncie-Hotels-Courtyard-Muncie-At-Horizon-Convention-Center.h12755848.Hotel-Information)
  22. Expedia listing: Hampton Inn & Suites Muncie (star class, address and amenities, checked 2026-10-28) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Muncie-Hotels-Hampton-Inn-Suites-Muncie.h2041430.Hotel-Information)
  23. Expedia listing: Holiday Inn Purdue - Fort Wayne by IHG (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-28) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Fort-Wayne-Hotels-Holiday-Inn-Purdue-Fort-Wayne.h1957172.Hotel-Information)
  24. Expedia listing: The Bradley, Fort Wayne (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-28) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Fort-Wayne-Hotels-The-Bradley.h67630659.Hotel-Information)
  25. Ball State University: Visit the David Owsley Museum of Art
  26. Science Central: Hours & Admission
  27. Ball State Cardinals Athletics: Calendar
  28. Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons Athletics: Calendar