Earlier this week, I offered up my tips for visiting the Super Bowl Village in Indianapolis with kids. I've heard from a lot of people who visited this week, and the consensus seems to be that it was such a great experience for adults and kids alike. As thousands of Giants and Patriots fans arrive over the next few days, I wanted to share a few of my favorite moments from our day:
My husband snapped this picture (he wanted me to be sure to give him photo credit). I've always loved Monument Circle because its the symbol of the city and the hub of downtown activity (and I got engaged there 9 years ago!)
Even the planters around downtown were showing the football love.
Super Dad at the Super Bowl!
A lot of people think cold weather cities don't make good Super Bowl venues. But I bet you can't watch the crew from Ice Brigade sculpt in Miami!
It was hard to get Big Arrow to pause for a picture because he was too busy having fun on the football field at Touchdown Alley.
Gotta end with the zipline. Watching people fly overhead never got old. Be sure to see my video of the zipline to get the full experience.
This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicous Baby.
As I mentioned last week, the Super Bowl has come to Indianapolis. Yesterday we spent several hours strolling through the Super Bowl Village and experiencing what one of the largest and most elaborate sporting events in the world really entails. It was incredible and I'm so glad we braved the crowds and the cold temperatures, because it was totally worth it.
I've already been asked by dozens of friends and family for advice on visiting, so here's a breakdown of how we spent our day in the Super Bowl Village.
Insider Tip: Park on the east end of downtown. And dress warm!
We parked in a lot on the east end of the action (near the City County Buiding) and we began the day by bundling up the boys and hitting the pavement. We've actually had some relatively warm, sunny days this weekend, with hopefully more to come this week. But it is very windy between the tall buildings downtown, so be sure to bring along hats, gloves and scarves.
Insider Tip: Enjoy lots of free entertainment all along Georgia Street.
Over the last few years, the City of Indianapolis completely redid an entire downtown street (Georgia Street) which runs from Bankers Life Fieldhouse (where the Indiana Pacers play) all the way to Lucas Oil Stadium and the Convention Center (where the Super Bowl will be played and where the NFL Experience is headquartered). This street is now Super Bowl Village, basically a free festival with concerts, street performers, concessions and bars all along the way. Along with several other downtown streets, it is closed to traffic and entirely pedestrian this week.
Big Arrow loved this juggler on stilts.
Insider Tip: Warm up inside The Huddle
During our stroll along Georgia Street, we made a couple of pitstops. Once, we warmed up inside "The Huddle," which is a heated lounge area in a former department store (the old Nordstroms, for you locals). This is a great spot to grab a beverage, rest your legs and use the bathroom.
Insider Tip: Don't miss Monument Circle for the big XLVI letters.
Then we ventured north on Meridian Street to Monument Circle to see all the Indy Cars, one for each NFL team. It was quite a sight to behold.
Can't resist a plug for the home team.
Insider Tip: End your visit in Touchdown Alley and the zipline.
From there, we continued west on Georgia Street and headed to Touchdown Alley. It's basically a smaller version of a football field, complete with astro turf. It was full of kids running around (and parents acting just as young at heart as the kids... I love that!) Big Arrow could have stayed here for hours.
The most exciting part of the day was watching the zipliners fly overhead as we played on the field below. I can't quite put into words what it's like to watch people zooming through the air in the middle of a large city with a party raging below. But here's a little video I took to give you a sense of it.
We had too much fun for just one post. So I'll be sharing more pictures later this week. Be sure to check back.
Other Insider Tips:
If your kids are a little older, or you're a big football fan, consider purchasing a ticket for the NFL Experience. It looks great, but our boys are still a bit young for that.
If you're visiting with a baby or need any type of special medical care or attention, there's a Super Care Clinic inside Union Station. Moms are welcome to nurse or pump inside the clinic. (I didn't actually use this myself and nursed Little Arrow during lunch instead, but it was a big relief to know there was a quiet, warm place to do that if I had needed to.)
When you find yourself in need of a restroom, look down the alleys. On just about every alley downtown, you'll see a white trailer. This is a heated restroom with running water. We saw very few lines at these trailers when we were there.
This biggest complaint I hear from people about the Super Bowl experience is how expensive it is. But I'm happy to report we spent less than $50 for an entire day of fun ($7 to park and about $40 for a nice lunch). There's so much to see and do that's all for free, so don't let money get in your way of a good time this week.
Big Arrow decorates a card for one of the thousands of visitors coming to Indy for Super Bowl XLVI.
Visitors staying in downtown hotels will receive one of these personalized welcome cards from Hoosier kids.
It's an exciting time to be a Hoosier, as we prepare to welcome the world to Indianapolis for the Big Game (as in Super Bowl XLVI). The preparations have been under way for years and I'm looking forward to seeing the city shine on such a large stage.
Even if you're not into football, there's some fun things happening in conjunction with the game. I wrote about the Super Bowl Village for Visit Indiana here. We're hoping to bring the Arrows to experience some of that fun this weekend when it opens (likely before the tens of thousands of visitors descend on the city). From free concerts to a giant zipline, it looks like a once-in-a-lifetime atmosphere.
And this summer, I really want to take the boys on a "mural hunt" around downtown. The City and the Arts Council of Indianapolis created a "46" for XLVI public art project that I wrote about for Visit Indiana here. There are now 46 murals all over Indianapolis showcasing the city's cultural vibrancy. I love that the Super Bowl will leave such a lasting legacy around town.
If you're looking for more objective reviews of the city as a destination, here are a couple of articles from the mainstream press previewing Indianapolis as a host for the Super Bowl.
Football season is in full gear around here. We're cheering on our favorite teams (c'mon Peyton, we NEED you!), I'm cooking up a big pot of chili this weekend, and our city is even preparing to host the biggest of all football celebrations, the Super Bowl!
Not only is Indy home to this enormous sporting event in February 2012, but it's also where you'll find the NCAA Hall of Champions, a museum dedicated to collegiate sports. This statue will greet you as you enter the museum:
If you know anything about football, you might recognize this formation at the Flying V or Flying Wedge. It's because of the Flying V and it's dangerous impact on the sport that the NCAA was formed. It was causing serious injuries, even deaths, and colleges and universities began to organize in order to address the situation. Soon the NCAA was formed. The Flying V has since been banned in nearly all organized sports. (More about the history of the NCAA is here.)
If you're visiting Indianapolis with kids, particularly those interested in sports, the NCAA Hall of Champions would be a great spot to burn off some energy!
If You Visit: NCAA Hall of Champions
700 W. Washington Street, Indianapolis
Open Tuesday-Saturday, 10-5, and Sunday, 12-5.
Adult admission is $5. Kids 5-18 are $3. 5 and under are free.
Like what you see? Then "like" Arrows Sent Forth on Facebook! And speaking of fun attractions in Indianapolis, I've got a great giveaway planned for next week if you live in the area. Be sure to check back and enter!
Disclosure: I was invited to tour the NCAA Hall of Champions as part of a White River State Park press trip, which included my admission. I was under no obligation to write about my time at the museum, and all opinions expressed are my own.
