6 best places to visit in Indianapolis

Indianapolis

Indianapolis has a lot to offer for visitors with an adventurous spirit. It comes across the board as a big city with a small-town feel. The dynamic sports, scene, sustainable agriculture scenery, great museums, and fantastic parks are just but a few of the many good things about Indianapolis. In this blog post, we look at the best things to do in Indianapolis.

1. Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS)

Needless to say, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) is one of the best things to do in Indy. This epic race track has been around since 1909, attracting people from all over the world. There’s also an automobile museum, which was established about 50 years later. When not witnessing the trailblazing Indy 500 race event that is held in May each year, visitors can explore over 75 cars in the museum, or watch footage of the event from over the years. There’s simply just not enough time to take in all they have to offer here!

2. Indianapolis Museum of Art

The Indianapolis Museum of Art is one of the things that make Indy a great place to visit or live in. It spans more than 152 acres and is one of the 10 biggest art museums in the country. Visitors here get to witness more than 54,000 works of art that go as far back as the last 5,000 years. Among other things, it offers Neoimpressionist paintings (including Georges Seurat), Chinese ceramics, and contemporary works of art. This awesome museum also boasts one of the biggest contemporary art parks in the nation. The famed outdoor space features a 35-acre lake with artworks set up amidst the wetlands and woodlands. Kids can also have some extra fun with interactive installations.

3. Central Canal

Sometimes also referred to as the Indy Canal Walk, this attraction was established in the 1840s when the state authorities were working to bring more commerce to the city. However, soon after, the state found itself cash-strapped, and plans for a 296-mile waterway were put on hold. The modern Central Canal is a 3-mile loop flowing by the Indianapolis Zoo, Victory Field, and Indiana State Museum. Options include booking a Segway tour or taking a walk alongside the canal to experience all of the attractions located beside it.

4. Indiana War Memorial

The Indiana War Memorial is considered to be a state landmark. It encompasses 2 museums, 3 parks, and about 24 acres of statues, monuments, and fountains. The monuments here are dedicated to veterans, and you can spend some time looking back through time in the museum. Many visitors who choose to visit this tourist attraction in Indianapolis describe it as ‘peaceful’ and ‘breathtaking’. There’s also a Shrine Room that is dedicated to soldiers who fell in the first world war.

5. The Children’s Museum

A life-size Alamosaurus sports a medical mask at the world’s largest children’s museum, The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis.

This massive installation – which spans more than 472,000 square feet, is actually the largest children’s museum in the world. It boasts more than 11 major galleries, fantastic exhibits (including a planetarium and Dinosphere). A National Geographic Treasures exhibit offers recreations of 3 popular attraction sites: a pirate shipwreck, an Egyptian tomb, and Terra Cotta Warriors in China. There are several floors with fascinating exhibits and also a decorative Chihuly glass. The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis boasts its own impressive 12,500-year-old mastodon skeleton and carousel.

6. Indianapolis Zoo

The Indianapolis Zoo is spread across more than 64 acres and is home to over 1,600 animals and more than 23,000 species of plants. This is a favorite spot not just for Indy residents but also visitors from other areas. There are five biomes (areas) that are separated by Climate. These include Deserts, Oceans, Forests, Plains, and Encounters. One of the best-rated highlights is the underwater dome for dolphin viewing. The recently launched orangutan center has also been a popular spot for families visiting here.

In addition to the above list, other places to visit in Indianapolis include the Lucas Oil Stadium, the Lockerbie Square Historic District, the Eiteljorg Museum, and the GRT Glass Design studio.

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5 cool facts about Indianapolis

facts about Indianapolis

The City of Indianapolis is Indiana’s state capital, known for its world-famous Indy 500 motor race that is held in May every year. Other than its motor racing legacy, Indianapolis is also known for its glistening waterways, remarkable memorials, picturesque pose, and plenty of green spaces. In this article, we look at some other very interesting facts about Indianapolis (which is also nicknamed ‘Indy’).

1. Indy became the state capital in 1821

Indianapolis replaced the city of Corydon as the state capital in 1821. This was after a committee authorized the state to choose its new capital. Thanks to this historical development, Indy has turned out to be the best city in the state of Indianapolis. It is also the most populous city in the state. Corydon, on the other hand, is today a small town with less than 5,000 residents based on the 2010 census.

2. The third-largest cemetery in the U.S

Crown Hill Cemetery is located at 700 West 38 Street in the city of Indianapolis. This historical cemetery was established in 1863. It occupies more than 550 acres, making it the 3rd largest non-government cemetery in the United States. Crown Hill has more than 25 miles of paved road, more than 200,000 graves, over 150 different species of trees and plants, and an average of 1,500 burials each year. It is also the final resting place for John Dillinger, James Whitcomb, and Benjamin Harrison.

