The first word association on everyone’s mind when they hear the word “Indy” is obvious: “500”. Even a complete non-sports-or-competition-aware person like myself thinks that. But Indianapolis is so much more than that, which is why I wanted to write this little guide to Indy here.

The city is, in fact, known far and wide for its stadiums and sports. It’s the home of the Pacers (a basketball team, I am informed), and the Colts (football).

But touchdowns and laps were not on my mind when I finally got to visit Indy; I had arrived with a very different goal. Because as a New Yorker who spent much of my adult life in Los Angeles, I had – stereotypically – not seen much (or any) of the Midwest. I had traveled throughout the deserts and parks of the Southwest, up and down the East Coast, and to over 50 countries, but places a couple of states over remained disturbingly unknown to me.

And I wanted that to change, to see places like Indianapolis for myself. Which is when Visit Indy fortuitously reached out, and so I got behind the wheel of my car and drove 12 hours to the state’s capital.

Thank you to Visit Indy for this press trip; as always, all opinions expressed here are my own.

The Monuments of Indianapolis

Here’s something I never knew about Indianapolis: it has more memorials and monuments than any U.S. city except Washington D.C. My bike exploration of Indy started with the Soldiers & Sailors Monument, originally built to honor the fallen Hoosiers who served in the Civil War, and now commemorating local soldiers who perished in all wars before World War I.

The monument is insanely tall – 284 feet and 6 inches, to be exact – which makes it just 15 feet shorter than the insanely enormous Statue of Liberty.

While biking and walking around Indy, I also came across the American Legion Mall, Veterans Memorial Plaza, and the USS Indianapolis Memorial, which commemorates the very last ship to sink in World War II, and all those who died on board.

The memorials make for both impressive structures in the central, downtown area of Indy, as well as providing a fair amount of public space for locals on the numerous malls, for example. I also found them reflective of a city that respects its history, its people, and its legacy. But what intrigued me most was some of the city’s less towering structures…

Urban Renewal: What to Do When a City’s Industry Shifts

One of the best parts of being in the Midwest is getting back to hearty, filling, delicious food. On my first day, I stopped by Milktooth for brunch. Situated in an old Plymouth dealership built in 1933, the garage had been beautifully remodeled into a warm, welcoming, yet casual restaurant.

The cooks were fully visible behind the line, joking and frying up dishes, while I enjoyed my brown butter latte and waffle, covered with syrup, butter, and bacon bits.

But what impressed me most is the renovation of a formerly derelict space into something vibrant and new. This is part of what I was curious about in the Rust Belt states. For those outside the U.S., states like Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana were deeply impacted by the outsourcing of the manufacturing and auto industries, previously some of the most bustling occupations within their borders. Outside of these states, there seems to be a tacit acceptance along the lines of, “industry is dead, it is what it is”. And that never sat right with me.

So I wanted to see what the cities who had experienced a reversal in fortune were doing to reinvigorate their communities and spaces. And I have to say, Indy impressed me – they weren’t going to take the shifts of time lying down. And Milktooth was just one example…

Bottleworks District

Every guide to Indy will tell you to visit Bottleworks. What is it? A former Coca Cola bottling plant founded in the 1920s – in fact, the largest bottling plant in the world, employing 260 workers by its peak in the 1940s – this building has gone through many iterations over time, after people started preferring cans and Coca-Cola bottles went out of fashion for the most part.

From 1964 to 1968 it served as storage for Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony Hulman’s car collection, then it belonged to Indianapolis Public Schools, before eventually, in the late 2010s, changing ownership and being remodeled into a space that would serve tourists and locals alike; a combination hotel, food hall, shopping area, with a movie theater, arcade bars, and honestly, almost anything you might want in a one-stop-shop entertainment destination.

The factory was big enough that the entire area around it is now known as the Bottleworks District. What I really loved was the preservation of many of the original factory’s Art Deco flourishes and tilework, intricately designed railings and chandeliers, as well as details that pay homage to the building’s former use as a bottling plant.

