Indianapolis

Indianapolis: America's most surprising city

Inventor of Wonder Bread and nicknamed 'Naptown,' Indiana's state capital has long had a reputation as a bland snooze. But now – as artisans make mead, micro-farms sprout, and the nation's largest electric car sharing program starts to roll – Indy's swagger is officially on.

High among the boasts is the Children's Museum of Indianapolis (childrensmuseum.org), the world's largest museum for kids. It's huuuge, sprawled over five floors that showcase a whopping dinosaur stash (including Dracorex hogwartsia, a dragon-like newbie named after Harry Potter's school), a vintage carousel to ride and a 43ft Dale Chihuly sculpture that teaches tykes to blow glass (virtually!).

Karla Zimmerman

Lonely Planet Writer

Unexpected Indianapolis: blues, burlesque and brains in jars

As the Super Bowl host on February 5, Indianapolis jumps into the spotlight, and you can bet an ear of corn you’ll hear all about its race cars and mighty museums. But what about its burlesque shows and brains in jars? Meatloaf and mead? The city has a slew of unheralded attractions that deserve a close-up, too. Seek out these seven slices of idiosyncratic Indianapolis:

Vonnegut was born and raised in Indy, and this humble downtown museum pays homage to the writer with displays such as his Pall Mall cigarettes and big orange box of rejection letters ('I'm afraid you've tried to substitute novelty for real dramatic narrative,' one publisher writes. 'This sometimes works but very seldom.') The back room replicates Vonnegut's office, complete with checkerboard carpet, red rooster lamp and blue Coronamatic typewriter. Sit at the keys and channel your inner author; the library tweets the musings.

Karla Zimmerman

Lonely Planet Writer