We love getting to spend time in Indianapolis every year when we take guests there for the Indy 500. Yes, the race is always a fantastic time, and the accompanying parade that has been a part of the festivities since 1957 is lots of fun, but the city itself has many charms worth exploring. In this week’s blog post, we wanted to give you a taste of some of the best of Indianapolis that you can check out if you visit.
Fantastic Restaurants
Indianapolis has some incredibly talented chefs producing unforgettable food. If you’re into fresh and inventive, Milktooth made it onto last year’s Eater list of America’s Best Restaurants, and likewise the Condé Nast Traveler list of the same, despite the fact it only serves breakfast, brunch, and lunch. Prefer something more traditional? St Elmo Steakhouse has been operating since 1902 and serves up classic cuts of meat in a ritzy setting, and the spicy shrimp cocktail is legendary.
If you’re a micro-brew fan, then Indianapolis won’t disappoint – not only are there many breweries to visit, there are also these fun tours where you get pedaled around the city on a bar attached to a bike. You’ll also find beautiful lounges to enjoy a cocktail, or sip on some fine wines. Honestly, whatever food or drinks you’re into, Indianapolis won’t disappoint.
Rich Cultural Attractions
There are some excellent museums to explore in Indianapolis. The city is home to the world’s largest children’s museum, which is fun whether you’re traveling with kids or without. The Indianapolis Museum of Art is superb, with over 54,000 pieces of art in its permanent collection, spanning 5000 years. If you’re into college sports, then the NCAA Hall of Fame is definitely worth checking out when you’re in the city.
Indianapolis is the home of Kurt Vonnegut, and if you’re a fan there are several ways you can pay homage. This year is a good one to visit as the city has declared it the Year of Vonnegut, and you’ll find bars throughout the city have made special cocktails dedicated to his memory with names like Breakfast of Champions referring to his works. There’s a Vonnegut Museum and Gift Shop, with a much bigger one set to open in April, and the new Vonnegut mural on Massachusetts Avenue is well worth checking out.
Everything Speedway Related
Even if you’re visiting Indianapolis outside of the Indy 500 time, you can still visit the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway, otherwise known as The Brickyard. You can take a tour, enjoy a racing experience inside a car that’s actually been raced there by pros, or even play a few rounds of golf right inside the Speedway at the Brickyard Crossing Golf Course (four holes are actually inside the midfield, so you can play with cars racing around you).
These are just a few reasons we love visiting Indianapolis, and we can’t finish this post without stating just how friendly the locals are every time we visit (Indianapolis is a big city, but being in the Mid-West, the people are so incredibly welcoming). If you’re interested in coming with us for the next Indy 500 in May, contact us now to start planning a customized trip to this epic event.
Alison Baker is the lead writer in Roadtrips’ marketing department. An avid traveller and passionate sports fan, she’s found her ideal fit at Roadtrips, one of the leaders in sports travel. Alison’s enjoyed working in the travel industry for the last 20 years and had the opportunity to experience it from all sides, from sales and marketing to quality assurance and hosting.