Indianapolis Hotels and City Guide

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Although Indianapolis is well known to racecar fans around the world, it offers much more to see and do than what’s going on at the racetrack. Enjoy a leisurely stroll along the Canal Walk. The 10-block landmark, located in downtown Indianapolis, is a beautifully landscaped tribute to the canal system that links the Great Lakes and the Ohio River. Or make your way to the Monument Circle, considered to be the centerpiece of Indianapolis. It’s a site for city festivals as well as lunchtime concerts. The tribute known as the Soldiers' and Sailors' monument, more commonly referred to as Miss Indiana, is a stunning backdrop to the festivities hosted here. Dedicated in 1902, the 284ft structure commemorated those who fought before World War I. Or you could visit Union Station. Built in 1888, it’s a beautiful structure that has a stunning stained glass ceiling. There are many great historic sites to be explored throughout the city.

Indianapolis is also a great city to do some shopping. Head over to the Circle Centre shopping and entertainment complex for a great experience. There are four floors of shops for you to explore. But there are also movie theatres, restaurants and a really neat Gameworks virtual reality studio. Although your first choice may not be spending an evening at the mall, Circle Center has a nightclub floor that stays open late. It puts a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘shop till you drop’.

The arts scene has made an impact throughout the city. There are many different areas that showcase the eclectic mix of artistic creativity. The Broad Ripple Village, Mass Ave. Arts and Theater District, Downtown Wholesale District and Indiana are all worth exploring. Indianapolis also has a wide variety of museums that will peak everyone’s interest. The fantastic Children’s Museum is considered to be the best of its kind in the country. You’ll find five stories of great hands-on learning experiences perfect for kids of all ages. There is also the Indianapolis Museum of Art, which showcases art from around the world and the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art that displays native arts.

For a bit of a different museum experience, make your way to Conner Prairie. You’ll find over 1,400 acres of beautiful land, all designed to reflect life back in the 1800s. There are great activities to take part in as you learn about life back when covered wagons were the most common means of transportation. Jump ahead a few centuries and appreciate today’s means of transportation at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum. Proud to be one of the world’s largest collections of racing, classic and antique cars, speed junkies will love exploring every nook and cranny here. And when the track is not used for racing, take a bus tour around it and imagine yourself racing with some of the worlds best.

Although Indianapolis has created a great city filled with many exciting activities for you to explore, you can’t not write about the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It first opened in 1909 and is the second oldest auto racing track in the world. It’s also considered to be the world's largest spectator facility and is the only racetrack to host the Indy Racing League, NASCAR and Formula One. Its actually located in Speedway, Indiana, which is surrounded be Indianapolis and has been designated as a National Historic Landmark. Over 300,000 fans fill up the stands each race and watch the race as it zips and zooms by.