Indiana · United States
Where to stay in Indianapolis
Indianapolis is a city in Indiana, United States, home to about 888,000 people.
- Nearest airport
- IND13 km · Indianapolis International Airport
- Currency
- USDUnited States dollar
- Time zone
- America/Indiana/Indianapolis
- Language
- Carolinian, Chamorro, Hawaiian
About
About Indianapolis
Indianapolis ( IN-dee-ə-NAP-əl-iss), colloquially known as Indy, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County. Indianapolis is situated in the state's central till plain region along the west fork of the White River.
The population is roughly 882,000 (2022), making it the 16th largest city in the United States, and the metro area has about 2 million (#34). When Indianapolis was founded, it was expected to be a "Great Inland Port", but the White River turned out to be non-navigable most of the year. The pay-off is that this desire for a port left the city with a gorgeous canal district, though the canal itself is only useful for recreational kayaks and paddleboats. Today, Indianapolis is known as the "Crossroads of America" due to its centrality in America's Interstate Highway System.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Indianapolis
See
The tallest building in Indianapolis is the Salesforce Tower, standing at 830 ft, followed by the OneAmerica Tower which is 533 ft and the Regions Tower standing at a height of 504 ft. The fourth and fifth are the Market Tower 421 ft and 300 North Meridian at 408 ft. Other skyscrapers include the BMO Plaza 401 ft and the JW Marriott Indianapolis 376 ft, which is the tallest hotel in the state and the largest JW Marriott in the world. All skyscrapers are in a relatively compact cluster downtown.
- Indiana State Capitol
- Soldiers & Sailor's Monument
- Indiana War Memorial & Museum
- Scottish Rite Cathedral
- Indianapolis Zoo
- Crown Hill Cemetery
- The American Legion National Headquarters
- Garfield Park Conservatory
- Congressional Medal of Honor Memorial
- Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium
- Oldfields–Lilly House & Gardens
- Indiana 9/11 Memorial
Do
- The Indianapolis 500
- Vintage Indiana Wine & Food Fest
- Eiteljorg Indian Market
- Old Settlers Day and Classic Car Show
- Indiana Black Expo Summer Celebration
- Indianapolis International Film Festival
- Indiana State Fair
- Gen-Con
- Indy Fringe Festival
- Oktoberfest
- International Violin Competition
- Indy Jazz Fest
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Indianapolis to stay in
There are many national/international hotel/motel chains in town; listed below are some more unique and/or regionally owned operations.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Indianapolis
21 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| JW Marriott Indianapolis | 2011 | 0.9 km |
| Omni Severin Hotel Omni Hotels & Resorts | 1913 | 0.6 km |
| Conrad Indianapolis | 2006 | 0.2 km |
| Fletcher Trust Building | 1915 | 0.1 km |
| Hilton Indianapolis Hilton Worldwide | 1971 | 0.2 km |
| Hyatt Regency Indianapolis | 1977 | 0.4 km |
| Hotel Washington | 0.2 km | |
| Le Méridien Indianapolis Hotel | 1858 | 0.4 km |
| Marriott Indianapolis | 2001 | 0.6 km |
| Maynard K. Hine Hall and University Tower | 1987 | 1.6 km |
| Sheffield Inn | 1.3 km | |
| Spink Arms Hotel | 0.2 km | |
| Crowne Plaza Indianapolis Downtown Union Station | 1996 | 0.7 km |
| Heier's Hotel | 0.7 km | |
| Hilton Garden Inn Indianapolis Downtown | 0.1 km | |
| Homewood Suites by Hilton Indianapolis-Downtown | 0.5 km | |
| Residence Inn by Marriott Indianapolis Downtown on the Canal | 1997 | 0.7 km |
| Sheraton Indianapolis City Centre | 1969 | 0.1 km |
| Westin Indianapolis | 1989 | 0.5 km |
| Crowne Plaza Indianapolis-Dwtn-Union Stn | 0.7 km | |
| The Alexander, A Dolce Hotel | 0.8 km |
All 21 hotels in Indianapolis, with their history and operators
When to go
The best time to visit Indianapolis
Indianapolis has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 30 °C; June is the wettest, with about 127 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Indianapolis: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Indianapolis International Airport (IND), about 13 km from the city centre in a straight line; Purdue University Airport (LAF, 98 km) is also within reach.
Getting in
Indianapolis is known as the "Crossroads of America" for a good reason. Interstates 65, 69, 70, and 74 meet here. The city's outer belt is I-465. Travel directly through the city on I-70 (east and west) or I-65 (north and south). Direct travel using I-69 or I-74 is not possible; both are routed around the center of the city on I-465. Interstates 65 and 70 intersect at a region known as "the split" south of downtown. There is also a ramp onto Washington Street, which is the main east–west artery in the city. Traffic here can be extremely busy and construction is routine.
Getting around
Outside of the walkable Downtown and some Cultural Districts, you'll need a vehicle to navigate the urban sprawl. The public bus system is fairly clean and efficient but routes are sometimes complex, and substantial portions of the metro area are inaccessible. Outside of peak hours, waits can be prohibitively long. Bike lanes alongside major roads have been constructed in the early 2010s, so cyclists will be sharing the road.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
IND · Indianapolis International Airport
LAF · Purdue University Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Indianapolis
Stay safe
Indianapolis is a generally safe city, but some areas of the city are prone to crime. The downtown center of the city is very safe, but the inner-loop (inside I-465) suburbs can be dangerous in certain areas. The biggest exceptions to this are Northern Indianapolis (directly north of downtown) and much of the Eastside, particularly the Far Eastside. The Near Eastside is made up of a patchwork of neighborhoods which are generally safe and have historic buildings interspersed with some urban blight as a product of White Flight. The Near Eastside has been recovering in the 21st century and the break-up of some organized crime rings in the 2010s has had an uneven effect on crime.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Indianapolis: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Indianapolis?
Indianapolis has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 30 °C; June is the wettest, with about 127 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Indianapolis?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Indianapolis International Airport (IND), about 13 km from the city centre in a straight line; Purdue University Airport (LAF, 98 km) is also within reach.
What currency is used in Indianapolis?
United States dollar (USD).
Nearby
Destinations near Indianapolis
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.