Let me let you in on a little known secret.  Some of the very best parts of Indianapolis, you can't visit.  Nope, it's not because we're trying to keep you out of our secret hiding places.  And it's not some sort of sacred Hoosier Code.  It's because some of the very best Indianapolis Attractions aren't Attractions at all, they're people.  Indianapolis' people would still make her an awesome city even if we didn't have great events like Indianapolis 500 Race or great hotels or great restaurants (all of which we do and we're glad).

Indy's Queen of Free hopes from time to time to highlight some of the amazing places that show that Indy is a City that Cares.  First up in this series, is The Earth House Collective.  Self described as "a group of peace activists, conservationists, artists, musicians, Methodists, teachers and many more dedicated to peace, wellness, community and culture on the corner of New York and East streets in downtown Indianapolis," Earth House has so much to offer!  From a 100% Organic and Fair Trade Coffee Shop to Social Justice Film Festivals (where oftentimes the directors themselves appear for Q & A after the film), Art Exhibits, Yoga and Dance Classes, Lectures, and Live Music, the place busts with culture.  In fact, Earth House was even a venue for the recent Indy Fringe Festival.  But the best thing about Earth House is that is fueled by the power of people -  many volunteers and donations keep the place running.  And they seek to pour any money that is made back into the community, filling it with more life and energy.  I can guarantee that you'll come away from Earth House with a different lens on the world, realizing that there are truly caring people seeking to make it a better place, taking on the really big problems facing us one by one in creative ways.

If you haven't been to the Indianapolis Zoo yet to see the Dragons of Komodo exhibit then you need to make plans now as they'll be leaving the zoo after this week.

The two Komodo dragons will be leaving their downtown Indianapolis home this weekend. Their last day will be Sunday, September 6th.

My family went to the zoo a few weeks back and enjoyed our time, as always, with the animals. Visiting the zoo is one of our favorite things to do in Indianapolis. As fall weather starts making its appearance in our city, the weather couldn't be better to enjoy a stroll through different animal attractions and lovely, gardened areas.

You can get a video glimpse of the dragons by crawling on over to the VisitIndy.com website and watching their Doing Indy video podcast.

I have to admit that anytime I see a red sign marked "SALE" I get chills up and down my spine.  Nothing turns my crank like a good deal.  And I have all of these warm fuzzy memories of when our local mall used to have Sidewalk sales in the late summer/early fall.  Somehow, seeing the goods normally stuffed inside the store walls out in the hallway transformed the mall into a magic place.  And you could buy everything for a fraction of its original sale price.  It seems that my strange passion for cheap buys started early in life, huh?

Well if you're looking for something to do in downtown Indianapolis this Labor Day Weekend and you love Sidewalk Sales, too you're definitely going to want to check out the Sidewalk Sale on the Indianapolis Canal.  The sale features goods from both the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art and the Indiana State Museum's Indiana Store (which is stocked with great IN made products INCLUDING Vera Bradley Bags which will be up to 50% off!).  Simply check out the sidewalk behind the Museums to get the skinny on all of the great deals.  The Sale will be held Saturday September 5th from 10 AM - 4 PM.



On top of that, on Labor Day - Monday September 7, the Eiteljorg is featuring $1 General Admission to the Museum (one of the best cultural and historical Indianapolis Attractions in my opinion!).  Wander on over from the Rib America Fest and get in a little culture on the cheap or maybe you can score a great deal at the Sidewalk Sale, too.

 If you're looking for a unique (and free!) family experience next week, check out the Disney A Christmas Carol Train Tour coming to Bargersville, IN (south of Indianapolis) on Wednesday, September 9, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.  

To celebrate the release of Disney's newest holiday film due out November 6, Disney has literally laid down track all over the country with a special train tour.  And now it's Indianapolis' turn to experience this amazing event.

The film looks to be amazing, a new 3D twist on the classic Dickens' tale featuring Jim Carrey as the infamous Mr. Ebeneezer Scrooge.  And to give you a sneak peek of how they made the movie and what it will look like, Disney has partnered with both HP and Amtrak to travel to 40 cities across the US and it's almost time for her to come chugging into Indianapolis' backyard.  

I honestly couldn't be more excited about the fact that they are bringing items on loan from the Charles Dickens Museum of London (moment of honesty, I'm a History AND a Literature Geek!).  But you can also become one with the film through HP's TouchSmart technology as it morphs you into a character from the film! 

