Let me first start by saying, I wish there were more hours in the day so I could have explored MORE of Indianapolis during our time there! Around every corner was a new thing that made us love the city more and more! (I’m already soooo excited to go back hopefully in the summer!) There were so many things that I had on my list to explore during our day, and more things were added as we saw them, but there was only so much time haha.
SO! Why Indy for my birthday? I have this thing about enjoying new experiences that really just sets my soul on fire, and I always like to do something new on birthdays, holidays or special dates because we are able to celebrate doing something we haven’t done before— which will only enhance the memory of that day even more! So I knew I wanted to go somewhere that I haven’t been before but that was still within a few hours of driving because we weren’t staying overnight. I just wanted a fun little day trip. For some reason, Indianapolis came to my mind right away! It was only about a 2.5 hour drive away and once I started researching things to do in Indy I quickly realized that this looked like a F U N city! I was sold!
This is one of my favorite little day trips that Brian and I have ever been on! We made so many fun, little memories through out the day that will always stand out as my 29th birthday trip! I am now in the last year of my 20’s and I think this was the perfect way to enjoy the day and I’m so excited for everything that this year will bring before I leap into my 30’s next February! In between eating, shopping and exploring I would peep at my phone to read all of the sweet texts and messages from everyone wishing me a Happy Birthday and it was just the best day! My heart is so full and I feel so refreshed after this trip! Makes me want to start planning ALLLL the day trips soon! Haha!
Enjoy a little peek at how our day went! I hope this inspires you to get ideas for things to eat, see and enjoy if you ever visit the Indy area! You will love it!
—THE CAKE BAKE SHOP
Starting this post with the gorgeous, the sparkly, the ever so SWEET— The Cake Bake Shop! This is high on my list of favorite parts of the day and I hands down think that everyone needs to come here to celebrate a birthday at least once in their life! They just make you feel so special and celebrated!! There are actually two locations in the Indianapolis area (one in Broad Ripple Village and one in the Caramel City Center which is the one we went to!)
As I was doing my research to find places to explore in the Indy area, I came across Cake Bake and I instantly was in love! The giant slices of cake, the sparkly decor, everything is so bright and beautiful inside— I HAD to go! (We went on the last day of the holiday decor (2-27) and they switched over to spring that evening so they are constantly changing it around through out the year which is so fun!) I decided that this would be our first stop of the day to kick it off with birthday cake and champagne! As soon as you walk in, you are greeted with this aroma of sweets, the marble flooring in the entryway, and the employees in the cutest pink outfits and everyone just seemed so happy to see you! They take reservations (which I recommend doing!!) and book up WEEKS in advanced, but since we had around a 2.5 hour drive I wasn’t sure what time we would actually get there so I didn’t make one. I was fully prepared to just order a slice to-go but they have the option of sitting at the full service bar which got us a seat right away! (score!!)
I ordered a slice of the Pixie Fetti® Birthday Cake and a glass of champagne, and Brian ordered the chocolate chip cookie and a beer (lol which, at a place like this I didn’t know they would have beer haha!) When we got everything back, to my surprise— there was edible glitter on EVERYTHING! Even Brian’s cookie which made us laugh! He had a glittery mustache the whole time we were there haha! I also got a glittery candle in my cake slice which was such a sweet touch! (and I got to take it home with my leftover cake as a souvenir!) I will say, that piece of cake was probably my favorite I’ve ever had! The size of the piece looks intimidating because it’s SO much cake, but it was actually soooo light and fluffy!! The icing was a vanilla buttercream that just felt like you were eating a delicious cloud! I most definitely could have finished the whole piece in that sitting because it was so yummy and light but the thought of having left over birthday cake to enjoy again later on was very appealing! Haha! Brian also said while we were sitting there that his cookie was one of the best cookies he’s ever had! Glitter and all haha!
