Indiana is the 24th most visited state in the United States, but there’s nothing average about it. The Hoosier State offers the perfect balance of nature and metropolis, with generous dollops of history and ample sprinklings of entertainment.
Home to around 7 million people, Indiana attracts more than 28 million guests each year and, if you believe the tourist board, those guests are all ‘reluctant to leave’. There’s only one way to test this claim and that’s to visit this Midwestern state for yourself to see if it’s worth the fuss.
When you’re there, be sure to check out these top things to do in Indiana.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Located in the aptly named ‘Speedway’ suburb of the state’s capital city, Indianapolis Motor Speedway is home to one of the world’s most famous motorsport events.
The Indianapolis 500, or Indy 500 for short, is a 200-lap, 500-mile race around the banked turns of the circuit. Forming part of the motorsport triple crown alongside the Le Mans 24 and the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix, this race is a grueling high speed endurance that tests humans and machines to their limits.
The Indy 500 is a must-watch for die-hard petrolheads and is also enjoyed by those who wouldn’t normally watch a motorsports event. Just like any big sporting event in the USA, the Indy 500 is a spectacle and a half, featuring off-track entertainment. Many fans attend with friends to tailgate and soak up the high-octane atmosphere generated by as many as 350,000 fans, all of whom pack into the infield and the grandstands.
If you can’t make it during the Indy 500 weekend, there’s still plenty of action taking place throughout the year, including the legendary NASCAR Brickyard 400.
Indiana Derby
The Indiana Derby is the biggest horse race in the state. Hosted every year since 1995, it’s run at the Horseshoe Indianapolis at a distance of 1 1/16 miles. The Horseshoe is one of several racetracks in the state that also offer casino games to their patrons.
These venues have faced a lot of competition in recent years from online alternatives. Today, bettors in the state have a choice of a variety of different casinos, each offering attractive sign-up bonuses. These sites are in such high demand that comparison tools like oddschecker have been created to help Hoosiers play with the best online casinos in Indiana by listing, reviewing, and ranking the top providers.
Faced with this competition, the Indiana Derby is a way for the Horseshoe to stand out and keep people coming through the door. It’s a popular race for bettors, particularly due to how close the results can be, even so far as a complete dead heat, like what happened in 2006 when two horses crossed the line at the exact same time.
White River State Park
Indiana has several great state parks, including Fort Harrison and White River. The latter is an urban park located right in the heart of downtown Indianapolis that, as its name suggests, is intersected by the White River.
Opened in 1979, this 267-acre greenspace is a sanctuary of peace from the hustle and bustle of a city famous for letting cars drive fast. Although not as well known, it’s on par with some other top urban parks in the USA.
In addition to being a great place to spot the Indiana state bird, the cardinal, and enjoy a stroll amongst the trees and foliage, the White River State Park is also home to several other sites and attractions, including the Indiana State Museum, the Indianapolis Zoo, the Medal of Honor Memorial, the NCAA Hall of Champions and the Eiteljorg Museum. This makes the park a one-stop shop of must-see and do activities when you’re visiting the state.
And, unlike the Indy 500 and the Indiana Derby, there’s no specific weekend you need to visit. No matter the time of year, you’ll get to enjoy the beauty and the peace served up in spades inside this modern urban park.
