Indianapolis, IN Road Trips

The population is roughly 882,000 (2022), making it the 16th largest city in the United States, and the metro area has about 2 million (#34). When Indianapolis was founded, it was expected to be a "Great Inland Port", but the White River turned out to be non-navigable most of the year. The pay-off is that this desire for a port left the city with a gorgeous canal district, though the canal itself is only useful for recreational kayaks and paddleboats. Today, Indianapolis is known as the "Crossroads of America" due to its centrality in America's Interstate Highway System. In general, travel in and through Indianapolis is safe, clean, and logical. Visitors can always find something to do without becoming overwhelmed at a sprawling metropolis. In a few minutes, you can go from a sleepy and peaceful cornfield to a vibrant downtown. City planning is intelligible to outsiders with a grid system broken up by a few major diagonal streets, a large beltway loop (I-465), and a general lack of gridlock and traffic. Indy is warm to hot in the summer, with average highs around 85 °F (29 °C) in June, July, and August. This is paired with a typical mid-western winter—January is the coldest month, with an average high of 34 °F (1 °C). Every few years, the winter gets sharp with significant snowfall and once a generation or so there is an ice storm or otherwise impassible winter weather event. Indianapolis exists within a tornado region but has never been impacted by major twisters. Travelers really only need to beware the occasional nasty winter and sometimes overly hot summer.

The tallest building in Indianapolis is the Salesforce Tower, standing at 830 ft (250 m), followed by the OneAmerica Tower which is 533 ft (162 m) and the Regions Tower standing at a height of 504 ft (154 m). The fourth and fifth are the Market Tower 421 ft (128 m) and 300 North Meridian at 408 ft (124 m). Other skyscrapers include the BMO Plaza 401 ft (122 m) and the JW Marriott Indianapolis 376 ft (115 m), which is the tallest hotel in the state and the largest JW Marriott in the world. All skyscrapers are in a relatively compact cluster downtown. 1 Indiana State Capitol, 200 W Washington St (just west of Monument Circle), ☏ +1 317-233-5293, [email protected]. M-F 8AM-5PM, Sa 10AM-2PM (closed Su). Completed in 1888, this is the hub for Indiana's state government, housing the Governor's office, the state legislature (State Senate and Indiana General Assembly) and the State Supreme Court. The first state capital was in the Southern Indiana town of Corydon, and in 1825 it was moved to Indianapolis. Featuring Italian Renaissance, Greek, and Corinthian design, the building is made from primarily of Indiana limestone. Look up while in the Rotunda to see the amazing German stained glass window, take a guided or personal tour, or observe the government at work. Free. Vehicles can be parked in nearby garages or at metered spots. Automobiles that violate the metered time policy risk receiving a ticket and having their automobiles towed. (updated Jan 2024) 2 Soldiers & Sailor's Monument, 1 Monument Cir (The center of the city), ☏ +1 317-232-7615. Th-Su 10:30AM-5:30PM.

May, The Indianapolis 500. One of the largest sporting events in the world. The westside of the city and Speedway gets swamped and if you like big crowds, loud cars, and tailgating, this is for you. One of several events leading up to it is the largest mini-marathon in the world, so if you're extra ambitious, come early and run for 13.1 mi (21.1 km) (or a more modest but still impressive 5 km (3.1 mi)). Early June, Vintage Indiana Wine & Food Fest, Military Park, 601 W New York St, toll-free: +1-800-832-9463. Over a dozen Indiana wineries come together in downtown Indy, offering samples of their finest. Restaurants from the city participate as well, serving up samples too. Cooking classes show you how to cook with wine, and Indy's finest live music acts perform. There is a kid's activity area too for the under 21ers Though it's rather not that exciting for the little ones. Late June, Eiteljorg Indian Market, Eiteljorg Museum, ☏ +1 317-636-9378. The Midwest's largest festival celebrating Native American culture and history. Craft and art fair, performances, food and more. Late June, Old Settlers Day and Classic Car Show, E Southeastern Ave, Wanamaker. Since 1987, the small town of Wanamaker has celebrated its founding pioneers with a street fair of over 100 booths with art, craftsmen, antiques, crafts, food, entertainment, and games. A great classic car show features over 150 classic cars. The festivities include a free community fireworks display at 10PM. Mid-July, Indiana Black Expo Summer Celebration, Downtown, ☏ +1 317-925-2707.

