Indianapolis - Morning, Noon and Night

Check out the Indiana Summer of Savings today for an exclusive offer related to this post!

Every weekday from May 7^th through May 14^th 2010, Visit Indiana will be releasing exclusive discounts as a part of the Indiana Summer of Savings. Each day, we’ll announce an exclusive quantity-limited offer through Facebook, Twitter and our Big Deal email list. Visit the Indiana Summer of Savings page for more information about the offers and how you can take advantage of them!

Looking for an urban getaway that offers great tastes, great shopping and great entertainment morning, noon and night? Look no further than downtown Indianapolis.

Get an early (or not so early) start for breakfast at the downtown location of Cafe Patachou, 225 W. Washington St. Choose an omelette made with Indiana-grown free range eggs or the signature Bruce’s granola.

After breakfast, head to the Canal Walk where you can get in a 3-mile walk or run while enjoying the waterfront. The Canal Walk connects such downtown locales as the Indianapolis Zoo, the NCAA Hall of Champions and the Congressional Medal of Honor Memorial. While at the Canal Walk, you can rent a Segway, take a gondola ride or rent bikes.

Once you’re warmed up for the day, head northeast across downtown to the Mass Ave. district. Touted as “45 degrees from ordinary,” Mass Ave offers a great selection of shops, art galleries and restaurants. My favorite shops include Mass Ave. Toys, Global Gifts and At Home in the City. For a very casual lunch, try Yats’ Cajun cuisine or opt for the slightly more refined and definitely delicious MacNivens Restaurant and Bar, where I lean toward the three-cheese grilled cheese with spicy red pepper aioli. Save room for dessert at The Flying Cupcake.

Of course, you can do some more traditional shopping at Circle Center Mall, which is anchored by Carson Prairie Scott and Nordstrom and offers more than 100 options for shopping, dining and entertainment.

Plan for a little time to freshen up before heading out for the evening. Dinner options downtown are numerous. From The Capital Grille at the Conrad Hotel to the world-famous St. Elmo’s Steakhouse, from the cozy Elbow Room Pub to Barcelona Tapas and plenty of options in between, there is a restaurant to suit every palate.

After dinner entertainment can include a show at the Indiana Repertory Theater or a movie at the United Artists theater at Circle Center Mall. Or be part of the show yourself at ComedySportz, which offers interactive improv sketches, or call the songs at Howl at the Moon, a dueling piano bar.

From dawn to dusk, downtown Indianapolis is a great place to be.

There’s so much to do in Indianapolis, what’s your favorite thing to do when you’re in town? Later today we’ll announce a great deal that will help you stay in Indianapolis in style!!

Be sure to check out the Indiana Summer of Savings today for an exclusive offer related to this post!