Looking for a vacation (or staycation) destination to bring the family? Whether your kids are sports lovers or art enthusiasts, Indianapolis has fun for everyone. Children of all ages (and adults alike) will enjoy the many kid-friendly attractions and museums Indy has to offer. You and your kids won’t want to leave.
Unleash your inner child and check out the five places we recommend for family fun in Indianapolis:
Courtesy of Children's Museum of Indianapolis
Only a few minutes from downtown, this five-story children’s museum is jam packed with fun and interactive exhibits for kids of all ages. Guide your children through indoor and outdoor experiences on humanities, arts, world cultures and sciences. Parents, you may even learn a thing or two yourselves.
Appease the animal lover with a trip to the zoo, located within White River State Park along the river. You can see a variety of animals–from African elephants to California Sea Lions–and jump on a few rides, like the carousel or roller coaster. And, don’t be surprised if your kids beg you to feed the giraffes, flamingos or birds.
Courtesy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway
“The Greatest Race Course in the World” hosts a variety of events and races throughout the year, including the Verizon IndyCar Series, NASCAR and LPGA. Oh, yeah, and this little race called the Indianapolis 500 AKA the largest single-day sporting event in the world. Even if you don’t take your family to the Indy 500, this place is a true bucket list destination.
Whether your kids love basketball, football or tennis, the Hall of Champions is a fun place for the sports enthusiast. Two levels of interactive exhibits provide everything you need to know about what it takes to be a college athlete. Test your knowledge with trivia on the first floor, then go upstairs to compete virtually and hands-on through the sports simulators, a 1930s retro gym and more.
Courtesy of Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields
Take your little artists to explore 152 acres of gardens and grounds and 50,000 works of art. Located on the museum grounds, the 100-acre Fairbanks Art & Nature Park is home to art installations across their woodlands, wetlands, lakes and meadows. You can spend an entire day here and still have more to see.
After all that activity, you and your family need a soft place to lay your heads and good food to give you the energy for another day of exploring. Luckily, we have multiple room types to suit every family’s needs and multiple restaurants within walking distance. It’s the perfect vacation–or staycation–spot.