The city of Indianapolis lies right at the center of the state of Indiana. It has a population of approximately 785,000, making it the 12th largest of US cities. The metro area of the city is home to about 2 million people. As it is the home of both the Indy 500 and Brickyard 400 motor races, Indianapolis is often called the "Racing Capital of the World".

Indianapolis is simply Indiana joined with polis, which is the Greek word for city. But it is also often also called the "Crossroads of America" and for good reason. Interstates 65, 69, 70 and 74 all intersect within the city limits. It is almost impossible to enjoy Indianapolis without a motor vehicle. There is a bus system that is both clean and efficient, but the routes are all very complex and a large part of the metro area is not serviced at all. Travel by foot or bicycle is almost next to impossible, and certainly very dangerous to attempt in some areas of the city.

If you are not a motor racing fan and you find yourself in Indianapolis there are plenty of other things to do. The Indianapolis Zoo boasts the world's only underwater dolphin viewing dome, one of the largest shark pools in the country and a large herd of African elephants.

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is one of the most exciting and interactive any child could wish to visit. It has one of the largest dinosaur exhibits in the country, a planetarium and a child's size castle constructed entirely from Lego blocks

The Lawn at White River Park is rated as one of the top 100 outdoor concert venues in the world, and plays host to many of both the biggest names in music and some of the most innovative new artists every year.

If you are interested in war history, or just want to see a breathtaking monument while getting a great view of downtown Indianapolis then a visit to the Indiana Soldiers and Sailors Monument is a must. It is found at the heart of the downtown area and commemorates the achievements of Indiana military personnel in all the conflicts of the last 200 years.

Then there is the racing. The Indy 500 is run every year on Memorial Day Weekend, on a Sunday. The Indy Motor Speedway is one of the highest capacity sports facilities in the world, and the 400,000 tickets available every year to see the race are always snapped right up.

The since 1994, NASCAR has been running the Allstate Brickyard 400, which is also very popular. 2008 also saw the first running of the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix, truly making Indianapolis the center of the racing universe.

Every year over 250,000 people visit the Speedway Hall of Fame Museum, which is located within the Oval. There are over 75 cars on display, including the first car that ever won the Indy 500, which was a Marmon Wasp.