Hotels Near Indianapolis Speedway

Racing fans are in luck this year: the Circle City delivers once again with multiple races within the city and also in surrounding areas. Racing fans of all preferences are welcome to book a room in our Indianapolis area hotel for easy access to all these racing sites. Whether it's horse, hydroplane, or sprint car racing, there's a raceway for everyone. This is why your friendly local Indianapolis downtown hotel (that's us!) has compiled a list of the best raceways for you to check out, especially if you're only visiting in the area.

• O'Reilly Raceway Park – Located in Clermont, only 30 mins from us, features summit racing for the ET series. There will be several races held throughout the months up until October at least. This raceway also has motorbike and Camaro events for all you enthusiasts out there.
• Madison Regatta – Less than 2 hours from us, the Madison Regatta will be held from July 5th through 7th this year and will feature the best in hydroplane racing. This local event draws fans from all over because of the intensity and excitement of the races.
• World of Outlaws – Located in Kokomo, about an hour's drive. The World of Outlaws STP Spring Car Series 2013 schedule is jam packed with action from February until November. Some of these races will take place in other states but there are a significant number of local races too.
• Hoosier Park – Nothing screams excitement like the combination of a horse racing track with a casino. This is what Hoosier Park achieves by featuring Standardbred racing while offering various forms of entertainment, food, and drinks in their casino.
• Indiana Downs – This scenic race track hosts thoroughbred and quarter horse racing while offering other entertainment options at a fee. Access to gift shops, race wagering, and the bar is free. If you want to take it a step further, you can pay to use the theater and fine dining available.

As you can see, there's something for everyone. If you've made use of one of our Indianapolis hotel packages, it's likely you've brought the family with you. Well, instead of leaving them at home, many of these racetracks provide other sources of entertainment that they may find appealing so that you can turn the event into a family outing. Not such a bad deal, huh?
 

Who's ready for the Red Bull Indianapolis GP this year? This event will be held August 18th of this year at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, only 5-6 miles away from your favorite Indianapolis area hotel. This event is to go on regardless of weather conditions so it's definitely worthwhile to purchase tickets in advance. MotoGP, Moto2, and Moto3 will all be competing at this event. Although it comes every year, don't let that keep you from joining in on this August's fun.

Taking place on a 2.621-mile circuit, the Red Bull Indianapolis GP is sure to keep everyone's attention. Even if you don't plan to watch the grand prix yourself, why not take part in the activities around this event? From 7pm to midnight on August 16th and 17th, motorcyclists will be able to show off their bikes in celebration of that weekend's festivities. You don't have to have a bike of your own to enjoy yourself from Monument Circle to South Meridian Street. This celebration is near our Indianapolis downtown hotel too!

Anyone with a love for fast-moving motorbikes should get a ticket as soon as possible. Riders have been known to reach over 200 miles per hour at times. The top speed record so far has been 208.6 miles per hour thanks to Dani Pedrosa. On top of the crazy speeds reacher during this race, you'll see riders leaning their bikes up to sixty degrees. Talk about amazing!

If you're bringing a little one with you, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has a bunch of fun events planned for children too. General admission tickets start from $40. Don't forget to look at hotels near Indianapolis Speedway once you've gotten your tickets. Happy racing!

New to the area? Looking for an Indianapolis meeting hotel to gather up all your friends? The Hilton Garden Inn has you covered. On top of that, we've got some interesting things going on in Indianapolis that you should know about to have the best time here possible.

There are just so many things happening in the Circle City all the time! There are also many attractions you'll want to visit, such as:

• Indiana Convention Center
• White River State Park
• The Children's Museum of Indianapolis
• Indianapolis Museum of Art
• Indianapolis Motor Speedway
• Mass Avenue Shopping District
• ...plus everything in between all these sights!

To get in on all this action, you'll need to look at hotels near Indianapolis Convention Center so that you don't spend most of your time driving. The Hilton Garden Inn - Indianapolis Downtown is perfect for this. Also nearby is the opportunity to go utilize Circle City Tours.

Circle City Tours stops at all of the aforementioned places. Instead of visiting the area and having to pay for a rental car, you can spend $15 on an adult ticket and $8 on a child ticket to be taken to the grand sites of Indianapolis. On a daily basis, Circle City Tours completes four round trips to these six different sites. Although the bus can only hop-ons and hop-offs from these sites, you are free to do exploring in between them, and then return to the comfort of the bus, which has air conditioning, heating, and cushioned seats. You may arrange to be pickd up at the Hilton Garden Inn Indianapolis Downtown, though!  Interested parties should call Carrie at 317-899-9285 to get their tickets today, and don't forget to book us as your three star hotel downtown Indianapolis!
 