We sat at the bar, took in all the scenery and the decorations and I was just amazed by every single detail of this place and the entire experience! I am so glad we were able to come here and make it our first stop because it definitely set the tone for the rest of the celebrating that day!
The Cake Bake WEBSITE
The Cake Bake INSTAGRAM
—THE GARDEN TABLE
Then after about a 20ish minute drive into downtown Indy, our first stop was The Garden Table for lunch! After the driving, all the sweets and champagne, I was ready for some real food haha! I loved the look of this place in all of the photos on Insta and the menu items looked so refreshing and fun, so I put it on my list to visit! There are also two locations of this place, one being in Broad Ripple Village and one on Mass Ave in downtown Indy. Again, we didn’t make a reservation and were just sort of winging it this day haha. (which bites us in the butt later on... lol) On a Sunday at 1pm in the afternoon, which is prime brunch time, we had a little bit of a wait which was to be expected. It seemed to be a super popular place, I didn’t have a plan B option, and I was too hungry to start scouring the internet for other places near by to eat haha so we put our name in and waited outside. Something super cool that they had that I’ve never seen before is when they take your name, they also ask for your phone number and then you can leave the restaurant to walk around the surrounding area to kill time! When your time is almost up, they text you to let you know to be back and you can also click on a link that they send you to see in real time what the wait line is ahead of you to see which number in line you are! I thought that was super cool and helpful while we were walking around and waiting!
I was planning on ordering a latte because I knew they came in the prettiest mint colored mugs! BUT! After seeing multiple waiters bringing what looked like juice flights, and seeing all of the yummy options of fresh juices on the menu, our server sold me on the juice flight! You pick 4 different flavors and come in pretty good size glasses that was plenty enough for 2 people to share! I am ALL about little experiences when I visit new places so I thought this was so fun! I picked two flavors and Brian picked two! In the photo above in order from left to right we picked :
lush love [watermelon, ruby red grapefruit, coconut water, lime, basil]
tropic tonic (my fav!) [pineapple, kale, spinach, parsley, lemon, aloe, mint]
detox dream [filtered H2O, lemon, maple, ginger, activated charcoal, cayenne]
garden gate (Brian’s fav!) [beet, carrot, apple, celery, lemon, turmeric, ginger, black pepper].
We both ordered the grilled chicken wraps which were delicious, but I was very sad to realize at the last minute that they don’t come with sides when I assumed they did. No fresh fries for me :( haha! You have to order your sides separate. Overall the atmosphere, the vibe, the food and experience was great and I would definitely come back! I think trying out the juice flight together was my second favorite part of the day!
The Garden Table WEBSITE
The Garden Table INSTAGRAM
—THREE DOG BAKERY
Our bellies were full and we were ready to start exploring this beautiful city! There wasn’t a cloud in the sky and the temperature was actually pretty warm! (warm for being February, it’s still winter though haha) I was so grateful for the beautiful weather because most of the day was spent outdoors walking and exploring! We left The Garden Table and headed down Mass Ave. which is a major street that has TONS of things to do, restaurants, shops, bars, galleries and you could literally spend the whole day just on this street! It was so cool!— but we were headed straight towards a cutie place that was high up on my list. Three Dogs Bakery! I wanted to get Zoey a little Indy souvenir treat and I loved the one we picked!
This place has all kinds of treats, collars and bandanas, toys and anything you could need for your pup and yourself like “Dog Mom” hats, etc. It was the cutest place! There were dogs in and out of this place the entire time which was a huge serotonin boost! :) There was one bigger dog that walked right up to the counter, put his front paws up and got a treat from the cashier! It was almost like this was a regular part of his routine which is so adorable!!