Each of the four vintage cars pulled by the Amtrak locomotive will be filled with exhibits and activities, suitable for kids and adults alike.  A portable 3D Digital Theater will also be erected so that you can watch excerpts of the movie. I also read somewhere that there will be SNOW! Snow in September, even in temperamental Indiana, is a feat.  I'm sure the whole experience will be nothing short of magical.  That's kind of how Disney rolls.

To top things off, there will also be a chance to win an HP TouchSmart PC and a HP PhotoSmart Wireless Printer.  And the little Mouseketeer in your house can audition to be Indy's own Hometown MovieSurfer for the Disney Channel.  Radio Disney will be onsite, keeping everyone hopping, spinning Disney's favorite tunes.

It might seem like a little early to get into the Christmas spirit, but this is definitely a once in a lifetime experience.  So whether you live in Indianapolis or are visiting during an extended Labor Day Vacation, check out this fun event.  More than likely you'll see the Royal Family there.

Have a seat. We need to talk about something.

Everyday I drive past a corn field to get to wherever I'm going. And I pretty much live in the city.

With corn growing right across from my driveway why on earth would I ever want to buy produce at the grocery store that I can find at one of over a dozen Indiana Farmer's Markets or U-Pick orchards?

Let's face it, Indiana may be in the Midwest and far away from the glitz and glamor of big swanky cities but we have the chance to get apples for our Labor Day pies from the farmer who grew them. And corn? Hello!



So you're on your Indianapolis vacation. Sick of drive thrus eating out. You don't have a kitchen so cooking is kind of out of the question but you want something. You just don't know what it is. You've seen all the popular Indianapolis attractions, now head out and see the real reason we locals have Hoosier pride.




Head over to visitindy.com, type "farmer's market" into the search box and you'll find all that our fine city has to offer, from Downtown Indianapolis, to Zionsville. Regular local markets to all out festivals. Weekends, weekdays and holidays.

The weather has been beyond perfect, so this Labor Day why not spend time with your family eating all that Indiana Farms and Farmers have to offer you? I can promise you, it's A LOT.

I've been hearing commercials the last few weeks letting me know that the NHRA Mac Tools US Nationals are racing into O'Reilly Raceway Park this coming weekend. These races have  been coming to Indianapolis for the past 55 years and continue to run strong.

The "Super Bowl" of drag racing events starts this week and runs through September 7th. I've been planning on taking my son this year as I think he'd love to see the fast cars, but there's more than just racing.

There's also the amazing car show where he can see cars that are mechanical works of art and skill. All-in-all there's plenty to do over the course of the almost week long list of activities. This year they're even featuring a throwback to some older cars that have graced the track over the years.

A quick schedule of the events for the weekend include:

• 09/04/09 @ 5:30pm - Pro Qualifying
• 09/05/09 @ 12:00pm - Pro Qualifying
• 09/05/09 @ 5:45pm - Pro Qualifying
• 09/05/09 @ 1:15pm - Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle Elimination
• 09/05/09 @ 5:30pm - Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle Elimination
• 09/05/09 @ 7:40pm - Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle Elimination
• 09/06/09 @ 11:30am - Conclusion of pro qualifying
• 09/06/09 @ 2:30pm - Conclusion of pro qualifying
• 09/07/09 @ 11:00am - Final eliminations

If you're going to be in town this weekend and want to see some more Indianapolis sports in action then be sure to race on out to the NHRA Mac Tools US Nationals O'Reilly Raceway Park. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster. If you can't make it out in person, there's going to be plenty of national TV coverage on ESPN and ESPN2.

There's about a week left (ends 09/07/2009) of the hundreds and hundreds of free flying butterflies inside the conservatory at White River Gardens. You know? That giant glass building next to the zoo that always gets neglected? (At least by the people I know?)

Most people have no idea that there is a very intricate (very peaceful) garden right in downtown Indianapolis, let alone that this is the 11th season of butterflies. They are always our first stop before we head over to the zoo. It's rarely ever crowded and the gift shop and nature center inside the building are awesome. There's even a plant that you can tickle. Tell me what kid isn't going to be interested in that?The zoo is obviously one of the main things to do in Indianapolis when you travel here with a family, and since admission to the Butterflies and White River Gardens is included in your zoo admission why not take the extra hundred steps over to one of my (and my kid's) favorite places in Indy?

