HCD Conference Preview: Things to Do, See and Eat in Indianapolis
The Healthcare Design Conference + Expo will be held October 5-8 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. Indianapolis is home to world-class restaurants, museums and attractions, as well as professional sports teams and venues, including the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Here are some of the local specialties and flavors visitors can try while in town.
Baby tooth (Photo credit: Mallory Talty/Visit Indy)
Eat
Culinary delights in the host city include Milktooth, a brunch, coffee and cocktail spot, and Shapiro’s Delicatessen, a Jewish deli-style restaurant. Plump’s Last Shot, known for its pork tenderloin sandwich, is owned by Indiana basketball legend Bobby Plump, who inspired the 1986 film Free Throw, and St. Elmo Steak House, just around the corner from the convention center, is famous for its shrimp cocktail. For a sweet treat, Gordon’s Milkshake Bar offers both classic and gourmet dishes.
Monon Trail (Photo credit: Cliff Ritchey/Visit Indy)
Sightseeing features
Rev your engine with a tour of the world-famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway; pose with the statue of Peyton Manning, quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts for 14 seasons, at Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Colts’ professional football team; tour the Indianapolis Zoo, which features over 1,200 animals from about 230 species, including one of the largest chimpanzee exhibits in the country; or hop on a stationary or electric Pacers Bikeshare bike and ride the popular Monon Trail or Indianapolis Cultural Trail, both of which pass many of Indy’s arts, culture and tourist attractions.
Mural by Kurt Vonnegut (Photo credit: Cliff Ritchey/Visit Indy)
Exhibits
Experience art, history and culture with visits to several local institutions like the Indiana State Museum, with three floors of permanent and rotating galleries; the Eiteljorg Museum, the only museum in the Midwest dedicated exclusively to Native American and American West art and history; and for book lovers, the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library, with artifacts like the Indianapolis-raised author’s original typewriter (also stop by the two-story mural of Vonnegut on the Mass Avenue side of the Slapfish restaurant). Get another dose of history at the Soldiers & Sailors Monument in Monument Circle, where limestone sculptures dating to 1887 pay tribute to heroes of past conflicts.
Insider Tips from the HCD Expo Indiana Liaison Committee
There’s plenty to do in Indianapolis during your free time at the HCD Expo, from stunning architecture to landmarks to rooftop bars. Health design asked the members of its Local Liaison Committee to reveal their favorite places and insider tips in Indy.
Chase Miller, senior health planner and planning team leader, Guidon (Indianapolis)
Chase Miller (portrait photo: Guidon)
Landmarks of Indiana: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Architecture worth seeing: First Christian Church
Outdoor area: Bicentennial Unity Plaza at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, definitely!
Rooftop bar: Pivot Bar and Balcony or The Skyline Club
Ice cream: Traders Point Creamery and Kilwins along the Mass Ave. District
Favorite activity: The Indianapolis Zoo
Local beer: St. Joseph Brewery & Public House, great atmosphere in an old Catholic church.
neighborhood: Fountain Square, great coffee and eclectic atmosphere and known for the HGTV show “Good Bones”!
Jim Mladucky, Vice President of Design and Engineering, Indiana University Health (Indianapolis)
Jim Mladucky (portrait photo: Indiana University Health)
Landmarks of Indiana: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Soldiers and Sailors Memorial at Monument Circle and Indiana War Memorial
Architecture worth seeing: State Capitol Building, Scottish Rite Cathedral, Bottleworks District, Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design (Bloomington, Indiana) and of course Columbus, Indiana.
Outdoor area: Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields, Crown Hill Cemetery, White River State Park
Rooftop bar: 1933 Lounge of St. Elmo
Favorite pub in the neighborhood: The Dorman Street Saloon
Favorite restaurant: Vida, Bluebeard, Union 50, Milktooth, Nesso
Neighbourhood restaurant: Iaria’s Italian Restaurant
Local beer: Sun King, Centerpoint, St. Joe’s Brewery and Metazoa Brewing
neighborhood: Massachusetts Avenue, Georgia Street, historic Fletcher Place, Broad Ripple Cultural District
Favorite activity: Cottage Home Block Party, a Halloween party
Doug Fick, Director, CMTA (Indianapolis)
Doug Fick (portrait photo: CMTA)
Landmarks of Indiana: Indiana War Memorial & Museum
Architecture worth seeing: Scottish Rite Cathedral
Outdoor area: White River State Park along the Central Canal
Rooftop bar: I know one downtown, the Pivot Bar, which is part of the Hyatt. Personally, I like the 1933 Lounge at St. Elmo, it has a speakeasy feel.
Ice cream: South Bend Chocolate Co. on Monument Circle
Favorite activity: Duckpin Bowling
Local beer: “Nap In the Hammock” by Metazoa Brewing Co.
neighborhood: Fountain Square
Andrew Mitchell (portrait photo: MKM Architecture + Design)
Landmarks of Indiana: Indianapolis Motor Speedway. When in Indy, you have to check out the home of “the greatest spectacle in racing.”
Architecture worth seeing: The Irwin Library at Butler University, designed by Minoru Yamasaki, is a great example of mid-century modern design. Open, light-filled, beautiful! If you’re feeling adventurous, I recommend traveling from Indy to Columbus, Indiana. A great mix of world-class architecture and small-town charm.
Outdoor area: White River State Park. I love the combination of green spaces that run through the downtown core. A great way to visit several cultural attractions like the Eiteljorg Museum and Indiana State Museum in the park.
Rooftop bar: It’s not a rooftop bar, but you’re missing out if you don’t go to Jazz Kitchen. Great jazz music in an electrifying atmosphere!
Local beer: Anything from Sun King Brewing. My favorites are WeeMac Scottish-Style Ale and Sunlight Cream Ale.
neighborhood: The Fountain Square neighborhood is a great mix of local establishments that highlight the cultural diversity that Indy has to offer.
Updates and further information about the HCD Conference + Expo 2024 can be found here.
