Visit Indianapolis as a Family

Find out what we think are the best things to see and do in Indianapolis on your family visit

Attractions to fit any family’s preferences, delicious food and more make Indianapolis a great destination for a road trip

There are many great cities just a short drive from Champaign-Urbana, Indianapolis winning the prize for the closest big city to home. Taking a break from our quaint college town nestled among the cornfields, we love the hustle and bustle that comes with visiting a city we can enjoy together as a family. Let’s talk about what makes Indianapolis a great place for a day trip or a weekend away.

Editor’s note: We’re updating this article as we know many people are headed over to Indianapolis to watch the Illini in the Final Four! We’ve added some of the special events happening to celebrate the Final Four in Indianapolis on our calendar (note – many of these are FREE and don’t require a game ticket to enter).

Things to Know

Indianapolis is the largest city in the state of Indiana and is a city of over 800,000 people as of the 2018 census. When you factor in surrounding suburbs, the city offers even more opportunities to explore. The trip to Indianapolis takes almost exactly two hours from Champaign-Urbana, depending on where you’re heading in the city.

Where to Stay

Indianapolis is a large city and there are a lot of different options to set up as “home base” if you plan to make this an overnight adventure. The priciest hotels are found throughout downtown and in surrounding areas. The airport is located southwest of the city, so if you are staying before a flight you will want to choose something on that side.

Planning to do a lot of shopping? Find hotels near Keystone at the Crossing or in the nearby suburbs of Fishers or Carmel. With some exceptions, of course, the further you stay from downtown, the less expensive your hotel may be, with hotels to the south and the east costing less than the north or west.

What to Do: Top Outdoor Picks

You can visit Indianapolis any time of year (in fact, there are great reasons to visit in the winter), so we’re going to include both outdoor and indoor picks.

The Indianapolis Zoo is a great destination and even has a roller coaster! The zoo tops our list for outdoor fun, all year long. For deals, look at Martin Luther King Jr. Day and select other days of the year.
Conner Prairie in Fishers might be one of our favorite nature/history stops in the Midwest. With so many special events throughout the year and all kinds of great things to do any time of year (nature trails, museum and live-action learning), families will enjoy a visit to Conner Prairie with kids of all ages.
The Riley Children’s Health Sports Legends Experience at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum is a playground for your biggest sports fanatics. Open March-October. (You’ll find this museum in our indoor picks too. It is just that remarkable!)
Newfields is a great place to visit in spring, summer and fall, with its gorgeous grounds and beautiful gardens. Kids can get out some of their wiggles, although the house tour is definitely more for grownups. One of my favorite places: the orchid greenhouse. There is an admission fee to see the traditional gardens and the museum, but the co-located Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park — “a living sculpture park focused on experimentation, public interaction, and community engagement” – is always free.
For more outdoor options, check out the options presented by our friends at Indy with Kids.

What to Do: Top Indoor Picks

Because the weather doesn’t always cooperate, or you may find yourself visiting the city in the middle of winter, you’ll be glad to know there are lots of things to do indoors.

The Indianapolis Children’s Museum takes the prize here, hands down. With a hefty price tag to enter, we can assure you this is not your typical children’s museum. It is the largest children’s museum in the world, with some of the most impressive exhibits you can ever dream up. For deals, look for announcements around Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Presidents’ Day; you have to reserve free tickets online ahead of time and they will all be claimed before the day arrives.
Go shopping! This is one of the top things we hear Champaign-Urbana families travel to Indy to do. If you want to hit some big-city stores, head to The Fashion Mall at Keystone for the ease of traveling in and out and parking; we also like the Clay Terrace Mall in Carmel. If you want more of an urban feel, hit the boutique shops in Broad Ripple, an Indianapolis neighborhood closer to downtown.
More overlap on our lists, but Conner Prairie is a great indoor option, too. The “back in time” experiences are an immersive museum experience for your family.
Did you know that Indianapolis is the home of the NCAA? If your family is sports-obsessed, it’s worth a stop to see the NCAA Hall of Champions.
For more options for playing indoors, check out the experts (and our dear friends!) at Indy with Kids, the BEST website for families in the Indianapolis area.

Where to Eat

We love brunch in Indianapolis. Two favorites are Cafe Patachou (with loads of vegan options, if that’s something you look f0r) and Milktooth (one of the best brunches of our lives).
We often crave what we can’t have at home, and Jewish deli food tops the list. Shapiro’s Delicatessen is worth the drive all on its own. Some liken Shapiro’s to Manny’s in Chicago; we just know we love the “finest corned beef sandwich in the world,” according to USA Today. The matzo ball soup is top notch too! Very close to downtown, but has its own parking lot (conveniently).
Another reason we hear of Champaign-Urbana families traveling to Indianapolis is to enjoy one of the Cake Bake Shop locations (there are two). But make a reservation before you drive — it often does not have walk-ins available, especially on weekends.
The Garage Food Hall (above) is one of the best urban food halls we’ve ever encountered. It literally has something for everyone. Lobster? Check. Brazilian? Check. Greek? Yup. And plenty of kid-friendly options, too.
Indianapolis is full of chain restaurant favorites, which we won’t list here. But if you’re looking for your nearest Cheesecake Factory, you’ve found it in Indy. We also love First Watch, a chain that is only in select cities and harder to find.

Matzo Ball Soup closeup at Shapiro’s. Chambanamoms.com photo

Other Things to Consider

Indianapolis during the holiday season is a treat! Many outdoor ice skating options and an incredible Christkindlmarket in Carmel that can’t be missed. While Indy is definitely close enough to be a day trip, your plans to make it a weekend will not be regretted.