9 Ways to Have Fun In Indianapolis

Honestly, before heading to Indianapolis I had NO CLUE what to think. I’ve obviously heard of Indianapolis before and it was on my list of cities to visit, but I will admit, it wasn’t very high up there. I think that’s because I didn’t know a thing about Indy and didn’t know a soul who lived there to tell me how cool it was. After getting accepted into Bloghouse (a retreat full of up-and-coming bloggers), located in Indianapolis, I decided to come back to the USA after 9 months of traveling abroad just to see what Indy was all about!

Let’s just say I had a blast, fell in love with the city, and can’t wait to go back. How unexpected is that? And although Indy is a big time hit for families (think awesome Indy Zoo and Children’s Museum), there are also so many incredible things to do in Indianapolis for those of us in our 20s!

9 Fun Things to Do in Indianapolis as a 20-Something

Ready to have some fun in Indy? Here are 9 Fun Things to Do in Indianapolis in Your 20’s!

1. Booze at the Breweries & Bars

Indianapolis bar scene

Let’s get right down to it people…the brewskis. Indy has enough breweries, cocktail bars, wine bars and sports bars that you couldn’t even hit them all up in a lifetime. Okay maybe that’s an exaggeration, but it would take a LONG time. If you aren’t really into the traditional bar drinking there are also options for hopping on a bike bar where you bike around town with friends OR a brewery/winery bus tour! Many of the bars in Indy are large, spacious and have great outdoor seating which I found perfect for summer.

Another thing I found particularly cool is that Indianapolis doesn’t have an open container law. I don’t think the city is yelling this from the rooftops, but I like it because it means you can bring a drink with you on the streets. Also, I didn’t see anyone else doing it, but I liked the fact that it reminded me of New Orleans and Vegas as I brought my beer with me on a walk. I know I’m a #rebel. Whether wine is your thing, cocktails or just a great beer, there are endless amounts of places to have a night out on the town.

Here are a few of my recommendations:

Ball & Biscuit for an amazing cocktail
The Eagle on Mass Ave. for a chilled out vibe/good place to start the night
Metazoa Brewing Co & SunKing Brewery for some great brewskis
Indy Brew Bus for a brewery tour throughout the city
Bike around the city with The Handle Bar Bike Bar
The Broadripple area to find TONS of bars and restaurants
Meridian Street if you’re looking to get crazy like a college kid

 2. Get Sporty

Baseball game in Indianapolis

Indy is a mecca for sports fans! Not only do they host one of the most famous automobile races in the world, the Indy 500, but they have tons of sports teams and sports museums to check out. While in Indy you can catch a Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium (or just get a tour of the stadium), watch an Indianapolis Pacers basketball game, or check out the minor-league baseball team at Victory Field. Not in Indy during a game? You can also tour the NCAA Hall of Champions or the Indianapolis Motor Speedway museum!

3. Stuff Your Face With Kicka** Grub

Indy foodie scene

Eat all the food! Indy is a foodie’s para-para-paradise! I had some incredible food while visiting the city and want to go back for more ASAP. Zagat even named Indy one of America’s hottest food scenes! So, of course, there are a lot of restaurants getting built and/or opening soon. The Indy foodie scene is definitely hot hot hot!

Here are a few recommendations:

Breakfast/Brunch: Milktooth
Lunch: Napolese
Dinner: Mesh on Mass

Pizza restaurant in Indianapolis

4. Enjoy a Paddle in the Canal District

Paddle in the Canal District

The Canal District in Indy is one of the coolest things I’ve seen in a modern American city. It reminded me of a mini-Amsterdam with canals surrounding the NCAA Hall of Fame  and winding next to the White River State Park. The best part is that you can rent a paddle boat on the canal for a leisurely afternoon and get amazing views of downtown Indy. If you’re lucky, you can also spot the #LoveIndy sign and get a picture standing as the ‘I’ like I awkwardly did here.

