| Indy Oasis - Victory Field Tour |
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Where:
| Victory Field
Indianapolis, Indiana
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Best Time: |
April to August |
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Notes:
- Car optional if staying downtown. Take a cab or hotel shuttle for short ride from airport.
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| Best for: Couples, Families |
A family entertainment town with a heavy sports jones, Indy offers a mix of fun, entertainment, shopping, great food, and nightlife. |
There is an oasis in the Midwest which anyone from surrounding states and residents of Indiana know well. Hawaii and Florida are fun, but pricey. For a great time, and the best bang for your buck, Indianapolis is a great town, save about six times of the year. Local hotels peak their seasons around major league games, big meetings, the NCAA events, and events at the Motor Speedway. Yet minor league baseball, one of the best entertainments over the long spring and summer, is a real bargain when hotel rooms aren't at spiked rates for other sports or large conventions.
Indy is a capital "D" Destination. We don't include it in a "Tour" because, once you get here, there is plenty to do all on its own. Drive or fly, even from the tony East Coast towns, and you will find a delightful berg that offers something for everyone in your family.
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At MLNTravel™, we generate several ideas for tours and destinations. We classify this as a COUPLES and FAMILIES Destination because the ideas that we'll present here offer everyone a little something. For the baseball fan, there's a great game. For the family member that likes great shopping, dining, or cultural events, there is a lot more to do outside of Victory Field.
Victory Field is a great place to catch a ballgame. Walking distance from many hotels and restaurants in the downtown district, it's a fun evening for everyone, including those who may not be the biggest baseball fans. Long weekend or destination vacation, we'll share with you some tips on the Indy Oasis that will make your stay a great one!
The Hidden Gem of Sportsville USA
When you think of Indy, the Colts, Pacers, the NCAA tourney and the motorhead mania of the Indy 500 all come to mind.
Yet Indy was, for many years a four-sport town. Fans were saddened when the Indianpolis Ice closed its doors last year, after a long run both as a Class-AAA IHL and Class-AA CHL club.
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The hidden gem of sports in Indianapolis is Indians Baseball. The Indianapolis Indians (I-Tribe) is a Class-AAA team in the International League (IL). Triple-A is the highest level below the major leagues. All teams in minor league baseball are affiliated with a parent major league club, who assigns them players. The Indians are an affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Before the Coasties start Buc bashing, the Pirates may not always be a contending team, but their farm team, like many, can be a different story than the parent club. The I-Tribe puts on a great show. In 2005, the Indians were a contender for the PCL championship. They put an exciting product on the field whether they're part of the Bucs or Brewers (a past affiliation).
Victory Field has a commanding view of the Downtown District. It's literally walking distance from many hotels, dining destinations and hot spots.
See the sidebar "The Road to Victory" on this page for tips and tickets.
Where to Stay
Indy has a wide variety of hotels to choose from. Whether you go upscale or bargain, you'll find many good choices. The Circle Centre Mall offers reasonable hotel packages to encourage shopper stays at both our upscale picks.
In the upscale class, more than $150/night, the best pick is Canterbury Hotel, right in the heart of the downtown area, walking distance from Victory Field and steps to great food, shopping, and entertainment. Room rates four this four-star hotel will be a refreshing change of pace for travelers used to getting stuck by similar establishments in the Big Apple, Chicago, or Los Angeles. Of the upscale chain hotels, we'd recommend the Omni Severin
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Hotel. Omni also offers travel packages including air and car, so check to see what deals can be obtained.
In the mid-price hotels, the Westin Hotel has some of the most comfortable rooms that you'll find anywhere. The Hyatt Regency is nice, but, like most Hyatts, there are a lot of marked-up extras that may pinch your wallet into the four-star class. Courtyard by Marriott Indianapolis Downtown is less than a mile from Victory Field. If you like Bed & Breakfasts, there are charming choices including the Looking Glass Inn and the Stone Soup Inn.
For budget hotels, the airport area is not far away, and offers better rates, but you will pay more in gas, which, as of this writing, at 2.99/gal. may offset any savings for staying out there.
Where to Play
There is a lot to do in Indianapolis beyond sports. The city has something for everybody. With its Midwestern roots, there is a lot more for families and those who find streams of f*bombs offensive.
If you like Second City®, Saturday Night Live®, or the TV show What's My Line, the Indy twist is ComedySportz Indianapolis, where comedians who compete in teams battle for laughs with clean humor that all ages can enjoy. Crackers Comedy has traditional stand-up acts. If dinner and a murder are your thing, try the Mystery Cafe, which does murder mystery plays right around your table while you eat. If dinner and a movie is more your thing, you can combine both in one spot at Hollywood Bar & Filmworks, a dinner and a movie joint for the 18+ crowd.
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The IMAX theater at Indiana State Museum, shows feature films like Batman Begins and IMAX specials like NASCAR 3D.
If you stay downtown, there is a United Artists theater in the Circle Centre in the heart of the district.
Speaking of Circle Centre, are there people in your party who love to shop?
