May 24, 2019 Indianapolis, IN: FELIX ROSENQVIST (R) (10) of Sweden prepares to practice for the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana.

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Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Top choice in Indianapolis

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The Speedway, home of the Indianapolis 500 motor race, is Indy's super-sight. The Speedway Museum features some 75 racing cars (including former winners) and a 500lb Tiffany trophy. Limited availability golf-cart tours of the grounds and track ($50) are available from March to October (OK, you're not exactly burning rubber in a golf cart, but it's still fun to pretend while you take a lap!).

The big race itself is held on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend (late May) and attended by 450,000 crazed fans. Tickets ($35 to $125, www.imstix.com) can be hard to come by. Try the pre-race trials and practices for easier access and cheaper prices. The track is about 6 miles northwest of downtown.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

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    3.95 MILES

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    5.51 MILES

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    3.92 MILES

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Nearby Indianapolis attractions

1. Dallara IndyCar Factory

0.34 MILES

This shiny factory is a short walk from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home to the Indy 500 motor race, and provides a peek at how the fast cars are…

2. Indiana Medical History Museum

1.83 MILES

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3. Newfields

3.9 MILES

The 152-acre Newfields campus houses the Indianapolis Museum of Art, home to a terrific collection of European art (especially Turner and post…

4. White River State Park

3.92 MILES

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5. Kurt Vonnegut Museum & Library

3.95 MILES

Author Kurt Vonnegut was born and raised in Indy, and this humble museum pays homage with displays including his Pall Mall cigarettes, droll drawings and…

6. Eiteljorg Museum

4.01 MILES

This adobe museum features Native American basketry, pots and masks, as well as a realistic/romantic Western painting collection with works by Frederic…

7. Rhythm! Discovery Center

4.41 MILES

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8. Indiana War Memorial

4.47 MILES

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