1. Introduction
Indianapolis popularly known as “little big town” is one of the most famous attractions in the state of Indiana located in the Midwest of the United States. Limestone capital, Racing capital, and whatnot. Throughout Indiana’s history, the city has had many names which makes this place unique. There are a lot of things to do in Indianapolis.
The city offers the best tourist attraction spots for all kinds of people.
1.1 Are You A Fan Of Motorsport?
Well, Indy is the “Racing Capital of the world”. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosts the largest single-day sporting events like the Indy 500, NASCAR, and many more. Not only racing, Indianapolis hosts other big sports like Basketball and Football. There are a lot of things to do in Indianapolis for sports fans.
1.2 Do You Want To Spend Time With Your Family And Kids?
From Children’s museum to Indianapolis Zoo. There are many things to do in Indianapolis with family and spend quality time with your family.
1.3 Are You A Lone Wolf Who Likes To Travel Places Alone And Enjoy By Yourself?
Well, Indianapolis is the best place for solo travelers to explore the beauty of the city. You can tour Newfield which is the perfect place for both art and nature lovers. And make lot of new friends in the city too.
People who are interested in food, historical places, arts, sports, and any other visual experience. Then Indianapolis is the perfect go-to place. However, you need to know what things to do in Indianapolis before you visit the place.
Even though we can’t restrict the activities that can be done in Indianapolis. We have put together 10 best things to do in Indianapolis for you so you can choose what is best for you.
2. Top 10 Things To Do In Indianapolis
2.1 Indiana State Museum
When you are visiting Indianapolis, it is not a place just for the eyes. This has a rich history of art, science, culture, and many more. The Indiana State Museum will take a hefty 2-3 hours of your time with knowledge poured in your mind in all creative ways possible. Indiana state museum has over 500,000 collections of artifacts and specimens, including rocks, minerals, and Native American artifacts is considered one of the best things to do in Indianapolis.
The newly reconstructed Indianapolis Museum is located in White river state park. This has new planetarium that offers a variety of shows and programs.
Looks like this isn’t fun for you. How about watching a movie in the IMAX theater? Yes, you read it right. This Indianapolis museum in Washington St. has a IMAX theater which is the largest movie screen in the state screening entertaining and educational 2D and 3D movies.
This Indiana state museum provides free entry for kids below the age of five.
2.2 Indianapolis Zoo
The Indianapolis zoo is a 64 acres area and one of the favorite destination for people especially for out of town visitors. This zoo is one of the best things to do in Indianapolis if you love animals and want to have fun. There is a provision for visitors to do many things to do in Indianapolis as it has an aquarium and a botanic garden along the Zoo.
Their motto is to protect rare and endangered animal species and the Indianapolis zoo has many of those like red pandas, white rhinos, etc. This is accredited as one of largest privately funded zoo in the U.S White river state park. Discovery center helps you to see the wildlife of the Indianapolis zoo
You can spend well over 3 hours here and the ticket price varies as per age category. Special discounts are provided for children and military personnel. The biking trails are easily available for all in downtown Indianapolis where the zoo is located. The Indianapolis zoo is also home to the white river gardens, which has more than 16,000 native species of Indiana.
Overall you can spend quality time with your family in the Indianapolis zoo looking at different kinds of animals. Indianapolis zoo is a must-visit place for animal and nature lovers. You would love the dolphin shows in the aquarium and many more.
2.3 White River State Park
This 250-acre state park is a perfect place to blow off some steam and relax. This park features canal walks, waterways, and many more. It is the perfect green space spot for visitors to enjoy the busy downtown Indianapolis in a calm environment.
You can bring folding chairs and blankets to the White river state park making it a perfect picnic spot for visitors. However even if you stay for days and try to visit everything in and around White river state park, it is impossible to see everything. The “Staycation” spot of downtown Indianapolis. White river state park features many of the famous destinations around the city and is one of the best things to do in Indianapolis.
White river state park offers distinctive activities for visitors alongside cultural, educational, and recreational attractions. Every year the place attracts millions of visitors from all around the world.
