10 Free Family Attractions Around Indianapolis

Indianapolis is an up and coming destination for family travel. Since they hosted Super Bowl XLVI in 2012 there have been dramatic changes all around the city. The city is safer, cleaner and has a ton of new restaurants and attractions. As a Hoosier who has left the city, I am happy to once again call Indy my forever home. The combination of it being walkable, full of family owned restaurants and a great mix of music, sports, history and culture. I’m sharing 10 free family attractions around Indianapolis that I suggest to friends visiting the city.

I am not receiving compensation for any of the attractions on this list. I highly recommend any of them and would encourage you to contact me for any personal insights on these locations. 

10 Free Family Activities Around Indianapolis

1. The Children’s Museum

The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is the largest children’s museum in the world! The museum is free on Christmas Eve, Martin Luther King Jr. Day and El Dia de Los Ninos. They also host First Thursday nights which only cost $5 per person for four hours of fun! If you’re planning ahead, be sure to use their Buy Ahead and Save program online where you’ll be able to see which days are less expensive. This museum is easily a full day experience if not two! Pack a lunch or visit their cafeteria for a yummy lunch.

2. Free Summer Concerts

The Philharmonic Orchestra of Indianapolis and Indy Parks present free Pops concerts every June. The concerts include a mix of patriotic songs, jazz, light classical, movie themes and operetta. All concerts begin at 7 pm and parking is free.

In addition, there are free concerts every Wednesday from June through mid-August at City Market. Listen to Bluegrass, Jazz, and Pop music while sampling the food – everything from BBQ to gyros.

Free concerts on the Canal are offered every Thursday, June through mid-August from 5:30-7:30 pm and free lunchtime concerts on the Canal are offered every Wednesday from 11:30 am -1 pm.

3. Farmer’s Market

Speaking of the City Market, the Original Farmers’ Market takes place May through October with fresh Indiana produce, meats, cheeses, flowers and honey. The market is held every Mon-Fri: 7:00 am – 9:00 pm, Sat: 8:00 am – 9:00 pm, and is closed Sundays.

4. Indianapolis Art Center

Home to many local artists, this space houses eight exhibition spaces, 13 state-of-the-art studios, a 224-seat auditorium, a library, a gift shop, a riverfront deck and stage, and sculpture gardens along the White River. Designed by world-renowned architect Michael Graves.

5. Arts Garden

This glass-enclosed structure attached to Circle Centre Mall hosts more than 300 free activities, including dance performances, storytelling, visual art exhibits, musical performances, films, lectures, readings, fairs, and festivals. The Arts Garden also houses the Cultural Concierge, a centralized source for free maps, ticket information, visitor guides, and directions for Indianapolis arts events. This seven-story-tall glass structure is suspended 17 feet above the intersection of Washington and Illinois Streets. Don’t miss a chance to stroll through. Even if there is no performance, it’s a peaceful spot to rest from a busy day exploring the city and have a picnic.

6. 100 Acres: Art and Nature Park

Pack a picnic and let the kids run while you enjoy the scenery and large-scale quirky art installments. Funky Bones is probably the most famous piece inside the Park. It was featured in the New York Times Bestseller, The Fault in Our Stars, which was later turned into a movie.

7. The Cultural Trail

Walk, bike or run the Cultural Trail downtown Indy. The 8-mile $63 million Cultural Trail in downtown Indy connects the city’s Cultural Districts. It’s a great way to explore the city. As a bonus, it’s flanked with $26 million in public art.

8. Soldiers and Sailors Monument

The Soldiers and Sailors Monument is the literal and physical heart of the city. Once designated as the space for the Governor of Indianapolis is now a hub for all the locals and tourists to convene for ice cream, a picnic, a book or a great view.  From the Observation Level, visitors have a 360 degree view of the city skyline from 275 feet up. The Observation Level can be reached by climbing 331 steps (or paying $1 to ride the elevator up). While you’re on ‘The Circle’ check out the Public Collection library/art instillation.

9. Fort Benjamin Harrison State Park

Fort Benjamin Harrison State Park was named for the United States 23rd president who was from Indiana. The trails and playgrounds are second to none. *If you’re interested in history, you should also check out the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site where he and his family lived. $10 for adults and $5 for children.

10. War Memorials

Indianapolis devotes more acreage than any other U.S. city to honoring our nation’s fallen, and is second only to Washington, DC, in the number of war memorials. The nice thing about Indy is that you’re able to walk to see all of the monuments in one day. Visit Indy has a nice post about several of the memorials. Last summer a friend and I did an Indianapolis scavenger hunt we bought through Groupon and it showcased many of the war memorials I hadn’t seen since I was a child. You can also take a walk around and see how many you can find for free!

11. Garfield Park Conservatory

Garfield Park Conservatory is an honorable mention for number 11 because there is a $2 fee. The conservatory is excellent for kids of all ages (we took ours when she was two and she loved it then and now as a four year old.) The exhibits change so you can have the chance to see different plants at different times. It’s a photographer’s paradise!

Have you had a chance to visit any of these family attractions? Let me know what you love visiting in Indy or if there were any I forgot!