Indianapolis

Updated 2016

Indianapolis is known as the “Racing Capital of the World” as its home to the world famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a veritable pilgrimage site for anyone who loves car racing. Known for its weather extremes – very hot summer and very cold winters – Indianapolis is also home to the world’s largest children museum as well as several lovely gardens and parks.

WHAT TO DO

Indianapolis is world famous location of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and we can safely say that pretty much all tourists come here for the races. It’s also a bit sad to acknowledge that most tourists who come for the races never get a chance to visit the rest of the city. At most they check out Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame.

If you are not a car racing enthusiast or just want to see what the rest of the city is all about, make sure to check out the gardens and parks. White River State Park is quite spectacular. The gardens have beautiful flowers, lovely pathways and if you are lucky you’ll also see the butterflies. The addition ticket to the gardens includes a visit to the Zoo as well.

Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is the largest of its kind in the world and is home a lot of interesting things to do as well as exhibitions (yes, adults are allowed as well).

Indianapolis is also home to several memorials and cemeteries as well. Soldiers’ & Sailors’ Monument is right in the center and stands only 15 shorter than the Statue of Liberty. The museum located inside is free to visit and you can also take a trip to the tower for some magnificent views of the city.

Read: 10 (plus 2) Things I Love About Indianapolis.

GETTING THERE

Indianapolis International Airport (IND) is the largest airport in the state of Indiana and is a focus city for both AirTran Airways and Northwest Airlines, which means there are plenty of flights to Indianapolis available. The airport is located just 10 min from downtown. If you choose to drive to the airport, you can save some money and time by booking Indianapolis airport parking online. Another option is to book an Indianapolis airport shuttle to get you from home to the airport and back.

But Indianapolis is not called the “Crossroads for America” for nothing. Four interstates (65, 69, 70, and 74) intersect here which means getting here by car or bus is also a good option.

Read: Indiana’s Weird Museums.

WHERE TO STAY

The city is one of the biggest in the US by population which means there are plenty of hotels in Indianapolis . But due to the city’s popularity among car racing enthusiasts, the hotels book up really quickly each time there’s something running on the track. Hostels in Indianapolis are not too many but they do exist. Just remember to book your room way in advance unless you fancy staying in another city.