Indianapolis - Up and Coming

Overview: My home city! Tucked away in the Midwest, there is a lot to do for all types of travelers. Here is a compilation of my recommendations when you visit. Very cheap city!

Where to Stay: The Alexander (great location for younger couple/friends/solo, beautiful hotel with excellent food and drinks), Nestle Inn (comfy B&B right in the lively part of the city), Bottleworks hotel (an art-deco hotel in the heart of Mass Ave, surrounded by a food hall, salons, restaurants, bars, etc.), JW Marriot for a classy stay (not the best location except for sporting events).

Ares of the City: Downtown, Mass Ave (lots of food and drinks, younger crowd), Fountain Square (Bohemian-esque, food, drinks, arts center), Broadripple (College town, food & drinks), The Canal, The Monon (bike trail that connects them all)

Where to Eat: Nesso (Italian, in The Alexander), The Eagle (southern, mass ave – get the hushpuppies), Ralph’s Great Divide (American, dive steak house and delicious. Pie or cake served with dinner!), Fat Dan’s Deli (Chicago style, mass ave, great drinks and food), The Rathskellar (German, live music nearly every night, huge biergarten), Bazbeaux (pizza, thicker pizza and great salds. Very yummy!), Kumas Corner (Burgers, Fountain Square, omg incredible), Iarias (Italian, been around for about 100 years, delicious), The Garage Food Hall (Mass ave, a litte bit of everything), Cake Bake Shop (Broadripple, world famous cake shop), Yats (Mass Ave, excellent Cajun Creole, cafeteria style), Milktooth (Fountain Square, fancy brunch place, unique foods but long line), Baby’s (Delicious smash burgers, outdoor patio), Half Liter (off Monon)

Where to Drink: Beer-Metazoa (dog bar, many delicious beers, outdoor patios, food truck or byofood), St Joseph’s Brewery (Mass Ave, best beers in the city), Sun King ( Mass Ave & Broadripple, many different brews, staples are really good), Fountain Square Brewery (Fountain Square, delicious!), Chillywater (Fountain square, music centered microbrewery, delicious)

Cocktails – Thunderbird (Fountain Square, incredible and affordable), Ball & Biscuit (Mass Ave), Imbibe (Fountain Square, rooftop views of city), Nicky Blaines (Downtown, cigar bar but great cocktails, speakeasy like), Exchange Whiskey Bar (Mass Ave)

Bars – 16Bit (Mass Ave, good starting place, pinball, arcade games, giant jenga, skeeball, etc.), Pins (Mass Ave, sister to 16Bit, cocktails, rooftop bar, duckpin bowling), Tini (Mass Ave, club), Metro (Mass Ave, club), Burnside Inn (Mass Ave, 3 story bar each with different themes), Inferno Room (Fountain Square, tiki lounge), Doorman Street (dive bar), Lockerbie Pub (dive bar), Mass Ave Pub (dive bar)

Things to Do: Tour the Mall ( a section similar to DC with multiple monuments, museums, remembrances,  etc. Climb to the top of the Soilder and Sailer Monument, tour the War Memorial Museum, Walk the Canal (just a pretty walk during the day, you can rent paddleboats), Handlebar (12 or 14 seater bike bar that tours around the city, fun with friends!), Amy Beers Tour (local cicerone that gives beer tours), Fowling Wearhouse (a combo of bowling + football), Duckpin Bowling (Duckpin in Fountain Square or Pins in Mass Ave), Indianapolis Motor Speedway (go check out the museum and get a tour! Cute main street in the city, too), Sporting events (Indy 500, Colts, Minor League Baseball – the indianas (beer and food specials during the week), Indy Fuel (hockey), Indy Eleven (minor league soccer), The monon (An incredible bike trail that will take you from fountain square to broadripple and beyond! There are bikes to rent all along the trail, a great and fun place!)

Things to Note: There are no open container laws in the city meaning you can drink on the street, it just has to be in the original container. However, you can’t by alcohol before noon or after 8pm on Sundays.