Visit Speedway Marion Indiana and the surrounding area to see the top sights. Discover Speedway at Indianapolis: From exciting racing traditions in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum to the Dallara IndyCar Factory to family-friendly parks and art workshops a lively place full of experiences for adults and children.
If you're looking for Speedway attractions, let me give you a little story before we get to the actual highlights. Speedway was founded in 1912 as a suburb of Indianapolis to serve the growing automobile boom – yes, that is exactly what explains the name. The city grew thanks to the proximity to the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but the actual cityscape remained surprisingly tranquil, almost like a quiet courtyard to a loud family festival.
Honestly, the journey is a Klack: a short trip to the I‐70 from Indianapolis, and you are in the middle of the small but charming core. I'll take the train to Speedway because I love hearing the rats of the rails while I imagine horse cars rolling over cobblestones. As soon as you get out of the train, you immediately feel the light nostalgic flair that goes out from the old bungalows and the well-kept avenues – no joke, that is almost too perfect to be true.
Now to the actual highlights that I personally do not want to miss: the old city park where you can settle on a bank with a coffee-to-go and hear the quiet sum of the city is a real secret tip. Directly next to this is the small but fine art café, which has more character than some large city pubs. And yes, the Speedway sights include, of course, the legendary Motor Speedway Museum – I don't quite understand the hype about the racing history, but the adjacent quarter with its vintage shops is fantastic.
So if you want to experience a piece of Middle West that is not suffocated by tourist masses, get in, grab a sandwich and let yourself be surprised by this underestimated jewel.
I have to admit that I always start the first stop in Speedway with a wide grin – the legendary Indy-Speedway Paddock is for me the heartpiece that I would put to every friend looking at the edge of the city at all. The smell of burned rubber is still in the air when you slip through the gate, and the huge oval, which houses more than 400 000 fans a year, looks almost like a modern colon of concrete and nostalgia. I don’t always understand the hype around the “Renn icon” but the feeling of standing there while a racing car with over 300 km/h runs past you is simply great. Parking is usually easy, except on Saturday night, there will be a real problem – then you either have to take a pedestrian walk or call a taxi that will take you back to the hotel because you don't want to spend the whole night in the car.
Directly next to the Oval Indy Motor-Speedway Museum, which I would call the “catchery box for all who spend too much time with car stories”. There are not only the famous racing cars, but also a lot of curiosities that you can only find in old magazines. I once caught myself in a corner because I thought that was a new café area – no, that was an original racing helmet from the 50s I almost confused with my cappuccino. The museum is free to enter if you have the ticket for the racing event, otherwise you have to grab a bit deeper in your pocket, but this is a small price for the story that awaits you here.
If you need some rest after the adrenaline fuck, just make the Main road of Speedway along – this is my personal favorite place to sniff the real “small city” flair. The small shops, the old-fashioned cafes and the a few faded neon complaints give you the feeling of living in another time. I once discovered an old record player I bought spontaneously because I thought it was a good souvenir. The parking spaces here are a bit short, but a short walk from a few blocks is enough to find a free place.
A short detour leads you to Speedway Historic District, a quarter that, with its well-preserved bungalows from the 1920s and 1930s, looks almost like a living museum. I met a neighbor there who told me that the road was formerly inhabited by factory workers who went to work on the Speedway – that gives the whole a very own charm. There are no tourist streams here, so you can still admire the architecture without anyone pressing the camera on your head. A little hint: The entrance to most houses is narrow, so drive carefully when you are on the bike.
For those who prefer something green and less asphalt, the Speedway Golf Club an underestimated jewel. I played a few rounds there because I thought that was a public place – no, that is a private club, but they let visitors in special occasions, and the game on the well-kept green is a real balance to the noise of the race track. The club has a small pro shop where you can buy some cheap golf balls, and the clubhouse serves a solid burger who almost let me forget that I was actually just here for golfing.
And because I must not forget that I am not just talking about engines and green spaces: Speedway Farmers Market is a weekly meeting place where locals offer fresh fruit, vegetables and homemade jams. I once tried a piece of apple cake there that was so good that I took almost the whole piece home – a small but fine enjoyment that makes the city even more human. The market usually takes place on Saturday morning, so plan your arrival so that you don't get stuck when the races start.
If you now think that this is too much, let me tell you: All these Speedway attractions together form an image that is both loud and quiet, fast and leisurely – just like the city itself. I always pack my stuff because I discover something new every time I missed the last visit. And that's the most beautiful thing in this place: he never lets you go, whether you're a racing fan, a history-interested or just a curious traveler.
I have to admit that I have all the hype around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway can not fully understand – an oval asphalt ring that attracts thousands of people every year because they love “speed”. Nevertheless, if you are close to Speedway, a short trip to the Speedway Museum, which is right next to the race track. Parking is usually a children's game as long as you don't arrive on Saturday night after the race, then this becomes a real patience game. I remember, as I stood there in 2019, the noise of the engines in the ear, and suddenly an older gentleman next to me began to tell me the story of every race, as if he himself was part of the team. That was more than just a museum visit – it was a small time jump.
A few miles further, in the heart of Indianapolis, this is Indianapolis Museum of Art Newfield's campus. I was there on a rainy Thursday afternoon, and while most visitors spread across the roof, I sneaked into the sculpture gallery, where a huge metal tree almost seemed like a lost tree in the city park. Parking is a bit chaotic there because the terrain is so big, but a free space is almost always to be found when you arrive early enough. And yes, the café serves the best espresso in the city – no joke.
If you have enough of art, you can Indianapolis Zoo in the White River State Park. I saw my first giraffe from close proximity there, while I tried to stop my children from stealing the bananas – a classic family trip that quickly mutated into a comedy program. The zoo has a huge parking lot that gets crowded quickly on weekends, so better off by bike when you like the weather. And the aquarium? A real secret tip because most visitors overlook the big elephant house.
A short walk along the Canal Walk leads you through a network of waterways that go through the city centre. I once met a street musician who played on an old violin, while a couple of boats hit by. This was such a moment you don't find in guidebooks – just the quiet stroller of the water and the occasional quaken of a duck. Parking on the canal is practical because there are several small car parks that are usually empty when you are there in the afternoon.
Another highlight is the Eiteljorg Museum, which specializes in the culture of American natives and the Wild West. I was there on a sunny spring day when a group of students from a nearby school got a lead and suddenly a real Indian drum workshop started. I volunteered to learn some rhythms – the result was a pretty bad but enthusiastic drum that made the guides laugh. The museum has a small but fine café serving the best corn bread I've ever eaten.
For those who prefer to go up, Soldiers and Sailors Monument in the center of Indianapolis a must. I made the ascent to the viewing platform because I thought that would be a quick way to get a panorama. The stairs are a bit tricky, but the view over the city is worth it – especially at sunset when the lights of the city begin to glitz. Parking is a bit tricky here because the monument is located in the middle of the city center, but a few blocks further there is a public car park that usually has places.
Last but not least, if you are looking for the real Indiana feeling, you should White River State Park explore yourself. I made a picnic with friends there while we tried to feed the rare wild geese – an undertaking that could have taken place more in a comedy film. The park offers numerous hiking trails, and parking is almost always easy thanks to the many entrances. And the best thing: The river that flows through the park is a popular spot for kayaking people who like to get away from the city's hustle.
So, if you're next time in the area of Speedway, Wayne Township, Marion, Indiana, don't forget that the environment has more to offer than just the famous race track. From art and culture to animal encounters to relaxing walks on the water – these Speedway attractions show that the heart of Indiana beats as fast as its engines.
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