If there is one thing that comes to mind when people think of Indy, it's usually the Indy 500.  There's no doubt that we are known for being a racing town. 

The 2013 Indianapolis 500 takes place on Sunday, May 26.  Here's an outline of the events and dates:

• Saturday, May 18 - Pole Day for the 2013 Indy 500
• Sunday, May 19 - Bump Day for the 2013 Indy 500
• Friday, May 24 - Miller Lite Carb Day and IZOD in the Performance Pit
• Saturday, May 25 - Legends Day at Indy 500
• Sunday, May 26 - Race Day!

The 2013 Brickyard 400 is a few months later - the Super Weekend takes place July 25-28, 2013. You can learn more about the schedules, directions, tickets and event info on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's website.

If you are coming to Indy this year for either the Indy 500 or the Brickyard 400 races, you might need to find an Indianapolis area hotel like ours.

If you're traveling as a group, you might be interested in our Indianapolis group travel packages.  Be sure to call Camille Lauer 317-405-5709 clauer@fhginc.com for group deals.

Have you been to these races?  What do you like most about them?  Where do you usually stay?  In a hotel or do you camp out with friends and family?
 

There's no doubt when you think of Indianapolis, Indiana that one of the first things that comes to your mind is the Indy 500, which happens to be just around the corner on May 27th.

Now you can make your Indy 500 experience more complete by visiting the Dallara IndyCar Factory.  Opening Summer 2012, the Dallara IndyCar Factory will have an opportunity for guests to create their very own IndyCar on an interactive basis.

Some of the other fun things that you can do at the Dallara IndyCar Factory include:

• Race your companion in IndyCar simulators'
• Watch IndyCar chassises made by the Dallara staff
• Enjoy daily rides around the Speedway

If you're looking for a great venue for a private event,  The Dallara IndyCar Factory might be the perfect place since it bodes 30,000 square feet of event space.

Whether you are looking for hotels near Indianapolis or trying to plan Indianapolis group travel, you will love our newly renovated hotel Indianapolis because not only our are accomodations clean and new, but you will also be near plenty of downtown attractions.

What's your favorite part of Indy when you come to visit?  We want to hear about your experiences - please leave a comment and tell us!

With just days left until this year's Indianapolis 500, you might be looking for last minute hotel accomodations Indianapolis.  There's good news because our three star hotel downtown Indianapolis still has a few rooms left.

While you're in town, you might want to take advantage of some of the great Indy 500 events happening, leading up to the race.

• Wednesday, May 23 - 500 Festival Community Day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway - for $8 in advance and for $10 at the gate, you can buy tickets to get autographs from your favorite Indy racers.
• Thursday, May 24 - Practice/Qualifications for the Firestone Freedom 100 - this event is FREE.  From 9am - Noon is the Firestone Indy Lights Practice, then from 1:15pm - 2:15pm the Firestone Indy Lights Qualifications Begin and from 2:30pm - 4pm are the Vintage Car Laps.
• Friday, May 25 - Miller Lite Carb Day - for $20 (kids 12 and under are FREE) you can enjoy the IZOD Performance Pit Stop Challenge, the Firestone Freedom 100, the Final Indianapolis 500 Practice and a concert in the afternoon headlined by legendary rock band, Lynyrd Skynyrd.
• Saturday, May 26 - Legends Day at the Indy 500 presented by Shell V-Power - for $10 (kids 12 and under are FREE), come and enjoy a full field autograph session and the public drivers meeting.  Gates open at 8am and the autograph session begins at 9am.
• Sunday, May 27 - RACE DAY! The 96th Running of The Indianapolis 500 Mile Race - Tickets start at $30 and the snake pit opens at 7am! 

What are some of your favorite traditions when it comes to the Indy 500?  Does your family go every year or do you go every year with a friend?  Where do you come from?  We want to hear your stories and favorite memories!  Please share them in the comment section below.

Eat, drink and be merry when you visit the Tomlinson Tap Room brewery just a short distance from our Indianapolis Downtown hotel. In fact, you’ll find plenty of drinking and food delights at the Indianapolis City Market where the popular Tap Room is located.

This neighborhood pub crafts the finest Indiana brews right on the premises so you will know you are getting the fresh and distinctive taste straight from the maker’s tap. While the brewery serves some snacks, they also allow guests to bring their own from the numerous food places in the City Market.

Visitors will enjoy the convenient location of our historic hotel Indianapolis Downtown.  We’re close to all the events as they happen at the Convention Center, Airport, Speedway, area universities such as Indiana and Butler as well as Lucas Oil Stadium.

