3 DAYS IN INDIANAPOLIS
Nestled within the heart of the American Midwest, Indianapolis awaits with a captivating blend of history, natural beauty, and vibrant culture. Whether you’re a local looking for a quick escape or an out-of-towner seeking an off-the-beaten-path adventure, the Hoosier State has much to offer for an unforgettable getaway. In this long weekend itinerary, we’ll guide you through a curated experience that highlights the very best Indianapolis has to offer.
How To Get to indianapolis
We recommend starting your adventure in Indianapolis. Typically, this is the easiest airport to fly into, and you’ll already start to feel the Indiana vibe with some Indy 500 cars on display, as well as an insta-famous INDY sign, and cute cow statues sharing facts about the Indiana dairy industry.
How much time should you spend in indiana
Three days is perfect so you can spend two days exploring Indianapolis and one day checking out Indiana Dunes National Park.
WHERE TO STAY in indianapolis
Staying near Fountain Square is a great choice as there are a lot of different restaurants and it has a more trendy historical vibe. We recommend AirBnBs since they are more affordable than hotels in this area. If you decide on a hotel, you may be closer to downtown, but you also might have to pay a premium for parking. We chose an AirBnB that was a 10 minute walk from Fountain Square and really liked it. It was spacious, had cheaper rates than hotels, and easy, free parking.
If you want to stay closer to a lot of the landmarks, and nightlife, you can stay in Mile Square in downtown Indianapolis. However this will most likely be more expensive and have less space. You may want to stay in this area if you don’t have a car.
DAY 1 in indianapolis – duckpin bowling, great food + interesting walks
Take a walk after settling in
After you check in to your lodging, get out and take a walk. Indianapolis is a great walking city and is easy to explore by foot. Similar to other mid-sized cities, there are lots of suburban neighborhoods within walking distance of the major sections of the city.
Walk Part (or all!) the Indy Cultural Trail
This is an 8-mile urban trail that goes through different parts of the city and lets you see a lot. It is entirely flat and easy. You’ll get a mix of waterfront and city views, see some top attractions, as well as green spaces and parks. Some standouts were:
– The American Legion Mall
– White River State Park
– Indy Canal Walk – we saw the famous Indy sign here (on the Canal at White House Street) but I believe it may be moved around the city spontaneously
– Kurt Vonnegut Mural – if you’re a fan of writer, and Indiana native, Kurt Vonnegut, check out the massive painting of him on the side of a building.
Eat at the Bluebeard Restaurant for dinner
Truth be told, we had zero expectations for dining in Indiana – we just hadn’t heard much about the food scene. Not only were the restaurants we ate at great, but some were even mind-blowingly good. Our dinner at Bluebeard was one of them! The menu changes seasonally, but if they have the halibut dish or the campanelle and potatoes, we highly recommend both of those.
One unique and great thing about this restaurant is that they also own a separate bakery nearby, called Amelie, that makes amazing, fresh, crusty bread. The night we went, they generously gifted us one of the leftover baguettes from the bakery as we were leaving. It was one of the best baguettes we had ever eaten – we may have finished half of it just walking home. If they don’t offer, try asking your server if they have any. You’ve got nothing to lose and free bread to gain!
One note, they don’t take reservations! We thought we arrived early (about 30 minutes after they opened for dinner) and the wait was already 45 minutes for a table of 2. We enjoyed walking around the cute little downtown while we waited for our table, but be prepared for a wait.
Go Duckpin Bowling
After dinner, walk around half a mile (roughly 10 minutes) to the Fountain Square Theatre for a game of Duckpin Bowling. We recommend you reserve this ahead of time since there are only a few lanes. We had never heard of or played Duckpin Bowling (just regular bowling). Duckpin bowling is similar to regular bowling but the pins and bowling balls are much smaller, and the pins are attached to wires that raise and lower between each turn. You also keep score manually with pen and paper, and the lanes have some natural wear and tear – very retro.
