Indianapolis

Indianapolis is the capital of Indiana and also the state’s largest city. 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). Efforts to beautify and modernize the city have brought Indianapolis into the 21st century as a world-class destination for everything from business meetings and trade conventions to backpackers making their way across the States.

Indianapolis is widely hailed as the "Racing Capital of the World" because of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the Indy 500 and Brickyard 400 at the Brickyard, and as the "Amateur Sports Capital of America" for hosting the NCAA Hall of Champions. The city has several attractions outside of sports including museums, a large zoo, over 100 ethnic restaurants, several arts and historic districts, and a revitalized downtown. Although Indy has been mocked with the epithet "India-noplace", Indianapolis has several attractions for visitors, with a mix of a large metropolitan city and a simple Midwestern community. You will find beautiful architecture, monuments, and pristine cornfields in the Circle City.

Understand
When Indianapolis was founded, it was expected to be a "Great Inland Port", but the White River is 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. Indy is warm in the summer, with average highs around 85 F 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. 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 city has had two droughts since 1980, neither of which was disastrous.

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.

Visitor information

 * Visit Indianapolis website

By car
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-74 or I-69 is not possible; I-74 is routed around the center of the city on I-465, and I-69 ends at its intersection with I-465 to the city's north (though it resumes to the southwest near Martinsville, with a segment now open to Evansville).

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 in a distance of less than !

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.

By plane


There are several private jet companies operating near the old terminal location, at the north side of the airport, such as Jet Linx and Million Air.

The following are of interest to private pilots:


 * 4101 Dandy Trail. +1 317-293-6935. It's nestled inside the beltway loop in a little westside nook, just north of the International Airport.
 * 897 Airport Pkwy, Greenwood. +1 317-881-0887, South of the city.
 * 9913 Willow View Rd, Fishers. +1 317-849-0840, Just northeast of Indianapolis, in a quaint little town.
 * 3867 N Aviation Way, Greenfield. +1 317-335-3371, East of the city.

By bus

 * , Located in the heart of the city. +1-800-231-2222. Greyhound covers almost the whole country, thus buses arrive in the city more than a dozen times a day from various regions.
 * , Only makes stops in the Midwest and uses the same station as Greyound. +1 319-753-2864.

By train

 * Route stopping in Indianapolis:
 * 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.
 * 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.

Get around
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.

By car
On highways, the general speed limit is. On city streets, if no speed limit is posted, assume that it is. 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.

Starting in the 2000s, Indianapolis and the surrounding areas—especially Avon in the west and Carmel in the north—have added 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. In 2013, a Michigan left was installed at 96th and Allisonville, the extreme north of the city.

Parking meters are found downtown. The city sold control of these to a private company in 2011–2012 and parking tickets are handed out aggressively. Meters accept cards, coins, and small bills and parking is free in late hours and on weekends.

By bus


The public bus system is Indy Go. It travels through much of the city and into some suburbs. Single fares are $1.75, day passes are $4, and if you think you will be staying longer, you can get a week-long card for $20 or a 31 days for $60; purchase them at the station downtown or online. All buses are equipped with two bike racks in front. Although the city has slowly increased funding for transport, outside of rush hour routes, you may still find yourself with a half-hour wait or longer. Most routes travel from a locality in the outskirts of the city to the centrally-located bus stops downtown and back out; there are also a handful of smaller circulators and loops. Consequently, if you want to go across town, you will likely have to catch two buses.

One of the handiest routes for visitors is #11 East 16th Street, which runs many of the city's most popular dining and nightlife spots, including the Mass Ave strip. #18 Broad Ripple heads from Downtown up Broad Ripple Ave. Runs roughly M–F 5AM–9:30PM, Sa 6AM–9:30PM, Su 7PM–9PM.

#8 Washington is a helpful path to travel quickly west through Downtown to the Zoo and the Canal. It runs west through downtown on Ohio, then down West St by the Canal, and then on old US-40/Washington St past the Zoo, and then all the way out to the Airport, passing by a Latino district and along the old US-36 route. The #8 route also heads east from downtown and can be used to access the quaint neighborhood of Irvington. M–F 9AM–11PM, Sa 6AM–10PM, Su 7AM–7PM.

#18 Nora will take you north on Meridian St past the Children's Museum and near a large shopping district on the northside. M–F 6AM–9:15PM, Sa 8AM–9:15PM, Su limited.

