Lafayette, IN Road Trips

Go for a walk in the historic downtown, Main St. from 2nd to 9th St. Tippecanoe County Historical Association. 1 Fort Ouiatenon. Historic Prophetstown State Park. Wolf Park. Columbian Park. Columbian Park Zoo. Lilly Nature Center, 1620 Lindberg Rd, ☏ +1 765-775-5172. The Standard Oil station, 627 South St, one of only seven left, is a walk-by museum.

Ice skating in the winter at Riverside Skating Center, 100 Tapawingo Dr, just east of Wabash Landing. Go to a Purdue football game or other major sporting event. Feast of the Hunter's Moon every fall Colt World Series every August Taste of Tippecanoe every June. 1 Tropicanoe Cove. Lala Gallery & Studio, 511 Ferry St, ☏ +1 765 414-7962. Tu-Sa 10AM-6PM. Go see the finest art Lafayette has to offer or take a class in Lala Gallery's ceramics studio. free. Samara House, 1301 Woodland Ave West Lafayette (look for a brick driveway at the dead-end of Woodland Avenue in West Lafayette, Indiana; the indigo-colored mailbox and gate are labeled 1301), ☏ +1 765 409-5522, [email protected]. Tour this National Historic Landmark. Samara House was completed in 1956 and represents one of Wright’s most fully realized Usonian designsoffering a rare comprehensive example of the famous architect’s work, from landscape and exterior details to specific interior furnishings including china, bed linens, and more. Note: Must have a reservation which can be made by phone or online. (updated Aug 2023)

Arni's, 2200 Elmwood Ave., ☏ +1 765 447-1108. This pizza place has been around Lafayette for over 40 years, it is expanding throughout the state now, but it all started here. South Street Smokehouse, 3305 South St., ☏ +1 765 446-0559. Amazing homestyle slow cooked meals. Very reasonably priced, definitely worth a stop for casual lunch or dinner. Frozen Custard, Next to Columbian Park. This custard restaurant started in the 1930s and still serves the same hand-dipped custard. Walt's Other Pub, 3001 S 9th St., ☏ +1 765 474-9527. A fun and welcoming atmosphere makes you feel like it's a second home. Great indoor smoking and smoke-free facility. Triple XXX. Indiana's first drive-in restaurant. Known for biscuits and gravy and a famous "Dwayne Purvis" hamburger with peanut butter. Great root beer too. Silver Dipper, River Market (corner of River Rd and State St). Hand-dipped ice cream and ice cream treats. Locally owned with a loyal customer base. Nine Irish Brothers, 119 Howard Ave, ☏ +1 765-746-4782. A little slice of Ireland right here in West Lafayette. Family-owned traditional Irish pub. Warm atmosphere, live music, unique draft selection, great appetizers (try the Irish Pizza), and of course your traditional Irish entrees. Second location is in Lafayette, adjacent to Tippecanoe Mall (3520 State Rd. 38 E). (updated Mar 2017) Cafe Vienna Expresso Bar and Bakery, 208 South Street, ☏ +1 765-743-4446. Good sweet treats and coffee, and an eclectic mix of sandwiches named after jazz and blues artists.

Ben Hur Tavern, 1002 S 4th. Biltmore Tap Room, 1202 S 4th. Black Sparrow, 223 Main St (downtown across from the Red Seven restaurant). Smaller lunch and dinner menu with unique items. The closest Lafayette comes to a hipster bar. Bands often play on Friday and Saturday nights and sometimes there is a cover charge. Checkerboard Tavern, 1521 Kossuth St. Careful: they don't seem to change their fryer oil often enough. 6th Street Dive, 827 N 6th. Craft beers, everybody just sort of seems to find room for another one. Danzer's Show Club, 3481 McCarty Ln. Strip club. DT Kirby's, 605 Main St. Delicious (greasy) food that will stop your heart, great liquor selection, friendly dive bar atmosphere (as long as you're a Bears fan.) Filling Station, 2603 Greenbush. Hunter's Pub, 1092 Sagamore Parkway, West Lafayette, ☏ +1 765 463-7785. East End Grille, 1016 Main Street. Great restaurant in Killer Beans Coffee's old spot, probably one of the best in town. Upscale for Lafayette (but that isn't hard to do). Knickerbocker Saloon, 113 N 5th St, ☏ +1 765 423-2234. Founded in 1835, billed as Indiana's oldest bar. The bar is the oldest in Indiana, but it was moved to this location. Tons of live music, sometimes jazz or other local bands. Cover is charged when bands are playing. Lafayette Brewing Company, 622 Main St, ☏ +1 765 742-2591. One of two Lafayette breweries (do not ask for a bud light here, only beer made on site served). Brew pub with very good selection of beers. Also has good food and a second floor stage with live music and open mic nights.

