Parks & Recreation - Indianapolis, Indiana



Parks & Recreation - Parks

Daffodils and tulips dance in the spring breeze, fireflies glitter on a warm summer evening, a brilliant blaze of autumn leaves shimmers in the sun, freshly fallen snow softly blankets the landscape. No matter the season, Indianapolis is blessed with Mother Nature’s beauty. And Hoosiers spend a lot of time enjoying the great outdoors. Part of what makes Indy special is its excellent park system, one of the largest in the nation. The Indianapolis Department of Parks and Recreation (Indy Parks) maintains 206 parks in Indianapolis and Marion County, including one of the largest city parks in the United States. That huge number of city parks doesn’t count the nation’s only urban state park—fantastic White River State Park, situated almost smack dab in downtown Indy.

The statistics are impressive. Indy Parks is responsible for the operation and maintenance of more than 11,000 acres of parkland, more than 250,000 street trees and a large inventory of park trees, 22 aquatic facilities, 25 family centers, 13 golf courses, 18 spray grounds, 4 nature centers, 4 disc golf courses, 2 ice-skating rinks, a mountain bike trail, conservatory and sunken garden, arts center, Velodrome, skate park, and BMX complex. Canine companions haven’t been neglected either. Indy Parks operates three Bark Parks for four-legged furry friends.

Almost anyplace you go in Indianapolis, a park is nearby. Regional parks are the largest in the Indy Parks system. They are intended to provide an open and natural setting, while also containing other facilities such as cultural or nature centers. Community parks are smaller than regional parks and generally place more emphasis on facilities such as recreation centers than on natural landscapes. Neighborhood parks are the smallest. They are generally three acres or smaller and are intended to serve the immediate surrounding neighborhood with facilities such as basketball courts and playground equipment. Neighborhood parks aren’t individually listed in this chapter because there are so many of them.

Park programs range from traditional tennis and swimming classes to such offbeat options as annual garage sales, card games, sewing clubs, square dancing, and Touch a Truck, which gives kids a chance to explore fire trucks, police cruisers, tractors, and rescue vehicles. Programs are designed for all ages, from a baby ballerina program for the very youngest to osteoporosis prevention classes for the young at heart. Learn sign language, use a pottery wheel, create your own comic book, or discover belly dancing and much more in Indy parks. And it’s all quite affordable, much of it free. Pick up a complimentary copy of the Indy Parks and Recreation Fun Guide at parks or contact the parks department at (317) 327-7275. You can also check out the Web site at www.indyparks.org. The guide lists what’s offered every season, with the time, place, and price. So get out there, exercise your body, clear your mind, and enjoy the natural beauty that Indianapolis has preserved for a better quality of life.

Parks & Recreation - Recreation

Lace on your running shoes and take a jog past a canal where you might spy an actual gondolier, perhaps crooning a sweet tune. Rent a bike or bring your own and cruise through some of the nation’s finest park paths. Splash through the water in one of Indy’s many pools or try your luck at pulling in a record catfish at a local lake. Maybe bird-watching is more your speed. Indianapolis has plenty of warblers to enjoy and nature centers where birds and their watchers can happily connect. Whatever your favorite recreation, chances are Indianapolis has a place to do it.

The typical Hoosier isn’t one to sit idly around and let the world go by. Activities abound, many of them free of charge. Bad weather? That’s okay. It doesn’t have to ruin your day. As you’ll discover in this chapter, Indy has plenty of indoor recreational opportunities, as well. So you don’t have to climb the walls—although, if you really want to, that’s an option as well. You’ll also find recreational opportunities in the Golf, Kidstuff, and Parks chapters, as well as in Day Trips and Weekend Getaways. So what are you sitting there for? Get out and see what Indianapolis has to offer.

1. Fort Harrison State Park

City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 5753 Glenn Rd.


2. White River State Park

City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 801 W. Washington St.

3. Eagle Creek Park

City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 7840 W. 56th St.

4. Garfield Park

City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 2345 Pagoda Dr.

5. Riverside Park

City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (317) 327-7171
Address: 2420 E. Riverside Dr.

Description: Five miles from downtown, Riverside Park got its name because of its location—it sits along the White River. So it was no surprise that the park has been flooded, in 1904 and in 1913. Founded in 1898 as part of land 6 miles in length, Riverside was once home to the city zoo, which closed in the park in 1916. A major renovation in the 1990s added a new aquatic center, a family center with a gymnasium, community room, and banquet facilities. Amenities include 12 tennis courts, two baseball diamonds, seven softball diamonds (three of which are lighted), two playgrounds, a boat launch on the White River, picnic shelters, two outdoor basketball courts, a horseshoe pit, and four football fields (two of which are lighted).