The Purple Line also goes by the Children's Museum but then heads west on 38th past Newfields (formerly the Indianapolis Museum of Art) and Crown Hill Cemetery. M–F 7AM–9PM, Sa 8AM–9PM, Su 9:30AM–7:30PM.

JAGLINE provides free shuttle service from Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) campus to Riverside and University Park in downtown.

By bike
Biking is easy due to the smooth topography. There are a variety of bike paths throughout the city, including the Monon Trail and the Central Canal. The Indianapolis Cultural Trail was built through several years in the early 21st century and takes riders through downtown providing signs with Indianapolis history; public art dots many stops and you will be guided past several restaurants and local businesses. This world-class bike and pedestrian path marks an interconnectivity that no other city of Indianapolis' size can achieve, connecting the city's seven Cultural Districts, neighborhoods, and entertainment amenities, and serving as the downtown hub for the entire central Indiana greenway system. Starting in 2008, Mayor Greg Ballard announced a plan to make Indianapolis a bike-friendly city for those venturing out on open, and often busy, roads. The plan includes constructing 200 miles (322 km) of additional bike lanes throughout the next 15 years, many of which are already constructed.

Motorists in Indianapolis are not known for being aggressive but it is still novel for many of them to share major roads with cyclists. Bike lanes are clearly marked but some drivers may encroach upon them. Also, while the Monon is a beautiful and well-traveled path, it is frequently unsafe at night—particularly north of Downtown. Solo biking along the trail at night is best avoided.

IndyGo buses include two bike racks in the front for storing your cycle but if they are full, then you'll be out of luck.



By taxi
There are plenty of taxis available, mostly in Broad Ripple Village and downtown, including Indy Airport Taxi. Taxis are usually not flagged down outside of certain areas. Taxi services are available 24/7 and will transport you anywhere in the city and the surrounding areas.

Lyft and Uber also operate in the city. Download their mobile apps and you can get picked up anywhere in the metropolitan area and brought to your destination.

Skyscrapers
The tallest building in Indianapolis is the Salesforce Tower, standing at, followed by the OneAmerica Tower which is and the Regions Tower standing at a height of. The fourth and fifth are the Market Tower and 300 North Meridian at. Other skyscrapers include the BMO Plaza and the JW Marriott Indianapolis, 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.

Festivals and events

 * May,
 * Early June,
 * Late June,
 * Late June,
 * Mid-July,
 * Mid-July,
 * Early-Mid August,
 * Early August,
 * Late August-Early September,
 * Late August-Early September,
 * Early-Mid September,
 * Mid-September,
 * Mid-September,
 * Early October,
 * Late October, Irvington Halloween Festival
 * Mid-November,

Parks
Indy Parks features information and links regarding all Indianapolis public parks. Below is an example of some of the cities finest—that attract visitors and locals alike.



Sports

 * See a soap box derby at Wilbur Shaw Soap Box Derby Hill. Starting in April check out hundreds of kids from Indy's soap box derby clubs battle it out for awards and placings. This is the longest soap box derby track in the country and was built in 1953.
 * Golfing anyone? here is a list of fine golf courses located throughout Indianapolis, many award-winning!
 * See a soap box derby at Wilbur Shaw Soap Box Derby Hill. Starting in April check out hundreds of kids from Indy's soap box derby clubs battle it out for awards and placings. This is the longest soap box derby track in the country and was built in 1953.
 * Golfing anyone? here is a list of fine golf courses located throughout Indianapolis, many award-winning!
 * See a soap box derby at Wilbur Shaw Soap Box Derby Hill. Starting in April check out hundreds of kids from Indy's soap box derby clubs battle it out for awards and placings. This is the longest soap box derby track in the country and was built in 1953.
 * Golfing anyone? here is a list of fine golf courses located throughout Indianapolis, many award-winning!
 * See a soap box derby at Wilbur Shaw Soap Box Derby Hill. Starting in April check out hundreds of kids from Indy's soap box derby clubs battle it out for awards and placings. This is the longest soap box derby track in the country and was built in 1953.
 * Golfing anyone? here is a list of fine golf courses located throughout Indianapolis, many award-winning!
 * See a soap box derby at Wilbur Shaw Soap Box Derby Hill. Starting in April check out hundreds of kids from Indy's soap box derby clubs battle it out for awards and placings. This is the longest soap box derby track in the country and was built in 1953.
 * Golfing anyone? here is a list of fine golf courses located throughout Indianapolis, many award-winning!
 * See a soap box derby at Wilbur Shaw Soap Box Derby Hill. Starting in April check out hundreds of kids from Indy's soap box derby clubs battle it out for awards and placings. This is the longest soap box derby track in the country and was built in 1953.
 * Golfing anyone? here is a list of fine golf courses located throughout Indianapolis, many award-winning!
 * See a soap box derby at Wilbur Shaw Soap Box Derby Hill. Starting in April check out hundreds of kids from Indy's soap box derby clubs battle it out for awards and placings. This is the longest soap box derby track in the country and was built in 1953.
 * Golfing anyone? here is a list of fine golf courses located throughout Indianapolis, many award-winning!
 * See a soap box derby at Wilbur Shaw Soap Box Derby Hill. Starting in April check out hundreds of kids from Indy's soap box derby clubs battle it out for awards and placings. This is the longest soap box derby track in the country and was built in 1953.
 * Golfing anyone? here is a list of fine golf courses located throughout Indianapolis, many award-winning!
 * Golfing anyone? here is a list of fine golf courses located throughout Indianapolis, many award-winning!

