Discover the USA, the online guide dedicated to your journey in the United States of America

Indianapolis

In the heart of the State, in the joining flow of Fall Creek and White River, lies the capital and the largest city of the State, Indianapolis.

The city was founded in the beginning of the 19th century by colonists coming from the southeast of the country, and Indianapolis became capital of the State in 1821. Constructed on a star-shaped characteristical plan, a work of Alexander Ralston, who happened to be one of the disciples of Pierre L'Enfant, DC's town planner.

Far from all navigable waterways, the city did not really develop itself on an economic plan before a railway was built in 1947.

An internationally renowned sport event takes place every year in May : the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race of Indianapolis, often shortened as Indiana 500 or Indy 500, attracts thousands of passionated visitors to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a two-and-a-half-mile long (an equal of 4 km) rectangular-formed racing circuit. Preceding this event is a one-month-festival with a big défilé a day before the race.

Going further in the north, Michigan City, on Lake Michighan, offer you 5 km of sandy beaches and multiple attractions.

Indiana possesses some of the most beautiful State Parks and federal natural reserves of the country.

In the north, the Indiana Dunes National Lake Shore is a huge area of impressive white dunes, blown by the wind, full of sea animals under the waters of Lake Michigan.

In the heart of the State we will find the Hosier National Forest, as well as Bluespring Caverns, one of the world's most important cave systems.

Vincennes, in the southern part of the State, is a charming historical city aged more than 300 years, possessing an ancient French cemetery.

The county of Parke about 1.5 hours of driving from Vincennes, possesses 32 covered bridges, a little bit everywhere in the area, and a delicious Autumn Festival of Covered Bridges in October, at the time when the foliage is at its most splendid phase, when the leaves turn yellow and the green color of the trees is transformed into golden.