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The Circle Centre Mall has great shopping and restaurants, from fast food to a street-level Ruth's Chris Steak House, voted Indy's best steakhouse, and a personal pick of the editors of MLN. Walk from the park to the bar, catch a game and order yourself a steak dinner so good that it would convert a vegan. If the thought leaves you hungry, you can make reservations now.
For a romantic evening, try Malibu on Maryland, a cool place in a historic building with some of the best martinis around. A step down in price but not in quality is more hearty German-Midwestern fare at the Rathskellar which features fine steaks, and traditional Bavarian fare.
Looking for a good sports bar with reasonably-priced eats and good beer? Buffalo Wild Wings has what you're looking for. Champs Sports Lounge at the Hyatt has good fare as well.
For other restaurants, Indianapolis Monthly has a good dining guide with updated reviews and full menus.
Other Sports, Entertainment, and Music Venues
You can blend a destination sports trip to some of the mega-ticket events in Indy with a little Indians baseball as well. In case you don't know what happens in Indy over the Spring and Summer, here are some of the events that you might want to try to make, or avoid, if you want to get rooms at better rates. There are concerts and special events throughout the Summer at the Canseco Field House and the RCA Dome.
The grandaddy of American racing events is the Indy 500. It's the kind of event you go to even if you've never been a fan of the sport for its sheer spectacle. Book hotels and other reservations EARLY.
Indianapolis 500®: Last week in May
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Formula One roars to life at the Motor Speedway in June of each year. A high-adrenaline event for the racing enthusiast.
U.S. Grand Prix™: Third week in June
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The Allstate Brickyard 400, part of the NEXTEL NASCAR Cup series, is a must-see for NASCAR fans.
Allstate 400: First weekend in August
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The RCA Dome features all sorts of events and sports. Check their calendar for everything from Motocross to the NCAA Basketball Tournament.
RCA Dome: Various Events & Sports
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Canseco Fieldhouse is home to the Indiana Pacers, concerts, and shows like the Ringling Bros. Circus. See their events list for what will be happening when you visit Indy.
Canseco Fieldhouse: Various Events & Sports
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The Indianapolis Zoo is one of the best zoos in the country. Thinking about Hawaii or the Caribbean for a water adventure? The Zoo's new Dolphin Adventure includes some in-water experiences.
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Indy Must-Sees
Indianapolis has some great tourist destinations with experiences that you won't find anywhere else.
most progressive of the growing trend. The Connor Prairie Living History Museum gives you a taste of life back in the days of the pioneers settling the Midwest.
The Eiteljorg Museum of Western Indians and Art is an impressive complex with some of the best displays of Western art.
In a state where basketball is synonymous with breathing, the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame is another sports museum filled with the great history of Hoosier hoops.
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If you have kids, the Indiana Transportation Museum is a trip back along the Nickel Plate Road. They run special trains that run throughout the summer offering dinners, fun and entertainment. Check the schedule. You will need a car to get there.
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The Great Outdoors
Sportstown has a lot of recreational activities for days away from the ballpark.
WheelFun Rentals has bikes and hansom bikes that you can rent to explore Indy. Like water parks? Caribbean Cove is a 50,000 square foot indoor water park with slides, play areas, food, and a Holiday Inn attached. Indy Island is a more limited, but more reasonable, water slide offered by the Parks & Rec.
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Road to Victory
Insider tips to Victory Field |
Victory Field is one of the nicest ballparks in America. It received top nods from Baseball America and SI, and was our No. 1 pick in 2001 for the MLN Guide to the Top Ten Minor League Ballparks in America.
Built from a design that is now more common usage for architects HOK Sport, the horse-shoe stadium with the big breezeway filled with food, souvenirs, and more.
Best Eats
In addition to the usual ballpark fare, there are fish&chips, chicken wraps micro brew beer, and barbeque: Dick's BBQ sandwich and a rib sandwich, both of which are top-notch.
Best Seats
If you're a hardcore baseball fan, we'd recommend the area between home plate and third base. If you like souvenirs, try hanging on the lawn in the outfield.
Best Games
The action in the Triple-A leagues is always a notch up. Minor league players ready for the big leagues play 130% because there is no future without it. The Pirates put out some great farmhands, but if Bucs baseball isn't your bag, find the farm club from your favorite Major League squad when they come to town.
In the International League, if you're a Yankees fan, catch the I-Tribe playing the Columbus Clippers. Red Sox fans can watch the Sox farm when the Pawtucket Red Sox (PawSox) come to town. The Toledo Mud Hens, famous to most Americans outside the Midwest from the television show M*A*S*H (Corporal Klinger used to follow the Hens) are a good mid-states rival. The Richmond Braves have a couple of pitchers at any given time that are usually ready to break into the starting croweded starting rotation in Atlanta.
Tickets
MLNTicket™ can hook you up to any direct ticket link in the country, as well as to our partner, STUBHUB.com, which offers limited season tickets on resale.
Getting There
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There is ample parking for those who drive to Indy. If you fly in, and don't want to rent a car, grab a ride on the FREE IndyGo Blue Line, which circulates through downtown every ten minutes from 10 am until 10 pm. |
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