Definitely check out the Arts and Design District in Carmel, right in our backyard. Main Street is the place for restaurants and art galleries. Walk or bike a few blocks south along the trail to Midtown Plaza, where you can grab a beer on Sun King Brewery's rooftop patio, feast on tacos at the newly-opened Social Cantina, or try the great food at Fork and Ale, where we had our first date. You can also relax on lounge chairs or swings in the plaza or play a little pool. Head a bit further south along the trail where you'll walk by ping-pong tables, shuffleboard courts, and a playground before hitting one of our favorite places, Union Brewing, a neighborhood brewery with a beautiful garden. Even farther south along the trail, south of the two large theaters, is a Japanese Tea Garden - look for the red bridge to the left!
If you're in town Saturday morning, the Carmel Farmers' Market is worth a trip. With approximately 70 vendors, you can not only get fresh produce, but other locally-made goodies. We HIGHLY recommend a croissant from Circle City Sweets. Tricia's favorite is the almond and Pete's is the raspberry goat cheese. Dad's sweet corn will also probably be in season and is a local favorite (they even passed it out at the July 4 parade!) - look for the long line!
Only about 1/2 hour north of Carmel, this is a peaceful little getaway. Drive through cornfields to get to Blackhawk Winery, where you can sit outside on the farm and be visited by chickens, Bat the cat, and even maybe the big tom turkey.
One of our go-to relaxing places to sit outside with a glass of wine. Live music on a lot of weekends. There's also a U-Pick farm and a little farm store to buy goodies.
Indianapolis Art Museum, Beautiful Gardens with a Beer Garden, Tour the Lilly House. Check out the Lume exhibit for an additional fee.
Close to the hotel, a living history museum