Indianapolis is a city located within the state of Indiana. It is both the largest city in the state and also, somewhat fittingly, serves as the State Capital. The city has a population of some 855, 000 residents which makes it the 2nd most populous city in the American Midwest and the 15th most populous in the United States as a whole.
Indianapolis is a popular destination for tourists and other visitors, with around 27.4 million visitors recorded in 2015. These tourists and visitors injected over $4.5 billion into the local economy, making tourism one of the most important local industries.
Obviously with that amount of happy visitors pouring into the city every year, it’s pretty obvious there must be some great attractions in this city. Well, if you’re planning a trip to see for yourself, here are some of Indiana’s highlights.
The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
The largest children’s museum in the world, it attracts over 1.2 million visitors per year. Spread over five floors and covering a total exhibition space of 470,000 square feet this museum is epic is scale. Not only is it impressively huge however, it also prides itself on being an interactive museum. Exhibits are not locked away behind glass – rather most of the exhibitions are designed to be interactive, making this is a fun and educational day out for families.
Indianapolis Zoo
Now opened for over fifty years, Indianapolis zoo is spread over 64 acres of land. It boasts approximately 3,800 animals representing some 280 species. The zoo also includes an onsite aquarium and a magnificent botanical garden, making it a truly appealing attraction for all lovers of the natural world.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum
What would you expect from a city that hosts one of the most famous motor races in the entire world? This museum celebrates all aspects of motor racing history however somewhat understandably its emphasis is heavily on the Indy 500. In particular it is well worth seeing the extensive collection of vintage racing cars held within the museum. This includes over 30 cars that have won the Indy 500 at one stage or another – including the winner of the very first race in 1911.
Indiana State Museum
If you wish to learn a little more about the city and state in which you are vacationing then, the Indian State Museum could be the place for you. The museum charts the culture, history art and culture of the city and the surrounding state dating all the way back to prehistoric times.
Indianapolis City Market
Indianapolis is also home to a burgeoning food scene, and nowhere is this more concentrated than amongst the stalls and small shops of the Indianapolis City Market. This indoor market has been proudly serving up some of the best food and the freshest ingredients to the citizens of Indianapolis for over 130 years.
This is really just a tiny snapshot of all that this wonderful city has to offer – if you want to experience it all, you’ll just have to make your next vacation getaway in Indianapolis!