Fountain Square

Fountain Square blends the best of the city’s past with cutting edge music, art, food, and drinks. Adjacent to downtown, it’s a quick drive or an easy bike ride down the city’s Cultural Trail. A perfect night out for me in Fountain Square would include checking out an exhibit at IMOCA, the city’s contemporary art museum; pigging out on Thai food at Siam Square; drinks and old-school duckpin bowling at Atomic Bowl; and a late night indie rock concert at Radio Radio.

Much of Fountain Square seems like you’ve traveled through a time machine to Mayberry in the 1950s, except that Aunt Bee is cooking traditional Peruvian fare and Floyd runs a tattoo parlor instead of a barbershop. Visitors can go duckpin bowling, then swing dance the night away at the beautiful Fountain Square Theatre next door. My favorite lunch treat is the chicken pad thai at Siam Square, but you also can’t go wrong with the souvlaki platter at Santorini Greek Kitchen or an old-fashioned hamburg—yes, that’s how they spell it—at the neighborhood stalwart, the Peppy Grill. Don’t leave before you swing by the Murphy Art Center and gaze upon some of the best new creations at the Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art. If you can score tickets, brave the creaky stairwell and check out an intimate acoustic show upstairs at Do317.com’s PBR Lounge, featuring some of the hottest rock and indie acts in the country, such as Lucero and Blitzen Trapper. Over the past year, I’ve seen about 10 or more bands inside the cramped studio space, joined by less than two dozen other enraptured fans each time. Nearby is Radio Radio, another venue that’s a favorite of local music fans. If you get thirsty, stop by Fountain Square Brewery, located in a former auto body shop. There’s plenty of space, but limited seating, so you may be sipping your beers standing up. It’s worth it. The Hop for Teacher pale ale will make you pine for those days sneaking beers behind the football bleachers.