Art
Includes art galleries, opera, classical and traditional music, dance, performance art.



Music
Includes rock, punk, hip hop, top 40, soul, blues, jazz and all that goodness. A lot of great shows also take place in non-traditional venues (i.e. VFW's) so check out local papers for information.



Other fun




Learn

 * In 2024, the IU and Purdue systems will dissolve IUPUI, replacing it with separate IU- and Purdue-affiliated institutions. IUPUI programs in engineering, computer science, and technology will become part of the new Purdue University in Indianapolis, and the Purdue system will introduce a number of other programs that are now offered at the main campus in West Lafayette. All other programs will be taken over by the new IU Indianapolis, which will also take over the IUPUI athletic program.
 * In 2024, the IU and Purdue systems will dissolve IUPUI, replacing it with separate IU- and Purdue-affiliated institutions. IUPUI programs in engineering, computer science, and technology will become part of the new Purdue University in Indianapolis, and the Purdue system will introduce a number of other programs that are now offered at the main campus in West Lafayette. All other programs will be taken over by the new IU Indianapolis, which will also take over the IUPUI athletic program.
 * In 2024, the IU and Purdue systems will dissolve IUPUI, replacing it with separate IU- and Purdue-affiliated institutions. IUPUI programs in engineering, computer science, and technology will become part of the new Purdue University in Indianapolis, and the Purdue system will introduce a number of other programs that are now offered at the main campus in West Lafayette. All other programs will be taken over by the new IU Indianapolis, which will also take over the IUPUI athletic program.
 * In 2024, the IU and Purdue systems will dissolve IUPUI, replacing it with separate IU- and Purdue-affiliated institutions. IUPUI programs in engineering, computer science, and technology will become part of the new Purdue University in Indianapolis, and the Purdue system will introduce a number of other programs that are now offered at the main campus in West Lafayette. All other programs will be taken over by the new IU Indianapolis, which will also take over the IUPUI athletic program.

Buy
Indianapolis is made up of various areas that feature unique and typical shopping alike. From Broad Ripple Village and Fountain Square—two unique areas, to typical suburban shopping malls and chains like Castleton. Every area has different options and chances to experience all levels of shopping. Below are some local, regional and national shops and districts that are frequented by avid shoppers.

Broad Ripple Village
About 20 minutes north of downtown. Broad Ripple is Indy's closest thing to "Greenwich." A big variety of vintage, hippie, trendy, and punk shops. Gift shops galore too. It's a great place for unique local fare.



Castleton Square Mall
is Indy's biggest shopping mall chock full of mall-chains, mall rats and mall food. Surrounded by mega-shops and a few local joints.

86th St. is very complicated in this area because it alternates between 86th St. and 82nd St. There are two Vietnamese restaurants called Viet Bistro and Pho Tasty at the mall. There are also several international grocery stores including Viet Hua, China Mart, and One World Market. There is also a Trader Joe's on the south side of 86th St. near Allisonville Road.

Historic Irvington
Irvington is a historic district located east of downtown.



Fountain Square
is a historical area about a mile from downtown Indy, to the Southeast. Mainly comprising of antique, thrift and art shops.



Keystone at the Crossing & West
Is easily findable as "86th and Keystone." West includes shopping West of Keystone—Nora, 86th & Ditch, etc. Indy's high scale shopping district with fancy chains and boutique shops and restaurants.



