The Idle

Indianapolis


This questionably ambitious hidden green space lying off the Cultural Trail between Fletcher Place and Fountain Square might seem a tad strange, but you wouldn't be visiting Indiana if you weren't looking for Midwestern eccentricities. Landlocked between lanes of I-65/70, it features an accessible limestone trail leading to a viewing platform (complete with seats salvaged from old Bush Stadium in Indy) from where folks sit and ponder, watching the Crossroads of America fly by along the interstate. A rubberneckers dream!


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Indianapolis attractions

1. Rhythm! Discovery Center

1.18 MILES

Bang drums, gongs, xylophones and exotic percussive instruments from around the globe at this hidden gem downtown. Kids love the interactive whomping…

2. Indiana War Memorial

1.39 MILES

Only Washington, DC has more city monuments and memorials than Indianapolis (in fact, Scottish surveyor Alexander Ralston helped design both cities). This…

3. Eiteljorg Museum

1.54 MILES

This adobe museum features Native American basketry, pots and masks, as well as a realistic/romantic Western painting collection with works by Frederic…

4. White River State Park

1.6 MILES

The expansive park, located at downtown's edge, contains several worthwhile sights. The adobe Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians & Western Art features…

5. Kurt Vonnegut Museum & Library

1.81 MILES

Author Kurt Vonnegut was born and raised in Indy, and this humble museum pays homage with displays including his Pall Mall cigarettes, droll drawings and…

6. Indiana Medical History Museum

3.84 MILES

When you think 'horror movie asylum,' this century-old state psychiatric hospital is exactly what you envision. Included guided tours roam the former…

7. Children's Museum of Indianapolis

3.85 MILES

It's the world's largest kids' museum, sprawled over five floors holding incredible exhibitions on dinosaurs, space stations and so much more. The museum…

8. Newfields

5.32 MILES

The 152-acre Newfields campus houses the Indianapolis Museum of Art, home to a terrific collection of European art (especially Turner and post…