Centrally located in the Hoosier state of Indiana lays its capital which has become known as the "crossroads of America." Established in 1821, Indianapolis has become famous for the many highways that cross the city and, most importantly, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It is one of the world's largest sports venues, drawing approximately 300,000 fans annually to the iconic Indianapolis 500.

Indianapolis is also home to two other great entertainment venues. Bankers Life Fieldhouse is an indoor arena where the NBA’s Indiana Pacers play and Lucas Oil Stadium is home to the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts. After a game, try the Chatterbox Jazz Club. It is known as the Best Dive Jazz Club in the city.

If you're more of an outdoorsy type, Indianapolis offers some great places to get your thrills. One such place is the Wapahani Trail. From the Delaware Indiana tribe's word for "White River," Wapahani winds its way through the northeast city to the southwest corner, passing popular attractions such as the Indianapolis Zoo, White River State Park, and Eagle Creek Trail.  Eagle Creek Park is the city's largest and has various outdoor activities, including watersports, concerts, hayrides, playgrounds, and more. White River State Park has luscious green spaces and other popular venues such as the Zoo and Imax Theater. Outdoor fun wouldn't be complete without a stroll through Canal Walk in downtown. Here visitors can enjoy walking, running, or biking on the promenade.

How can you know a place if you don't indulge in the local food? You can check out the mouthwatering barbecue at King Rib. This rib shack touts its award-winning barbecue sauce and is one of the first drive-thru barbecue restaurants in Indiana. St. Elmo Steak House is another excellent eatery. It is the oldest steak house in Indianapolis that is still in its original location. Forbes magazine listed it as one of the 10 classic steakhouses to visit.

Slow it down a bit by learning some of the history of the town. One famous place to start is with the Eiteljorge Museum of American Indians and Western Art. Here you will learn by observing their paintings, sculptures, and other historical treasures. Benjamin Harrison Presidential House is another excellent historical find. Home to the 23rd President of the United States, the mansion has many different historical exhibits and showcases local acting talent in its Candlelight Theatre.

The NCAA Hall of Champions exhibits is all things NCAA basketball. On the first level, learn a little about the sport itself and then go upstairs for a more fun hands-on thrill with sports simulators, a 1930s retro gymnasium, and other fun interactive games. If you have children, there is the Children's Museum of Indiana, with exhibits featuring dinosaurs, spaceships, Barbie, and a host of other exciting interactive things for children to explore. A quick trip to the Indianapolis Zoo and the kids can feed the animals and ride on the many attractions. 

For the paranormal thrill-seekers, Hannah House is one of this city's most haunted places. Built by Underground Railroad member Alexander Hannah, it is alleged that this place is haunted by the ghosts of slaves who burned in a fire in the basement. Another scary venue is also a popular restaurant known as The Slippery Noodle Inn. Indianapolis’ oldest bar is famous for serving up pub-styled food with a "side" of blues music. It also serves up a whole lot of dread. It is said that this place is haunted by slaves, the caretaker, a cowboy, and a prostitute.

Finally, prepare yourself for a grand finale of creepy at the Rivoli Theater. Built on an old Indian burial ground, this theater is notorious for its plumbing action, with faucets cutting on and off and toilets flushing on their own. Witnesses have also said that objects move around on their own and peculiar apparitions appear, one of which dropped a cigarette butt into an ashtray.

With the action in this city, from fast cars to football and basketball games, and creepy ghosts making encore appearances, it's no wonder that this town draws in approximately 29.2 million tourists yearly. Some unwelcome visitors that frequent this town are pests. Bug Off Pest Pros is a licensed and insured pest control service that eliminates pests, including raccoons, termites, bed bugs, fleas, and other types of pesky critters. Contact us today for a free estimate and get back on the road to a pest-free home.