Mass Ave
A hop skip and a jump from the Circle, Mass Ave has gone through an amazing rebirth to become one of the coolest shopping areas in town full of local shops.



Wholesale District
Is basically downtown Indy. The heart of the city. The main shopping attraction here is the mall.



Suburbs North
Northern Suburbs include Carmel, Zionsville, Noblesville, Westfield and Fishers. These start anywhere north of 96th St. and are about 30 minutes from downtown. Shopping varies area to area.



Suburbs West
Includes Speedway & Lafayette (parts of Indy incorporated) and Plainfield.



Booze and cocktails
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.



Sleep
There are many national/international hotel/motel chains in town; listed below are some more unique and/or regionally owned operations.

Cope

 * Indianapolis and the majority of the state of Indiana are on Eastern Time and observes Daylight Saving Time in the summer. Locals are accustomed to it now but as always, there may be some clocks that don't spring forward or fall back.
 * Indianapolis and the majority of the state of Indiana are on Eastern Time and observes Daylight Saving Time in the summer. Locals are accustomed to it now but as always, there may be some clocks that don't spring forward or fall back.

Stay safe
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.

Television

 * WTTV 4 CBS
 * WRTV 6 ABC
 * WISH 8 CW
 * WTHR 13 NBC
 * WFYI 20 PBS
 * WNDY 23 MY
 * WXIN 59 FOX

Newspapers

 * Indianapolis Star The city's daily and Sunday paper. Formerly locally owned, now published by national syndicate Gannett.
 * Indianapolis Recorder Published by and for the African-American community for over a century, the Recorder is a useful resource for anyone wanting to know about the city's history and contemporary events.
 * La Voz de Indiana Free bilingual English and Spanish newspaper based in the barrio.
 *  Franklin Township Informer A weekly newspaper published by the Franklin Township Civic League with township news and events.
 * Southside Times Free paper serving Indianapolis' southside communities.
 * The Republican, a weekly based in Hendricks County since 1847.
 * Southsider Voice Free Indianapolis southside newspaper.

Consulates

 * 🇩🇪 Germany
 * 🇮🇹 Italy
 * 🇲🇽 Mexico

Go next

 * Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Hall of Fame & Country Star Museum is a hidden secret in Southern Indiana. This is also the site of the legendary annual bluegrass festival in June that draws people from all over the world to perform, jam out, drink, eat and celebrate bluegrass music and culture. Check out the Walk of Fame, Bill Monroe's personal collection of memorabilia and other items from the likes of Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, George Jones and more. $4 for adults, $3 seniors, children are free.
 * Morse Reservoir This man-made lake, located between Cicero and Noblesville has 1,500 acres for boating and water activities and 35 miles of shoreline. More than 95% of the shoreline is residential, but recreational boating is allowed. Launch your boat from the Carrigan Road Bridge marina. Morse Lake Park, by the dam on the east side of the lake, allows supervised swimming in the lake and year-round picnicking as well as fishing.
 * Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Hall of Fame & Country Star Museum is a hidden secret in Southern Indiana. This is also the site of the legendary annual bluegrass festival in June that draws people from all over the world to perform, jam out, drink, eat and celebrate bluegrass music and culture. Check out the Walk of Fame, Bill Monroe's personal collection of memorabilia and other items from the likes of Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, George Jones and more. $4 for adults, $3 seniors, children are free.
 * Morse Reservoir This man-made lake, located between Cicero and Noblesville has 1,500 acres for boating and water activities and 35 miles of shoreline. More than 95% of the shoreline is residential, but recreational boating is allowed. Launch your boat from the Carrigan Road Bridge marina. Morse Lake Park, by the dam on the east side of the lake, allows supervised swimming in the lake and year-round picnicking as well as fishing.
 * Morse Reservoir This man-made lake, located between Cicero and Noblesville has 1,500 acres for boating and water activities and 35 miles of shoreline. More than 95% of the shoreline is residential, but recreational boating is allowed. Launch your boat from the Carrigan Road Bridge marina. Morse Lake Park, by the dam on the east side of the lake, allows supervised swimming in the lake and year-round picnicking as well as fishing.
 * Morse Reservoir This man-made lake, located between Cicero and Noblesville has 1,500 acres for boating and water activities and 35 miles of shoreline. More than 95% of the shoreline is residential, but recreational boating is allowed. Launch your boat from the Carrigan Road Bridge marina. Morse Lake Park, by the dam on the east side of the lake, allows supervised swimming in the lake and year-round picnicking as well as fishing.