Downtown Indianapolis

Hi all.

We will be staying at the Doubltree in Carmel. I heard that downtown Indy has a nice area with restaurants, bars, etc.

A couple of ?s:

Is it easier/better to get on a hwy to get to downtown from Carmel or go another way (not familiar with the area).

Any nice wine bars and/cigar bars. We like a lively scene but won%26#39;t stay out much past 9pm.

Is there a certain main drag that houses most of these places--what streets or cross-streets should we look for? We%26#39;d like to park the car, then be within walking distance to places to go.

Thanks!

Downtown Indianapolis

I believe the DoubleTree is on Highway 31/Meridian St? The best way to get downtown is just drive south on Meridian (hwy 31). It will take you right downtown. You will go around the famous Monument Circle. There are restaurants in this area. Everything downtown is pretty much within walking distance. There is a cluster of restaurants near Circle Centre Mall. This is around the intersection of Washington and Illinois (Meridian will hit Washington after you go around the Circle, and you go west on Washingotn to hit Illinois). The Circle Centre garage is a good place to park and walk to places.

Downtown Indianapolis

Meridian St. is the nice, scenic way to head downtown - particularly during the holiday season (the large, old homes on Meridian usually have pretty nice decorations). It%26#39;s not the quickest way, though. From where you%26#39;ll be, taking I-465 west and then south to I-65, and taking I-65 east into the city will shave off at least 10 minutes driving time - well, presuming there%26#39;s no new construction going on - which there wasn%26#39;t as of last Friday ...

As mentioned above, the most dense concentration of good restaurants is in the Circle Center Mall area (mostly chain restaurants). But there are very nice locally owned restaurants along the Mass Avenue (Massachusetts Avenue) corridor on the very near northeast section of the downtown area, and in the Broad Ripple area about 20-25 minutes north of downtown. As well, the Fishers/Carmel/Zionsville areas have many very nice locally owned restaurants.

Thank you both so much! Any input on a nice wine bar, tapas, cigar bar in downtown?

There is a tapas restaurant which hasn%26#39;t been getting good reviews. Wouldn%26#39;t chance it unless you really want to dine at a tapas style restaurant. Smoking is not allowed in restaurants or bars anymore. I do recommend the downtown area for dining and shopping. It is very compact meaning everything is within walking distance of hotels , restaurants, and shopping. Also recommend the Broad Ripple area on the way to downtown turn left from meridian onto Kessler Blvd. Stay on the left and turn left on Westfield Blvd. follow to the Broad Ripple area which begins at College Ave. Lots of small very busy bars and restaurants. Our version of a very small Coconot Grove type area.

Sorry, don%26#39;t know much about wine bars or cigar bars in the city. I think Sullivan%26#39;s has a cigar bar (they are, as you may well know, a chain steakhouse - and are located at Keystone at the Crossing, which is at the next exit east of you on I-465).

The absolute best place for cocktails and cigars in Indy, I%26#39;d say, is Nicky Blaines, just south of Monument Circle on Meridian.

http://www.nickyblaines.com/

I want to clarify what someone said about smoking laws. Smoking is still allowed in bars, but not in restaurants. Now, the fuzzy gray area comes in with age. If the restaurant allows minors then smoking is prohibited (in the restaurant and bar). If it%26#39;s adults only, then smoking is okay in the bar and restaurant. (This applies to 18 and older, bars are still 21+).