Before we booked this trip, I was pretty convinced that a weekend in the Midwest might just mean heavy food and flat landscapes. But Indianapolis has always held a really special place in my heart. My dad has been a die-hard Indianapolis Colts fan for as long as I can remember, and I grew up cheering for the team in oversized blue jerseys no matter where we were living. So, when it came time to plan a quick family getaway for Dillan, our four-year-old son, and me, we knew we had to finally experience the city that started it all.
After spending 3-days there, my perspective on the city shifted. Yes, it’s a massive sports hub, but from our experience, it’s also an incredibly welcoming, family-friendly destination with a food scene that completely blew us away. We didn’t want to feel like we were constantly compromising on what we wanted to do just because we were traveling with our four-year-old son, and Indy made that balance so easy.
Here is my honest breakdown of exactly where we ate, shopped, and explored, and what you can realistically expect if you plan your own family trip.
The Food Scene
I went into this trip expecting classic Midwest pub grub, but the culinary side of the city was genuinely impressive. My biggest piece of advice? Don’t hold back on the local cafes and farm-to-table spots!!
Borage: We stopped at this beautiful cafe, and I am still thinking about their cinnamon roll… it was massive, warm, and perfectly ooey-gooey. I had the Gooey Gobbler sandwich, while Dillan had their burger of the month, which came with the most incredible crispy fries. Their coffee and drinks were also incredible. Borage has an ever changing menu that is inspired by the offerings from the local farms they order directly from. They are known to sell out of their baked goods early, so if you want to get your hands on (dare I say) one of the best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever had the pleasure of tasting be sure to get their early on the weekends!
Traders Point Creamery: This was a massive hit for our whole family. It’s an actual working dairy farm with a romantic 19th-century dairy barn. After letting our son run through the vine tunnels and watch the cows, we enjoyed a delicious dinner in their beautiful dining room. We shared a cheese board with cheese made right on their farm and a fresh heirloom tomato salad. I grabbed a fantastic grass-fed burger with bacon, and they had amazing house pastas, including a baked mac and cheese that our son absolutely devoured. The best part may have been the dessert… since the restaurant sits right on an organic dairy farm, we were treated to house made ice cream, milkshakes, and sundaes all from the freshest milk and cream possible.
Bluebeard: We also managed to squeeze in a stop at Bluebeard. A quaint farm-to-table restaurant that is also a James Beard semifinalist. The aesthetic is trendy and welcoming, and all items on their menu are scratch-made with seasonal ingredients. A great place to share different plates and indulge a little. Their sandwiches were phenomenal, the prime rib sando is a must try. We also had this rich, decadent chocolate cake for dessert that was worth every single calorie.
Places to Explore
Canal Walk at White River State Park: Located just a short 15 minute stroll from the downtown centre is the White River State Park. Here you can take a walk along the beautiful canal. It’s totally free, super stroller-friendly, and a great way to take in the downtown skyline without dealing with traffic. It felt so safe and stress-free, which is exactly what you want when wrangling a four-year-old near water. 4-wheel Surrey, city bike, and electric bike rentals are also available for a fun way to explore the park. Here you will also find the Indiana State Museum and the Indianapolis Zoo!
Broad Ripple Farmer’s Market: We love wandering around local markets when we travel because we get to see all the local artisan made goods and see the unique vendors! We checked out the Broad Ripple Farmer’s market, and the stalls were packed with fresh fruits and vegetables, colorful local flowers, bake goods, and small-batch skincare. We grabbed a few baked goods and a fresh juice for our son and just enjoyed the morning stroll.
The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis: Okay, this place is legendary for a reason. You know you’re in for a treat when you pull up and see massive dinosaurs physically breaking out of the building’s exterior! We got there right when it opened to beat the crowds, and we spent hours just exploring. It is completely interactive and kept our son engaged the entire time. The Dinosphere and Take Me to Peru exhibit are phenomenal! The museum reminds me of what you would dream up as a kid, endless places to explore with lots of hands on fun!