2.4 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum
Well, we already mentioned that Indianapolis is the racing capital of the world right? How can we throw this majestic beauty away from the picture? What are all the things to do in Indianapolis as a motor sport fan? The Indianapolis motor speedway museum is a feast for automobile fans and even others who have no clue about motorsport to learn about the history of sporting events that took place in Indianapolis.
You can see one of the world’s premium motor racing collections being displayed. The brief talks about the history of motor racing in Indiana, be it Indy500 or NASCAR. The Visit to garages where the cars are preserved is a treat to your eyes and if you want to experience track walks, they provide those facilities where you can get a narrated track walk from experts in the field.
This is one of the places in Indiana that was made onto the National Register of historic places. In 1987 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum was officially declared a national historic landmark.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum is open all days except Thanksgiving and Christmas. The entrance into the grounds is free on non-event days, however during races they charge admission fee which does not include admission to the museum.
2.5 Indiana Medical History Museum
Indiana Medical History Museum is one of the national historic landmarks which is Indiana’s first for the mentally ill. The museum is two and a half miles west of downtown Indy which exhibits the beginning of psychiatry and modern medicine. It is located on the grounds of the former Central State Hospital.
This is the oldest surviving pathology facility in the nation. This too is registered on the National Register of Historic Places of Indiana. The museum educates visitors about the evolution and development of medicines in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It gives the visitors an insight into rare medical cases and conditions in the early times.
This Indianapolis museum can surprise you with a lot of knowledge bombs and histories being thrown at you. Even though the building’s interiors remain the same as it was many years ago, it is still in really good condition for people to visit.
It is one of the craziest things to do in Indianapolis. Seeing all those laboratories, autopsy rooms etc.
2.6 Indianapolis Cultural Trail
This is one of the famous places people recommend if you are visiting Indianapolis. This 8-mile trail is the best spot for people as it connects the 3 cultural districts downtown in Indianapolis.
Since the distance is quite large, you can rent a bike to explore the beautiful trail in Indy. It is regarded as one of the best trails to walk or ride on. And there are a lot of art activities and many more during your trail which makes you forget the distance.
The Indianapolis Cultural Trail creates the best public spaces for people to explore the districts in downtown Indianapolis. There are special pavers that are available which are set aside from the regular sidewalks.
It passes through some of the famous destinations of Indianapolis like Fountain square, capitol Ave, White river state park etc. You can walk through canal walk which is across the waterfront. This takes you to the heart of downtown Indianapolis and upto north where the central canal is located.
2.7 Children’s Museum Of Indianapolis
This museum in northwest area is regarded as one of the world’s largest children’s museum by far located in Meridian St. Unlike other museums this has a lot of entertainment aspect covered for the visitors. Recently it had a 7.5 acre new addition area for outdoor health and fitness which is getting good responses from the visitors.
There are many levels and a lot of things to do in Indianapolis Children museum. Inside the museum includes a lot of interactive activities for the kids both indoor and outdoor. Not that this place is only for kids. You can enjoy it too.
Glass sculpture, dinosaur fossils, theatres, art museums. You name it. This place has it all. The new space, called Riley Children’s Health sports legends experience has different sports like basketball, hockey, soccer etc. for the kids to play and learn. Museums are not always about gaining knowledge and learning. Children’s museum is one of the top entertainment hubs of Indiana.
2.8 Lucas Oil Stadium
Not only racing, the NFL is a big thing here in Indianapolis. The south division of the NFL has the Indianapolis Colts, one of the big teams who have won three NFL and two super bowls. Lucas Oil Stadium is the home stadium for the Indianapolis Colts game.
With over 70,000 seating capacity for visitors, it offers some of the best seats in the house to enjoy the game. The retractable roofs in the Lucas oil stadium makes it available for both indoor and outdoor events. The Basketball fans visiting Lucas oil stadium must stop by the NCAA Hall of Champions zipline through Eagle creek park.
The stadium is not only for sport fans, there are many live music concerts of famous singers, big events and many more. The visitors can enjoy the electric atmosphere in the stadium and have the time of their lives. Visiting Lucas oil stadium is one the best things to do in Indianapolis.
