Selecting Your Lodging For the Indy 500

SELECTING YOUR LODGING: There are manySouthport, and Greenwood. These areas are a bit
options for lodging when you come to Indianapolis.dated, but offer a reasonable number of restaurants,
Besides hotels and motels, there are campgrounds,bars and shopping. Downtown Indy has a number of
temporary campsites, and friends or family, if you'refirst class hotel accommodations as well as a large
lucky to have some who live nearby.. But for ournumber of upscale restaurants, bars and shopping.
purposes, we are going to focus on hotels/motelsDividing the town into quadrants, west, north, east
primarily with a short discussion about camping at theand south, each geographical area offers pluses and
end.minuses. We'll treat downtown last.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway sits within theWESTSIDE: The west side of Indianapolis has a
beltway of Indianapolis. Interstate 465, which circlesnumber of positive attributes. Besides being close to
Indianapolis, has downtown located slightly south ofthe airport and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway,
center. The IMS would be very close to 9:00 o'clock,there are numerous restaurants, bars, and
if you viewed the beltway like a clock from above.entertainment options in the area. It is also easy to
The distance between the speedway and downtownreach downtown Indianapolis as well as other areas
Indianapolis is approximately 5 miles. The beltway thatof the city. The biggest drawbacks to this area is the
circles Indianapolis is approximately 60 miles in length.current road construction on Interstate 465 and the
There are 25 interchanges on 465 and there are afact that hotels and motels in this area are among
number of motels located at or near mostthe first to fill up for race weekend.
interchanges. Additionally, there are hotels and motelsNORTHSIDE: The north side of Indianapolis is densely
located downtown inside the beltway and there arepopulated with upscale restaurants, pubs, clubs,
hotels and motels located a few miles outside theshopping and entertainment options. These
beltway. With 400 thousand fans attending the Indybusinesses cater to the more affluent Indianapolis
500, hotels and motels do book out and for hotelsneighborhoods and the options available in this
near the speedway, rates are set at a premium.commercial sector reflects that. Interstate 465, which
We can't tell you the best place to stay, because theis the primary interstate system serving to connect
answer to that question depends upon a number ofthese north side neighborhoods with the speedway is
variables. Those variables include what you intend tocurrently under construction and may make travel
do while you're here, what your transportation needsbetween your hotel and the speedway challenging.
are, how long you intend to stay, and of course yourParticularly, if you decide to stay in the Castleton and
budget. If you've got the entire month of May toFishers area.
spend here and money is no object, you might enjoyEASTSIDE: The east side of Indianapolis does not
one of the five star hotels in downtown Indianapolisoffer as many options as the west side and north
that will provide you shuttle service or limousineside when it comes to restaurants, pubs and
service to and from the track. If you have time orshopping. This does not mean that it should be
budget concerns, then you may opt for some otherignored as a lodging option. While it is on the opposite
lodging. The following will provide you with a briefside of town from the speedway, Interstate I70 and
overview of the various hotel and motel options.I65 make it possible to drive straight through town
THE LAY OF THE LAND: For many, location is theand avoid the construction on I-465 on the north and
most important consideration. Therefore, if you actwest sides of town.
quickly enough, you may be able to reserve a roomSOUTHSIDE: The south side of Indianapolis is half
near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway that will enableindustrial and half residential. Beech Grove to the
you to reach the track with relative ease. Thesoutheast and Southport and Greenwood, which is
Indianapolis Motor Speedway is located in Speedway,due south, are both friendly and accommodating with
a small town which is located within the city limits ofa good selection of moderate motel space. The
Indianapolis. Searching for hotels and motels in thesouthwest side of Indianapolis is very industrial and
Speedway area will put you in close proximity to theoffers few options for lodging, dining or shopping.
track. It will also put you close to the IndianapolisHowever, from Beech Grove, Southport, and
International Airport, which is a approximately 5 milesGreenwood, you can reach the Indianapolis Motor
southwest of the speedway.Speedway by driving through town using I-65 and
If you're not staying in the Speedway area, youI-70 and avoid the road construction on the north
have a number of other areas around Indianapolis toand west legs of Interstate 465.
consider. On the north side of Indy, running west toDOWNTOWN INDY: Indianapolis is a vibrant and
east, there is College Park, Carmel, Castleton andgrowing city. Even in the midst of a recession,
Fishers. These neighborhoods are highly developedIndianapolis has managed to continue developing.
and provide a heavy concentration of upscaleThere are numerous upscale hotels located
restaurants, bars, and shopping. The east side ofdowntown offering quick and easy access to the
Indy includes the areas of Lawrence, and Greenfield.Circle Center Mall, trendy restaurants, pubs, clubs, and
This area is less densely developed and its offeringsother entertainment options. From the heart of
of restaurants, bars and shopping is limited. The southdowntown Indy, you are a short 10 minute drive to
side of Indy includes the areas of Beech Grove,the speedway.