3. Largest Children’s museum in the world

Located at 3000 North Meridian Street, the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is the biggest children’s museum in the world. It has been accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and occupies more than 472,000 square feet. It’s 5 floors of exhibit halls attract more than 1 million visitors each year. Some of the most popular exhibits here include a simulated Cretaceous dinosaur habitat, a steam locomotive, and a carousel.

4. Home to the Indy 500

The Indy 500 is the largest single-day sports even in the world. This 500-mile automobile race is held each year at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS). The yard itself is nicknamed ‘Brickyard’ since its racing surface was paved in brick back in 1909. A little bit of this brick can be seen exposed at the start and finish lines. Indy 500 is dubbed as the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. In May each year, people travel from all over the world to witness the adrenaline-charged race.

5. One of the largest municipal parks in the country

Eagle Creek Park is the biggest in Indianapolis and one of the country’s largest municipal parks. Located on 7840 W. 56th Street, it occupies about 3,900 acres of land and 1,400 acres of water. It primarily serves as a nature reserve. Over the last 20 years, the park has hostable many large-scale sporting events, including the NCAA Rowing Championships. Some exciting activities that visitors can engage in while at Eagle Creek include swimming, sailing, fishing, fitness activities, boating, and picnicking.

Indianapolis is no doubt an exciting city. This bustling metropolis of 886,000 people comes across as the 3rd most populous in the Midwest, and 17th most popular in the US. Its cost of living is about 7% lower than the national average, with a safe environment that is great for families with kids.

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Indianapolis Officials Seek To Spur Energy-Saving Transport

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — City planners hope a change to Indianapolis zoning rules will encourage residents to travel on buses, bicycles, car shares and other methods of energy-saving transportation.

Officials want to offer savings to developers when they scale back the required number of parking spaces and instead offer bike racks, electric-car charging stations or other “green” amenities. The new provision is included in an overhaul of Marion County’s 1969 zoning code, which will be considered by the City-County Council for final adoption.

The Indianapolis Star reports that the rezoning rewrite seeks to improve walkability and transportation options in the city and to increase greenspace.

The effort coincides with many of Mayor Greg Ballard’s initiatives, including the Indiana Pacers Bikeshare, the BlueIndy car share and the bus rapid transit plan.

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Long Term Care Insurance reviews

long term care

When you’re looking at Long Term Care Insurance reviews, you know it’s important to compare companies.  But it’s not that simple.  Most agents are “captive” agents, meaning they are paid more to push their sponsoring company.  Sure, they’ll provide “comparisons” but they are going to drive you to the company that pays them the most.  A true independent agent will keep your best interest in mind, and show you an unbiased perspective of the entire Long Term Care Insurance reviews market.

Take Your Time

Now’s the time to step back and relax.  You should not feel rushed to make decisions.  The Long Term Care Insurance reviews sales process can feel rushed by hungry agents sometimes.  Don’t let high-pressure sales tactics cloud your judgement.

  • Financial Strength Ratings.  When choosing a Long Term Care insurance Reviews company, first look for a company with good Long Term Care Insurance reviews and financial strength ratings.  Also, look for a company with a good reputation for treating its policyholders fairly.  When it comes time to collect a claim, for example, it is important not only to be dealing with a reputable company but also with a company that has good financial strength.
  • Competitive Pricing.  An independent agent can quote you pricing for all of the major carriers for similar benefits.  We provide side-by-side comparisons to help compare apples and apples between companies.
  • Policy Features.  The framework of a Long Term Care Insurance reviews policy will not vary much from company to company.  While they are all going to be very similar, every company will differentiate itself from the market with a nuance or two here and there.  We will help you drill down and sift through the nuances to find the right company fit for your unique situation.

We only work with the top Long Term Care Insurance reviews companies. Our carriers include Genworth Financial, John Hancock, Transamerica, Mass Mutual, United of Omaha, and Mutual of Omaha, which are all reputable companies with good financial strength ratings.

Long Term Care Insurance Company Financial Strength Ratings

The average age of people needing Long Term Care is in the mid-80s.  It is vital to choose a company today that will still be able to pay your Long Term Care Insurance claim in the future when you need it.

Below are some links to third-party companies that rate the financial strength of the major insurance companies.  As a rule, it is important to do business with companies rated “A” or better.

Long Term Care Insurance Reviews Premium Rate Stability

Long Term Care insurance companies cannot increase your rates for changes in your age or health.  However, companies can file an appeal to your state’s insurance commissioner for a class rate increase on Long Term Care Insurance policies in certain categories.  Rest assured, however, that insurance companies cannot raise your rates on an individual basis.

 

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Indy Rezone Heads To Council

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Development Commission approved a new citywide zoning code called Indy Rezone on Wednesday.

The last time the code was rewritten was in 1970, with the adoption of UniGov.  For the past four years, planners, committees and the public have had helped craft the draft.  The new code aims to make Indianapolis more livable and sustainable, now and in the future.

John Neal, senior planner with the Department of Metropolitan Development, said much of the focus has been placed on enhancing neighborhoods.

“We’ve addressed things like sidewalks, for new subdivisions we’ve addressed open space, construction and configuration of streets, connectivity to existing through-fares,” he said.

The code attempts to lay the groundwork for a better-built environment that directly impacts the people living in it.  It covers thousands of changes but some of the highlighted ordinances promote walkability, protection of water supplies, transit readiness, safety and mixed-use development.

New aspects of the code include a green factor that incentivizes low impact development techniques and a vacant provision allowing for more flexible reuse options of existing structures.

The new code is also simplified to make it easier to use with a completely different structure and format.

“It used to be if you were thinking about industrial you had to look in one part of the ordinance, if you were asking about downtown it was a seperate ordinance,” Neal explained. “Now everything will be in a single ordinance, we’ll have one source of definitions, one source of calculations.”

The draft now goes to the City County Council for consideration.

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Think You’re a Blogger?

If you think you’ve got what it takes to start an popular online blog, here are some reasons to get you started:

1. Blogs widen your connections

The “blogosphere” consists of millions around the globe. Once you start writing, you will notice people responding to your post, which will help you build connections and meaningful relationships. In fact, many business today use blogs for engagement not only with their business partners, but also with their customers.

The blogosphere is a segmented global community, different not only its type of contents, but also in how people think and how it is delivered to the public. Through this function, blog gathers people together with one basic goal, which is to “connect.”

Connecting to people is essential and blog as highly interactive platform allows you to utilize this function. As you widen your readership, the more possible it is for you establish meaningful professional relationships with people.

Unlike other social media platforms, blogs are more sophisticated in a way that it gears towards a more meaningful goal than by just posting whatever you want on the internet. It creates character, which you may also want to take care of as you gain online connections.

These online connections can lead into a more meaningful goal whether you blogging to propel your career, business or perhaps your relationships with people. It provides opportunities to gain insights, information or even prospect clients if you have a business.

2. Blogs help you develop an eye for meaningful things

Although it has been stated that blogging is a free art form, the need to filter your contents may be of a personal necessity as soon as you dive into the blogging community. Your readers will encourage you to do better with your writing and content as they start commenting on your posts and ideas.

Blogs does not simply ask you to pour out whatever you want to write about, it always has to be meaningful and useful to other people. It is a never-ending process of learning and it requires dedication to be a better blogger.

Through this process, you will develop an “eye” for meaningful things—let it be about your perspective in life, your art, or your personal hobby.

3. Blogging is a healthy habit

Blogging is healthy in a sense that it creates a healthy habit and lifestyle because it practices time management, commitment, and the responsibility to do best with your craft. These are some the greatest qualities one has to embrace when blogging.

It is healthy because it allows you to free your mind by pouring out your emotions through writing, which is considered by many as therapeutic art form. Writing through blogs is like writing through journals. It can help you pour out your deepest emotions—whether it is personal or just a public opinion.

4. Blogs keep you active and updated

As a form of mass communication, blogging delivers information in the most updated manner. Blog posts have become an ideal source of news and information in wide array of topics that may be related to your field and expertise.

5. Blogs are free and lucrative

Blogs are free and many people today make money through blogs. With the use of online adverts, your blog may earn as much as hundred dollars in a week as soon as it increases in readership. In fact, many professional bloggers today earn as much as thousands of dollars a week just to post articles. They are paid to blog, and it is nice to have a hobby that pays you back.

6. Blogs inspire people

With your posts, blogging not only helps you be inspired with your craft. Rather, you can give back by inspiring others. Blogging may be life-changing experience to your readers, which many professional are experiencing today.

No matter what topic you plan to post, these things may be very useful and inspiring causing other people to do better in their lives, careers, or their business. It gives you a wonderful feeling knowing that you have made a change in the lives of others.

7. Blogs are fun and creative

Blogging, contrary to popular belief, is not all about writing. Many bloggers post contents because it is fun and creative. Perhaps, as someone who may be a fan of a particular singer or if you love cooking and you want to share it to people, one of best platforms for sharing your passion it through blogs.

Many of today’s most popular and influential bloggers started with their passion about a particular topic. Blog does not need you to be an expert about a certain topic. Rather, it just lets you speak your mind and by being creative on how you post your contents.

Blog sites cater on different multimedia platforms where you can post photos and videos of yourself or other people. It develops your creativity on how you want to design your blog and of how you plan to deliver your contents to readers or viewers.

Another good thing about blogs is that it is now a part of social media. Through different online tools, your blog and other social networking accounts such as facebook and twitter can be interconnected, allowing people to appreciate your passion and your work of art.

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