Selecting Your Lodging For the Indy 500

SELECTING YOUR LODGING: There are many options for lodging when you come to Indianapolis. Besides hotels and motels, there are campgrounds, temporary campsites, and friends or family, if you're lucky to have some who live nearby.. But for our purposes, we are going to focus on hotels/motels primarily with a short discussion about camping at the end.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway sits within the beltway of Indianapolis. Interstate 465, which circles Indianapolis, has downtown located slightly south of center. The IMS would be very close to 9:00 o'clock, if you viewed the beltway like a clock from above. The distance between the speedway and downtown Indianapolis is approximately 5 miles. The beltway that circles Indianapolis is approximately 60 miles in length. There are 25 interchanges on 465 and there are a number of motels located at or near most interchanges. Additionally, there are hotels and motels located downtown inside the beltway and there are hotels and motels located a few miles outside the beltway. With 400 thousand fans attending the Indy 500, hotels and motels do book out and for hotels near the speedway, rates are set at a premium.

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We can't tell you the best place to stay, because the answer to that question depends upon a number of variables. Those variables include what you intend to do while you're here, what your transportation needs are, how long you intend to stay, and of course your budget. If you've got the entire month of May to spend here and money is no object, you might enjoy one of the five star hotels in downtown Indianapolis that will provide you shuttle service or limousine service to and from the track. If you have time or budget concerns, then you may opt for some other lodging. The following will provide you with a brief overview of the various hotel and motel options.

THE LAY OF THE LAND: For many, location is the most important consideration. Therefore, if you act quickly enough, you may be able to reserve a room near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway that will enable you to reach the track with relative ease. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is located in Speedway, a small town which is located within the city limits of Indianapolis. Searching for hotels and motels in the Speedway area will put you in close proximity to the track. It will also put you close to the Indianapolis International Airport, which is a approximately 5 miles southwest of the speedway.

If you're not staying in the Speedway area, you have a number of other areas around Indianapolis to consider. On the north side of Indy, running west to east, there is College Park, Carmel, Castleton and Fishers. These neighborhoods are highly developed and provide a heavy concentration of upscale restaurants, bars, and shopping. The east side of Indy includes the areas of Lawrence, and Greenfield. This area is less densely developed and its offerings of restaurants, bars and shopping is limited. The south side of Indy includes the areas of Beech Grove, Southport, and Greenwood. These areas are a bit dated, but offer a reasonable number of restaurants, bars and shopping. Downtown Indy has a number of first class hotel accommodations as well as a large number of upscale restaurants, bars and shopping.

Dividing the town into quadrants, west, north, east and south, each geographical area offers pluses and minuses. We'll treat downtown last.

WESTSIDE: The west side of Indianapolis has a number of positive attributes. Besides being close to the airport and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, there are numerous restaurants, bars, and entertainment options in the area. It is also easy to reach downtown Indianapolis as well as other areas of the city. The biggest drawbacks to this area is the current road construction on Interstate 465 and the fact that hotels and motels in this area are among the first to fill up for race weekend.

NORTHSIDE: The north side of Indianapolis is densely populated with upscale restaurants, pubs, clubs, shopping and entertainment options. These businesses cater to the more affluent Indianapolis neighborhoods and the options available in this commercial sector reflects that. Interstate 465, which is the primary interstate system serving to connect these north side neighborhoods with the speedway is currently under construction and may make travel between your hotel and the speedway challenging. Particularly, if you decide to stay in the Castleton and Fishers area.

EASTSIDE: The east side of Indianapolis does not offer as many options as the west side and north side when it comes to restaurants, pubs and shopping. This does not mean that it should be ignored as a lodging option. While it is on the opposite side of town from the speedway, Interstate I70 and I65 make it possible to drive straight through town and avoid the construction on I-465 on the north and west sides of town.

SOUTHSIDE: The south side of Indianapolis is half industrial and half residential. Beech Grove to the southeast and Southport and Greenwood, which is due south, are both friendly and accommodating with a good selection of moderate motel space. The southwest side of Indianapolis is very industrial and offers few options for lodging, dining or shopping. However, from Beech Grove, Southport, and Greenwood, you can reach the Indianapolis Motor Speedway by driving through town using I-65 and I-70 and avoid the road construction on the north and west legs of Interstate 465.

DOWNTOWN INDY: Indianapolis is a vibrant and growing city. Even in the midst of a recession, Indianapolis has managed to continue developing. There are numerous upscale hotels located downtown offering quick and easy access to the Circle Center Mall, trendy restaurants, pubs, clubs, and other entertainment options. From the heart of downtown Indy, you are a short 10 minute drive to the speedway.

Selecting Your Lodging For the Indy 500

For more information on the Indianapolis 500, please see our site on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

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