I spent the Fourth of July weekend in Indianapolis. My friend hosts a horror convention yearly, and I get to enjoy the Indy cuisine and attractions while there. At Days of the Dead, I caught up with old friend wrestler-actor Roddy Piper, talked to actress Linda Blair about her Linda Blair Worldheart Foundation and met rock legend Lita Ford.

Our trip started at an Indianapolis Indians game, where they beat the Louisville Bats 4–0. Victory Field, in downtown Indy, opened in 1996 and has been called “Best Minor League Ballpark in America” by several baseball publications. I would definitely put it in my top five. After the game, we enjoyed the Donato’s Downtown Freedom Blast, a fantastic fireworks show.

I just love downtown Indy. We spent a lot of time at White River State Park. Among the attractions within the park, we continued the sports theme by visiting the NCAA Hall of Champions. All 23 NCAA sports are represented in this two-story building. There are artifacts, video presentations, trivia challenges and much more. I am not even a big collegiate sports fan, but I had to enjoy the history and the way it was presented here.

We also took in some of the arts by venturing to Broad Ripple Village and the “Pedestrian Art,” murals created by local aerosol artists. They varied from funky to serious, but all were simply beautiful.

Of course, food always plays a big part of my trips, and every trip to Indy requires a stop at one of the El Rodeo restaurants. This year we picked their downtown location.

We also enjoyed a hearty breakfast at the City Café in downtown Indy. They serve big portions of farm-fresh ingredients.

Indianapolis is the 12th-largest city in the United States, yet it somehow maintains a small-town, relaxed feel. It is an easy 3.5-hour drive for me, and I generally make it to Indy three or four times a year for various events, and I always love it.

— John Wroblewski, online contributor