My favorite part was the food hall, and not only because I was starving after a morning of biking around Indianapolis, but because I was surprised at the sheer diversity of food options. My ignorant coastal self, for some reason, didn’t imagine that Indy would have the number of immigrant communities and influences it does.

Over 10% of the local population comes from central American countries and central African countries, with a significant immigrant community from Myanmar and Haiti, among many others.

When you start walking through the food hall, where you will see everything from Brazilian street food and arepas to Pakistani-Indian inspired Chapati Beta, and even a contribution from my people – Mama Fofos’ Greek spot – you truly understand that people from not only all over the U.S., but all over the world are living and thriving in Indy. And bringing a lot of delicious food with them.

Public Space and Community Pride

By far, what struck me most about Indianapolis is how much the people who lived there generally loved it. Though the city has experienced a bit of an exodus in recent decades due to the decline of its industries, a lot of local leaders, and many who have moved back, seek to reverse it.

And so far, it appears they’re having some success. While the population of the core city has stayed relatively stable in the last couple of years, the metro area grew by 2.2% between 2020 and 2023 – adding 45,000 people.

My own guide to Indy was born, raised, and loving it there. She told me about how she loved the mid-sized city feel (Indy has a total population of 840,000), the abundance of nature just a drive away from the city for the weekend, from the lakes to the north to the dunes of the south. Not to mention, White River State Park housed right within the city limits, as well as the trails around White River itself, pictured above.

To her, and to most people I met, Indianapolis felt like a familiar, caring, comfortable place.

Fountain Square

Nowhere is this more apparent than in Fountain Square, the warm, strollable, people-oriented neighborhood of the city, full of indie shops, bars, eateries, and entertainment venues. About a 10-minute bike ride from Indy’s more business-oriented downtown area, Fountain Square is a great place to spend a weekend afternoon and evening.

I stopped in vintage record shops, boutique clothing stores, and passed by posters advertising upcoming concerts and shows. The old brick buildings here give a sense of history, some dating back to the end of the 19th century, giving you an idea of how long this part of Indy has been around.

Though the vibe and style of the shops were welcoming to everyone, it was equally clear to me that a lot of the businesses here were aimed towards younger generations, a vibrant part of Indy where friends in their 20s and 30s can easily come together and spend hours.

Landmarks include the Fountain Square Theatre, originally built in 1928 as a Vaudeville theater and cinema space, which now houses restaurants, bars, duckpin bowling, and is also used as a pretty unique wedding venue.

Benjamin Harrison House

Switching from biking to walking, I stopped at the house of former President Benjamin Harrison. Because in a weird way, it was very representative of Indianapolis itself.

As the curator told me – paraphrased – “we know he’s not the most prominent or greatest U.S. President, but he did some good things, and we like to highlight that”. Very in line with the local Indianapolis pride that really made me fall in love with the city.

And by the way….Harrison did do some great things! He was the 23rd and also centennial President (getting elected one hundred years after George Washington). Harrison passed the Sherman Antitrust Act to curb the emerging power of monopolies, designated many natural and forest reserves, and oversaw the admittance of six new states into the country: North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Washington, Idaho, and Wyoming.

His house is a great insight into his tenure, and his life as the only president from the state of Indiana. It’s obvious in the various rooms you will walk through, led by a tour guide, that Harrison was a real Midwestern family man, spending lots of time with his wife, children, and several grandchildren, even when he was serving as President. Unfortunately, his wife passed away towards the end of his term; and Harrison then lost re-election.

However, going back home to Indianapolis to spend time with his family, away from politicians and Washington, DC, was hardly regarded as a loss by Harrison. As he told several friends after he left the White House, it felt like he had been freed from prison, as he always preferred the company of his family in his home city. Even centuries ago, Indy locals apparently never wanted to be far from home too long.

