With four developing and diverse cultural districts, and more than 200 restaurants and 200 shops, downtown Indianapolis is bustling. Satisfy an appetite for fine dining downtown and feed your mind at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Enjoy all that a large metropolis has to offer combined with that Hoosier hospitality.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
GELO Ultra Lounge is located above CIBO Ristorante Italiano, and boasts a 50-foot ice bar. This unique club features plasma screens, music and entertainment and a relaxing atmosphere.

The Jazz Kitchen is rated as one of the world's premier jazz clubs by Downbeat Magazine. A full-service bar and restaurant, Jazz Kitchen presents world-class jazz performed by local, regional, national and international musicians.

The oldest bar in Indiana, the Slippery Noodle opened its doors in 1850, and is well-known for its food, drinks and blues. It is considered one of the world's finest blues clubs. Every day features live local, regional and national blues acts.

Broad Ripple Park, set on the White River, offers both indoor and outdoor attractions. It has a family center, an outdoor swimming pool, athletic courts and fields, a boat ramp and much more.

If you're a dog owner, you and your pet can enjoy three Bark Parks, at Broad Ripple Park, Eagle Creek Park and Paul Ruster Park. Let your city dog enjoy some time outdoors without a leash.

The Track Attack Racing School gives racing fans a chance to learn to drive a real race car.

See more than 360 different species of animals, including 14 endangered and three threatened species at the Indianapolis Zoo. It is located at White River State Park, and features the White River Gardens.

MUSEUMS AND HISTORICAL SITES
The Indianapolis Museum of Art is better than ever after a recent $220-million expansion. Established in 1883, it is one of America's oldest art museums and houses a permanent collection of more than 50,000 works of art.

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park & Landmark for Peace Memorial is rich in history. It is the location where Robert Kennedy delivered his speech the night Dr. King was assassinated in 1968. The Landmark for Peace Memorial sculpture honors both Kennedy and King. The park includes picnic areas, a pool and athletic fields.

The Indy Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum features more than 30 cars that won the Indianapolis 500. It houses one of the largest and most diverse exhibits of racing, classic and antique cars. The Tony Hulman Theater offers a film highlighting the history of the famous track and its races.

Fans of college basketball flock to the NCAA Hall of Champions, located in White River State Park in downtown Indianapolis. The 30,000-square-foot, two-story building features a gallery for exhibitions, theater presentations and tributes to former NCAA student athletes and champions.

Pay tribute to the 3,459 Medal of Honor recipients at the Congressional Medal of Honor Memorial. The memorial remembers those who fought in 15 different conflicts, including the Civil War. Located in White River State Park, the memorial sound-system plays recorded stories of medal winners every day at dusk. The Memorial is a beautiful sight with its 27 high, curved-glass walls.

Seven downtown blocks make up the Indiana War Memorial Plaza Historic District, which features sculptures and classic buildings and structures. Other features include the American Legion Mall, the Indiana War Memorial, the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, University Park, the U.S.S. Indianapolis, the Veterans' Memorial Plaza and the World War II Memorial.

If you have brought your family along to Indianapolis, you will not want to miss the 356,000 square-foot Children's Museum. The museum features 10 major galleries and offers rock-climbing and other hands-on exhibits. Take a ride on the turn-of-the-century carousel, or explore the skies at the SpaceQuest Planetarium.

Sources:
(http://www.indy.org)

(http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108211.html)

(http://www.indianapolis.com)