6 days in Indianapolis & Carmel Itinerary

Indiana's capital and most populous city, Indianapolis is best known for its racecar events and impressive museums, and as the hometown of Kurt Vonnegut.

Start off your visit on the 30th (Wed): make a trip to USS Indianapolis Memorial. Keep things going the next day: enjoy breathtaking views from City-County Building Observatory, see the interesting displays at Rhythm! Discovery Center, then get engrossed in the history at Oldfields-Lilly House and Gardens, then do a tasting at Urban Vines Winery & Brewery Co., and finally do a tasting at Peace Water Winery.

For maps, traveler tips, photos, and other tourist information, read our Indianapolis trip builder app.

Washington DC to Indianapolis is an approximately 3.5-hour flight. You can also drive; or take a bus. Traveling from Washington DC in December, things will get little chillier in Indianapolis: highs are around 41°F and lows about 27°F. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 1st (Fri) so you can catch the flight to Carmel.

Carmel-by-the-Sea, often simply called Carmel, is a city in Monterey County, California, United States, founded in 1902 and incorporated on October 31, 1916. Start off your visit on the 2nd (Sat): trek along Scenic Road Walkway, then immerse yourself in nature at Point Lobos, then learn the secrets of beer at Monterey Bay Food Tours, and finally admire the masterpieces at Casa Serrano, Historic Adobe. On your second day here, admire all the interesting features of 17-Mile Drive, make a trip to Pacific Grove Oceanview Boulevard, then admire nature's wide array of creatures at Monterey Bay Aquarium, and finally stroll around Garland Ranch Regional Park.

To see ratings, traveler tips, photos, and tourist information, read our Carmel road trip website.

Traveling by flight from Indianapolis to Carmel takes 8.5 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or take a bus. The time zone difference moving from Eastern Standard Time (EST) to Pacific Standard Time (PST) is minus 3 hours. In January, Carmel is warmer than Indianapolis - with highs of 62°F and lows of 44°F. You'll set off for home on the 4th (Mon).