6. Sahm Park

City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (317) 915-0336
Address: 6801 E. 91st St.

Description: Opened in 1963 as Northeastway Park, this facility was renamed Sahm Park in 1978. The central focal point of the park is the remodeled aquatic center, boasting a 400,000-gallon pool with a zero-depth area, numerous spray features, three slides, and lap lanes. The park is adjacent to Sahm Golf Course, designed in 1963 by Pete and Alice Dye. Other amenities include a playground, pavilion, shelters, picnic knoll, four tennis courts, a basketball court, soccer fields, sand volleyball courts, a fitness trail, and disk golf course.

7. Southeastway Park

City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (317) 861-0506
Address: 5624 S. Carroll Rd.

Description: Founded in 1961, Southeastway Park offers 188 acres of varied terrain with 80 acres of woods. Buck Creek runs through the woods in the western section of the park. Southeastway Park offers a variety of natural habitats, including open fields and meadows, wetland, prairie preserve, and a pond. Amenities include six picnic shelters, three-picnic areas, grills, bike trails, more than 3 miles of hiking trails, an activity and education center, a playground, and a sledding hill.

8. Southwestway Park

City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 8400 Mann Rd.

9. Bethel Park

City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (317) 327-7480
Address: 2850 Bethel Ave.

Description: This neighborhood park features an aquatic center, picnic shelter, a playground, baseball, football, basketball, a paved trail, gym, computer lab, game room, horseshoe pits, and an outdoor swimming pool.

10. Broad Ripple Park

City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (317) 327-7161
Address: 1550 Broad Ripple Ave.

Description: Bordering the White River, Broad Ripple Park was established in 1946. The site was once home to an amusement park, a carousel (now at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum), and a steam locomotive (now at the Transportation Museum in Noblesville). It was also the location of the Olympic tryouts for swimming in 1924 and 1953. The park has a family center, seasonal swimming pool, playground, two picnic shelters, picnic knoll, six tennis courts, baseball diamond, athletic field, viewing platform over the White River, woods, fitness trail, dog park, and boat launch in the White River. 

11. Brookside Park

City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (317) 327-7179
Address: 3500 Brookside Parkway South Dr.

Description: Established in 1898, Brookside Park has 108 acres of rolling wooded green space about five minutes from downtown Indy. The heart of Brookside Park is the 20,000-square-foot Family Center. Built in 1928, the center hosts numerous programs and activities for both children and adults. The center is also a popular place for family reunions, wedding receptions and other events. Amenities include three playgrounds, three outdoor basketball courts, four tennis courts, five picnic pavilions, a seasonal pool, 18-hole disk golf course, gym, football field, sledding hill, soccer field, three baseball diamonds, a softball diamond, and 10 horseshoe pits.

12. Christian Park

City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (317) 327-7163
Address: 4200 English Ave.

Description: Established in 1921, Christian Park is located on the southeast side of Indianapolis. For nearly half a century, the park has been home to the Christian Park Little League. The park offers wonderful green parkways and walking trails. Other amenities include a family center, spray pool, two picnic shelters, a picnic knoll, two playgrounds, five tennis courts, five Pee Wee diamonds, three Little League ball diamonds, a football field, and outdoor basketball court.

13. Douglass Park

City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (317) 327-7174
Address: 1616 E. 25th St.

Description: Established in 1921, Douglass Park covers 43 acres and offers a variety of programs. Amenities include a family center, kitchen, swimming pool, playground, two picnic shelters, four tennis courts, baseball diamond, softball diamond, football field, paved fitness trail, basketball courts, meeting rooms, game room, two billiard tables, foosball, air hockey, ping-pong, and computer lab.

14. Ellenberger Park

City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (317) 327-7176
Address: 5301 E. St. Clair St.

Description: Established in 1909, Ellenberger Park is located in historic Irvington on the east side of Indianapolis. A lovely park with rolling terrain, Ellenberger features an ice-skating rink, seasonal swimming pool, playground, picnic shelter, eight tennis courts, baseball diamond, softball diamond, football field, paved fitness trail, and trailhead for Pleasant Run Trail.

15. Glenns Valley Nature Park

City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (317) 881-7429
Address: 8015 S. Bluff Rd.

Description: Originally called Bluff Road Estates, Glenns Valley Nature Park got its name when owner James A. Himler deeded the land to the City of Indianapolis in 1992. The former Himler residence was renovated and the three-car garage was converted into a classroom. The park features a natural area with native Indiana plants. Amenities include walking trails, tall grass prairie, hardwood forest, picnic area, playground, and sledding hill.
Back to Indianapolis, IN