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Five New Reasons to Visit Indy in 2017

A lineup of only-in-Indy experiences makes the city a must visit destination in 2017, but you didn't hear it from us as Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler just named Indy one of their "Top Places to Travel in 2017."

1. Indianapolis Museum of Art Plants a Quarter of a Million New Bulbs

   The Indianapolis Museum of Art has planted a quarter of a million new bulbs across their 152 acres, for a record number of blooms and reimagined gardens. The gardens now include over 300 varieties starting with crimson tulips, golden daffodils, purple hyacinths and the rare Exotic Himalayan Blue Poppy. Staggered planting will allow for the celebration of color to be at its peak between April 1 – May 31. Visitors will also enjoy a new beer garden.

2. Year of Vonnegut

   2017 has been declared by Indy's Mayor as the "Year of Vonnegut." Author Kurt Vonnegut grew up in Indy and is known for his novels like Slaughterhouse Five or Cat's Cradle. It has been 10 years since his death and the grand re-opening of a Vonnegut museum here is big news. In celebration, 11 of the city's best cocktail bars will place a Vonnegut-inspired cocktail on their menu. Visitors can enjoy Vonnegut architecture which dots the city, snap a photo with the two-story Vonnegut mural, or enjoy a meal at one of the city's best restaurants, Bluebeard, which is named after a Vonnegut novel.

3. America's Most Underrated Food City

   Condé Nast Traveler deemed Indy "America's Most Underrated Food City" and Zagat claimed Indy to be one of 2016's "Hottest Food Cities." Fan favorite restaurants like Tinker Street and Milktooth are thriving, meanwhile Indy has a list of 17 highly anticipated restaurant openings in 2017, and six of them are located in the Mass Avenue district.

4. Family Friendly Indy

   Visitors will enjoy a second season of the artist-designed putt-putt course on the grounds of the Indianapolis Museum of Art. This year's redesigned course will incorporate nature to match the "Natural World" theme. Meanwhile, families can witness a cascade of color overhead at the Indianapolis Zoo, with new multiple daily macaw flights. The Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art will debut a dogs of the west exhibit, while the Children's Museum rolls out a new circus exhibit where kids can be a part of the magic.

5. Breaking Ground

    

   • The world's largest children's museum in Indianapolis will welcome the world's first and foremost immersive outdoor and indoor family health, fitness, and sports experience through 14 extraordinary interactive elements. The new 7.5-acre attraction will include elements like an 18-hole mini golf course replicating Pete Dye-designed holes around the world to an Indianapolis Motor Speedway pedal car racetrack experience. The new attraction is designed to combat the fact that by 2030, more than half the nation's population will be considered obese.
   • The popular furniture store, West Elm, will be opening a new hotel along Indy's most popular district, Mass Avenue. They will open the 120-room hotel in 2018 in a renovated white terra cotta, art-deco building that was the former site of a Coca-Cola Bottling Company. The new hotel will also be surrounded by an up and coming maker space, Circle City Industrial Complex, a new brewery, highly anticipated restaurant, and more.

    

About Visit Indy
The mission of Visit Indy is to increase Indianapolis economic growth by strategically selling the destination to conventions, meetings, events, and leisure travelers. According to Rockport Analytics, 28.2 million visitors provide $4.9 billion in total economic impact annually, generate 77,800 full-time equivalent jobs in Central Indiana, and provide $1.1 billion in tax revenues. For more information, VisitIndy.com.