The entire building was historic and really cool. It brought you back a hundred years when you were in it. The building also has a couple different floors – each with its own theme – the basement, called Atomic Bowl, was 60s themed (think poodle skirts), while another floor, called Action Bowl, had more of a 1920s. There’s also a rooftop bar and lobby bar/game room.
To make a reservation to bowl, you have to call on the phone, or fill in their general inquiry form on their website and someone will call you back. It was $40/hour for a lane.
Day 2 in indianapolis – catacombs, art + more!
Visit City Market
For day 2, wake up and head directly over to City Market. City market is a historic building that has many different vendor stalls that sell various foods. Pick up a fresh juice or smoothie at Twenty Two Juice, or a sweet or savory crepe at 3 Days in Paris.
Tour the Catacombs
After breakfast, walk over to the Catacombs tour which also starts at City Market. The Catacombs are actually the underground ruins of Tomlinson Hall, a building that once stood beside City Market, which you will explore – equipped with a flashlight! You will want to reserve this in advance since there are only a few tours on select Saturdays each month. There are no bones or crypts in these catacombs, instead you will see ruins of the old building and learn a lot about Indianapolis history. We found it to be very interesting and believe the tour is definitely worth doing – especially since it’s only about 30 minutes long.
Walk Around Mass Ave
Since you will already be nearby, we recommend walking around Mass Ave. This avenue and the surrounding area is an entertainment, nightlife, and restaurant hub. It’s worth spending a little time exploring. Make sure to check out the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Monument Circle.
Head over to the NewFields Art Museum
This is a fantastic art museum and the top museum to visit in Indianapolis. The ticket prices are $20 for adults. Whatever you do, don’t skip the outdoor grounds portion of the museum. It’s a really nice area to walk around with gardens and sculptures. You’ll also see the famous blue snail sculpture there.
Grab lunch at Public Greens Urban Kitchen
This requires a quick drive over to the Broad Ripple neighborhood. This restaurant is right on a bike/walking path that goes through the greenway. The area is filled with people walking around and biking. We thought that their signature bowls, including the grain bowl, were very tasty. The large cookies were great as well if you have a sweet tooth.
After lunch we recommend walking around the Broad Ripple neighborhood and checking out the cool little shops and cafes. You can also wander over to the Indianapolis Art Center, which is free to enter, and check out the current exhibits from local artists.
Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park
One of the highlights of our day was the Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park. It has a few very cool large sculptures, similar to Storm King Arts Center in New York. The top ones are the large floating discs, the crazy basketball court, and the giant skeleton coming out of the ground (but it’s not as spooky as it sounds). There is also a nice lake that you can walk around.
Dinner at Livery
After a long day of exploring, you’re probably hungry and ready for dinner! Head to Livery for another great meal. This Latin American restaurant was another meal highlight on our trip. The Red Drum Dish (sweet plantain, yuca fry, chorizo chutney, chimichurri) and cauliflower appetizer were the standouts for us – as well as the margaritas. Weather permitting, try and snag one of the rooftop tables. They also have allergy friendly options.
day 3 – indiana dunes national park
Take a day trip to Indiana Dunes National Park. This National Park is only a 2 hour drive from Indianapolis making for a perfect day trip. Check out our full guide to Indiana Dunes National Park here.
We Wish We Had More Time
. . . because if we did, we would have visited a couple places that EVERYONE recommended.
Indy 500 Raceway
Indiana is probably most well-known for its Indianapolis Motor Speedway – home to the Indy 500! The real ticket is catching the race, but if you visit during any other time, you can see the museum and racetrack.
St. Elmo’s Steakhouse
The oldest steakhouse in Indianapolis has 4.7 stars on Google Reviews with nearly 5,000 reviews. So you know it’s going to be good. It is high-end and it is a splurge, but hey, you’re on vacation, right!? In addition to the steaks, we’ve heard that you NEED to get the shrimp cocktail.
Coat Check Coffee
Located in the impressive Athenaeum Theatre, Coat Check Coffee serves up coffee, pastries, and bialy sandwiches.
NOT DONE TRAVELING?
Check out our guides of nearby areas:
Indiana Dunes National Park
Chicago – Everything you should Eat, See, and Do