Weekend travelers who would pick their bags at a moment`s notice for a jaunt to some bucolic destination are less enthusiastic when a city is mentioned.
Why head for an urban landscape when you probably live in one? Because Indianapolis offers a lot of the perks of city life with fewer hassles. In about three hours, you can put yourself squarely in a place that offers an incredible amount of variety at affordable prices-and you`ll never have to search for a parking place.
Indianapolis is a city of contrasts-horse-and-carriage rides and high-tech shops; motorheads (Indianapolis Speedway) and cultural snobs
(Indianapolis Symphony). Perfect for couples (the Canterbury is consistently recognized as one of the country`s most romantic hotels) and families (the world`s largest children`s museum).
The big draw downtown is Union Station, the once-dilapidated railroad terminal turned eating/shopping/entertainment complex a la Boston`s Faneuil Hall or San Francisco`s Ghirardelli Square. Centrally located across from the Convention Center and Hoosier Dome, the three-block structure features 40 restaurants, five night clubs and enough shops to melt your credit cards, all tucked into this vintage 1888 station.
Elsewhere, you`ll see the respect and civic pride Hoosiers take in preserving their landmarks. One of the most eye-catching is the 284-foot-tall Indiana State Soldiers and Sailors Monument, which was built in 1902, but updated into a lovely downtown plaza, where carolers and brass ensembles usher in the holiday season. Adding to the festive feeling is the monument, which is draped in thousands of tiny lights until New Year`s Day.
Focus on the arts
While the city has polished its image by becoming the nation`s amateur sports capital (its facilities are second only to Los Angeles), arts lovers will feast here, too-and at bargain-basement prices. First stop for theater fans should be the Indiana Repertory Theater, the state`s only Equity company. The six-play season goes from October to May. (”A Christmas Carol” is currently appearing on the Mainstage, ”Sherlock`s Last Case” on the Upperstage. Both run through Dec. 29.)
Another theater in town that has attracted attention is the Madame Walker Urban Life Center. Named after the country`s first black woman millionaire, this fabulous 1927 Art Deco building was originally used as a stage for vaudeville, but fell into disrepair after World War II. In 1988, it received a $3.2 million facelift and now is an arts and cultural center for the black community, as well as home to the popular weekly ”Jazz on the Avenue”
concerts.
If music is your passion, a ticket to the Indianapolis Symphony at the newly renovated Circle Theater, will set you back no more than $23. The season, under the baton of Raymond Leppard, also runs from October to May, with the annual yuletide concert (which runs through Dec. 23) drawing an audience from all over the state.
The Indianapolis Opera, though less than 20 years old, is highly regarded, mounting four operas a year at Clowes Hall on the campus of Butler University. Even dance-hard to come by in all but the largest cities-is well represented with the Indianapolis Ballet Theatre. The company stages several major ballets each year, also at Butler, recognized as one of the premier ballet schools in the country. The IBT spends about half of its 37-week season on national tour, so the best way to keep on top of the schedule (or any arts event) is to use the Fun Fone, a 24-hour hot line for special events at 317-237-5210.
Never on Monday
One word of caution: If you`re extending your weekend to include Monday, don`t. Virtually every museum is closed.
Here`s a brief recap of some of the city`s top attractions:
– Children`s Museum, 3000 N. Meridian St. Considered the Disney World of children`s museums, these five floors of magic are worth the trip alone. Once the kids have bartered for goods in a 1700s French fur trading post or sat behind the wheel of a race car or gone spelunking in a limestone cave, it`s doubtful you`ll see much of anything else. But don`t leave without checking out the model train and antique doll collections-both claim to be the largest in the country.
The hand-carved carousel, which dates to the 1900s, is well worth the extra 50 cents. Admission: Adults, $4; children and seniors, $3; under 2, free; 317-924-KIDS.
– City Market, 222 E. Market St. A great place for a stroll, the city market offers food stalls with fresh produce. At lunch, corporate types can be seen standing at the counter, biting into hefty subs.
