Planning an Indianapolis Weekend

When you think of a weekend vacation, Indianapolis might not be the first city that springs to mind. But its massive convention center in the heart of downtown means that hundreds of thousands of tourists visit each year. The gaming convention Gen Con is held there annually and even George Lucas once brought Star Wars Celebration to the Mid-Western city. The largest Mid-Western Star Trek convention is held there every year, Starbase Indy, and that's not even counting the hundreds of companies and entertainers that hold commercial and corporate events there. (Popular psychic Sylvia Browne even visited once.) I've been to Indianapolis dozens and dozens of times in recent years as it's very near my hometown, and every time I feel pleasantly surprised at just how expansive it truly is.

If you find yourself in Indianapolis with free time on your hands, whether that's in between events at a conference you are attending or if you are a guest of someone who is attending, there's plenty to see and do in a surprisingly close radius. It even makes a great family vacation destination where you can stretch your dollar in lieu of the typical cross-country summer vacation or road trip. Here's a sample weekend itinerary to reference if you should find yourself in downtown Indianapolis for a weekend. The possibilities are endless, but using this guide you can begin to build a romantic getaway, a family vacation or even a relaxing weekend for one.

Friday Night - Venture out to experience some of the Indianapolis nightlife right away. In the warmer months, the streets of Indianapolis may remind you of downtown Atlanta with the wide range of restaurants, bars and nightclubs all within walking distance of each other. I've spent many warm summer nights walking safely in the orange glow of the Indy streetlights with my husband and friends. The city atmosphere is relaxing at night, an eclectic mix dotted with green parks and thumping clubs. (I tend to avoid the thumping clubs myself in favor of the quiet pubs, but there's plenty for you if you love the club scene.

For authentic German dinner and drinks in a beautiful historical building, walk to East Michigan Street and visit The Rathskeller. There you can dine on Bratwurst and after a hearty meal head to the separate bar within the building, the Kellerbar, where you can sample dozens of German and European beers on draft. If you want to know what kind of letting loose you can do at the Kellerbar, check out their website where they list their weekend hours as being "from 2:00 p.m. to ??" In other words, you can stay as long as the crowd is lively. I like to try new varieties of foreign foods when I visit the city because there's so much to offer. So know that there's also Buca Di Beppo's family style Italian dining on Illinois Street, The Claddagh Irish Pub on Meridian Street, and an elegant P.F. Chang's on Maryland Street.

Saturday Morning and Afternoon- Indianapolis is known for its museums, almost all of which are located near the city's intricately constructed canal walk that calls to mind the river walkways of Chicago. Just a block or two from most downtown hotels (and very easy to find via the city's well marked signs pointing to all the local attractions) is The Indianapolis Zoo, The Indiana State Museum, The NCAA Hall of Fame, The White River Gardens and The Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art...all of which stand within a few minutes walking distance of each other. The Indianapolis Zoo's admission prices are around fifteen dollars for adults and ten for children and seniors. Other attractions are comparably priced. These attractions offer plenty to do indoors and outdoors depending on the weather.

I gravitate toward the Zoo and the State Museum over and again. The State Museum is a surprising mix of contemporary and historical exhibits in creative installations with art everywhere. For example, the building itself is peppered with unique tile art on the walls and sidewalks meant to represent each county in Indiana. The entire building is full of hidden surprises like the steam clock that goes off every hour on the hour. I've taken my father there and my kid nieces and nephews, and it always offers a great backdrop that seems to please all ages.

Saturday Evening - Indianapolis is known as the Circle City. That's because at the very heart of the city is a circular street built around the tall obelisk Soldiers and Sailors Monument. Visitors can sit on the steps of the monument the same way they might lounge on the steps of the New York Public Library. This is my favorite part of the city, where you can literally watch the whole town drive and walk by. I always toss a coin into the immense blue fountains surrounding the monument and I always visit the World's Largest Christmas tree that overtakes the monument during the holiday season.

In the warmer months, you will find street vendors on the circle and sometimes live concerts. Also along the circle is the Hubert Circle Theater that houses the Indianapolis Symphony, The Oceanaire (a luxury seafood restaurant), Nicky Blaine's Cocktail Lounge ( a high end martini bar), and several other upscale restaurants perfect for an anniversary or special occasion. You can take the whole family out for a day at the zoo and go for a romantic evening date on "the circle" (as its called) all in one day. I find that there's something distinctly and romantically retro about this area of Indianapolis. Especially in the aesthetic of the buildings and the restaurants I just mentioned. Part of that is because the city, like New York or Chicago, is comprised of buildings nearly a hundred years old.

Of course, Indianapolis also has a minor league baseball team, the Indianapolis Indians, as well as a professional football team, The Indianapolis Colts. So be sure to check the team schedules in advance to see if a game might be available when you're visiting. The Indians' stadium has spacious seating compared to many others I've visited across the country, which makes watching a game there a lot more fun.

Sunday Morning and Afternoon - The Sunday of any weekend trip is usually the slow day, the day of packing, and the day one spends with one foot back in the real world. But with all the attractions being so closely placed together in Indianapolis, there's still plenty of time to enjoy more attractions before or after you check out of your hotel.

My favorite way to end an Indianapolis weekend is a peaceful walk along the canal. But, if you're still feeling adventurous, you can rent a paddle boat and spend an hour or two relaxing on the emerald green water. The Circle Center Mall is a large indoor mall, perfect for a little shopping on a cold day. Many hotels as well as the Indianapolis Convention Center are attached to Circle Center. Inside you'll find higher end stores like Godiva Chocolates and Nordstrom, but also a movie theater on the mall's top level. (I never leave without a chocolate or two...)

Of course, all of these Indianapolis attractions and restaurants are just within the downtown area. If you're really curious, you can rent a car or grab a taxi to visit more of the Indianapolis Cultural Districts, two of which are covered in the downtown area. But the others are known for their independent art scenes, their live music venues, their massive antique malls, live theaters and intricately restored buildings.

For more details and to start making plans, visit the Indianapolis Downtown website. Or ask questions in the comments section and I'll be happy to answer as many as I can about my hometown.