1 Chocolate Cafe, 30 Monument Circle, ☏ +1 317-951-4816. South Bend Chocolate Company chocolate, sweets, coffees and sweet drinks. Check out the wall of celebrities who've indulged, and get educated on chocolate by the helpful and friendly staff. Watch fudge get made, sample the goods and enjoy the best hot chocolate in town. Vegetarian friendly. 2 Heidelberg Haus, 7625 Pendleton Pike, ☏ +1 317-547-1230. Enjoy this German bakery's treats and sweets. German-born owners who have served great German eats since the 1960s here in Indy. Real Black Forest Cake, sausages, potato salad, and more. Check out the gift shop with great German beer-lover gifts. The decor is filled with antiques and German decor. Authentic as hell and a great destination for simple basic German eats. Vegetarian friendly. Long's Bakery (two locations, see below). Grab a doughnut from this Indy institution. Visit the location just off 16th Street, not far from the track or the second location in Southport on the southside. (updated Mar 2022) 3 , 1453 N Tremont St, ☏ +1 317-632-3741. (updated Mar 2022) 4 , 2301 E Southport Rd, ☏ +1 317-783-1442. (updated Mar 2022) 5 Rene's Bakery, 6524 Cornell Ave, ☏ +1 317-251-2253. Small house in North Broad Ripple owned by pastry chef A. Rene Trevino. Freshly baked, menu changes daily. Scones, croissants, muffins, cookies, truffles, eclairs, tortes, tarts and breads. Weekly bread selection includes Walnut Rye, Multi-Grain, Raisin, White, Brioche and Challah. Great place for a quick snack or to pick up a lovely breakfast.

Hubbard & Cravens Coffee Co.. Two locations, H&C has their own warehouse where they custom-roast all their own beans and import over 20 types of coffees. Considered the finest coffee in town by some. 1 , 4930 Pennsylvania Ave (Broad Ripple), ☏ +1 317-251-5161. (updated Mar 2022) 2 , 6229 Carrollton Ave (Broad Ripple), ☏ +1 317-803-4155. (updated Mar 2022) 3 Monon Coffee Company, 920 E Westfield Blvd, ☏ +1 317-255-0510. Independent coffee shop, free wireless access. To drink and get into bars you must be at least 21. Bars close at 3AM; 12:30AM on Sundays. Alcohol can be bought in stores on Sundays from Noon to 8 PM. Age requirements vary and are listed below. 4 Alley Cat, 6267 Carrollton Ave, ☏ +1 317-257-4036. A dive bar in Broad Ripple, down an alley. No windows, smoke-ridden, and open at 7AM for breakfast till 3AM for dinner. A great jukebox, legendary bar staff, numerous pool tables, and the hardest drinks in town. Sometimes bands play too. A place you know will never change. Vegetarian friendly. 21+ 5 Broad Ripple Brew Pub, 842 E 65th St, ☏ +1 317-253-2739. British-style pub in Northern Broad Ripple. It was the first brewpub in town, and is the oldest microbrewery in the state. If E.S.B., India Pale Ale, Lager, Porter and Bitter falls into your vocabulary then this is a place for you. Good food—Scotch eggs, bangers and mash, and a good vegetarian menu. Friendly and familiar bar staff. Indoor and outdoor dining makes this one of the busiest lunch and dinner spots in the area. They also have real darts (not plastic). All ages.

