25 Reasons to Get Excited for Indy's 2025

If you’re an Indy resident and reading this, buckle up. We’re full throttle in 2025 and we’re not taking our foot off the gas.

Indianapolis continues to earn national recognition for its vibrant attractions, major events, and dynamic growth. Recent media highlights include the city’s sports legacy with the Indianapolis 500 and WNBA star Caitlin Clark, the 100th anniversary of The Children’s Museum, and a thriving food and arts scene. The Points Guy recently named Indy one of the best 29 destinations to visit in 2025.

Indy is one of those places where #IYKYK. But, as someone who is so proud to call this place home, I invite you to be in the know with my top picks for what lies ahead in the upcoming year.

1. Luxe InterContinental

How’s this for pillow talk? The luxe InterContinental has opened its doors. You’ll find Indy’s new hotspot on the rooftop bar that perfectly puts you between law (Capitol Building) and liberty (Lady Victory).

2. Aloft

The InterCon isn’t the only hotel launching next year. Downtown will welcome a 128-room Aloft. While nearly 300 new hotel rooms are coming on board, several downtown hotels are undergoing renovations, including The Alexander and JW Marriott.

3. 100 Years of The Children's Museum

The world’s largest children’s museum is often considered the world’s best and this is their year as they celebrate 100 years. Along with a line-up of new exhibits, they’ll be welcoming a 110-ft.-tall Ferris wheel within Sports Legends Experience.

4. WWE Royal Rumble

New team in town. Get ready to rumble with Indy’s first-ever opportunity to host WWE’s Royal Rumble on February 1st.

5. Indy Ignite and Fishers Freight

And another new team will take the courts next year when Indy Ignite celebrates their inaugural season as Indy’s pro volleyball team and Fishers Freight will serve as the region’s new pro indoor football team.

6. WNBA All-Star Game

Also new to Indy is the opportunity to host the WNBA All-Star Game this July. After a smashing success at the NBA All Star Game last year, we’re ready to make this WNBA All-Star Game the league’s best yet.

7. NCAA’s March Madness

Not quite done talking sports. In addition to the WNBA All-Star game, we’re celebrating hoops hysteria by kicking off the year with Big Ten Men’s and Women’s Basketball and then regionals of NCAA’s March Madness.

8. Frank’s Paddlesports Livery

Frank’s Paddlesports Livery is dominating the waterways, getting over 4,000 people on the river this year – and only in its first full year. As it heads into a second full year of operation, look for expanded float trips including kayaks on Fall Creek.

9. DigIndy

How are we quickly becoming such a river city you ask? Well, the massive project called DigIndy celebrates finité this year. The 10-year underground work to clean up our rivers and streams will officially wave the green flag and that means, WE ARE “America’s Newest River City.”

10. Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum

The $89 million renovation of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum will open its doors in April. And the hi-tech experience is no joke.

11. Factory Arts District

The recently re-branded Factory Arts District will turn heads with the opening of a new trampoline workout studio, apothecary, flag shop, and more. Better yet, it’s located at the confluence of the Cultural Trail, Monon Trail, and newly-extended (with some cool glow-in-the-dark pavement!) Pogues Run Trail.

12. Flights to Dublin

Dublin is coming to Indy! May marks the inaugural transatlantic flight between Dublin and the #1 airport in N. America, IND Airport. Welcome to Indy, Aer Lingus.

13. Conner Prairie's New Exhibit Promised Land as Proving Ground

Conner Prairie will open the highly anticipated exhibit called Promised Land as Proving Ground, in conjunction with Forest Therapy programming on Indiana’s first (and only!) certified Forest Therapy Trail.

14. 16 Tech Bridge

The 16 Tech bridge, with its signature waves design, will open this spring and be the only one of its kind in the county as it gives majority share to non-vehicles.

15. Madam Walker Legacy Center

This summer we’ll be soaking up the sun from the rooftop of the Madam Walker Legacy Center as they debut this new gathering space.

16. Big Car’s Contemporary Art Museum

Big Car’s Contemporary Art Museum will open its doors inside a 40,000 square foot, 125-year-old former dairy barn. The museum will include an expansive main gallery space, 18 artist studios, on-site restaurant and bar, event space, incubator storefronts, and audio recording studios. The hip ‘hood of Garfield Park is about to take hip to a whole new level.

17. Indy's Newest Speakeasy

Get ready for Indy’s newest, coolest (and legit) speakeasy opening this winter. If we told you where it is, it wouldn’t be a speakeasy. Hint: red door.

18. DIGS

The coolest garden center, DIGS, is about to get cooler with their Yard Bar and South Monon Spirits distillery set to open in the spring. So, not only are we going to be buying plants, we’re now going to imbibe amidst the plants. And with Shin Dig’s recent opening, all eyes are on this North Mass Corridor.

19. West Fork Whiskey

And, while we’re dishing on distilleries, let’s talk about West Fork Whiskey’s 2025 arrival in the Fountain Square neighborhood.

20. LIV Golf Tournament

Next August will mark the state’s first-ever LIV Golf Tournament when big name golfers compete at Westfield’s Chatham Hills, a Pete Dye-designed golf course. The tournament has the potential to be an economic boom for Central Indiana.

21. Newfields

Newfields will welcome four new exhibitions in the first half of 2025, including a new featured experience in The LUME and a new installation in Fairbanks Park. Not to mention, there’s a new summer party on the docket to commemorate all of the new art.

22. Indy’s Black Heritage & Legacy Trail

2025 marks the 160th Anniversary of Juneteenth, perfectly timed for the launch of Indy’s Black Heritage & Legacy Trail. Interactive Heritage Markers will be unveiled in three Indy neighborhoods along with Free Heritage & Legacy Walks celebrating unsung Black culture.

23. Indianapolis Zoo

May in Indy is all about speed, but this year, the Indianapolis Zoo is shell-ebrating the slow and steady stars—giant tortoises! Come face-to-face with a creep (yes, that’s what a group of tortoises is called….get it, a slow creep!) of two of the largest tortoise species in the world.

24. Fishers White River Park and Riverside Adventure Park

Two new parks in the White Riverway are set to open in 2025. The Fishers White River Park at 96th Street will offer more than two miles of trails, a kayak launch, scenic boardwalks, and a creek stomping area in this new nature park. Down river at 30th Street, the new Riverside Adventure Park opens with a nature themed playground, picnic shelters, and plenty of trails.

25. Nickel Plate Trail

A big piece of Indy’s unprecedented trail investment project is coming online with the long-awaited Nickel Plate Trail. The nearly 18-mile trail connects the Indiana State Fairgrounds, Castleton, Fishers Nickel Plate District, and the Noblesville Cultural Arts District.