The Sports Legends Experience: This was the absolute highlight of the trip for me. Located right outside the Children’s Museum, it’s a massive outdoor sports area with equipment in kids sizes! Seeing our son run around on the mini Colts football field was such a full-circle moment for me and my family’s lifelong fandom. I definitely teared up seeing him live out his dream of being a Colt! There are also kid sized arenas for hockey, baseball, tennis and basketball for them to explore and tire themselves out. The huge “tree house” climbing apparatus they have outside is a great bonus! You can easily spend hours here (both kids and adults).
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum: You absolutely cannot visit Indy without experiencing the racing culture. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum recently reopened after a massive $60.5 million renovation, and it is spectacular. The space is completely interactive now, featuring a “Starting Line Experience” that wraps you in an immersive video to show you what race day actually feels like. My husband Dillan even got to test his skills on their state-of-the-art racing simulators. But the one MUST DO for us was booking the “Kiss the Bricks” tour. It’s a 30-minute narrated bus tour that takes you on a full lap around the famous 2.5-mile oval track. You actually get to get off the bus at the start-finish line to kneel down and kiss the historic 1909 yard of bricks, just like the race-winning drivers do. Our four-year-old son thought it was the funniest thing in the world to kiss the ground, and as a major bonus for parents on a budget, kids aged five and under get into the museum completely for free!
Events
Colts Game: No trip to Indy in the Fall/Winter months would be complete without experiencing an actual NFL game at Lucas Oil Stadium! I think everyone needs to put this on their bucket list! Beyond the electric energy of the crowd and the sheer fun of cheering alongside a sea of blue, the stadium food completely redefines what you expect from sports arena dining. Instead of the usual boring hot dogs and stale popcorn, they serve up some of the absolute best, most creative eats you will find in any venue across the country. The Taco Nachos are divine, do not skip these!
An Evening Out at a Broadway Show: If you have a chance to check out the lineup via Broadway in Indianapolis, definitely look into catching a touring production at iconic local venues like Clowes Memorial Hall or the Murat Theatre at Old National Centre. Experiencing a world-class theatrical show right in the heart of the Circle City adds such a fun layer to your trip!
Where to Stay
Boutique Style: Bottleworks Hotel
- Swanky and historic. Located inside a former Coca-Cola bottling plant, it features incredible art deco architecture, industrial-chic details, and a vibrant social scene right downstairs at the Bottleworks Garage Food Hall and nearby Mass Ave. It was named the #1 boutique hotel in the USA by USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.
Geared Towards Adults: Conrad Indianapolis
- Sleek, upscale, and sophisticated. Connected to the Circle Centre Mall and downtown’s best dining, it features a modern luxury spa, an impressive curated art gallery on-site, and a chic wine bar making it ideal for a high-end couples’ weekend or date-night focused getaway.
Geared Towards Families: Homewood Suites by Hilton Indianapolis Downtown IUPUI
- Spacious, practical, and comfortable. Because you’re traveling with a little one, the all-suite setup gives you separate living and sleeping areas, plus full kitchens or kitchenettes to store snacks. It also features an indoor pool to help burn off extra energy and offers a complimentary hot breakfast to start busy sightseeing days easily.
Sitting here unpacking the new outfits we picked up at Lunch Money for Theodore, I’m just so glad we finally made this weekend happen. I spent my entire childhood watching Colts games with my dad, but getting to watch our four-year-old run around that mini turf in his own jersey and go to his first NFL game was a totally different kind of magic.
I really thought we were just going for the football nostalgia, but Indy completely won us over with the food, the vibrant neighborhoods, and how genuinely easy it was to navigate with a toddler in tow. It’s not always easy taking a little one on a busy city break, but we never once felt like we had to compromise on having a great trip just to keep him entertained.
If you’ve been on the fence about visiting Indianapolis, take this as your sign to just go. You might be completely surprised by what you find and at the very least, I promise you won’t leave hungry!
Have you guys ever explored Indianapolis? Let me know your favorite spots in the comments, because I have a feeling this won’t be our last trip back!
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