LoveIndy sign

9 Ways to Have Fun In Indianapolis

5. Rent a bike and bike on the Monon Trail.

9 Ways to Have Fun In Indianapolis

Believe it or not, Indianapolis is an extremely bike friendly city (see more similarities to Amsterdam!). They’ve built amazing trails throughout the city and have paths that go out of the city to neighboring towns as well. You can rent a bike from places like the Indianapolis Pacers Bike Share (who have spots all over the city to pick up and drop off) and then you can hop on the Monon Trail for a little city getaway. This trail is about 10 miles long total and goes from downtown Indy all the way to Carmel in Hamilton County. Hamilton County is a must visit if you go to Indiana and a great day trip since you can bike the entire way there! The trail goes through forests, over bridges, and through many parks and is a perfectly nice weather activity if you’re up for it!

9 Ways to Have Fun In Indianapolis

7. Visit Monument Circle and the War Memorial Plaza

9 Ways to Have Fun In Indianapolis - Monument Circle

Are you into history? If so, there’s a ton for you in Indianapolis. Monument Circle and the War Memorial Plaza are must see’s as you tour around the city. The plaza replicates the D.C. Mall and Monument Circle is a great place to start your tour and get your bearings — both are stunning! I also highly recommend checking out the War Memorials and Monument Circle at night during sunset.

9 Ways to Have Fun In Indianapolis - War Memorial Plaza

8. Take a stroll on Indiana’s Cultural Trail or White River State Park.

9 Ways to Have Fun In Indianapolis

The Indianapolis Cultural Trail is an 8-mile bike and walking path and it works it’s way through downtown Indy. If you follow the path it will take you through 6 districts including Fountain Square, Canal District, White River State Park and Mass Ave. You also won’t want to miss a sunset walk through the White River State Park!

9 Ways to Have Fun In Indianapolis

 

 

 

 

9. Check out the Indianapolis Zoo & Children’s Museum

9 Ways to Have Fun In Indianapolis

Have kids or a kid at heart? I sometimes forgot there are some of us out there in our 20’s with kids, (duh), but for those of you with kids and/or are kids at heart it’s important not to miss the Indianapolis Zoo or the Children’s Museum. My Bloghouse group got a tour of both and we all were amazed at how well done they both were. I felt like a kid again and especially enjoyed Zoolapalooza (a night at the zoo with live music and food) and the Take Me There: China exhibit at the Children’s’ Museum. Your kids will be happy and you will too!

 

I hope this list helps you have a fun visit to Indianapolis and I hope you get to meet some locals while you’re there! The hospitality of the people living in Indiana might be the best part about visiting and it surely made my experience that much more special.

WHERE TO STAY:

9 Ways to Have Fun In Indianapolis: JW Marriott Indianapolis

JW Marriott Indianapolis

I stayed at this hotel for the Bloghouse conference and LOVED it,  First of all,  the views of Downtown Indy, Victory Field and White Water Park were worth staying there in itself. The beds were comfy, bathrooms were large, and they had robes (my favorite part)! The most noteworthy is the location of the hotel as it’s perfectly located close to downtown and also very close to the park and the Canal District.

Read reviews on TripAdvisor | Book a room

Homewood Suites by Hilton Indianapolis – Downtown

This is a great budget hotel located downtown and very close to Monument Circle and many great bars and restaurants. If you want to be directly downtown this is a good choice!

Read reviews on Tripadvisor | Book a room

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9 Fun Things to Do in Indianapolis as a 20-Something
9 Fun Things to Do in Indianapolis as a 20-Something

A huge shout out and thank you to Visit IndyVisit Indianaand JW Marriott Indianapolisour conference sponsors at BlogHouse Indy. All travel and accommodation costs were paid by me. As always, all opinions are my own. 

Some of the above links are affiliate links and I will earn a tiny percentage of the sale if you purchase through them at no extra cost to you