One private cabin. Three resident animals. One hour from Chicago.
See Available DatesAvanti The Bear Den is a USDA-licensed private wildlife sanctuary cabin in Crown Point, Indiana, one hour southeast of Chicago. This is not a zoo. There are no crowds, no timed entry windows, no exhibits. When you stay at Avanti The Bear Den, the property is yours. The animals are here because they live here. The encounters happen on their schedule, not a performance one.
You will watch Avanti the bear at his scheduled feeding. You will walk to the water and hold out your hand as Bonnie and Clyde glide toward you. You will find Ethel the elk grazing in the field and stand close enough to hear her breathe.
One cabin. Up to four guests. No other visitors on property during your stay.
Every stay moves at the pace of the property. Here is what most guests experience from arrival to evening.
You park, unload, and step into a place that does not feel like anywhere else. The cabin sits on a working sanctuary. Within a few minutes, you will likely hear Ethel moving through the field or see Bonnie and Clyde on the water.
Walk the grounds. The property has open areas, a pond, and wooded edges. Wild deer and turkeys move through regularly, especially in the morning and late afternoon. There is no guided tour. The property unfolds on its own terms.
Bonnie and Clyde, the resident mute swans, accept hand feeding from guests. You will receive feed and instructions. Bonnie is young and curious. Clyde is twelve years old and has a calm, unhurried presence. Both are year-round residents.
Avanti is a black bear who has lived at the sanctuary for years. His feeding observation is scheduled during your stay. You watch from a designated area as he eats. There is no barrier between you and the experience of understanding what it means to share space with a bear. Available spring through fall. Avanti hibernates December through February.
As the light drops, the property shifts. Coyotes call from the tree line. The swans move off the water. Ethel grazes until dark. The cabin is yours for the night, surrounded by a sanctuary that does not turn off.
Three animals live here permanently. Each encounter is different. Here is what to expect from each one.
Avanti is the property's namesake. You observe him at a scheduled feeding during your stay. He does not perform. He eats, and you watch. It is quieter and more affecting than most guests expect.
Available spring through fall. Hibernates December through February.
Meet Avanti
Bonnie and Clyde are the only animals guests interact with directly. You hold out feed and they come to you. Clyde is twelve years old, a large and steady presence. Bonnie is one year old, still learning the water. Both are here every day of the year.
Year-round.
Meet Bonnie and Clyde
Ethel is approximately 30 years old, one of the oldest elk living at a private sanctuary in the region. She is a cow elk with no antlers, and her presence on the property is quiet and unhurried. Guests often find her grazing near the cabin at dawn and dusk.
Year-round.
Meet Ethel
Beyond the resident animals, the property sits in working Indiana woodlands. White-tailed deer move through in the early morning and at dusk. Wild turkeys cross the grounds regularly. Coyotes are heard more often than seen, usually at night.
None of these animals are managed or scheduled. They are simply here, as they would be in any stretch of Indiana woodland. That is part of what makes a stay at Avanti The Bear Den feel different from any managed wildlife experience.
The cabin holds up to four guests. Most stays are couples, close friends, or small families. Here is what guests tend to have in common.
Most guests have stayed in cabins before. They have not stayed on a working wildlife sanctuary with a bear, two swans, and a 30-year-old elk.
The cabin sleeps up to four. Children respond to the swan feeding and the open grounds in ways that no zoo visit replicates. The experience is unscripted.
Anniversaries, birthdays, and milestone trips are common. The property does not need decoration. It provides its own atmosphere.
No crowds. No other guests on property. No noise except the animals and the woods. Some guests come specifically for that.
The property is open year-round. What you encounter changes by season.
| Season | Avanti the Bear | Bonnie and Clyde | Ethel the Elk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring (Mar-May) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Summer (Jun-Aug) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fall (Sep-Nov) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Winter (Dec-Feb) | Hibernating | Yes | Yes |
Avanti hibernates from approximately December through February. Bonnie, Clyde, and Ethel are present year-round. Winter stays offer a quieter property and unobstructed views of Ethel and the swans.