Three Dog Bakery WEBSITE
Three Dog Bakery INSTAGRAM
While we were walking back down Mass Ave to where we parked our car (Side note! On Sundays there is free street parking through out the entire city which I was very grateful for!) not only was this street swarmed with DOGS which was such a fun thing to see, but we spotted theeee coolest thing! Right next to a small park area, there was a walk up window for Starbucks!! What! I regret not going up to it and ordering a cake pop or literally anything just so I could use the walk up window! Haha
We made it to our car and headed about 7 minutes to a different part of the city that had the majority of the rest of the things I wanted to see that were around the Bottleworks District! The next stop was making custom scented candles at Penn & Beech! We walked in and I noticed two things: it smelt amazing!! and that it was PACKED. A girl walked up to us and asked us when our reservation was (uuhhh.....) and I told her we were a walk in. She said we could put our name in and they would text me when it was our turn because there were a few groups ahead of us that were “in line” already. We were told it was only about an hour wait so we put our name in and left to go check out a few shops that were on my list just walking distance away while we waited.
**Side note — if you plan to go to Penn & Beech , no matter the size of your group, MAKE a reservation beforehand! And also keep in mind that the process of making the candles I read takes around 45 minutes and then they need to sit and cool for close to 2 hours in their shop before you can take them home (which makes sense). We ended up not being able to do this because we didn’t get our text that it was our turn until over 2 hours later, we were already on the other side of the city and it was an hour until they closed so it just didn’t work out. I was a little sad that we couldn’t enjoy this part of the day but that gives another reason for us to come back again soon!
—THE GARAGE FOOD HALL
We got to The Garage Food Hall and the Bottleworks Hotel area which was actually a Coca-Cola Bottling Company between the 1920’s - 1960’s and they kept the entire outside of the building original to what it looked like back in the day which was so cool! Brian really appreciated this part! We walked through The Garage which had tons of different food vendors, retail shops and photos everywhere showing the history of the building! At the far end of it, we found my next stop! Becker Supply Co. !
The Garage Food Hall WEBSITE
The Garage Food Hall INSTAGRAM
—BECKER SUPPLY CO.
When searching the #visitindy hashtag I came across Becker Supply Co.’s Instagram account and instantly fell in LOVE with their products, their brand and everything they stand for! Everything is very outdoorsy, adventurous and themed around exploring the Midwest! They also had a lot of Indiana state park gear like Turkey Run State Park and the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore! This was soooo right up my alley and I couldn’t wait to go in and see everything in person!
Another thing about them that I absolutely love is that they are partnered with the National Forest Foundation to plant a tree for every purchase that is made! You’ll see at the bottom of this post my new all time favorite shirt that I got from here!
Becker Supply Co. WEBSITE
Becker Supply Co. INSTAGRAM
—THE BOTTLEWORKS HOTEL
After we left Becker Supply Co, we walked next door to the Bottleworks Hotel with determination to find something that was VERY high on my list to see.... their camera wall and vintage photo booth! I found this picture on Instagram and my jaw DROPPED! How incredible is that!!! I felt somewhat hesitant to ask the guy at the front desk if we could see the camera wall because we weren’t staying at that hotel and I didn’t know if it was only accessible to their guests, but he seemed more than happy to tell us where this hidden gem was! It’s actually on the 2nd floor, and a walk down a long hallway tucked away in a corner in what seemed like the heart of the hotel. Very hidden and you wouldn’t even know this was here unless you saw a picture of it, or were staying here on the 2nd level!
When I finally saw it in person, my jaw dropped to the floor. I was literally on cloud 9. There were about 40+ old, vintage cameras and the design of the wall was just beautiful! They weren’t sitting on shelves or anything, just sort of floating! I looked up and down this wall probably like 7 times, dreaming of my own camera wall I want to have one day! Besides my modern DSLR cameras that I use for my business, I am starting to create quite a collection myself! The camera I have in my hand in a few of these photos is my moms old Pentax camera that she used to capture my brother and I while we were growing up that my dad got for her! I also have a VERY old Agfa Ansco Shur-Shot camera that was my moms grandmother’s camera that SHE used to photograph my mom as a kid and their whole family!! Two very special cameras that have A LOT of history to them in my family, and I’m so happy that they are now in my possession! I also have 2 Instax series polaroid type cameras that go along with my mini collection I have going!
