Indianapolis Marriott Downtown

Indiana is one of the few states in the nation that has all three branches of government operating out of the historic state capitol building. In 1825, after nine years of statehood, the capitol city was relocated from Corydon to Indianapolis. Plans for the current statehouse began in 1867 and the building was completed in 1888. It is constructed of Indiana limestone and white oak. The beautuful stained glass rotunda window is original and made from German glass. Guided tours of the building are available weekdays, 9 am-3 pm; and Sat., 10:15 am, 11 am, noon, and 1 pm.

Known affectionately as Mass Ave, this five-block area is ripe with theaters, restaurants, art galleries, and, most attractively for shoppers, a number of eclectic, independent boutiques. You'll encounter unique finds on each block, from Stout's Shoes (the nation's oldest shoe store, established in 1886), to Silver In The City/At Home In The City (offering silver jewelry and unique gift items), to The Best Chocolate In Town. Venture to the Athenaeum for a stein of German lager in the historic Rathskeller biergarten, try local craft beers at Ralston's Drafthouse, or sip a cocktail at the prohibition-era ball&biscuit. Foodies can indulge in American-modern cuisine at Mesh or take down a platter of tacos at Bakersfield. Take in Indy culture at its finest on Mass Ave, "45 Degrees from Ordinary."

The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra continues a tradition of musical excellence in live concerts and community service. Most performances are held at historic Hilbert Circle Theatre on Monument Circle. Series subscriptions and single tickets are available for the orchestra's Classical, Pops, Family, Educational and Holiday concerts. In the summer, enjoy the symphony's outdoor concerts at the Marsh Symphony on the Prairie Series held at Conner Prairie.

Recognized as one of the world's outstanding monuments, the structure has come to symbolize both the City of Indianapolis and the state of Indiana. The Soldiers & Sailors Monument is Indiana's official memorial to the Hoosiers that served in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, the Civil War, the Frontier Wars and the Spanish-American War. The Limestone used for the monument is gray oolitic limestone from the Romona quarries of Owen County. It stands 284 feet, 6 inches high, only 15 feet shorter than the Statue of Liberty. There are a number of art works either built into the Monument, or placed throughout the grounds. Bruno Schmitz brought with him Rudolf Schwarz. Schwarz was sculptor for the statuary groups "War" and "Peace", "The Dying Soldier", "The Homefront" and the four statues at the corners of the Monument that represents the Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery, and Navy. The Soldiers & Sailors Monument features a Gift Shop and Observation Level. From the Observation Level, visitors have a 360 degree view of the city skyline from 275 feet up. The Observation Level can be reached by climbing 331 steps or riding an elevator 90% of the distance and climbing the remaining 31 steps.

Over the years, the museum has amassed one of the world's largest, and most varied collections of racing, antique and classic cars, including more than 30 that have won the famous Indianapolis 500. Year-round narrated bus tours of the race track are available, weather permitting and when the track is not in use for racing, testing, or special events. The Tony Hulman Theatre presents a short film on the history of the track and its’ importance to fans worldwide. The Grounds Tour is a 1 1/2-hour narrated tour of the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway facility that provides guests the opportunity to tour the oval track, visit the media center, the Pagoda, victory platform, garage area and a Gasoline Alley suite, plus stand on the famous "Yard of Bricks" at the start/finish line. In addition, guests will also tour the museum. The “Kiss the Bricks” tour gives fans a lap of the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval narrated by a former Indianapolis Motor Speedway driver and a chance to kiss the bricks just as the winning drivers and teams do.

As America's only cultural urban state park, White River State Park offers a unique blend of green space (Military Park, the Central Canal, White River itself) and cultural attractions - including the Indianapolis Zoo; White River Gardens; the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art; the NCAA Hall of Champions; the IMAX Theater; the Indiana State Museum; Victory Field and a premier outdoor concert venue, Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn at White River State Park. Visitors may elect to tour the park by pedal (bikes and other self-propelled vehicles may be leased from Wheel Fun Rentals), by boat (pedal boats and kayaks, also available at Wheel Fun Rentals), by Segway (courtesy of Segway of Indiana) or by good-old-fashioned foot.

Georgia Street’s three-block street and walkway connects the Indiana Convention Center, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Circle Centre, a collection of restaurants, residences, hotels and the historic St. John’s Catholic Church. Whether on your lunch break or visiting for the weekend, you’ll find sports events, food truck festivals and outdoor cafes all along the street.