The Appeal of Life in Smaller Cities

As I’ve entered life in my 30s, I’ve had a mindset shift. In my 20s, I wanted to be in a city that I thought of as the “center of the world”. A New York, an LA, a London, etc. And I still do love those cities, as I have lived in all of them, don’t get me wrong.

But as I slowed down in life, and started paying more attention to my daily quality of life, I began to really see the appeal of living in a somewhat smaller community. I still want my amenities of course – entertainment and dining options, things to do on the weekend, etc. But now I like being in neighborhoods where people are a little more…neighborly. I like having a more manageable area to navigate; I like being in a place that more people call a real home instead of a temporary one.

And Indy clearly wants its people to build a home here for life.

The AMP and 16 Tech

Spaces like 16 Tech and the AMP are laid out to not only encourage more people to put down roots and grow businesses in Indianapolis, but also to help those born and raised in the city who have faced challenges, thrive. The AMP, for example, is a massive food hall…but it’s so much more than that.

First of all, it also falls under the umbrella of burgeoning spaces and businesses repurposing old Indy structures; the AMP is located in the old service bay of the Indianapolis Water Company. It makes use of its “industrial” vibe by integrating shipping containers and an open-air bar among its food stalls.

Besides showcasing delicious flavors from local chefs, the AMP also hosts a restaurant accelerator called Melon Kitchens, specifically for Black chefs looking to move on up in the culinary world.

Its adjacent space – 16 Tech – hosts coworking spaces and startups dedicated to all fields, but especially helpful for those working in science and innovation. After all, it’s right next to the Indiana University of Medicine, the largest medical school in the country, and several healthcare companies. Did you know Indy was a hub for science, medicine, and tech? I sure didn’t.

Building an Inclusive, Supportive Community

Thanks to Visit Indy, I was lucky enough to be led through the space by Jacqueline, part of the 16 Tech team, and her colleagues, to get real insight into the organization’s values and methods of operation.

16 Tech has several aims: to foster collaboration between the creatives, innovators, academics, and corporations using its space and resources, to create an inclusive space and make sure it is enriching and supporting the area around it, and to attract more businesses and talent to the central Indiana area. Most big developments in urban areas don’t seem to care what’s happening in the neighborhoods on their doorstep at all, so 16 Tech’s approach is a welcome breath of fresh air.

Like I said, in Indy, I got the sense that people really do care about supporting their communities and helping locals thrive.

So how does the organization go about its aims? Well, the 16 Tech Community Investment Fund supports resident-endorsed projects that have a positive impact on the growth and vitality of the people and places around 16 Tech itself, via education, workforce training, beautification and infrastructure projects, as well as support for local businesses.

That’s in addition to the home it provides for people to start projects of their own, using other local talent around them to brainstorm, innovate, and be inspired.

My Takeaway From Indy

Indianapolis is not trying to be the biggest, flashiest city…because that’s not what it’s about.

Of the multiple cool experiences I had in Indy, and the interesting, rejuvenated, forward-thinking places I visited, I think what stayed with me the most is the people. How much they care about their city, are working hard to see it do better than ever, and want everyone, local and incoming alike, to keep moving up and improving the city. It creates a sense of community; of hospitality; of care.

Sure, Indy also has a lot of cool nooks and nature and things to do, intriguing history, not to mention Hoosier pride. But best of all, even though I haven’t lived there, I get the feeling it would be hard to feel truly alone in Indianapolis.

I get why people want to move to places like that, places where they don’t feel like another nameless human being in a crowd, places where they feel like they can walk and bike around to their regular spots, while still finding cool new corners to explore, and most of all, places where they feel they can have a real impact on the neighborhood around them.

I see the beauty of life in Indianapolis. I think you should too.

Have you been to Indianapolis? What did you think? For more posts on U.S. cities, check out my neighborhood guide to Los Angeles, or the best things to do in Palm Springs!