Indianapolis

Indianapolis, the capital of Indiana, is a sports city of impressive achievement — home to the Indianapolis 500 (the world's largest single-day sporting event), the Indianapolis Colts (NFL) and Indiana Pacers (NBA), and the host city for the 2012 Super Bowl that catalysed a significant downtown revitalisation. It is also, to many visitors' surprise, a pleasant, walkable and culturally engaging city. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a 2.5-mile oval track with a 250,000-seat grandstand (the largest sporting venue in the world by permanent seating capacity), is open for self-guided tours, a museum of racing history and the electric atmosphere of the Indianapolis 500 in May. The Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields (100 acres of gardens plus one of America's finest regional art collections) is excellent. The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is the largest children's museum in the world. The Indianapolis Cultural Trail, a 8-mile urban bike and pedestrian path connecting cultural institutions and neighbourhoods, is excellent infrastructure. The Massachusetts Avenue corridor (Mass Ave) is the city's arts district — excellent restaurants, galleries and independent shops. The Fountain Square neighbourhood is bohemian and charming. The Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art is outstanding for its focus. Indianapolis is very affordable by big-city standards. Conner Prairie Living History Museum (30 minutes north) is excellent for families.