It’s Super Bowl weekend when the Indianapolis Colts face the New Orleans Saints in Miami. I don’t know much about football, so I was wondering, “What if the game were decided on which city was a better destination to visit?” Now that’s a topic I’m well versed in! And it’s not as Big Easy as you think. Here’s the lineup:
Eiteljorg Museum. Photo by Laurie Borman
Joint Chiefs of Jazz. Photo by Laurie Borman
New Orleans has:
1. Charming architecture. The French Quarter looks quite respectible, given its age and numerous calamities that have befallen the city. There are even walking tours of the quarter, pointing out wrought-iron balcony details. The streetcar runs through the Garden District, a lovely, tree-lined neighborhood that’s home to Tulane University.
2. Amazing food. Katrina dealt a blow to the restaurant business here, but it’s snapped back in shape. This is where Bananas Foster was invented (Brennan’s) and it’s good form to order a Brandy Alexander with your breakfast. Gotta love ‘em.
3. Edgy tours. Join a tour of the above-ground graves in New Orleans’ cemeteries. Since the city is below sea level, bodies would never stay buried if they did it the traditional way. Fascinating stuff. Second lines form at funerals, as people dance and jazz their way to the gravesite.
4. Abundant Jazz. Music is what this city thrives on, almost as much as the food. Just stroll a city street and you’ll hear jazz floating out the doors of bars or catch a street performance. Jean Lafitte National Historic Park, right by Cafe Du Monde (get a tasty beignet but skip the chickory coffee) offers free performances on a regular basis.
5. Mardi Gras. This could be a pro or a con, depending on how you like to party. One of our Chicago suburbs just banned throwing candy from parade floats, so that kind of wild abandon is frowed upon up here. Who doesn’t like a good parade, though? You’ll find glittery plastic throws still handing on trees in the Garden District months after Mardi Gras is over.
And of course, New Orleans continues to rebuild the city that Katrina tore through. You have to love their spirit.
Gondola ride in Indy. Photo by Laurie Borman
Indianapolis
boasts:
1. Clean, pristine, and surprisingly vibrant downtown. Ride a gondola boat in the White River State Park canal, go ice skating where Olympic champions train at Pan Am Plaza, dine on fine steak at St. Elmo’s.
2. Compelling Museums. Oogle the T-Rex and ride an indoor carousel at the world’s largest Children’s Museum, check out native American arts at the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, or stroll the lush lawn and admire pieces such as Robert Indiana’s iconic LOVE sculpture at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Just outside the city, Conner Prairie Interactive History Park takes visitors back to the early 1800s in a recreated historic settlement.
3. Bike paths galore. Indy’s got greenways. It’s easy to rent a bike and ride the Monon Trail to the neighborhood of Broad Ripple for eclectic art, brew pubs, and local restaurants. Downtown, there are several bike path spokes that head out to other neighborhoods: Massachusetts Avenue Arts District; Fountain Square with duck pin bowling and antique; the University complex. It’s an relaxed ride into history and trails are well marked.
4. Growing restaurant/dining/nightlife options. Indy’s got its own traditions for dining, if not Brandy Alexander for brunch. In addition to St. Elmo’s (listed above), Indy’s downtown hot spots include Slippery Noodle Inn, where there’s music every night and it claims the title of Indiana’s oldest bar (and a former brothel to boot!). For breakfast, sample Cafe Patachou, with tasty omelettes and bakery specials worth waking up for. My favorite is Shapiro’s, a deli serving mile-high corned beef sandwiches and amazing cheesecake. Yes, there’s a lot of chains populating this city, but there are plenty of local options that make it a worthy dining scene.
5. Indianapolis 500. Parades, Mayor’s breakfast, mini-marathons, qualifications. Indianapolis pulls out all the stops for the entire month of May to celebrate the Indianapolis 500. And you can visit the 500 Indianapolis Motor Speedway throughout the year to see racecars and learn the history.
It looks like we’re going to have to toss a coin for this one.