As the chill of winter melts away and the warmth of spring approaches, it’s the perfect time to shake off the frost and embrace the season of renewal. Whether you’re looking to explore the great outdoors with your family, enjoy a day out with friends, or indulge in a quiet date night, Indianapolis has plenty to offer this spring. From exciting festivals and family-friendly attractions to new dining spots and volunteer opportunities, we’ve curated a list of 50 must-do activities that are perfect for everyone. So, get ready to fill your spring bucket list with adventures, relaxation, and good times in the Circle City!
Family-Friendly Activities
1. Explore the Riley Children’s Health Sports Legends Experience at the Children’s Museum which will open for the season on March 15.
2. See what new experiences the Indianapolis Zoo has to offer at the xZOOberance Spring Festival. (March 20 – April 20)
3. See the Spring Blooms: Celebration of Color exhibit in the gardens at Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields. (March 20 – May 11)
4. During your stay in Indianapolis, you can sleep in a train car at the Crowne Plaza at Historic Union Station.
5. Visit Victory Field and take your family to see the Indianapolis Indians play.
6. Exercise for a good cause at the IndyHumane Mutt Strut. The Mutt Strut is a family-friendly 5k that raises funds for homeless animals. (April 5)
7. Check out the Indiana State Museum’s Pinewood Derby to get the chance to race your very own Pinewood Derby car on a two-story, 125-foot long track. (March 27 – April 8)
8. Visit the Eiteljorg Museum for an immersive and educational afternoon of arts and crafts for people of all ages. (March 24 – March 28)
Out on the Town
9. Grab some coffee, a sweet treat, and hang out with some adorable — and adoptable — cats at Nine Lives Cat Cafe.
10. If you are looking to support your local bookstores and potentially win prizes, check out the 28 bookstore locations that are participating in the Indy Indie Book Crawl. (March 20 – March 23) Want to learn more about the Book Craw? Click here!
11. Go on a scavenger hunt to find all of the Gnomes hidden in Garfield Park’s Gnome Show. This year’s theme is Gnomes Save the Day where you can find Gnomes dressed as your favorite superheroes. (March 21 – April 6)
12. Go on a walking tour with Indiana Landmarks to explore architecture, art, history, and the heritage of Indianapolis. (April 2025)
13. Take a trip down Indy’s Central Canal on a Gondola Ride with Old World Gondoliers starting April 4.
14. Go on a fishing trip at Eagle Creek Park.
15. Take a shopping trip to the Fashion Mall.
16. Have a spa day at Woodhouse Day Spa to relax and rejuvenate after a long, cold winter.
17. Spend a night out with a group of friends and/or family and test your skill at Escape Room USA in Indianapolis.
18. Spend an afternoon catching up with friends while you paddle a swan boat along the canal starting March 29.
19. Stock up on fresh springtime foods, sweet treats, coffees, teas, and more at the Broad Ripple Farmers Market.
20. Take a class on flower arrangements at Flower Boys for a wedding, or just as a fun afternoon out with your friends to inspire creativity through unique mediums of art.
21. Spend an afternoon visiting various vintage and thrift stores in Indianapolis, including Broad Ripple Vintage, The Branded Exchange, Abby’s Closet, and more.
22. Get creative and paint pottery at Color Me Mine Pottery.
23. Paint your own sneakers at Kicasso Sneaker Art Bar. You can take a class where an instructor can give you tips, tricks, and advice, or you can buy the kit and do it yourself.
24. Go see Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Civic Theatre in Carmel. (April 25 – May 10)
25. Enjoy the upcoming springtime weather by hiking and exploring one of Indianapolis’ nature trails including the Monon Trail, Eagle Creek Trails, and White River Trail.
New Food Venues
26. Try dirty sodas at the new Swig location on Meridian!
27. Surround yourself with plants, drinks, food, and fresh air at The Yard Bar. Coming Soon: Spring 2025.
28. 1933 Lounge, which is a bar and speakeasy, opened a new location in Carmel earlier in 2025.
29. West Fork Whiskey Co., has announced its return to Indy less than a month after the closure of Kennedy-King tasting room. The new cocktail bar and tasting room will be located in Fountain Square and is projected to open in early 2025.
30. Fernando’s Mexican & Brazilian Cuisine, which is a popular spot in Broad Ripple, is expanding its location to Mass Ave.
31. Mochi Joy Donuts is Indiana’s first mochi donut shop located in Fishers. Try out their coffee, boba, and shop for plants while you’re there.
32. Cafe Oztara, located on Washington Street opened in January and is a great spot for coffee and sweet treats.
33. Bubbakoo’s Burritos on 82nd is a great spot to munch on unique burrito creations.
34. Freeland’s Restaurant is a fine dining establishment in Carmel.
35. On a health kick, but still want to explore new restaurants? Try Flower Child on 86th St. for health bowls, wraps, and salads.
36. Bovaconti is a new coffee shop in Carmel that opened in replacement of an old bank. Check out the vault room in the new coffee shop for a place to lounge or study with friends.
37. Try the new Circle City Kolache in Brownsburg to experience stuffed Czech pastries and more.
National Volunteer Week (April 27 – May 4)
Places to Volunteer
38. I Support the Girls is a nonprofit organization that collects menstrual product and bra donations to give to the homeless, domestic violence survivors, disaster relief efforts, and more. Volunteer at their warehouse to help sort items and organize products.
39. Keep Indy Beautiful is an organization based on helping people and nature thrive.
40. Help pack food at Gleaners Food Bank to donate to Hoosiers who often go hungry. In just one hour of work, volunteers can make 235 meals for people in need.
41. Midwest Food Bank is also dedicated to helping reduce hunger in the state of Indiana. Midwest Food Bank has opportunities for individual and group volunteers. This can be a really fun way to serve the community with a group of people you know and love.
42. Thrifty Threads is a store where survivors of domestic violence can shop for free. By volunteering at Thrifty Threads, you are helping make a safe space for survivors to get back on their feet.
43. If you love dogs, then IndyHumane has the perfect volunteer opportunity for you. Volunteers get to feed, play with, and walk dogs to help keep them happy and healthy while they await their forever homes.
44. Help facilitate programs at the Indiana State Museum and engage visitors with a variety of programs and activities.
45. Arrange bouquets of flowers at Random Acts of Flowers to donate to people in hospitals and healthcare facilities.
46. Help Indy women achieve their financial independence by helping provide them with professional clothing at Dress for Success. Volunteers will collect and sort donations.
47. Paws and Think focuses on both humans and canines who are at-risk and encourages building strong relationships between dogs and people to promote health and wellness. Volunteers may find themselves taking care of dogs, and mentoring or coaching youth programs that train dogs.
48. Get involved with Indy Reads by volunteering to help in their literary classrooms or help in the community bookstore.
49. Visit your local Indianapolis Public Library or go online to participate in their spring reading challenge.
50. Become a tutor and mentor for Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library’s youth writing program.
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