We also used the old fashioned photo booth which was so fun! I loved the photo strip that we got! For $5 you get one B & W and one colored film strip which is nice that you get two!
The Bottleworks Hotel WEBSITE
The Bottleworks Hotel INSTAGRAM
After we left the Bottleworks Hotel, it was over an hour that went by and we still didn’t get a text that our reservation for the candle making was ready, and when I looked to see what number in line we were, it still said there was 3 groups ahead of us and over 80 minutes to go! Merrppp. So I had to make the decision to keep waiting or skip it to go to the next thing which was the last on my list to see which was the Canal Walk, and the sun was starting to set so it was now or never! I was sad to not be able to go, but the Canal Walk was another favorite part that we had a few very sweet memories from so it definitely worked out in the end! And Brian was happy with this decision as well and enjoyed himself more than if he was making candles haha!
—THE CANAL WALK
The Canal Walk was about a 7 minute drive from the Bottleworks District. When you get to the very beginning of the walk there is a beautiful view of the city as you look down the canal! I saw a sign that said they offer gondola rides in May-October which sounds super fun! There were ducks swimming by, we looked at the paintings and art down the walk, there were a few historic memorials that we saw just off the path like the USS Indianapolis Memorial and The Indiana 9/11 Memorial which had two 11,000-pound beams from the Twin Towers, a 800-lb stone that was part of the wall from the Pentagon and also a tree grown from the sapling of a tree found at the bottom of the rubble at Ground Zero Known as The Survivor Tree. It was a very beautiful memorial! Everywhere you looked there was spots where fountains are flowing during the warmer months, flower pots everywhere, a fitness park where I’m assuming people come to do yoga, etc. next to the canal, a few little cafes and restaurants, there was so much! It sort of reminded me of strolling through Italy or Paris (which I’ve never done before but it seemed like this is what it would be like haha) and also like the Riverwalk in Chicago but a smaller, quaint and charming version.
We also were in awe of the homes that were along the canal walk! There were three story beautiful homes that had huge front porches that overlooked the canal and we talked about how peaceful and lovely it would be if you were sipping on your morning coffee everyday with that view! (I later looked up how much one of these homes were at they are in the $900,000 dollar range! YIKES!) Once we reached a turn around point (we didn’t go along the entire canal because the sun was setting and we still had to walk back to our car), we found a cute little bridge that passes over the canal but I stopped and said we should make a wish and throw a penny in! When I dug in my wallet for 2 pennies, the first one I pulled out was one dated from 1993— which is the year I was born. How special! We both stood at the top of the bridge, made our wishes (mine being a birthday wish!) and flicked them overboard, but I totally ruined a cute moment because I apparently don’t know how to flick the penny correctly so it bounced off the railing making a loud, awkward sound, rolled across the bridge and almost fell over the side. Oopps! I re-attempted and it splashed in the canal. A very sweet and funny moment that had us laughing!
We finally got back to our car after the sun was just setting, and before we made the 2.5 hour drive back home we headed back to The Garage Food Hall for one last meal. I thought it was very fitting to get a bottled Coke with dinner, too! We ate, took one last stroll down the street under the twinkling lights and made our way home!
^^ Zoey enjoying her little souvenir treat we got for her from Three Dog Bakery, and all of the things I picked up as my own souvenirs! I always love to get a post card from every place I go to and add to my collection! I’ll put the date that I was there as well as all of the things we enjoyed and experienced there! I also have a sticker addiction so I found a few that I liked at Becker Supply Co! Love the Midwest ones! Annnnd probably my favorite of them all! I saw this “ROAM” shirt on their Instagram page in sweater version and I was so excited to see it in person! I knew it was coming home with me! :) I can’t wait to wear it on my next hike!
