Location: Indianapolis
Top Things to do in Indianapolis
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10 Sights & Landmarks in Indianapolis That You Shouldn't Miss
High-speed, history and good old Hoosier hospitality are a few reasons to put Indianapolis on your list of great getaways. Sports is another. From the legendary Indianapolis 500 to the Pacers and the Colts, the city offers ample opportunities to view professional and amateur sporting events, take part in athletic events and visit sports museums. At the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Hall Of Fame Museum you can tour the famous track (try to reserve tickets if there is a race in town) or visit the museum dedicated to automobiles and auto racing. Other sporty museums include the NCAA Hall of Champions. To get in on some of the action, head to SportZone which features six acres of indoor athletic facilities the whole family will enjoy. Those less interested in sports, or with kids in tow, can still find tons to do in and around the city. History, art and other cultural attractions abound. Visit the Children's Museum or checkout the zoo. Stroll along cobblestone streets past 19th-century buildings in the Lockerbie Square District or visit any number of historic landmarks. Known as the "Crossroads of America," more interstate highways bisect Indianapolis than any other city in the country, making it an exciting and easily accessible destination.
Restaurants in Indianapolis
1. Indy Racing Experience
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 81 reviews
Reviewed By hrs314 - Houston, United States
Have you ever imagined what it would be like to ride or race a real IndyCar? Do you secretly crave experiencing speeds and g-forces of 180 to 200 mph? Want to go behind the wheel with a legend at the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway? Live out those racing dreams and more with Indy Racing Experience. Shonda Kennedy was such an amazing contact. She was great about answering my million questions leading up to the raceday experience. Safety, social distancing during a pandemic, what to wear, what to expect, how to book. Shonda answered all of these questions and more. It was so nice to meet her in the trailer on a perfectly clear cool autumn morning where she gave us our gear, as we were fitted in a full fire suit and shoes for the day. Next, we met Scott Jasek for a short orientation. He gave a great overview to both the car and the track. Then, it was off to the speedway. Several options and opportunities are available for riding with a race car driver, driving a IndyCar or both. Race car enthusiasts can even have a once in a lifetime opportunity to ride with legend Mario Andretti in the 200 MPH Club which is offered once a year. Next, it was on to the track. Each driver or rider is kept socially distanced and masks are required. At the heart of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, we received our gloves and helmets as we patiently waited for our ride or drive. You are literally standing on the track where the Indy 500 happens. Then, on to the track, strapped safely, deeply in the custom Dallara Automobili car, and the pit crew sends you off for laps around the track at 180 mph. Such an exhilarating feeling. What an unbelievable, incredible experience. SO MUCH FUN!! Definitely a once in a lifetime experience..or maybe twice...or...
2. Saint John Evangelist Catholic Church
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 46 reviews
Reviewed By JandK444 - Lyons, United States
The four of us attended Sunday Mass here on October 1 at 10 a.m. A beautiful church and a wonderful worship experience. Organ and choir were inspirational as was the sermon by a guest priest. A surprise was a bptism in the Mass. Would love to worship here again sometime in the future when we visit Indy.
3. City-County Building Observatory
4. Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,796 reviews
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum presents the stories of racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the history of the automotive industry in Indiana, and has vehicles and race trophies and memorabilia from race events around the world. It houses one of the most important collections of racing vehicles and memorabilia in the world.
Reviewed By 866TaylorB - Chicago, United States
I have visited the Indianapolis Motor Speedway only once before. I had a seat on the fourth turn, looking down the front stretch to the finish line, and saw Jimmy Clark win the Indianapolis 500 in 1965. The race was significant because it was run without a single accident, not a single yellow flag, only checkered. What amazed me most of all was how swiftly and efficiently all 250,000 spectators were moved in and out of the giant track. I didn't have an opportunity to visit the museum on that occasion. But I made a point of touring the facility on our recent visit to Indianapolis. Located within the famed 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval in suburban Speedway, Indiana, the 37,000-square-foot museum houses one of the world's premier collections of automotive and motor racing vehicles and artifacts. It is linked to the Indianapolis 500 and the Brickyard 400 but also includes exhibits reflecting other forms of motorsports, passenger cars and general automotive history. It also is home to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame. The original museum was established in 1956. This museum opened in 1976. It features 30 Indianapolis 500 winning cars, pace cars, the Borg-Warner Trophy and other trophies and plaques, racing paraphernalia such as helmets, gloves and driver's suits, model cars, photographs, toys and paintings. Displays include highlights of the history of the Speedway's ownership, evolution of the track and other memorabilia. Take a bus tour of the track, a lap around the oval and do what the Indianapolis 500 winners do, kiss the 1909-vintage paving bricks at the finish line. Stroll through Gasoline Alley. Also see a short film of the history of the Indianapolis 500 in the Tony Hulman Theatre. See the 1911 Marmon Wasp, the first Indianapolis 500 winner driven by Ray Harroun, all four of A.J. Foyt's winning cars, the 1965 Spirit of America that set a world land speed record, the 1931 Cummins Diesel driven by Dave Evans, the first car to complete the Indianapolis 500 without a pit stop, the 1977 Bryant Heating & Cooling Lightning/Offy driven by Janet Guthrie, the first female to qualify for the 500 and the 1965 Le Mans winning Ferrari 250 LM. Also see the picture wall featuring the drivers and cars of all Indianapolis 500 winners. Finally, visit the Auto Racing Hall of Fame, which dates to 1952 and highlights 155 inductees from Ray Harroun to Barney Oldfield to Eddie Rickenbacker to Mauri Rose to Fireball Roberts to A.J. Foyt to Mario Andretti to Al and Bobby Unser to Parnelli Jones to Roger Penske. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987.
