About Avanti The Bear Den

Avanti The Bear Den is a private wildlife sanctuary and cabin experience in Crown Point, Indiana, one hour southeast of Chicago. The property is home to three permanent resident animals: Avanti the black bear, Bonnie and Clyde the mute swans, and Ethel the elk.

This is not a zoo, a petting farm, or a roadside attraction. It is a private, licensed property. One private cabin sits on the grounds, and only one small group of guests stays at a time. No other visitors are on the property during a stay.

The animals here are not exhibits. They are residents. The property exists to give them a permanent home and, where appropriate, to let guests share in that space.

How This Started in Crown Point, Indiana

[OWNER-NAME] founded Avanti The Bear Den in [FOUNDING-YEAR] in Crown Point, Indiana. From the beginning, the property has been built around the animals that live here, not the other way around.

Avanti The Bear Den has never been open to general public visitation. The model has always been the same: one private cabin on the grounds, and one small group of guests at a time.

The Person Behind the Property

[OWNER-NAME] has lived and worked on this property since [FOUNDING-YEAR]. [OWNER-BIO, 3-5 sentences, owner-supplied]

The day-to-day care of the animals falls to [OWNER-NAME] and [OWNER-STAFF-NOTE].

Avanti The Bear Den is not a business that happened to acquire animals. The animals came first. The cabin experience was built around them.

Animal Care and Licensing

The standards behind Avanti The Bear Den are not incidental to the experience. They are the foundation of it. A few things about how the property is run are worth stating plainly.

The property is USDA licensed for exhibiting animals and insured for animal experiences.

• Professional animal handlers are present on site at all times.
• No guest incidents have ever occurred at this property.
• Animal care across the property is supported through a partnership with Purdue University as a learning facility.

Meet the resident animals

What This Is Not

A lot of places call themselves sanctuaries. Here is what distinguishes Avanti The Bear Den.

Not a zoo

A zoo is a public facility. Avanti The Bear Den is private, licensed, and accessible to one group of guests at a time. There are no crowds, no exhibit signs, and no scheduled public shows.

Not a petting farm or roadside attraction

Roadside attractions operate without federal oversight. Avanti The Bear Den is USDA licensed for exhibiting animals and insured for animal experiences, with professional animal handlers present on site at all times.

Not a rescue or rehabilitation facility

The animals here are permanent residents. They are not being rehabilitated for release. They live here because this is their home, and the property is built around their long-term welfare.

Not a performance venue

Avanti does not perform. Ethel does not pose. Bonnie and Clyde come to the water on their own terms. No animal at this property is trained to entertain. The encounters are real because they are unscripted.

Beyond the Residents

The property also sits within a stretch of working Indiana woodland. White-tailed deer, wild turkeys, and coyotes move through the grounds regularly. None of these animals are managed or fed. Their presence is incidental and, for most guests, a welcome addition to the experience of the property.

Read about the full property experience · See all questions about the property and its operation

Ready to experience it yourself?

One cabin. One group at a time.

One property. Cared for every day.

Avanti The Bear Den is a private wildlife sanctuary cabin one hour southeast of Chicago. Direct booking only. One small group at a time.