If cities across America competed to see which did the best job of prying teenaged visitors from electronic devices long enough to actually discover the city around them, Indianapolis would surely be in the running. Sports, zoos, vintage eateries approval-stamped by TV heroes, a grand old fair and children's attractions so hip that they're teen-cool -- they're all found in Indy. If you visit and find on the trip home that the iPads haven't been pulled out yet -- that they can't stop talking about the great Midwestern city they've discovered -- you'll know you've left a winner behind.
Teenagers should find not only the attractions at the downtown Indianapolis White River State Park fascinating, but some of the ways of navigating its 250 acres a hoot -- from Segways to pedal boats. The only urban state park in the Hoosier State has much beyond green space and trails. Hot dogs go with baseball at the park's Victory Field, named "Best Minor League Ballpark in America" by Sports Illustrated. The bi-level NCAA Hall of Champions allows young people to experience all 23 NCAA sports through sports simulators, interactive exhibits, a 1930s retro basketball gym and artifacts donated by the nation's colleges. If museums sound boring, entice them to the Indiana State Museum with its Foucault pendulum. Pull them from its mesmerizing beauty for a movie at the nation's largest IMAX theater. Then it's off to the Indianapolis Zoo where they can lose themselves among 250 diverse species, visit an international orangutan center and forget their teenage cool while giggling at penguins and melting over zoo babies.
Yes, they have a pretty pastel carousel, a playscape and much for little ones, but the Children's Museum of Indianapolis is also cool -- and the nation's largest. It's easy to spot visitors with no children in tow -- including teenagers. Touch authentic T. rex bones, gawk at a twisting tower of Chihuly glass and travel to the outer limits in a 130-seat, full-dome planetarium -- just for starters. And special exhibits at this museum mean exactly that: temporary attractions have actually included several of China's real Terra Cotta Warriors. Take your teenagers to Indy near Halloween and go to the Children's Museum Guild's Haunted House, named by Rand McNally as one of the nation's top 10 haunted houses. Just make sure you go during Xtreme Scream hours.
Visit the Circle City in early August and steer your fun-hungry teens to the Indiana State Fair on the Near Northside. Each day of the fair's annual 17-day run sees a different schedule of events in addition to those staples beloved by teenagers: fair food and the midway. Although some in this age range fall into the crowd that can be happy at a seed-spitting contest or hands-on milking demonstration, more typical teens need a rush. With advance planning, young music-lovers can attend big-name concerts. Livestock judging and rodeos may hold an unexpected thrill for some young animal lovers. And the fun level for enthusiasts of all things extreme will shift into high gear at freestyle motocross shows, demolition derbies and monster truck rallies. Get them there early in the morning and turn them loose on a blowout celebration of Hoosier culture.
In addition to always being hungry, teens notoriously enjoy anything novel. So, before you head home, time-travel to Indy's renowned king of drive-in curb-service, the Mug 'n' Bun restaurant on West 10th Street. Fill their bellies with retro eats where things were hoppin' for their 1960s counterparts out on the west side of town. Pull up, flip on your headlights and let them order from the mile-long menu, pointing out what they're famous for: tenderloin sandwiches, hand-dipped onion rings and homemade root beer. If they think having a tiny food-laden tray hooked onto a car window is uncool, just tell them that Jimmy Fallon couldn't wait to visit the Mug 'n' Bun during Super Bowl Week 2012, that he mentioned it on his late-night show and -- most impressive to teens -- that he tweeted about it.
