Indy: A great Indiana hot spot

By LINDSEY RODGERS

I’m an East Coast girl. I grew up on the Connecticut panhandle amidst lighthouses, rocky shores, and tiny piers. I also spent a short stint in sunny, energetic Ft. Lauderdale, an area that proves to be as bright and vivid as the neon lights that line its famous strip. I was used to being surrounded by water, beach, and salty air – so imagine my surprise when my parents informed my brother and me that we would be moving to Indianapolis, Indiana.

Seriously, I believed that we would be living among corn fields and cows, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that Indianapolis has just as much culture and entertainment as my old homes, minus the sand and ocean.

Fun as the snowmen, snow angels, and icicles seem to be, however, I’ve found that the entertainment value Indianapolis has to offer perks up as the wintry weather begins to thaw. Though aquatics may not be its strongest suit, Indianapolis still has an amazingly strong capacity to entertain.

From Chicago (3 hrs) and Milwaukee (4.5 hrs), Indianapolis is a relatively short car ride away, but Des Moines takes a little over 7 hours to get to Indiana’s center. If you have an extra $214 to spend on transportation, air may be your best option. Since many flights leaving Indianapolis connect in Chicago, fares to Chicago and back surround the $100 price range and have a large variety of departure times. Riding the railway system cuts the price of flying in half, but almost doubles the airway travel time. Amtrak offers round trip tickets to Indianapolis for roughly $105, but it may take up to 12 hours in travel time due to the number of stops. Leaving from Osceola, IA, costs around $134, but takes around 16 hours to arrive in Indianapolis – a long trip to say the least.

However when one chooses to travel to the Circle City, there are bound to be numerous activities to occupy Indianapolis visitors for a weekend jaunt or a longer visit.

Indy’s most famed spring attraction is clearly the Indianapolis 500. Dubbed "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing," the Indianapolis 500 brings hundreds of thousands of people to the track to watch drivers attempt to win the Holy Grail of the Indy Racing League (IRL). Racing fan or not (place me in the "not" category), the race is a Sunday activity one should do at least once with friends. However, don’t forget to bring earplugs – these machines are loud, as they reach speeds of over 230 miles per hour.

Starting May 9, the track is open to watch drivers speed around the track in attempts to learn the lay of the curves and win the coveted pole position for race day. "Carb Day," May 27, marks the last day drivers can bring their car onto the track until race day. Sunday, May 30, marks the big day, so pack a cooler and enjoy the friendly neighbors who surround you – everyone seems to be lively during this Indiana tradition.

Outside the month of May, the track has its own golf course and houses the Hall of Fame Museum. In June the track holds the U.S. Grand Prix, and August uses the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to hold NASCAR’s Brickyard 400.

Indianapolis may know its racing, but don’t let the plethora of racing events lead you to believe that Indy doesn’t hold any other sports dear to its heart. At Conseco Fieldhouse, watch the Indiana Pacers play, or if professional football is more your style, go to the RCA Dome to watch an Indianapolis Colts game.

For baseball fans, Victory Field, which edges the outside of the downtown area, is home to the Indianapolis Indians, the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. With lawn seats as cheap as $8, a blanket and a hot dog would be the perfect accessories to enjoy America’s favorite pastime.

If, perhaps, you don’t fancy the sports scene, then the music scene in Indianapolis has something that will surely fit your liking. Located directly north of Indianapolis in Noblesville, Indiana is the Verizon Wireless Music Center, a massive music venue that annually brings large acts such as Dave Matthews Band, Blink-182, and Aerosmith. A smaller venue, the Murat Centre, is located in the downtown Massachusetts Avenue area and has a wide variety of acts come across its stage. Hosting acts such as the Lion King this winter to Jason Mraz this past summer, the Murat Centre provides a comfortable forum to view favorite acts up close. Outside of the mainstream music scene, is the Indianapolis Jazz Orchestra (IJO), an additional musical option to add to Indianapolis’s growing variety. Comprised of 16 musicians and 4 vocalists, the IJO is a Big Band jazz ensemble put together to recreate the music of the Big Band era for your listening enjoyment.

Music and sports are key, but Indianapolis also has gorgeous scenery, parks, and a varied arts environment to further satisfy its visitors. In White River State Park, visitors can enjoy arts, culture, and the outdoors within one small area. Plenty of pathways and greenery fill the park area, providing a killer view of both the White River and the Indianapolis Skyline. White River State Park also houses the Indianapolis Zoo, the Indiana State Museum, the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, and Indy’s IMAX theatre.

On the northeast side is one of Indianapolis’s treasured gems, Broad Ripple. Harboring a trendy feel, Broad Ripple has numerous bars, boutiques, and restaurants which add a little spice to the daily grind. Bazbeaux has pizza, made to your personal perfection, and offers upper level patio seating overlooking the canal. The restaurant’s funky design and vibrant use of color fits in naturally in the Broad Ripple environment and provides a relaxing, yet fun setting, especially on warm summer nights. Veggie-friendly diners may want to pop into the Three Sisters Café. Created from an old Broad Ripple frame house, the laidback setting is perfect to enjoy a cup of coffee and catch up with a book, or please vegans, vegetarians, and carnivores all at once. The shopping scene has trendy boutiques for women, such as Pitaya and Cha Cha, and also stores such as Garb, who carry high fashion labels for both men and women.

Whether it be sports, art, music, or food, Indianapolis has much to offer a visitor from any walk of life. The Midwestern hospitality will tickle your heart, while the shops and activities are guaranteed to entertain. Indy is sure to reach the little bit of Hoosier spirit in us all.