Indianapolis

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F1 Weekend in Indy

A September 2003 trip to Indianapolis by npernarelli

We came to see Schumacher, Barrichello, and those other guys, but took a little time to check out what else Indy had to offer!

  • 10 reviews
  • 1 story/tip

F1 Weekend in IndyBest of IgoUgo

Overview

Besides the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, I highly recommend going downtown at night. There are lots of restaurants and shops, and it's a great place to just walk around.

Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

I definitely suggest renting a car. While it appears the public transportation between the Speedway, the airport, and downtown is pretty good, it's nice to have a rental car at your disposal.

Motel 6Best of IgoUgo

Hotel

Okay, so it's Motel 6, so you can't expect more than the basic amenities. But it's clean, inexpensive (especially on a big event weekend), right off the freeway, and hey, they offer free local calls!!
  • Member Rating 2 out of 5 by npernarelli on November 2, 2003

Motel 6
5151 Elmwood Avenue Indianapolis, Indiana
(317) 783-5555

La Quinta Indianapolis AirportBest of IgoUgo

Hotel | "LaQuinta"

For the 2005 Grand Prix (aka the Bridgestone extended practice session), we left the basic but functionable Motel 6 for the Airport LaQ, which is closer to the Speedway. Unfortunately, this was one of the worst LaQs I've stayed at. The parking situation was atrocious; many cars had taken to parking in the dirt lot behind the hotel. But the room was worse. We had reserved an N/S room which was not honored, and seeing as they were 100% full for the busy weekend, they could not accommodate us elsewhere. But besides that, the room just wasn't as clean as it could be. There was mildew in the tub, and the room just didn't smell fresh. The morning we checked out, we realized the smell was most likely due to the soaking wet carpet along the wall near the bathroom. Apparently there was a water leak in the wall. This room was so not worth the jacked-up $205/night we paid!!
  • Member Rating 1 out of 5 by npernarelli on July 8, 2005

La Quinta Indianapolis Airport
5316 W SOUTHERN AVE Indianapolis, Indiana 46241
317-247-4281

Bertolini's Authentic TrattoriaBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

Bertolini's is located inside the Circle Centre Mall. My boyfriend and I had dinner here on a very rainy Friday night. We shared an insalata caprese for an appetizer, and for the main course my boyfriend had chicken marsala (very good) and I had one of their specialties, a lasagna-like pasta filled with layers of spinach and ricotta cheese and topped with a mushroom sauce, which was also very good but VERY filling--I barely finished half of it. This was all washed down by a Chianti the waiter recommended, and topped off with an illy espresso. The music playing in the background (current Italian pop-rock, not your basic "O Sole Mio") was a nice addition, but barely audible due to the crowd of people.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by npernarelli on November 2, 2003

Bertolini's Authentic Trattoria
49 West Maryland Street Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
(317) 638-1800

Buca di BeppoBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

One of my most favorite chain restaurants. Meals are served family style, and a group of us (6 in all) ate much more than we really should have. The chicken parmigiana was great, as was the eggplant and their regular old spaghetti and meatballs. Every available inch of wall space is decorated with some kind of Italian kitsch and it's a great way to keep kids entertained while waiting for your meal.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by npernarelli on November 2, 2003

Buca di Beppo
35 North Illinois Street Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
(317) 632-2822

Steak 'n ShakeBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

People come to the West Coast for In and Out, and when we go east we always make at least one stop at Steak 'n Shake. It's your basic '50s type diner, specializing in really good hamburgers (or, as they call them, "steakburgers") and milkshakes. Most locations are open 24 hours.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by npernarelli on November 2, 2003

Steak 'n Shake
101 West Maryland Street Indianapolis, Indiana 46225
(317) 634-8703

Rock Bottom Brewery & RestaurantBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "Rock Bottom Brewery and Restaurant"

A great place to hang out after the race. We went for happy hour, and ended up staying for dinner! Rock Bottom has a huge selection of beers to choose from, but the favorite at our table appeared to be the Sugar Creek Pale Ale. Even I liked it and I'm not a big fan of beer!

Their dinner menu is loaded with lots of good foods: a big selection of salads, pizzas, pastas, burgers, steaks, etc. Mike and I shared the BBQ Ribs, and Carl and Richard both wanted the Tenderloin with Roasted Garlic--unfortunately they had run out! They settled for the Top Sirloin, which smelled divine. We all ordered a Side Salad, which was served with a delicious Basalmic Vinaigrette, and after that we were stuffed! Did I mention the Nachos we devoured during happy hour?

  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by npernarelli on July 31, 2004

Rock Bottom Brewery & Restaurant
10 West Washington Street Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
(317) 681-8180

Bearno's Little SicilyBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "Bearno's Pizza"

This pizzeria had just opened in downtown. Indy, Mike and I decided to go check it out. We arrived there late, about 20 minutes before closing, but they said it wasn't a problem and gave us a table. Unfortunately, the hostess should have confirmed it with the waitress because her fingernail tapping on the table gave us a different impression! Mike and I ordered the Mama Bearno's Special, which the menu describes as an "extraordinary pizza loaded with sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, green peppers, black olives, and topped with mozzarella cheese." Is it possible for a pizza to have too many toppings? As it turns out, yes. Bearno's serves an excellent thin crust pizza, but the toppings were--I'm not kidding--over an inch thick. I could have done with half as many. Perhaps I'm alone, though, as Bearno's (other locations in Indiana and Louisville, KY) claims their pizza is an"award-winning." Other menu items include: a few pasta dishes, sandwiches, and salads. According to the waitress (‘tap, tap, tap’), the Kentucky Silk Pie is "to die for" but we decided to pass.
  • Member Rating 2 out of 5 by npernarelli on July 31, 2004

Bearno's Little Sicily
1 North Pennsylvania Street Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
(317) 631-1977

Hall of Fame MuseumBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

This is quite an impressive collection of cars, even to a novice racing fan like myself. It's hard to believe some of the older models really made it 500 laps around the track! There are more than 75 cars on display in the museum, including the first Indy 500 winner, as well as a collection of classic cars and photographs, and other racing paraphernalia. A movie is shown every hour, detailing the history of racing, and during non-event times, you can take a trip around the actual Indy track (in a tour bus, not an actual Indy car!!).
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by npernarelli on November 2, 2003

Hall of Fame Museum
4790 West 16th Street Indianapolis, Indiana
(317) 492-6784

Easleys WineryBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Easley Winery"

Small and located close to downtown, the Easley Winery offers free wine tastings of the wines they grow in southern Indiana. The staff was very friendly and helpful, and they also sell other wine-related gifts. They can help you ship your bottles home, too! Check out their webpage here.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by npernarelli on November 2, 2003

Easleys Winery
205 North College Avenue Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
(317) 636-4516

USS Indianapolis National MemorialBest of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

There is a memorial to the USS Indianapolis, sunk during WW2, right along the White River near Walnut Street. This is a beautiful area; all along the river there are walking trails and grassy areas that would be perfect picnic spots, or just an escape from the hectic life in the big city. The memorial itself lists the history of the USS Indianapolis, as well as the names of those who lost their lives when the boat was sunk by enemy fire. Good way to throw a little history lesson into your vacation.

About the Writer

npernarelli
npernarelli
Reno, Nevada

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