Location: Indianapolis
Top Things to do in Indianapolis
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Things to do in Indianapolis, Indiana (IN): The Best Gardens
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. 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!!!!!
2. White River Gardens
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 59 reviews
Reviewed By MomOfBoysTravel - Indianapolis, United States
We have a Zoo membership and with that we are able to visit White River Gardens as well. We took a day and just visited the Gardens and the Butterfly exhibit and it was so beautiful. I would come here weekly if I had time to do so. Outside we heard frogs near the lily pads, saw a birds nest and all the gorgeous plants. The only thing I wonder is why the fountains weren't working. Years ago when we visited the fountains squirted water out and the day that we visited (late May) the fountains weren't on. There was a fun activity center on the *inside* that included sensory play activities for little children, books, things to see, etc. The lady inside said that they change out things in there every now and then so while I have a picture here of a sensory bin and magnetic shapes, there might be other activities at different times.
3. White River State Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 466 reviews
White River State Park is an extraordinary park in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, offering 250 acres of vibrant green spaces, waterways, trails, and attractions. The park boasts world-class attractions and destinations that offer distinctive experiences for every visitor. Enhancing the health and well-being of visitors is the mission of WRSP by providing cultural, entertainment, and recreational benefits to millions of Indiana citizens and visitors from all over the world.
Reviewed By 866TaylorB - Chicago, United States
White River State Park is a 250-acre urban park located on the western edge of downtown Indianapolis that features many attractions, including the Indiana Central Canal and cultural, educational and recreational points of interest that make the park a go-to destination for one and all. Located at 801 West Washington Street, it also is a luscious piece of green space, trails, trees and waterways that provide locals and visitors with an opportunity to take a leisurely stroll through the park. Along the way, you can visit the Historic Pumphouse that opened in 1870, the Indianapolis Zoo, White River Gardens, the NCAA's Hall of Champions, the Indiana State Museum, the IMAX 3D Theatre, the Congressional Medal of Honor Memorial, the Historic Washington Street Pedestrian Bridge that opened as part of the National Road in 1916, Military Park, the Indiana Historical Society, the Indiana State Capitol building, the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, Victory Field and the Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn, named one of the top 100 outdoor concert venues in the world. Over 3.5 million people visit the park annually. For trivia buffs, it is noted that one of the proposed focal points of the park, the Indiana Tower, was never constructed.
4. Garfield Park Conservatory & Sunken Garden
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 140 reviews
Garfield Park Conservatory within Garfield Regional Park, is a 10,000 square foot tropical rainforest conservatory. The grounds include a 3 acre Sunken Garden and fountains and a Children's Garden.
Reviewed By DayTrip825203
just a wonderful place to experience. They have plants and beautiful vegetation from all over the world, small animals and insects to marvel at, and a lovely waterfall to enjoy. Also make sure to walk through the sunken garden.
5. Benton House Historic Garden
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3 reviews
Reviewed By 866TaylorB - Chicago, United States
The Benton House is one of the most historic houses in Indianapolis. Located at 312 South Downey Avenue, in the historic Irvington neighborhood, the two-story, Second Empire-style brick dwelling with a mansard roof was built in 1873 and was the home of Allen R. Benton, a two-time president of Butler University. The 10-room house sits on a stone foundation and features an entrance tower, ornate windows, fine woodwork and oak floors. It is the only house on Indianapolis' East Side that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (1973) that is open to the public. However, despite the house's impressive history and trappings, what attracts most visitors to the property are the unique gardens with their display of pre-1900 heirloom plants, thousands of daffodils, including some hybridized between 1977 and 1897 that are in bloom in early April of each year. Other spring bloomers include ground-hugging species tulips: T. biflora (1776), T. humilis (1860), T. marjoletti (1894) and T. turkestanica (1875). Walking the grounds offers visitors an opportunity to see what amounts to a botanical display garden or fernery or greenhouse that also features as crocus, snowdrops, peony, poppies, blue bells, wild ginger, cultivars, Tiger Lilys and other flowers, some first brought to this country during the colonial period. If you enjoyed the gardens at Garfield Park, the Lilly House, White River State Park or the Indianapolis Museum of Art, you owe it to yourself to visit the Benton House.