5. Indianapolis Speedrome
6. Crown Hill Cemetery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 285 reviews
Crown Hill is the nation's 3rd largest non-gov’t. cemetery w/555 acres of beautiful rolling hills. Thousands visit this urban oasis to enjoy its peaceful beauty; study architecture, sculptures & trees; exercise, picnic, view wildlife (incl. white-tailed deer) & study the history & heritage of the 215,000+ people buried there. A must-see is the top of "The Crown," the highest hill in the county with a 360-degree view of the Indy skyline. Crown Hill is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Notables incl. Pres. Ben. Harrison, poet James Whitcomb Riley, Col. Eli Lilly, three U.S. VPs, & numerous others, incl. the infamous bank robber John Dillinger. Crown Hill's popular guided tours were twice named "The Best Walking Tour" by Indianapolis Monthly mag., featured as one of Midwest Living magazine's "Terrific Tours," and listed as one of "5 Things to Do in Indy Before You Die" by Indy Star. Visitors can attend one of many guided Public Tours or schedule their own Private Tour.
Reviewed By sheilastranc
Several famous people are buried here. There is a beautiful hill that overlooks the city. Pres. B. Harrison's modest burial site is located near the hill. It's a very pleasant place.
7. Christ Church Cathedral
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 39 reviews
On the National Register of Historic Places, this beautiful 1857 church is known for its Tiffany stained glass windows. It is the home church and ceremonial seat of the Bishop of Indianapolis, who oversees 51 congregations in central and southern Indiana.
8. Indianapolis Museum of Art
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,446 reviews
With a collection of more than 54,000 works of art, an early-20th-century estate, 152 acres of gardens and grounds, including an outdoor art and nature park, the IMA campus offers experiences that feed both the heart and mind.
Reviewed By 732lancel - Denver, United States
IMA has an excellent and very large collection. I focused on the contemporary and modern collection and was very impressed. What is exceptional about IMA, is that in addition to the main complex, the museum is situated on 100 acres of park, including sculpture gardens, AND the Lilly country home, with extensive formal and informal gardens. What a treat!!!!!
9. Indiana War Memorial
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 648 reviews
A tribute to Indiana war veterans, from World War I to the Vietnam War.
Reviewed By 866TaylorB - Chicago, United States
Perhaps no city outside Washington DC does more to honor our nation's veterans than Indianapolis, Indiana. The Indiana World War Memorial Plaza, originally built in 1924 to honor the veterans of World War I, is a plaza that covers five city blocks that includes the Indiana World War Memorial, the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, Cenotaph Square, Veterans Memorial Plaza, Depew Memorial Fountain, University Park, American Legion Mall and a don't-miss military museum. Located at 51 East Michigan Street, bounded by St. Clair, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Meridian Streets, the centerpiece of the plaza is the Indiana World War Memorial, which is modeled after the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and contains "the Altar of the Flag" in the Shrine Room. The memorial was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1994. The War Memorial, whose cornerstone was laid in 1927 by General John Pershing, is 210 feet tall or 75 feet taller than the original Mausoleum. Made of unrelieved ashlar Indiana limestone with six Ionic columns on each side, it is one of the most imposing neoclassical structures in the country. There are several sculptures. Most notable of all is Henry Hering's colossal male nude bronze Pro Patria, which is 24 feet high and weighs seven tons, the largest cast bronze sculpture in the United States. Also impressive is the 100-foot-tall black granite obelisk in the Veterans Memorial Plaza. Be sure to visit the Indiana World War Memorial Military Museum, which honors Hoosier soldiers in a timeline from the American Revolutionary War to modern conflicts. World War I and World War II are featured most prominently. Among the exhibits are a replica of the radio room of the USS Indianapolis, which was sunk after delivering the first atomic bomb to Tinian in WW II, a Cobra helicopter, the USS Indiana's commission plate, 300 Civil War flags, firearms of all types and a replica of Indiana's Liberty Bell. Lots of history, lots of memories, lots of time for sober reflection.
10. Hook's American Drugstore Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 29 reviews
This museum, which explores the 400-year history of the American drugstore, is set to re-open in 2002.