2.9 Indianapolis Art Center
This place can be considered the epitome of fine art in downtown Indianapolis. Indianapolis art center has collected some of the coolest modern and contemporary art for about 100 years. It also has many sculptures, photographs and paintings for people to explore the fine art of Indiana.
The trails in the entrance is a scenic beauty for visitors and you can see the galleries inside the art center which is a treat for your eyes. Well, the Indianapolis Art Center also has a coffee place inside the building where you can take a small break and relax.
They have a library too with over 5000 titles which is a calmer environment. Apart from this the seasonal workshops, exhibitions and shows in auditoriums are added bonus for the visitors to enjoy and learn new things in the world of art. The Indianapolis art center does not charge any entrance fee from the visitors.
2.10 Eiteljorg Museum
Eiteljorg museum from the start, has a mission to understand and appreciate the art, history, and culture of the American West and the indigenous people of North America. The museum is located in White river state park which is also home to the military park and focuses on sculptures, arts, and jewelry making. And it also has Western art pieces exhibited to the visitors.
The diversity of the United States was quite clear when they had immigrants from all over the world. Native American Indians is one among them. To understand their culture and history they used to look at their artworks. This is the only museum that has two museums east of the Mississippi that explores Native American and Western art.
This Indianapolis museum has added three new galleries opened exclusively for premium collections, Sky Café center, outdoor gardens, and many more features of this museum making it a great place to visit.
3. Want to see more places?
These 10 are some of the many things to do in Indianapolis. However, there are many other things to do in Indianapolis which are as below.
3.1 Benjamin Harrison presidential site
Built to explore the former residence of President Benjamin Harrison is a national historic landmark. This 16-room house was built from 1874-1875 in the Old Northside Historic District of Indianapolis. However, only 10 rooms are open for visitors. The house has a Victorian based theme containing possessions of Harrison.
3.2 Lockerbie square historic district
Lockerbie square historic district is a gaze at 19th-century homes of Indianapolis. Northeast street and Lockerbie Street are the intact residential neighborhoods of the oldest buildings in this historic marker.
3.3 Natural Valley Ranch
Nature Valley Ranch provides a Horseback nature tour and a trip to Central canal. From trail rides, camps, riding lessons what not. Best family-friendly place in Indianapolis.
3.4 Discovery Center
Discovery Center is the world’s most famous Percussion museum with various instruments worldwide. Interactive sessions with many artists, performances, and educational exhibits make this place a great treat for visitors.
3.5 Lilly House
A well-preserved national historic landmark of French-inspired homes, and greenhouses located at the Newfield’s. This 26-acre historic estate and house museum gives a reflection of the 1930s looks like. Lilly House also has great collections of art and a nice Café.
3.6 Downtown Indianapolis Skyline
The Downtown Indianapolis Skyline is the best place for visitors to explore the beauty of Indianapolis. The view from one of the tallest buildings in Indiana will give you thrills and this is marked as one the best adventurous activities to do in Indianapolis.
3.7 Indiana War Memorial Plaza
Indiana War Memorial Plaza is a place in honor of WW1 veterans. The place is packed with military equipment, artifacts, monuments, parks, and fountains making it one of the most beautiful historic places in Indianapolis.
3.8 Eagle creek Reservoir
Eagle Creek Reservoir is the largest public park in Indiana. Woodland Wildlife Preserve, Bird Sanctuary is a famous place to be in. There are a lot of activities you can engage in like swimming, hiking, shooting range, etc.
3.9 Monument Circle
Monument Circle is the Indiana world war memorial for the soldiers and sailors who have sacrificed their lives for their country. The designs of the circles and statues are very elegant.
Even if you set aside weeks, you can’t visit all the beautiful locations. There are a lot of things to do in Indianapolis. The place, people, food, culture, and many more things. You would just embed it with the place as it would make you feel at home. Plan your trip wisely to visit these places and to enjoy these things to do in Indianapolis.
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Last Updated on by Sathi Chakraborty, MSc Biology
