There are many things to do in the Indianapolis and central Indiana area. Both outdoor and indoor activities are available, so no matter what season it is there is usually something to do.
For starters, Indiana’s many state parks are very well maintained and feature lovely scenery in all four seasons. They are usually cheap to get into and are even free of charge on some days. Eagle Creek is one of these state parks and is located just 19 minutes outside of downtown Indianapolis. The park features a large waterfront for kayaking, paddle boarding and boating, while also featuring a large amount of lengthy trails. The park is very densely wooded as well, and offers many pleasing sights.
Another good state park near Indianapolis is Fort Harrison. While it is a bit further, being 24 minutes from downtown, it is worth the extra few minutes. The park is fairly large and offers horse stables, biking trails, walking trails, a creek and a pond for fishing. The park is spacious and densely wooded. Even in the winter this park is still worth a visit as it features a steep hill that is very good for sledding once it is coated in snow.
In downtown itself, Massachusetts Avenue is also well worth a visit as it features a large amount of restaurants and shops. Located on Mass Ave is the Bottleworks district. This contains an extremely large food court and also an old Coca Cola factory that has been converted into a hotel.
Both Lucas Oil Stadium and Gainbridge Fieldhouse are worth a visit as well. While hosting major league teams in the NBA and the NFL, many concerts and events come, perform and take place at these venues. Lucas Oil even features an opening and closing roof, so no matter what season, guests, performers and players are always comfortable.
The Indianapolis Zoo is also well worth a visit. It covers a large area and features many different types of animals from many regions of the world and genetic families. The zoo features many sections that are divided up based on what type of animals they contain. For example, animals from the African continent are all grouped into a plain and safari area. Animals like sharks and sea lions are grouped into an aquatic area. One could easily fill up a whole day going from exhibit to exhibit and experiencing all that the zoo has to offer.
Monument Circle is a staple of Indianapolis’s downtown area as it can easily be seen from many connecting and converging streets. In the wintertime, thousands of lights are strung up from the top of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument to the ground below and are lit up. There is even a celebration centering around the lighting of the monument. Monument Circle is also worth walking around as it features many shops and restaurants.
While certainly not on the same caliber of other midwestern cities such as Chicago or St. Louis, Indianapolis and its surrounding areas feature many worthwhile activities.