I've written before that going to a WNBA Indiana Fever Game is not a horrible way to spend quality family time. I know because I took my family in downtown Indianapolis and we had a really good time. The fans are a lot more passionate than NBA fans honestly!(okay, when I say passionate I mean politely dedicated. NBA fans can get a LEEDLE CRAZY.) and the interaction and activities for kids is fantastic.



There are four games left in the regular season and the Fever has a special offer just for fans in Indiana. Using the code WNBABLOG at Ticketmaster when purchasing Fever tickets will get you one free ticket for every ticket you purchase. Have a family of four? Buy two tickets and all four of you are in for the price of two.

There aren't many things to do in Indianapolis with this kind of sweet deal.

Plus how awesome is it to be able to show our little girls some real role models?

Pretty awesome.

The dates for Gen Con are August 5-8 in 2010. Put it on your calendar because then you can't say I didn't warn you.

You don't play games? That's okay! You won't have very many opportunities to eat a cheeseburger with a Storm Trooper or get your picture taken with an ogre anywhere else so you had better embrace the opportunity while you have it.

A full conference pass is under $100 and you'll have access to everything Gen Con, or simply do what we do each year and take a walk through the Indianapolis convention center. Maybe you'll be invited in on an impromptu game of who knows what, see an ogre or have the opportunity to throw coins at an enormous tower of Magic cards for charity's sake.

No one has ever come away from Gen Con disappointed with their experience, be it a simple pass through the convention center or 19 straight hours of Dungeons and Dragons. And as usual there is always family day on Sunday where you can spend the day with your family at the best four days in gaming at the most attended gaming conference in the world. THE WORLD!

(Also, the "Gen" in Gen Con is short for Geneva, since the conference originated up at Lake Geneva. Con is for conference. I pass all my wisdom on to you people.)

"All weapons associated with a costume - for volunteers, entertainers, artisans and guests - must be sheathed and peace tied. Security strictly enforces this rule."

I love this city.

When we do something with a theme? We do something with A THEME, in all capitals said with serious eyes.

In this case the above quote is from the 5th annual Fishers Renaissance Faire taking place the first weekend of October (Saturday the 3rd and Sunday the 4th) up at Conner Prairie. How many of you locals knew about this? Apparently over 14,000 visitors come to the faire in one weekend.

I've told you about things to do in Indianapolis that involve drums, Storm Troopers, Wiggles and fried candy bars.

Now I bring you jousting, knights in shining armor (remember who you came with ladies) over a hundred shows and all of the people participating in period costume and acting the part (which means swooning is completely acceptable.)

Traveling from out of town? Renaissance Faire Indianapolis packages can be found here.

Okay so if you want to get all intelligent and say that the Artsgarden is a garden for growing art, then okay, it's a garden.

But if you're like me you'll be a little surprised when you go into the gigantic glass bubble suspended 17 feet over the busy intersection of Washington and Illinois in downtown Indianapolis and not see very many gardeny things.

The art however is apparent.

Almost every afternoon at lunch time there is a free concert in the Artsgarden featuring any and every type of music you can imagine. A great place to bring your lunch and spend part of your afternoon whether you are a local or in town for business.

Another fantastic feature of the Artsgarden is that it also houses a visitors center that is staffed during normal business hours. This is the place to go if you just got in and need a list of any and all cultural events going on in the city. Constantly updated and well stocked with literature you're sure to find something to do (you know, if you don't find it here first.)

The Artsgarden connects the Circle Centre Mall to several Indianapolis hotels and also if the weather outside is frightful you can even make it all the way over to the Indiana Convention Center by just following the signs and sky walks.

A great place to get out of the house in the heat of summer or the freezing temperatures of winter, it's always the perfect temperature with perfect views of downtown Indianapolis.

IT'S ALMOST HERE! I've been waiting for what feels like an eternity and it's about to start up again. NFL pre-season games are already in full swing and teams are getting pumped for the upcoming games.

Indianapolis sports is taken seriously here in the city. The question at hand though is where's the best place to watch a Colts game? If it's an away game or if you're not one of the lucky ones with tickets to watch them live at Lucas Oil Stadium, where's the best place to enjoy the game with friends and food?

Let's hear it!

Where's the best place to watch a Colts game in Indianapolis?