Avanti The Bear Den holds a USDA license for the care and exhibition of animals. That license governs how the animals are housed, fed, and maintained. It is not a trophy. It is the standard the property is held to every year.
The animals here are not props. Avanti is not a performing bear. Ethel is not a decorative backdrop. Bonnie and Clyde are not trained for guests. You encounter them as residents of a place that takes their welfare seriously. The USDA Animal Welfare Act license held by Avanti The Bear Den covers the exhibition and care of Avanti, Bonnie, Clyde, and Ethel by name.
Ready to see it for yourself?
See Available DatesOne cabin. Books in advance.
Read the cabin detailsYour stay includes exclusive use of the private cabin and full access to the sanctuary grounds. A scheduled bear feeding observation with Avanti is arranged during your stay when he is active (spring through fall). You can hand feed Bonnie and Clyde the mute swans at any time. Ethel the elk grazes freely on the property throughout the year.
Avanti's feeding observation is scheduled during your booking. It does not happen on a fixed daily clock but is arranged to coincide with your stay. Most guests observe Avanti in the late afternoon. He is active and observable spring through fall. He hibernates from approximately December through February, during which time the observation is not available.
Yes. Bonnie and Clyde the mute swans accept hand feeding from guests. You will receive feed and brief instructions. The swans approach on their own terms. Clyde is a calm and experienced presence. Bonnie, at one year old, is curious and active. Both are present year-round.
The swan feeding can happen at various points during your stay. Avanti's bear feeding observation is scheduled specifically for your visit, not at a set public time. Most guests observe Avanti in the late afternoon. This is a private property with no posted show times. The experience is arranged around your stay.
Most of the experience is self-guided. You walk the grounds, observe the animals, and move at your own pace. The bear feeding observation is a scheduled moment with guidance provided. The rest of the property is yours to explore freely during your stay.
The three resident animals are Avanti the black bear (spring through fall), Bonnie and Clyde the mute swans (year-round), and Ethel the elk (year-round). Wild animals including white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, and coyotes also move through the property regularly, though their presence is not guaranteed.
Yes. Avanti The Bear Den holds a USDA Animal Welfare Act license that governs how all animals are housed and how guests interact with them. Avanti is observed from a designated area. Ethel is observed at a natural distance. Only the swans involve direct guest contact, and that interaction is managed and low-risk. No encounter puts guests in an unsafe position.
Winter stays offer Ethel the elk and Bonnie and Clyde the swans on an open, quieter property. Without summer foliage, sightlines across the grounds are wider. Ethel is often more visible in winter. The cabin experience is the same year-round. Many guests specifically prefer winter for the stillness.
The cabin accommodates up to four guests. There is one cabin on the property. No other guests are on property during your stay. The entire experience is private.
White-tailed deer are seen regularly, particularly at dawn and dusk. Wild turkeys cross the property throughout the day. Coyotes are heard most often at night and seen less frequently. None of these animals are managed, fed, or scheduled. Their presence is a natural feature of the property's woodland setting.
Significantly. A zoo is a public facility with managed exhibits, scheduled shows, and high visitor volume. Avanti The Bear Den is a private USDA-licensed sanctuary with one cabin and one group of guests at a time. The animals live here. You stay among them. There is no audience, no performance, and no exhibit framing.
Yes. The property is appropriate for families with children. Children respond strongly to the swan feeding and the open-property access to see Ethel and the wild deer. The bear observation is a managed, calm moment. Parents should supervise children throughout, as with any property that has resident wildlife.
Yes. Avanti The Bear Den is located in Crown Point, Indiana, one hour southeast of Chicago. It is a private USDA-licensed wildlife sanctuary with one cabin accommodating up to four guests. Guests observe Avanti the black bear, hand feed Bonnie and Clyde the mute swans, and watch Ethel the elk on the property grounds.
For pricing and availability, visit the Book page.