HOOSIERS!!!

Let me first give you some background on this state. Indianapolis is the capital & the hub of the state, and resides almost squarely in the middle geographically. Indiana is surprisingly dense in population with about $6.4M residents and is ranked #15 in population amongst the other states in the US! There is a small “beach” to the North on Lake Michigan (I still have not ventured here) and is also bordered by Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Kentucky. Another fun fact is that there are a TON of lakes in Indiana- many of them man-made!

Indiana is also home to the NBA Indiana Pacers, WNBA Indiana Fever & the NFL Indianapolis Colts. Although there is no major league baseball team, there is a hugely popular minor league team- the Indianapolis Indians. Most known though in the sports arena are the Indy Car Indianapolis 500 & the Nascar series The Brickyard, both at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (awesome experiences). In February 2012, Indianapolis will also be hosting the XLVI Superbowl!!

Indiana is also home to the famous University of Notre Dame, Purdue University, Indiana University & Butler University, among many other numerous fine institutions. The other fun (well, sometimes) aspect of Indiana is the fact that there are 4 distinct seasons: a brutally cold winter, a rainy/sunny spring, a stormy & humid summer, & a crisp & vibrant autumn. 

There are a wide variety of activities to do in “Indy”, as locals say. Whether you like the outdoors or prefer indoors entertainment, The Hoosier state has you covered! Below (in no particular order), are some fun activities that we have done in the past couple years while living here.

• Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra’s Yuletide Celebration– What a great way to kick off the Holiday Season! ISO’s Yuletide show is a MUST. Located in downtown Indy within the circle, the Yuletide show will leave you smiling and humming those good ol’ Christmas tunes throughout the season!

• Notre Dame Football game– If you are a football fan of any kind, you must make a trip up to South Bend to watch the Fighting Irish win in their historic stadium, and make time to walk around the campus…truly breathtaking. An unforgettable experience!!
• Colts football game– Downtown Indianapolis is home to the Colts, who play in the new & HUGE Lucas Oil Stadium. The 2012 Superbowl will also be hosted here! A fun time with some crazy & loyal football fans:).

• The Indianapolis Motor Speedway– Home of the Indy 500 Indycar race & the Brickyard 400 Nascar race. Both a must do in Indy, even if you are not a race car fan (like me). Its an experience like no other….and the people watching- WOW:-).

                                               

•  Covered Bridges Festival– This is located in Parke County, directly west of Indianapolis on your way to Illinois. This festival runs in October every year and is more hype than not. That being said, its still a cool thing to do, especially if you are not from around here. There is a fun saloon to eat at beforehand in the small little town and there are routes to view all the covered bridges. After about 3 of them….you’ve pretty much seen them all:)
• The Palladium in Carmel, IN is definitely a sight to be seen! Finished in early 2011, the Palladium is Indy’s newest and biggest performing arts center. Everything from music to dance to theater can be enjoyed from 3 different venues on the same “campus”. We saw an Argentinean Dance show here and LOVED it. The Palladium has raised the bar in Carmel and people & performers from all over the world flock to experience the magic. The Palladium grounds is also home to the famous Carmel Farmers Market– both summer & winter time as well as the 4th of July Celebrations (CarmelFest)- all well worth the experience!
• Symphony on the Prairie is located in Noblesville, north of the city center. What an awesome way to spend a warm humid summer night. Everyone from Jack Johnson to LeeAnn Womack to Classical hits- all ages and genres will love it! Just bring a blanket, some wine, and some appetizers- sit back and enjoy the (intimate) show under the stars:-).
• Indiana State Fair– great concerts…..great midwest fair food….awesome people watching!!

• Verizon Wireless Amphitheater is also located in Noblesville and is a HUGE venue that brings all kinds of big artists to Indiana. We saw Kid Rock over this past summer with some friends and had an absolute blast….great people watching:)!
• Morty’s Comedy Joint– this is a cozy venue showcasing both local as well as national comedians. We recently went with some friends and had a blast! Cheap tickets + drinks & food available = a great Friday night!

• Wine & Canvas– these are becoming so popular and you can find them all over the country. We have one in Indy now and I love it- what a great “girls night out”!

• NCAA Hall of Champions Museum is headquartered in downtown Indy and is a fun way to spend a few hours….but somewhat of a letdown. Its really basic, not as much info/glitz/glamour as it deserves, but fun nonetheless. 

• Walk along the Canal/Segway Tour is a hilarious way to spend a couple hours in downtown Indy. The Segway tour will take you along the quaint canal and along White River state park, amongst other highlights.

• Indy Children’s Museum is a HUGE attraction in Indiana. Indy is very popular amongst children and families for the number of museums it has. Topping the list is the Children’s museum which is out of this world adventurous and a fun way to keep the kiddos busy for a day!

• Brown County, IN is such a fun experience- go in the fall to experience all the foliage in Nashville and the surrounding streets!! Nashville has tons of shopping & restaurants to enjoy for a day outing. Its also a great place to escape the humid summers…there are a ton of lakes in the county, like Lake Cordry- where you can relax, paddle board, ski, or just enjoy a campout.
• The Monon Center & The Monon Trail are huge landmarks in Hamilton County. In the Monon Community Center- you can fill your time with workouts, classes, cooking demos, water-slide parks, skateboarding, swimming- you name it! The Monon trail goes from Downtown Indianapolis up through Noblesille and beyond! You can walk, run, bike, skate, ride….just enjoy being in the outsdoors. Locals are out on the trail year-round taking in the fresh air and some good exercise:).
• Mass Ave– what a fun way to spend a weekend in downtown Indianapolis! Shopping, drinking, eating, people watching….such a blast!
• Shopping!!!! Clay Terrace, Broadripple Village, and Keystone at the Crossings are 3 hugely popular shopping centers within the greater Indianapolis area. From chic boutiques to large department stores, low end & high end stores, and multiple restaurant options, these stops have you covered! Love them all.

• MicroBrews!!! Broadripple has an awesome microbrew festival every July which features tons of local breweries. Surprisingly (to me), there is a huge following in the state. Upland, Sun King, Broad Ripple Brew Pub, Granite City Brewery, Three Floyd’s are just a few of my new favorites- check out their beer at the local tasting rooms!!

• GOLF!!! My husband and I are golf lovers…we may not be the best, but we do love the game:). Indiana is known for its vast array of public & semi-public courses and here are some of our favorites (thus far): Prairie View, Plum Creek, Bear Slide, Trophy Club, Golf Club of Indiana, The Fort, The Bridgewater Club, River Glen Golf Club….the list goes on & on.

The Famous Indiana Corn Fields- DELICIOUS:)