I'm guessing one of BW3's Indianapolis locations would work, I'm sure there would be a heavy crowd at Scotty's Brewhouse downtown as well. They'll be opening their downtown Indianapolis location at 10 a.m. and serve breakfast for all Colts home games this season. I've heard quite a bit about the Blew Crew Sports Grill on the north side as well. Champps Downtown has loads of TV's, I'm sure that would work. My son loves sports, so I'm curious if there are any family friendly locations to watch the game.

Help me out and leave a comment on where you think the best place to watch a Colts game is this season. Even if you don't like football, what other location is the place to be to catch some Indianapolis sports in high-def goodness? It doesn't matter if it's in downtown Indianapolis or one of the surrounding areas. If it's a great place to watch the game, I want to hear about it!

Sometimes you just can't help it. There are going to be days when you just want to stay indoors. It could be raining, snowing, cold or hot. However, there are still plenty of things to do in Indianapolis that don't require you to be outside.

Recently my family and I went to a new place on the south side of town called The Incredible Pizza Company. It's located just off  U.S. 31, a few blocks north of County Line Road. They have a variety of the latest video games, indoor go-karts, bumper cars, miniature bowling and even black-light miniature golf. I was even surprised at the selection of food that's available. Your family can select from salad, pizza, Mexican, or home-style American and Italian. An interesting part of the The Incredible Pizza Company concept is it has a variety of dining rooms with different decor motifs: a high school gym, 50's diner, drive-in theater and relaxing family living room. It reminded me of the different themed dining options available at Walt Disney World.

If you're looking for an Indianapolis business closer to downtown, head to Jillian's. Bowling, arcades, pool tables and plenty of TVs provide more entertainment geared towards an older crowd. Jillian's requires kids to be with an adult at all times, and you must be 21 and older on weekends after 10 p.m.

Just northwest of downtown Indianapolis is Xscape, located at the Lafayette Square Mall near 38th street and I-65. Xscape is another 75,000 square foot indoor amusement park that has all the options provided by other locations and more, including laser tag and smaller amusement rides.

If you're on the northside of Indianapolis, Dave & Buster's has its entertainment facility in Castleton. There are numerous fun activities and attractions for the young and the old. Dave & Busters also has a great selection of food items that add to the experience. Similar to Jillian's downtown, Dave & Busters targets an older crowd, but is still very family friendly.

I love restaurant dining. Of course, I love eating. Period. But I particularly enjoy at least one of three things when I'm dining out.

1. Saving money
2. Eating with friends and family
3. Finding a local, independent restaurant to support

You can accomplish at least two of those options by stopping by the VisitIndy.com website and printing some of the coupons we have available. With the money you're going to save, you can invite some friends and family to join you!

We've got coupons for some of the best restaurants in downtown Indianapolis. At least half a dozen of them are located within short walking distance from the Indiana Convention Center!

Some of my favorites on the list are Claddagh Irish Pub, Shapiro's Deli, Scotty's Brewhouse, McCormick & Schmick's Seafood, Buca di Beppo and BARcelona Tapas Restaurant.

There are a few others I'm not as familiar with that I'm going to have to try out, such as India Garden Restaurant, Smokehouse on Shelby and The Taste of Tango.

You'll find free appetizers, desserts and other discounts  by using one of our coupons. So get out of the house, enjoy yourself and be Positively Indy!

With the kids back in school and the weather starting to cool off, taking a break with your family and enjoying the outdoors is a great way to spend your evenings and weekends. My kids have visited Conner Prairie, an interactive history park, for class field trips and other visits and absolutely love it!

The other attraction that Conner Prairie has in Indianapolis is that they've partnered with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra for their Symphony on the Prairie. More than just the symphony performs as well. Some of the events in Indianapolis that are coming up on the schedule include:

• Rockapella (August 21-22)
• Glenn Miller Orchestra (August 28-29)
• An Evening with America (September 3-4)
• River City Brass Brand (September 5-6)

Another special event at Conner Prairie is the celebration of one of the earliest forms of flight. The 1859 Balloon Voyage is quite a celebration.

If you're looking for a bit of a different way to experience some Indianapolis history, you can visit Conner Prairie and mix your history with the sound of music and flight.

Dear Downtown Indianapolis Restaurants,
I know you've been missing me. But you see, the Indiana State Fair is in town and with all this food I can only eat once a year not much room is left for all of your healthy non fried options.
Behold, I bring unto you the true Indianapolis attractions during fair season.


Deep Fried Snickers Bar.