– Indianapolis Museum of Art, 1200 W. 38th St. There are several good art museums in the city, but this is my favorite because it`s really four art pavilions. In October, the museum opened a new wing, the Mary Fendrich Hulman Pavilion (Tony Hulman, Mary`s husband, started the famed Speedway), which houses the Eiteljorg Collection of African Art. The Clowes Pavilion features medieval and Renaissance art, the Krannert features 18th to 20th Century European and American painting and the Lily boasts extensive decorative arts, shown in period settings. Consider the 152 acres of lush grounds and botanical gardens as a bonus. Admission free, but a fee is charged for special exhibits and a donation is requested at the Lily Pavilion; 317-923-1331.
– Indianapolis Zoo, 1200 W. Washington St. A zoo that`s large enough to be stimulating but not so large that it`s intimidating. The 64-acre
”cageless” facility includes the state`s largest aquarium, an enclosed dolphin and whale pavilion and animals in their natural habitats. There`s also a critter ”encounter” area where kids can have hands-on experiences with their furry friends; 317-638-8072.
Accommodations
We stayed at the Holiday Inn at Union Station, wooed not just by the location, but also by the opportunity to stay in one of 26 authentic Pullman sleeper cars that have been transformed into period hotel rooms. The rooms are meticulously appointed and would have been quite pleasing if we were traveling by rail. But it`s hard to accept a narrow, claustrophobic, room when you know more spacious accommodations exist just across the hall in conventional hotel rooms-and for about $20 less per day. The inconveniences (for example, only one person can watch TV at a time) will outweigh the comforts for all but the most passionate railroad buffs. We moved and had a lovely room that overlooked the gleaming atrium lobby. There is also an indoor pool, sauna and whirlpool, proving that even in historic buildings, modern amenities have their place. 123 W. Louisiana St. Rates: $91-$180 per room. 317-631-2221.
For a city its size, Indianapolis has a disproportionate number of four-star hotels. In addition to the Holiday Inn, you can find first-rate lodging at the Hilton, Westin, Radisson Plaza, Omni North andthe
aforementioned Canterbury, which wouldn`t be out of place in Edwardian London. The Canterbury has 102 individually decorated rooms with four-poster beds and marble baths. Most charming is the parlor-a mahogany-paneled sitting room, lined with the works of Shakespeare, Dickens and Kipling. The Canterbury hits just the right balance between British sophistication and down-home Hoosier hospitality. 123 S. Illinois St. Rates: $105-$500 per room. 317-634-3000.
Restaurants
The food at Beaulieu, the Canterbury`s restaurant, is pricey by Hoosier standards, but it is reasonable for Chicagoans who have become accustomed to $20 entrees. Dinner ranges from the trendy (angelhair pasta with smoked salmon) to the homey (moist garlic chicken), At breakfast, freshly baked croissants and buttery Danish pastries will convince you that you`re somewhere a lot more exotic than Indiana. Open daily.
There are several other downtown eateries worth noting. St. Elmo`s, the quintessential steakhouse, has been a local tradition since 1902. Sprawling 20-ounce sirloins plus thick double filet mignons are the big draws, but the juicy veal chop shouldn`t be ignored, either. 127 S. Illinois St.; dinner only; 317-635-0636.
Damon`s at Union Station: This is a good solution for people who have kids in tow, but don`t want to settle for ”McFood.”. The moderately priced menu leans heavily toward barbecue, and the onion loaf should not be missed-even if you`re just ordering dessert.
Other often-mentioned inexpensive options are two delis, Weiss` and Shapiro`s. The former boasts about its ”Hoosier Ham” sandwiches, which made us just a tad uneasy. Would this be the kind of deli that puts mayo on the corned beef? We opted for Shapiro`s, 808 S. Meridian, an authentic
delicatessen that has been in the family for four generations, and found just the ethnic specialties (juicy brisket, cabbage borscht) we were searching for. With a creamy, dense slice of cheesecake, our visit to Indianapolis ended on a sweet note.