Located downtown in White River State Park, the Indianapolis Zoo is a 64-acre accredited zoo, aquarium, and botanical garden. Since opening in 1964, the zoo takes pride in providing year-round and lifelong recreational learning experiences for its more than 1 million annual visitors and instilling in them a sense of stewardship for Earth's plants and animals. The mission of the Indianapolis Zoo is to empower people and communities, both locally and globally, to advance animal conservation. The primary points where people connect with animals and plants are within the zoo's "biomes," or collection of habitats. Approximately 250 species totaling 2,000 animals and 2,000 varieties of plants are presented together in simulated natural habitats. As visitors travel through the zoo, they go from one fascinating ecological system to another, and they begin to get a sense of appreciation for the diversity of life. Because many people will never have the opportunity to visit an African Savannah or an Asian temperate forest, the zoo immerses guests into these natural environments. For example: touch sharks, race a cheetah, view dolphins from more than 10 feet under water, feed birds as they rest on your shoulder, or elevate yourself into the arboreal world of orangutans. From the arctic land of the penguins and polar bear near the front of the zoo to the realm of the kings of the beasts -- the majestic African lions -- near the far end, a visit to the Indianapolis Zoo is literally a trip around the world! In addition, the zoo's White River Gardens includes a 5,000 square foot conservatory and three acres of beautifully landscaped outdoor garden rooms.

Featuring academy award-winning IMAX technology and a six-story screen, IMAX Theatre offers audiences both 2D and 3D IMAX films, as well as contemporary Hollywood movies. Conveniently located in White River State Park's Indiana State Museum, the IMAX is the ultimate larger-than-life experience. The theater offers entertaining and educational films on the largest movie screen in the state. IMAX delivers the ultimate cinema experience to moviegoers with 12,000 watts of digital surround sound. Using state-of-the-art technology, the IMAX Theater experience gives viewers a unique, larger-than-life way to go to the movies. Moviegoers are now able to enjoy locally crafted beers and wines for all features after 5 pm, which complement other locally sourced concessions including popcorn, candy and coffees/teas.

Located in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, Circle Centre Mall features over 100 retailers including the anchor store Carson Pirie Scott, movie entertainment at the United Artist Theaters, and eight sit-down restaurants.

Featured as one of the world's finest Native American and Western Art collections by True West, the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art is one of only two such museums east of the Mississippi. Located in White River State Park, the Eiteljorg contains traditional and contemporary pieces by such artists as T.C. Cannon, Andy Warhol and Georgia O'Keefe.

The NCAA Hall of Championships seeks to provide a greater understanding of the NCAA, including its membership of more than 1,000 colleges and universities and over 400,000 student-athletes. The NCAA Hall of Champions boasts two-levels of interactive exhibits to engage visitors and create a true-to-life understanding of what it takes to make the grade. Arena, on the first level, represents 24 NCAA sports and include a novice to historian trivial challenge, current team rankings, video highlights, and artifacts donated from colleges around the nation. Play, on the second level, is a fully interactive area to compete virtually and hands-on through sports simulators, a 1930s retro gymnasium, ski simulator and more.

Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts, is a state-of-the-art retractable roof, multi-purpose facility seating over 67,000 fans. It offers public tours every week that give participants an up-close and personal look at all the stadium has to offer. Tours last approximately one hour and includes visits to the playing field, an NFL locker room, Lucas Oil Plaza, the press box, and many other areas depending on availability that are generally inaccessible to the public.

Since 1830, the Indiana Historical Society has been Indiana's Storyteller, connecting people to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing the state's history. A private, nonprofit membership organization, IHS maintains the nation's premier research library and archives on the history of Indiana and the Old Northwest and presents a unique set of visitor experiences called the Indiana Experience. Enjoy a visit to the Cole Porter Room, concerts on the canal throughout the warm weather, great food at the Stardust Terrace Café (operated by Hoaglin To Go) and unique shopping including a wealth of Indiana-related books, music and gifts in the Basile History Market.

Indianapolis Museum of Art, part of the Newfields campus and one of the nation's largest and oldest general art museums. Located on 152 acres of gardens and grounds, the museum's permanent collection spans a vast range of cultures and eras, and numbers more than 50,000 works, including one of the nation's largest and most significant collections of Asian art and the newly designed Eiteljorg Suite of African and Oceanic Art. Elsewhere on the grounds, visitors may tour the historic Oldfields estate, then stroll through gardens designed in the 1920s by the famous Olmstead Brothers landscape design firm. Elsewhere, 100 Acres: The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park offers visitors one of the United States' foremost museum contemporary sculpture parks, with installations integrated into woodlands, wetlands, lakes and meadows.

Connected by climate controlled skywalk.

With a 472,900 square-foot facility situated on 29 acres, it is the largest children's museum in the world. With five floors of fun and interactive learning that have the power to transform the lives of children and families across the arts, world cultures, sciences, and humanities. Explore one of the largest collections of adult and juvenile dinosaur fossils and visit with real archaeologists in National Geographic Treasures of the Earth, which examines treasures uncovered from various parts of the world including a shipwreck in the Caribbean. Photo opportunities include the 16-foot-tall movie prop Bumblebee, from the first Transformers movie, North America's largest water clock, and a historic working carousel.

The home of the NBA Pacers and World Champion WNBA Fever has been recognized as the finest NBA basketball arena in the country by Sports Business Journal. This retro-style fieldhouse in the heart of downtown also serves as a prime location for meetings and events of all types year-round, from rodeos and concerts to parties and ice skating.

Home of Indianapolis Indians, Triple-A-affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, the ballpark has received a countless national accolades as one of the best minor league stadiums in the United States.