Loeb House. Tons of hotels on Route 26 near Interstate 65, budget-moderate priced: Holiday Inn Express, Best Western, Comfort Inn, Day's Inn, Red Roof Inn, etc.—pick your favorite chain. These are outside of comfortable walking distance from West Lafayette (and therefore Purdue University), but only about a 20-minute drive from the heart of campus. If you're driving into town anyway and don't need pedestrian access to campus or downtown West Lafayette, these are a good (and often cheaper) choice. Comfort Suites Lafayette University Area, 31 Frontage Rd, ☏ +1 765-447-0016. Breakfast and indoor pool. $75. Union Club Hotel, 101 North Grant Street, ☏ +1 765 494-8913, fax: +1 765 494-8924. Right on Purdue's campus, inside of the Purdue Union building. Good restaurants downstairs in the Union. Has secured online reservations. If you are looking to stay here during a major Purdue home game or campus event, make sure you make your reservations early because it does fill quickly.

1 Lafayette station, 200 North Second Street. (updated Nov 2023) Amtrak, ☏ +1 215-856-7924, toll-free: +1-800-872-7245. Operates trains throughout the United States of America. (updated Dec 2020) Route stopping in Lafayette: Cardinal operating three trips weekly between Chicago and New York City with stops in Dyer, Rensselaer, Lafayette, Crawfordsville, Indianapolis, Connersville, Cincinnati, Ashland, Huntington, Charleston, Hinton, White Sulphur Springs, Staunton, Charlottesville, Culpeper, Manassas, Alexandria, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Wilmington, Philadelphia, Trenton, and Newark. Greyhound. From Chicago, 3.5 hours. Lafayette Limo shuttle from Lafayette to the Indianapolis and Chicago Airports, Indianapolis: $27 one way to Indianapolis, $55 one way to Chicago Reindeer Shuttle shuttle from Lafayette to the Indianapolis and Chicago Airports, Indianapolis: $30 one way to Indianapolis, $60 one way to Chicago. 2 Purdue University Airport (LAF IATA), 1515 Aviation Drive. 5AM-midnight. Operated by and located at Purdue University. United Express offers daily flights to Chicago. (updated Aug 2025)

The area is divided by the Wabash River. To the east of the river is Lafayette and to the west is West Lafayette. Lafayette is broken down into several neighborhoods. Starting at the river and heading east is downtown. Here you will find numerous shops and restaurants as well as most of the museums and theaters. North of downtown is the Historical Centennial Neighborhood. South of downtown is the Ninth Street Hill Neighborhood. Most of the shopping and hotels are either downtown or along one of the main arteries. State Rd 26 runs east and west bisecting both cities. State Rd 52 curves around the East side of town and crosses the river into the Northern side of West Lafayette. On State Rd 52 near the Southeast side of town you will find the Tippecanoe Mall. Interstate 65 marks the eastern edge of Lafayette. From South to North there are 4 exits for Lafayette, St Rd 38, St Rd 26, St Rd 25, and St Rd 43 (for West Lafayette). The John T. Myers Pedestrian Bridge connects downtown Lafayette with West Lafayette. Starting at the river and heading west into West Lafayette is the Levee area and Wabash Landing. This area is fairly new with several shops, a multiplex theater, a park, and an outdoor ice skating rink. Continue west up the hill on State Rd. 26 to the Chauncey Hill and Village area. There you will find most of the college bars and several restaurants. Continue west on Hwy. 26 to pass through the main campus of Purdue University. To the north and east of Purdue is the main residential area of West Lafayette. Bus, There are 15 bus routes around the cities.