It's that time of the year where Indianapolis takes center stage again - on ABC Sunday afternoon, to be specific. Forbes recently ran an article touting Indy as the most underrated, partly due to being the 35th largest city yet hangs with the elite, in terms of things like value, food, sports, steak, golf, and unique activities. You might think it's weird to list both steak and food, plus golf and sports, but when you're ranked at the top of your class, you gotta give it its own press.
Sports:
- #1 football stadium (LucasOil)
- #1 basketball stadium (Fieldhouse)
- #1 Superbowl experience (2012)
- #1 sporting event (Indy 500)
- #1 Final Four host (8 times)
- #1 NFL Combine host
- NBA All-Star
20212024 host - BCS Championship 2022 host
- Annual NCAA Championships for Swimming, Gymnastics, Track & Field. And best of all...
Golf
- Pete Dye courses (The Fort, The Brickyard, Maple Creek)
- PGA events (Crooked Stick)
- #2 city for public golf courses (Fishers)
- #1 rated public course (Eagle Creek) & only $25 w/ cart after 3pm. Speaking of value...
Value
- Top-10 hottest destination in 2018 (Conde Nast)
- Top-50 places to travel in 2017 (Travel and Leisure)
- Luxury hotels (Conrad, Alexander) cheaper than Nashville, Cincy, Minny, & KC
- #1 convention center
- #1 airport in North America (ACI)
- mansion-like homes listed as the most affordable in the nation (sq/ft)
- #1 in downtown walkability, including covered skyway to hotels and...
Food
- Most Underrated Food City (Conde Nast)
- Top-7 most impressive city (Thrillist)
- Top-20 US Food city (Food & Wine)
- Top-15 Hottest Food Cities (Zagat)
- the Martha Hoover empire
- exploding brewery scene with award-winning craft beers (SunKing, DareDevil's LiftOff)
- the Kimbal Musk empire & farm-2-table movement, which may or may not include...
Steak
- Award-winning St. Elmo's
- Renowned: Prime 47, Char Blue, Red the Steakhouse
- Other Favorites: Shula’s, Ruth’s Chris, McCormick & Schmick’s, Morton’s, Capital Grille, Hyde Park Prime
Unique Activities
- Children's Museum, Medical History Museum and NCAA HQ
- Award-winning Indianapolis Zoo
- Fairbanks Art & Nature Park, Newfields (IMA), and Lilly House
- World's largest mini Marathon
- White River, Monon Trail, Pogues Run, Downtown Canal
- more war memorials than any other city outside DC, including the USS Indianapolis
- Eagle Creek, Geist Resevior