There are many national/international hotel/motel chains in town; listed below are some more unique and/or regionally owned operations. 1 Clarion Pointe Indianapolis Northeast, 8325 Bash St, ☏ +1 317-577-0455. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 11AM. This hotel is a pet-friendly hotel near the Indianapolis Zoo, that offers guests free local calls, and high-speed Internet access in every room. Has an outdoor heated pool. 2 Brick Street Inn, 175 S Main St, Zionsville, ☏ +1 317-873-9177. A bed & breakfast home built in 1865 in the heart of Zionsville, a quaint arts and food district north of Indianapolis. It's family operated with has a restaurant and gift shop as well. 8 bedrooms offer different regional design styles common to Indianapolis' past. Zionsville is quite cute, filled with antique shops and art galleries. 3 Comfort Suites, 4125 Kildeer Dr, ☏ +1 317-791-9610. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 11AM. Includes free continental breakfast, free coffee, free local calls, and an indoor heated pool. 4 Looking Glass Inn B&B, 1319 N New Jersey St, ☏ +1 317-639-9550. A beautiful home built in 1905 located downtown in a historic district. A mission style home filled with Victorian antiques. They also own the Villa. Movie collection available, multi-lingual innkeepers and on-call massage therapists available. Breakfast is provided. 5 Quality Inn Downtown South, 4502 S Harding St (5 miles from downtown), ☏ +1 317-788-4774. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 11AM.

Indianapolis is known as the "Crossroads of America" for a good reason. Interstates 65, 69, 70, and 74 meet here. The city's outer belt is I-465. Travel directly through the city on I-70 (east and west) or I-65 (north and south). Direct travel using I-69 or I-74 is not possible; both are routed around the center of the city on I-465. Interstates 65 and 70 intersect at a region known as "the split" south of downtown. There is also a ramp onto Washington Street, which is the main east–west artery in the city. Traffic here can be extremely busy and construction is routine. It's possible that you'll have situations where you want to cut across five lanes of traffic going 70 mph (110 km/h) in a distance of less than 1 mi (1.6 km). Motorists wanting to experience a bit of history may wish to take a trip along Washington St. which forms part of the National Road (a.k.a. Cumberland Road). This route was the first federal highway in America that stretched from the Atlantic Ocean through most of Illinois. It has been extended into Interstates 40 and 80, so travelers can take a trip from Baltimore to San Francisco along it today. Small milestones mark all of the major cities along this All-American Road. 1 Indianapolis International Airport (IND IATA), 7800 Col. H. Weir Cook Memorial Dr, ☏ +1 317-487-9594. Indianapolis International Airport is in the southwest corner of the city, about 15 minutes from downtown without traffic.

Outside of the walkable Downtown and some Cultural Districts, you'll need a vehicle to navigate the urban sprawl. The public bus system is fairly clean and efficient but routes are sometimes complex, and substantial portions of the metro area are inaccessible. Outside of peak hours, waits can be prohibitively long. Bike lanes alongside major roads have been constructed in the early 2010s, so cyclists will be sharing the road. On highways, the general speed limit is 55–70 mph (89–113 km/h). On city streets, if no speed limit is posted, assume that it is 35 mph (56 km/h). Indianapolis generally lacks the aggressive driving, bad roads, and congestion associated with major U.S. cities. The city planning is largely logical and follows a grid pattern with some exceptions. A handful of streets cut across the city north–south and only a few (10th, 38th, 82nd/86th, and 96th) go across east–west. Washington Street is the main east–west through street, which bends to the south on the westside and Meridian runs north–south far past the boundaries of the city. Due to the flat terrain of central Indiana, you can see downtown from most spots in the city. If you are desperately lost, you can at least get your bearings by looking for the handful of skyscrapers. Indianapolis and the surrounding areas—especially Avon in the west and Carmel in the north—have several roundabouts. American motorists may not be familiar with them but they are safe (and have reduced collisions in the areas where they have been installed). Local drivers are accustomed to them.

Indianapolis is a generally safe city, but some areas of the city are prone to crime. The downtown center of the city is very safe, but the inner-loop (inside I-465) suburbs can be dangerous in certain areas. The biggest exceptions to this are Northern Indianapolis (directly north of downtown) and much of the Eastside, particularly the Far Eastside. The Near Eastside is made up of a patchwork of neighborhoods which are generally safe and have historic buildings interspersed with some urban blight as a product of White Flight. The Near Eastside has been recovering in the 21st century and the break-up of some organized crime rings in the 2010s has had an uneven effect on crime.