Mass Ave

Let me say that I loooove Mass Ave, but I hate hate hate the parking situation. I love the little shops, the wonderful restaurants, the fabulous bars, lovely little theater, firefighter museum and just the general atmosphere here. It definitely has its own lovely vibe here. If you are visiting the city, you just have to pay a visit here. So much to see, do and eat. Parking spaces are hard to come by and when you do find one, it will cost you dearly. Don't even dream about coming anywhere near the venue you are trying to visit. Yes there is a parking garage and a big parking lot, but they are all towards the north part of Mass Ave. I do appreciate the free Sunday and holiday parking though.

When I first visited the Garage Food Hall at the far end, I discovered the Mass Ave area of downtown Indy. Then when I saw "Ann Dancing," I knew I was on to something cool. It's been years since this discovery and I forgot to review. One of my favorite places is Slapfish, not too far from where Ann dances. And Bru Burger Bar is located on the corner of the three street intersection in the middle of Mass Ave and directly overlooks Ann and the Brickhead in their courtyard. Don't forget to visit The Flying Cupcake and Silver In the City among all the other worthy places.Experiencing a nice day? From the intersection with the "ndy" photo op, you can walk two blocks and visit the giant War Memorial on Vermont.Make sure you bring some quarters for the parking meters. I've found that the card readers are not always working correctly so I carry a roll of quarters as a backup in my car. And remember there is no charge for street parking on Sunday's and holidays, even Presidents Day. Text yourself a receipt and receive a reminder when your time is about to expire.

This is the hip, artsy district of Indianapolis, located on the outskirts on downtown. I believe this is the heart indy where you will find a huge collection of public art including sculptures like Ann Dancing, Brickhead, and Homeless Jesus. You will also find murals like the Mari Evan and Kurt Vaunaguat murals. The avenue is one of the four original diagonal streets included in Alexander Ralston's plan of 1821 and is one of seven designated cultural districts in the city.Mass Ave is home to some of the city's best restaurants that include Bru Burger, Bazbeaux Pizza, the Eagle, Bakersfield, Livery, the Raw Bar, Slapfish, Chatham Tap, the Rathskeller, Love Handles and Fat Dan's. A lot of the restaurants has outdoor patio seating, which is awesome outdoor patio seating, which I find very cool.There is no shortage of shops and attractions on the Ave either. There is the Indiana Firefighters Memorial and Museum, an escape room, independent boutiques, some book stores, some art stores and ice cream shop. It holds the distinction of being the home of the nation's oldest shoe store, established in 1886, Stout ShoesThe Monon Trail, a popular bike/jogging trail, runs right through the Ave and the Garage Food Court and a theater is located at the end of it.It is a historical spot and the place to be in the city. There is something to do for everyone. The area is pretty clean and trendy. They host activities like Mass Ave Spring Clean Up Day where volunteers clean up the area, Small Business Saturday, Midnight Shopper, Pride Parade, The Mass Ave Crit, one of the longest-running urban bike races in the Midwest and free yoga classes.There is metered street parking available along the street and within a reasonable walking distance. there are also some commercial lots. The metered parking is free on Sundays, FYI. I love exploring Mass Ave. It never gets old. This is definitely an area that you need to visit and a popular spot to bring visitors. There is always something going one here and new and exciting shops popping up almost everyday.

Mass Ave is a lively, local, and delicious part of downtown Indy. Park along the avenue and stroll the multiple blocks of shops, restaurants, bars, and theatres. There is street art, including the beloved "Dancing Ann" electronic video of a girl swaying back and forth, the massive Mari Evans mural, and connection to the Cultural Trail, miles of biking and walking trails. Some of my favorite spots include:- Boomerang Boutique- Silver in the City- LaTea Bubble Tea Lounge- Tavern at the Point- Bazbeaux Pizza- The Garden Table- Ball & Biscuit- Crimson Tate: Modern Quilter-Decorate- Best Chocolate in Town- Mass Ave Wine Shop- Rooster's- ComedySportz- Bru Burger- Three Dog Bakery- So many more.... see them here: https://www.massavelydifferent.com/I always bring visitors here, as it's a must-visit street for anyone visiting Indy. The new Bottleworks Garage Food Hall and Hotel are now located just off Mass Ave as well, allowing you to explore tons of local goodness, all in one swoop.

One of the top places to visit if you have a weekend in Indy.I am not an Indy native - or even a resident for that matter - so this review is written from the mind of a visitor, a visitor who only had a weekend in Indy. If you are trying to show off the best Indy has to offer to someone who loves food and shopping, this is a must hit.There are three things I love in life - food, shopping, and walking. Oh, shoot, I should say four, because of my husband, but lets mark him down as a silent fourth. This area has it all (other than my husband, obviously)! As we traversed the street my friend kept up a steady stream of chatter about places we were passing. The best burger place was over there, her favorite ice cream shop was to our right, the most awesome shop in Indy was coming up on our left, it seemed like every place that you'd want to visit is on this street! People here seem to know that. There were tons of people out walking and dining around 1 p.m. on a Saturday. The murals on the side of the building were great conversation pieces too. My friend is a huge Indy lover so I got the whole spiel about the project and the lives of the people they chose. If you want to introduce someone to a piece of what makes Indy magical, come here. And if you are an Indy resident who hasn't experienced this district yourself, you need to close your computer and go for a ride.

Looking for a district that offers a wide variety of shops, restaurants, and bars? Look no farther than 45 degrees that is Mass Ave! Out of all of the districts/areas that make up Indy, Mass Ave is one of my favorites, if not my favorite. It offers so many differents places that you can spend your entire day! Looking for a new trendy restaurant or bar? Mass Ave has it. Looking to see a show or concert or some live theatre? Mass Ave has it. Looking to get your dance on and have a few drinks on a beautiful day on a nice patio? Or heck, even looking to buy a last minute gift for a friend or your dog? You got it, Mass Ave has it! If anyone is new to town and/or visiting, I always suggest Mass Ave. It's a great location, the Cultural Trail runs through it in many places, and it truly shows the character that is not your ordinary 90 or 180 degrees. Mass Ave truly does it well! (Just lower those apartment prices a bit would you? ;P )

Mass Ave indeed is "45 degrees from ordinary," as the website touts. Along this street, you'll find a little bit of everything: arts & entertainment (ComedySportz, IndyFringe, Phoenix Theatre), health and fitness (Invoke, CrossFit Naptown), retails shops (Boomerang, City Dogs, Crimson Tate, Homespun, Indy Reads, Silver in the City) and most importantly, food & drink (Newfangled Confections, Flying Cupcake, Best Chocolate in Town, Ball and Biscuit, BRU Burger, MacNiven's, Natural Born Juicers, Mass Ave Wine, Subzero, Yogulatte). Wowza!You could easily spend an afternoon eating and walking around, exploring the great businesses. Mass Ave mosey, anyone?Parking is your typical downtown meter parking (HINT: FREE parking on Sundays, 8am to 9pm, and federal holidays!), but there are multiple Pacers bikeshare stations along Mass Ave if you don't want to deal with the hassle of parking.