Visiting Charlotte

Indianapolis is a beautiful, vibrant city with tons to see and do! From axe throwing to a zombie scavenger hunt, here are some of our staff favorites, just in case you have some down time, or want to extend your stay!

Built to honor those service members who have received the Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest military award for valor in the U.S. Beautifully designed with 27 glass panes and Indiana limestone in shades of buff, grey, pink, and yellow. Illumination corresponds with a 30-minute audio tour that is played over a speaker system. This free tour is made up of stories about the wars, and accounts of living Medal recipients.

Just when you thought it was safe to avoid the sport of competitive basket weaving, now you can enjoy the sport of axe throwing! Enjoy a 1-hour axe throwing session with a dedicated axe throwing coach. Coaches provide a safety talk, demonstrate throwing techniques and are there to guide you through your experience. No experience is necessary, and all skill levels are welcome.

Fans of everything dead, and the rest of us, may get a kick out of this app that provides a list of items that are crucial for you to survive. It features fun, zombie-themed challenges to perform. There’s an interactive live remote guide while you play. It’s family-friendly fun, so bring your family, half-eaten or alive, willing or not, and survive the zombie apocalypse.

The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis features 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. Great place for all ages, and yes, dinosaurs!

The Museum, which is uniquely situated inside the historic 2.5-mile oval track, is recognized as one of the most highly visible museums in the world that is dedicated to automobiles and auto racing.

Two levels of interactive exhibits engage visitors and create a true-to-life understanding of what it takes to make the grade. All 24 NCAA sports are represented, with trivia challenges, current team rankings, video highlights and artifacts donated from colleges nationwide. There is a fully interactive area for competing virtually and hands-on through sports simulators, a 1930s retro gymnasium, ski simulator and more.

Walk the 1.5-mile-long Downtown Canal Walk stretching from the Indiana University School of Medicine at 11th St., south toward the Indiana State Library on Ohio St., before turning to the west toward Military Park, the Congressional Medal of Honor Museum, and the Indiana State Museum, all of which are a short walk from the JW Marriott. Along the way, see some of Indy’s best contemporary architecture. The three-mile loop is a popular spot for fitness enthusiasts and serenity-seekers. The downtown waterfront has pedal boats, gondolas, bicycles, surreys and Segways.

The Indianapolis Zoo was the first in the nation to be accredited as a combined zoo, aquarium, and botanical garden. Visit the amazing International Orangutan Center, Dolphin Pavilion, shark touch tank, Flights of Fancy, White River Gardens and much more. The zoo is accredited by both the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and the American Alliance of Museums. The zoo is a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums.