The Ultimate Indianapolis Staycation

I love to travel. As a matter of fact, I live to travel. Whether it’s a three day cruise to Cozumel, an international flight to eat pizza at Da Baffeto in Rome or a road trip down south, I thrive on the adventure and journey that comes with each trip.

Whenever it comes time to plan a new one, though, the last place on my mind to go on vacation is the city in which I live. Not because I don’t love everything about it, but because I haven’t really thought about it before. From here on out, I won’t make that mistake.

Enter the Staycation.

A staycation is a great idea for anyone who lives in or around Indianapolis and wants a weekend getaway. With various cultural districts, a vibrant downtown and different pockets of ethnicities and cultures around the city, it’s highly likely there is a side of town that you have yet to truly explore.  For me, I work downtown, but never explored it as if I had 24 hours until I had to leave, until recently.

Last weekend, my gal and I checked in to the Westin Indianapolis and embarked on our first staycation. It was a great time to say the least, and we found three key factors that contributed to the ultimate Indy Staycation.

View from our room at the Westin

1. Enjoy Your Hotel

Unlike a vacation to another city where you’re only in your room when you arrive, change clothes and sleep, a staycation allows you to truly enjoy the room that you pay for. Check-in at the earliest time, arrange for late check-out and get your money’s worth while you lounge throughout the day. This is your time to really utilize everything that comes with your night stay. For instance, if your hotel has breakfast, you shouldn’t miss it.  A lovely breakfast, like the one we had at Shula’s, is a great way to end a relaxing trip.

2. Utilize the Skywalks

It’s not always sunny with a high of 70 in Indy.  We have seasons; cold, snow and everything else that comes with living in Indianapolis, but that doesn’t mean you have to freeze when you’re out exploring.  Many of the hotels in the heart of downtown have heated skywalks that connect to Circle Centre Mall, the Convention Center and other attractions, so the weather outside won’t affect you one bit as you maneuver throughout the city. Even if your hotel isn’t connected but you’re staying downtown, chances are you’re close to another building that is.

Climate Controlled Skywalk

3. Go Where You’ve Never Gone Before

If you are going to do a staycation the right way, you have to explore and try something new. After doing a little research, we made a point of checking out new restaurants, bars and other venues that kept us busy throughout the night (that late check-out came in handy).  Also, don’t be afraid to venture to the outskirts of downtown, like Fountain Square. Taxi companies have a deal where $5 gets you anywhere downtown.

Whether you’re looking for a weekend to relax, a romantic getaway or a fun thing to do without spending a ton on gas, I highly suggest going this route. And now that you have the inside scoop, go forth, and enjoy the Ultimate Indy Staycation.

We sure did.