Nice article about Indianapolis as a vacation destination. (Columbus, Fishers: income, live)

[Broadrippleguy]

Great Urban Weekend Escapes: Indianapolis - Forbes

pretty good article. sums up the city very well
read it and let me know what you think!

[Toxic Toast]

I think it sums up he appeal of Indianapolis well.................spend 3 days in Indy and leave before you get bored.

I am of course kidding, sort of....

It is nice to see some of the underrated stuff highlighted. I always wonder what the folks are doing who are convinced there is nothing here. Anyone who thinks Indianapolis is nothing but strip malls and Applebee's is blind.

[indy18]

Originally Posted by Toxic Toast

I think it sums up he appeal of Indianapolis well.................spend 3 days in Indy and leave before you get bored.

I am of course kidding, sort of....

It is nice to see some of the underrated stuff highlighted. I always wonder what the folks are doing who are convinced there is nothing here. Anyone who thinks Indianapolis is nothing but strip malls and Applebee's is blind.

Agreed. I chuckle anytime I hear someone say that Indianapolis is nothing but "Chain city U.S.A." I haven't lived here for a very long time, but I have already found a bunch of delicious local restaurants of all sorts of ethnic genres. Pick up an "Indianapolis Monthly" while mixing in some google searches and you will find plenty of unique local restaurants in Indy.

And that's just the food. Indy can obviously hold it's own against any city as far as museums are concerned. The IMA is a jaw-dropping place and it is FREE (except for the special exhibits). You don't even have to go inside the museum. A walk around the "100 acres" is also a very enjoyable experience.

[missik999]

The Children's Museum has been rated the best in the country. We always suggest a visit there to our out-of-state guests.

Unfortunately it is no longer free as it was when I was growing up.

I have never understood why the chain restaurants are always packed here. My coworkers will come in to work complaining about having to wait an hour or two hours for a table at Outback or Applebees. I always recommend the local places, and offer the latest issue of Indianapolis Monthly to visitors.

[IndyBound75]

Good article. I don't get why so many people slam Indianapolis as plain and uneventful. I haven't visited yet in person, I've only seen what was in the official tour guide, but just from that there seems to be a plethora of choices for food and activity. WAY more than Petoskey, MI.

[domergurl]

I've always maintained that Indianapolis is NICE.

[WILWRadio]

Chain restaurants in Indy. I suspect so many of them cropped up there due to the fact that it has a number of major highways going through it. People passing through an area want a quick bite to eat and the easiest way to accomplish it without having to sit down is going to a fast food joint within a mile of a highway exit.

I spent a couple of days in Indy in 1989. Back then I saw the potential the region had and I am not all that surprised to see what it has become. Chains restaurants aside, it is just a matter of time before more local eateries open up and gain a loyal following as they establish themselves and compete with the corporate entities.

[bertrandandjules]

Hasn't Indy always been a big test market? That's one reason all the chain restaurants come here, and--let's face it--with all their flashy, fancy signage, they stand out a lot more. Indy is a great test market because the demographics and income come so close to reflecting the American norm. Most small restaurants looking to branch out beyond their original location will try cutting their teeth in a city that represents a statistical sample, and Indy is a great place for that. I don't know Columbus OH all that well, but it seems that outside of the trendy Short North area near OSU (which has tons of local restaurants), the rest of the city has lots of chains as well. And they've even got chains that Indy doesn't have yet, like Tim Horton's and (until recently) Potbelly.

But even on the chain-heavy southside of Indy, I'd still bet that, if you look a bit harder, the non-chain restaurants consist of 50% or even more of the total. They aren't going to jump out because the logo isn't familiar the way Applebee's or Olive Garden is.

[WILWRadio]

Originally Posted by bertrandandjules

Hasn't Indy always been a big test market? That's one reason all the chain restaurants come here, and--let's face it--with all their flashy, fancy signage, they stand out a lot more. Indy is a great test market because the demographics and income come so close to reflecting the American norm. Most small restaurants looking to branch out beyond their original location will try cutting their teeth in a city that represents a statistical sample, and Indy is a great place for that. I don't know Columbus OH all that well, but it seems that outside of the trendy Short North area near OSU (which has tons of local restaurants), the rest of the city has lots of chains as well. And they've even got chains that Indy doesn't have yet, like Tim Horton's and (until recently) Potbelly.

But even on the chain-heavy southside of Indy, I'd still bet that, if you look a bit harder, the non-chain restaurants consist of 50% or even more of the total. They aren't going to jump out because the logo isn't familiar the way Applebee's or Olive Garden is.

Columbus was and probably still is known as "Test Market USA". At one time this city could always be counted on to be included in some kind of national study for marketing products or trends. They also used to say it had a "perfect 20" economy because no more than one single industry dominated the economy with more than about 20% of the jobs in that region.

Indy is probably viewed as an average mid American city with average tastes but I don't know if it is viewed as being as average as Columbus is or was. I don't know if Indy participated in very many of the product studies like the Columbus area.

[ischyros]

Indy does have a lot of chains but what big city doesn't? You really don't have to look too hard, though, to find locally owned restaurants. My wife and I eat at several in the Fishers/Carmel area quite often.