Funnel Cake, Fried Pickles and Cream Puff (in back.)

"Fresh" fried vegetables.

Can you feel the heartburn? I know I could. I will say that while I did try every single item listed above I did not finish any of them. Because really? One bite is all it takes. (Not pictured, roasted corn, Indiana Tenderloin Sandwich, lemon shake up, ice cream from the Dairy Barn, elephant ear and King Tater.)

The Indiana State Fair runs through August 23, 2009. Plenty of time to get your antacid on.

The State Fair is going on right now and there is plenty of great entertainment to fill your schedule throughout the next week. When the fair is over though, don't think there aren't other Indianapolis attractions to bring fun times and great food to your local calendar.

Here are just a few of the different festivals that are coming up over the next few weeks. Each event celebrates the local group's culture and Indianapolis history.

ARTSPARKLE: Mardi Gras (Saturday, August 22nd)

Indiana Native American History Festival (Saturday, August 29th)German American Klub's Oktoberfest 2009 (September 9th - September 12th)

If you have a little kid then you know that their attention span is that equivalent to a wasp at a picnic table.

CORN! STEAK! LEMONADE! POTATO SALAD! 

All. over. the. place.

For a nice way to trick your kids into a little culture while participating in some free things to do in Indianapolis on a weekend, the IMA offers free half hour tours for families on the second and fourth Saturday of each month through May of next year. The tours begin at 1:30 and 2:30, perfect timing for the wee ones to be asleep in a stroller and the older ones to be fresh out of energy and on a full stomach.

Which is really the best operating circumstances for little people. Worn out and well fed.

Also, take heart that the security guards and docents at the IMA will follow you around like hawks whether you have your elderly grandmother with you or a sticky fingered four year old with you. So don't take it personally, just pretend they're not there. (Well, and don't touch. Duh.)

While there are a lot of Indianapolis attractions that feature plenty of green space and foliage, the Oldfields-Lilly gardens that share the grounds of the IMA have come to grow like mold on my little heart. If Tinkerbell were to live anywhere in Indiana, it would be here.

I think one of the most iconic locations in downtown Indianapolis is Monument Circle. You may think the reference to "Circle City" is in response to the Indianapolis 500 race that happens every year.

It doesn't.

The history of the term really came from the original layout of streets in the civic design by Alexander Ralston. Originally the center of the circle was the Governor's mansion. In the mid 1800's the mansion was demolished and replaced by the Soldiers and Sailors Monument.

Let me remind you though- there's more to the circle than the monument! Have you ever seen it be transformed into  a Christmas tree!? 

First there are pockets of great stores on the circle. Check out the South Bend Chocolate Company if you'd like a sweet treat. If you want great coffee, fresh sandwiches and salads and free wi-fi, then Au Bon Pain is perfect for you and they offer outdoor dining.

If you're not looking for food, Hilbert Circle Theater, home of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra is there. The beautiful Christ Church Cathedral is on the circle as well, along with numerous other businesses and retail shops.

One of my favorite scenes in Indianapolis is to drive on Meridian or Market streets, which both intersect the circle, and see everyone sitting on the circle, having a lunch and meandering around the monument on a beautiful sunny day.

Come on down and see for yourself that there's a whole lot more in the center of the circle in downtown Indianapolis than a big monument. See why we're still raising the game in Indianapolis and how we're Positively Indy!

Golf is one of those things to do in Indianapolis that gives you a little bit of everything. If you like the outdoors, conversation with friends and a bit of a personal sports challenge, golfing is just about the perfect past time.

The Hoosier Caddy golf site helps you find the right course in your area of Indianapolis. It doesn't matter if you live in Indianapolis or travel here for business or pleasure, if you're looking for an Indianapolis attraction with golf at the center, then Hoosier Caddy will have the information you need. Being a local Indianapolis business also gives you the feeling of getting a great tip from a friend on where to play your next round of golf.

The Hoosier Caddy website provides maps, listings, photos and golfer reviews for courses all over the Hoosier state. If you're looking for golf in  Indiana, then you've scored a hole-in-one with Hoosier Caddy.

I have a couple of different connections to the folks behind Hoosier Caddy and my cousin and uncle both work for Buffer Park Golf Course on the south side. Everyone I've come into contact with has had positive things to say about what Hoosier Caddy has to offer for golfers in Indianapolis.

May your drives be straight, your putt count low and your birdies high in Indianapolis!