Pedal boats glide across a canal, joggers swiftly pass, fans cheer a baseball team and lions roar ... all of this and more can be found within White River State Park.
White River State Park is located in downtown Indianapolis and is the home of the Indiana State Museum, IMAX Theater, NCAA Hall of Champions, Victory Field baseball park and The Indianapolis Zoo as well as numerous other attractions.
Each attraction is located along the White River and is connected by paved paths along the river and the canal.
"We have a lot of people from out of town and out of the country who want to come and explore," Charlotte Carmichael, receptionist for White River State Park, said. "I can't think of a better way than the canal. It gives you a taste of what Indianapolis has come to be."
The Canal Walk is a pedestrian path that is nearly three miles round trip. The path is used by joggers, Rollerbladers, bicyclists and those who want to enjoy the waterfront atmosphere. At night the canal lights up with street lamps that line the edge of the water.
Fountains give a peaceful atmosphere and benches provide a place to sit and take in the downtown scenery. Although the canal walk and its beauty seem to be miles from the busy atmosphere of the city, a turn of the head reveals the Indianapolis skyline only blocks away.
Besides walking and jogging, other ways to enjoy the canal include the pedal boats and bicycles available for rental.
The pedal boats can be rented for $10 per half hour.
"It's really fun," Lacretia Farmer said, operations manager at Canal Walk Pedal Boat Rentals. "You get a lot of exercise."
The boats are available for rental in the summer daily from 10 a.m. until midnight. Farmer said the pedal boats are all new this year.
Farmer encourages visitors to try out the pedal boats, but stick around to enjoy the whole atmosphere.
"It's kind of quiet and peaceful," she said. "Come and relax. Take a stroll at night."
The bicycles available for rental provide a unique form of transportation along the canal. Mountain bikes are offered, as well as bicycles built for two or four riders. The double and single surreys are set up like a car and have pedals for each seat. An awning covers the four-wheel cycle. Wheel Fun Rentals by Bike Indy rents the various cycles for $7 to $24 per hour.
Joe Cunningham, sales representative for Wheel Fun Rentals, described the canal and the bicycles as "a date destination."
After touring the canal by land or water, several museums provide indoor entertainment and a place to cool off.
The Indiana State Museum is 270,00 square feet of exhibits from the past, present and future of Indiana.
"We have everything from arts to culture to science," Michelle Armstrong, of marketing and communications, said for the museum. "It's everything you've never expected."
The museum spans three floors and includes exhibits about famous Hoosiers, geological evolution, Indiana industry, Indiana artists and a look at the future of the state.
"It's a very eclectic museum. It really is," David York said. York works at guest services at Indiana State Museum.
Tickets to the museum are $7 for adults.
The IMAX Theater is also located in the Indiana State Museum. The two six-story high screens are now playing "Lewis and Clark: Great Journey West" and "Ghosts of the Abyss." Tickets are $8.50 for adults.
The Indiana History Center of the Indiana Historical Society is also located on the canal and offers a cafe and exhibits.
"We are one of the oldest and largest historical societies in the nation," Carrie Wood, media relations manager for the Indiana Historical Society, said.
The Indiana History Center has various free exhibits and a gift shop. Current exhibits include "Centennial of Flight" and "Five Unsettling Stories," featuring stories of Indiana migration.
The Stardust Terrace Cafe is also adjacent to the Indiana History Center. The cafe is a lunchtime restaurant that serves sandwiches, salads, pastas and desserts. Diners can sit at tables next to the canal, as well as inside.
The Indiana History Center sponsors a "Concerts on the Canal" weekly concert series located on the center's canal plaza. Every Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7:30 pm., local musicians perform outdoors .
"There's a great line up," Wood said. "And it is free."
Guest can bring blankets or lawn chairs and enjoy the music from the lawn, or they can reserve tables for $15 to $25. Boxed dinners or wine and cheese packages can be ordered from the Stardust Terrace Cafe.
The NCAA Hall of Champions offers sports fans an in-depth look at the collegiate athletic program. The 25,000-square-foot museum includes three theaters, interactive exhibits and a turn-of-the-century gymnasium. The museum offers exhibits designed to demonstrate the life of a student athlete. Information about Ball State sports is included in the exhibit. Students tickets are $4.
After exploring the stories of the NCAA, it is only a minutes from an opportunity to catch sports in action at Victory Field, home of the Indianapolis Indians. The Indians are the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. Games are played now through early September.
Adult tickets for the games are $7 to $11.
The Indianapolis Zoo and White River Gardens are also a part of the White River State Park. Both are located just over the White River from the rest of the attractions. White rhinos were added this year to the wide range of animals and exhibits offered at the zoo. Adult admission to the zoo is $10.75.
The White River Gardens includes a glass conservatory, one and a half miles of walkways and paths, a water garden and restaurant. Admission to the gardens is $6.50. A discounted ticket to the zoo and the gardens is available for $12.50.
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