Indianapolis is a great city to live in and a lazy city to vacation in. The interesting stuff is 30 to 60 minutes away — in the small towns that most Indy residents drive past on the way to somewhere else. Here are five that actually reward the trip.

1. Fortville (Hancock County)

Drive: ~30 minutes from downtown via I-69 + SR-238

Fortville has become one of the most interesting small Main Streets in central Indiana. In two blocks you can hit Taxman Brewing (Belgian-style craft beer, Great American Beer Festival medals), FoxGardin Kitchen & Ale (award-winning New American), Cortona’s Italian (wood-fired pizza and wine), and Denver’s Garage (pizza in a 1956 service station).

Add Landmark Park for a walk, the Pink Elephant just east of town for a photo, and the Thursday evening farmers market (season opens April 30, 2026).

Half-day itinerary:

Lunch at Du Lit or Libby’s
Main Street walk (Black Sheep Gifts, The Field, Maduro on Main)
Afternoon beer at Taxman
Dinner at FoxGardin
Photo at the Pink Elephant on the way out

Read the full day-trip guide →

2. Greenfield (Hancock County)

Drive: ~25 minutes from downtown via I-70 east

The county seat of Hancock County, and the birthplace of James Whitcomb Riley — the “Hoosier Poet.” The Riley Home is preserved as a museum and is worth a stop. The Riley Festival every October is one of Indiana’s oldest continuously held community festivals.

Greenfield sits on the Historic National Road (U.S. 40) — the first federally funded interstate in America, completed through Indiana in the 1830s. Downtown still follows the old National Road alignment, and the courthouse square is the civic heart of the county.

Greenfield Town Guide is launching next; we’ll update this entry with specific restaurant and shop recommendations once the guide is live.

3. New Palestine (Hancock County)

Drive: ~20 minutes from downtown via U.S. 52

Part of the Mt. Vernon school district that has won five state football championships (2014, 2018, 2019, 2024, 2025), New Pal’s identity is tight — small downtown, strong school pride, beloved local institutions.

Eat at Frosty Boy Drive-In (since 1976 — ranked #1 restaurant in New Palestine on TripAdvisor), Tony D’s (biscuits and gravy made from scratch, hand-cut ribeye), Smokin’ Barrel BBQ, or Barrel Racing Baristas (rodeo-themed coffee shop).

Full New Palestine Guide →

4. Edinburgh / Nashville (Brown County)

Drive: ~45-60 minutes south from downtown via I-65

For the full small-town-tourism experience, Nashville in Brown County is Indiana’s best-known day-trip town. Artist shops, galleries, restaurants, covered bridges nearby, and Brown County State Park (Indiana’s largest) for hiking in fall. We don’t have a guide for Nashville yet, but it’s worth mentioning — especially in October when the leaves turn.

5. Zionsville (Boone County)

Drive: ~30 minutes north from downtown via I-65

Zionsville’s brick-paved Main Street is a contrast to the other towns on this list — higher-end shops, white-tablecloth restaurants, a bit more polished. Worth it for the architecture and the different character.

Again, not yet covered in our network, but an easy day out.

What makes a small-town day trip work

Some notes from doing this a lot:

Leave Indianapolis before 11 AM. Traffic isn’t bad on the way out, but parking fills up on weekends.
Eat two meals in town. Lunch and an early dinner at two different places gives you more time to actually wander between them.
Walk the Main Street. Most small towns have their best character in the two-block downtown, not the chain-strip on the outer edge.
Check ahead for closed days. Many small-town restaurants are closed Mondays or Sundays. Don’t assume.
Fall and late spring are peak. Summer can be hot and events-heavy; winter is quiet. April-May and September-October are the sweet spots.

For full directories, hours, and events in the Hancock County towns, check Fortville Guide and New Palestine Guide. Greenfield and McCordsville guides are coming next.

Day Trips from Indianapolis: 5 Small Towns Worth Visiting