Each year, more than 30 million people visit the Crossroads of America, better known as Indianapolis. And it’s no wonder so many flock here — this capital city of nearly 880,000 blends Hoosier hospitality with all the hustle of a fast-moving metro.
From fantastic festivals to its famous motor speedway and medley of museums, Indy offers travelers an abundance of art and amusement. Its varied attractions appeal to groups of all ages, sizes and interests, so travel planners can pack their itineraries with a range of crowd-pleasers.
To get the most bang for their buck, travelers should invest in the Indy Attraction Pass, which lets them enjoy seven of the city’s top attractions for one discounted rate.
White River State Park
White River State Park spans 250 acres in Indianapolis’ downtown core, making it the largest urban state park in the country. With its greenspaces, public art and activities, it’s at the top of the list for visitors. It is also home to seven of the city’s attractions. Groups could easily explore the park for half a day or longer.
“We call it Indy’s backyard, and it’s great way to access the city’s attractions and museums,” said Clare Clark, senior communications manager at Visit Indy.
That list includes two of Indy’s top museums: the Indiana State Museum, which details the history of Indiana from prehistoric times to present day and includes an IMAX theater for educational and entertaining films, and the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, with works by Andy Warhol and Georgia O’Keeffe, among others.
There’s also the Indianapolis Zoo, notable for its chimpanzee, orangutan, reptile and macaw habitats, as well as White River Gardens, a gorgeous botanical garden.
Sports lovers might want to visit the NCAA headquarters and its NCAA Hall of Champions, a museum celebrating greats in college sports with exhibits and memorabilia. Or they can watch a baseball game at the park’s Victory Field, home to the Indianapolis Indians.
The park’s 3-mile canal features stunning cityscape views, and cruising or paddling down the waterway is an option for groups. They can also walk along the park’s 8.1-mile Cultural Trail for a tour of the city and its large collection of public art and monuments. The trail will soon expand to 10 miles.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indy is home to America’s largest single-day sporting event, the Indy 500, which draws 300,000 visitors to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway each Memorial Day weekend.
Even if groups can’t be in Indy for the big race, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a year-round attraction worth visiting, to see the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum and its collection of historic cars and racing memorabilia detailing the race’s 100-plus years of history.
The museum is slated to reopen in April following an $89 million renovation and expansion.
“Now when visitors come, they’ll be able to experience the history and environment that they would get as an attendee in the grandstands at the Indy 500,” Clark said. “There are interactive exhibits, expanded square footage, and more engaging displays and ways to properly display their thousands of artifacts.”
In the meantime, track tours are still available, depending on the track schedule and weather. Among the options is a tour that allows groups to ride around the track in their motorcoach. They end their ride with “kissing the bricks,” a tradition upheld by race winners.
Newfields
Another campus that blooms with attractions is the Newfields, located on 152 acres just outside of the city. With an emphasis on art and nature, it’s a great stop for groups to spend an afternoon. It’s also included on the Indy Attraction Pass.
“The attractions at the Newfields are great for groups with a more mobile and outdoor-focused itinerary,” Clark said.
The best-known attraction on the grounds is the Indianapolis Museum of Art, home to over 50,000 works, including the most comprehensive collection of Neo-Impressionist paintings on the continent. Visitors can admire works by artists such as Rembrandt and Picasso. An interactive exhibit, The LUME, displays works in digital gallery spaces to display art by Spanish painter Salvador Dalí.
The French-inspired Lilly House, a national historic landmark built by the Landon family, and its garden and greenhouse is also on the grounds.
In addition to greenspaces and gardens, other sights Newfields include the Virginia B. Fairbanks Art and Nature Park, with sculptures, a 35-acre lake, woodlands and a pollinator meadow. Groups can grab a bite or a pint at the Garden Terrace and Beer Garden at the Newfields, which offers light fare, beer and wine, and outdoor views.
Newfields is known for its seasonal activities, like harvest nights in the autumn months, complete with Jack-o-Lantern-lined trails, and brilliant light displays during the winter holidays.
Festivals and Events
Indy hosts a long list of festivals and events year-round, from celebrations of the seasons to exciting sports events.
In addition to the Indy 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the city is home to other signature events like the Indiana State Fair, held over several weeks each summer. It highlights the state’s agricultural roots and features plenty of fair food, rides and entertainment.
Indy’s festival scene is great for art lovers. The country’s largest single-day arts fair, Penrod Arts Fair, is held annually at the Newfields on the Saturday after Labor Day. Another festival that’s making headlines is BUTTER, a multi-day fine art festival of works by Black visual artists. It’s held every Labor Day weekend and brands itself as a blueprint for equitable art festivals. More than 32,000 people have attended since its inaugural event.
“One hundred percent of the proceeds for the art that’s sold goes back into the pockets of the artists themselves, so we definitely take some stake in calling it ‘America’s Most Equitable Fine Art Fair,’” Clark said.
Festivals are a great way to sample local cuisine, and groups are guaranteed a gourmet experience with options like the Indiana Microbrewers Festival, Devour Indy (a two-week food festival) and the Indiana Strawberry Festival.
Some of the city’s other top events are the IndyFringe Theater Festival and Gen Con, a four-day gaming festival complete with a massive block party.