Our Indianapolis hotel packages include affordable rates for deluxe accommodations along with room service, fitness center, pool and hot tub. With over 6,500 square feet of conference space, your group will have all the room needed for successful meetings and events. Call us today to book your rooms or group travel (317) 955-9700.

If the Indy 500 is on your travel agenda this coming Memorial Day weekend, then you’ll definitely want to plan to see a little of Downtown Indy while you’re here. Of course with it being Memorial Day, there’s not better place to visit than the numerous city memorials in Downtown to honor our fallen heroes.

Some of the most place memorials to visit include:

• Admiral Raymond Spruance Memorial Basin – honoring Indianapolis Navy officer for his success in the Battle of Midway, 1942.
• American Legion Mall – home to memorials for World War II as well as the Korean and Vietnam wars.
• Colonel Eli Lilly Civil War Museum – Relive the Civil War at this museum located at the Solders and Sailors Monument lower level.
• Congressional Medal of Honor Memorial – recognizes those who have received this highest military honor.
• Firefighters Memorial – Tribute to those who died in the 1890 Indianapolis fire.
• Indiana Law Enforcement & Firefighters Memorial – honors those police and firemen who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
• Indiana Soldiers and Sailors Monument – dedicated in 1902 in tribute to the soldiers and sailors of Indiana who served during the Civil War and Spanish & American War. Recently restored and returned to its downtown home in September 2011.
• Indiana War Memorial & Museum – Honors those who fought in the Korean and Vietnam Wars as well as WWI and WWII.
• Project 911 Indianapolis- in remembrance of those killed during 9/11/2011.
• University Park – part of the Indiana War Memorial Plaza and one time drilling grounds for Union troops.
• USS Indianapolis Memorial – to honor the fallen of this Navy Ship, the last to sink during WWII in 1945.
• Veterans Memorial Plaza – honors Indiana veterans.

For hotels near Indianapolis Speedway and all the memorials, there’s no better location when choosing between Downtown Indy hotels than our Indianapolis Downtown hotel Hilton Garden Inn. We offer deluxe amenities, room service, fitness center and pools so that when you return from your day (and night) out on the town, you can rest in comfort and luxury. Book your rooms today for Memorial Day weekend by calling us at (317) 955-9700.

 

• Attend a film at the Indianapolis Museum of Art
  • Outdoor, summer evening films. The Sandlot, Zoolander, Mommie Dearest and more!
• Revisit the Indianapolis Zoo
  • They've added some animals since my last visit.
• Bicycle the Monon/Central Canal
  • I have a cruiser now so little hills kill me. But it looks so nice to chill out and maybe stop at Huddle Frozen Yogurt on 86th Street for a cool treat!
• Go to a concert at The Lawn
  • I already plan on seeing Umphrey's McGee, The Black Keys and The Avett Brothers there. If you've read some of my posts, music = life.
• Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra's Marsh(R) Symphony on the Prairie
  • Another I miss year after year. I'm determined to visit Conner Prairie this year for some symphonic renditions of popular music.
• Rib America Festival
  • This is one of the best weekends downtown. Four days of music, sun, and of course some of the best bbq in the country! you might catch me there every day. See my upcoming blog about this event and check out our Indianapolis hotel package for an amazing deal!!
• Visit the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
  • It's race weekend but I'll be out of town for a four-day music festival in Illinois. So...maybe I'll visit for Brickyard 400 or Red Bull Indianapolis GP is my only chance of the year.  We are one of the downtown hotels near Indianapolis Speedway...so it's not too far from work!
• Rock & Roll BBQ
  • A new event to Indy at Victory Field. Country music and rock & roll with more bbq! I think this is 4th of July's answer to Labor Day's Rib Fest. Music and food? I'm IN!  What about you? We still have the availability for you to make your Indianapolis hotel reservations and attend this first year event!

If you’ve stayed at Hilton Garden Inn anywhere in the world, you’d know that the service we offer is unsurpassed. Of course, when it comes to our newly renovated hotel Indianapolis location, we are far above par than other hotels near Indianapolis airport.

Have you loved your stay at any of Hilton Garden Inn's locations? If yes, then you might want to show your love by liking Hilton Garden Inn on Facebook. Liking us will not only make you eligible for several contests that we have running, it will also allow you to interact with several other Hilton lovers.

For instance, recently we had a “Like Us for Points promo” on Facebook, wherein Facebookers could simply click the Like button and take advantage of 250 Hilton Honors points – points that are coveted by every Hilton regular.

You should also check out our Wall on Facebook – it is a very happening place. There is a lot of interaction always going on there between people who are regular visitors to Hilton Garden Hotels, people who had their first experience with Hilton and those who are going to vacation or drop by a Hilton hotel in the near future. Peep in and you’ll love the active discussions we have there.

