The 6 Cultural Districts of Indianapolis

Indianapolis is an extremely tourist friendly city, especially during the warm months in Indiana from May through October. Many people don't know this or suspect it, as it's not typically thought of as a tourist destination. But there are many attractions to see, and it might be overwhelming thinking about how to plan a visit or what to do if you're in town for business or visiting family. But Indianapolis has divided the city into six cultural districts that can help you plan a visit. I'll tell you what they are and what each district has to offer.

1.) Broad Ripple Village - This is the ideal place for a night out with friends and features lots of bars, dance clubs, billiards, darts, art galleries, live music and all kinds of specialty shops and vintage stores. For more information, go to discoverbroadripplevillage.com

2.) The Canal and White River State Park - This may be the most family friendly cultural district of all. Why? It features the scenic Canal Walk, White River State Park, the Indianapolis Zoo (my personal favorite), The Indiana State Museum, The Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians, the NCAA Hall of Champions, the Indianapolis Indians baseball stadium, and more! For more information visit discovercanal.com

3.) Fountain Square - This is one district that I personally have spent a great deal of time in recently. It has a distinctly historical feel, with some buildings dating all the way back to the 1880s and 1920's. There are lots of retro restaurants, duckpin bowling, live music, and a very bohemian vibe. For more information visit discoverfountainsquare.com

4.) Indiana Avenue - This area is directly west of downtown Indianapolis. It houses the Madame Walker Theatre Center, which is a huge historical landmark for African-American heritage and American history in the whole. There is also the amazing Freetown Village: A living history museum. There are storytelling programs, interpretive theater, heritage-building workshops and more. For more information visit discoverindianaavenue.com

5.) Mass Ave - This is known as the arts and theater district of the city. It carries an eclectic mix of performance venues, galleries, and restaurants. There's an especially well known English pub called, the Chatham Tap Pub and plenty of outdoor art to browse. For more information visit discovermassave.com

6.) Wholesale District - This is also a performance-heavy part of town. This area contains the Circle Centre Mall, high-end hotels, and lots of tourists and visitors due to its close proximity to the convention center. There are also plenty of downtown restaurants to choose from and the iconic "circle" that originated the name, "the circle city" for Indianapolis. During the Christmas Season you can see the Soldiers and Sailors monument dressed as a giant Christmas tree. This is my second favorite cultural district after the Canal and White River State Park. For more information visit discoverwholesaledistrict.com