Coming back to Indianapolis, if you are wondering whether Hilton Garden Inn is one of the hotels near Murat Centre – we are. We are also close to the speedway, the Lucas Oil Stadium and the Convention Centre. Come drop by and we’ll give you a reason to like us on Facebook.

• Lucas Oil Stadium
• Indianapolis Convention Ceter
• Murat Center
• Conseco Fieldhouse
• Indianapolis Speedway

Are you and a group of friends thinking about coming to Indy for the Red Bull Indianapolis GP this year?  Or how about your family?  This year the Indianapolis Red Bull GP takes place on August 28th.  The annual Red Bull Indianapolis GP is a round of the MotoGP World Championship and has taken place annually since 2008.

This round of the most prestigious motorcycle road racing series in the world is on a 16-turn, 2.621-mile road circuit at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, including part of the speedway's famous oval.

There are three World Championship classes that compete at the event:

• MotoGP
• Moto2
• 125cc

While other events are paused for rain, the Red Bull Indy GP takes place come rain or shine.

Here is a quick run down of this year's Indianapolis Red Bull GP calendar:

• Thursday, August 25, 2011 - 2011 Camping Lots Open
• Friday, August 26, 2011 - 2011 Practice Day
• Saturday, August 27, 2011 - 2011 Qualification Day
• Sunday, August 28, 2011 - 2011 Red Bull Indianapolis GP Race Day

Are you coming to Indy this year for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” otherwise known as the Indianapolis 500? 

As you may already know, the Indianapolis 500 is the world’s most famous auto race.  This year the famous race takes place on May 29, 2011.  Of course, there are a number of events leading up to Race Day and the events commence on Saturday, May 7, 2011 at the Centennial Era Balloon Festival.

The prestiguious Indy 500 auto race has taken place since 1911 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (except for 1917-18 and 1942-45 during the USA's participation in world wars).

The Indy 500 covers 500 miles, 200 laps on the famous 2.5-mile oval.  The “500” is the world’s largest single-day spectator sporting event.

Here are some important details about this year's event:

• Schedule
• Directions
• Parking & Tailgating
• Lodging
• Miller Lite Carb Day

If you are coming for the entire event or even for part of it, then you will want to find a hotel room Indianapolis that will allow for extended stay options.  The Hilton Garden Inn Indianapolis Downtown has hotel reservations Indianapolis ready to go for the entire event because the Hilton is preferred hotel provider of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Check out this great YouTube video that will get you in the mood for this year's event:

Most folks not involved in racing are familiar with the Indy 500, but those of you who are tried and true race fans, are also aware of the Brickyard 400 and no doubt, you might be headed to Indy this year to either participate in some form or another or come as a fan.

Since 1994, the Brickyard 400 is one of the annual races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for stock cars.

The race covers 400 miles, 160 laps on the famous 2.5-mile Indy Motor Speedway oval.  Here's a great video from YouTube that shows the start of the 2007 Brickyard 400 from a fan's perspective - to get you in the mood!

As with most NASCAR events, the Brickyard 400 is a great family event, especially if you are looking into Indianapolis group travel options.  Why?  The Indy Motor Speedway is an ideal family setting as an international icon in race history and not to mention entertainment for the entire family. 

Here's a quick calendar of events for 2011's Brickyard 400:

• Thursday, July 28, 2011 - Brickyard 400 Camping Lots Open
• Friday, July 29, 2011 - Practice Day
• Saturday, July 30, 2011 - Qualifying Day
• Sunday, July 31, 2011 - Brickyard 400

The Hilton Garden Inn Indianapolis Downtown would like to announce and introduce ourselves as a new member and Preferred Hotel partner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  We are very excited about our new partnership! Being one of the Indianapolis downtown hotels near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, it seems natural we partner with the most famous sports venue in the world right here in Indianapolis.

I and the staff at the Hilton Garden Inn are committed to working hard to create competitive packages for our partners, like you, that include preferred partner benefits whether you are here for the races or other meetings and events in town. What are you waiting for? Let the Hilton Garden Inn put you in the driver’s seat for the 94^th running of the Indy 500, scheduled for May 30 at the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway! Don't forget about the Brickyard 400® and the Red Bull Indianapolis GP®!

**This is your opportunity to experience our HGI hospitality and the rush of The Greatest Spectacle in Racing® at a great Indianapolis hotel package price!

-=For package pricing and availability on our great Indianapolis hotel deal, please contact Camille Lauer at 317-405-5709 or clauer@fhginc.com.