11 Habits You Pick Up Living in Indianapolis, IN

Indianapolis doesn’t joke around when it comes to craft beer (or even wine for that matter). You can’t throw a stone without hitting a local brewery, and it’s impossible to stumble into any restaurant that doesn’t feature a huge selection of local brews. While it’s great news for beer lovers, the downside is that you won’t find this incredible selection elsewhere in the country.

Sure, other cities are bike-friendly, but Indy even goes as far as having separate bike lanes in many areas of the city. Plus, there are dozens of urban and rural trails to explore, including the scenic Monon Trail and the artsy Cultural Trail, which take you through some of the coolest spots in the city. Even if you don’t own a bike, the bike-shares across the city make it impossible not to bike here.

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It’s easy to figure out where you’re going in Indy: the city is basically a simple north-south, east-west grid. If you ever do need directions, you’ll find that locals will direct you in minutes, not miles, a habit that’s impossible not to pick up.

The Midwest is an extremely friendly place, and Indy is a particularly hospitable city. It’s typical to find strangers getting into sudden conversations and becoming fast friends soon after. In fact, if you don’t stop to chat, you might even be considered rude. You’ll definitely find yourself talking with strangers after living here (though this might not go over so well once you leave town).

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In Indianapolis, it’s actually against the law to buy or sell alcohol on Sundays. With the exception of enjoying a drink at a bar or restaurant, it’s impossible to get beer or wine on game days. You’ll quickly learn to stock up on everything you need on Saturday so that you’re good to go for the rest of the weekend.

Indy may be a city, but it’s nestled among local farms and gardens. There are incredible farmers’ markets across the city, and fresh produce and meats are staples of most of Indy’s restaurants. You’ll get used to the high-quality food in this city and find you’ll expect it to be just as easily available everywhere you go.

It doesn’t matter if you love another team or if you’re not even really a big sports fan. All you need to do is spend a little bit of time in the Circle City to become a die-hard Colts fan. No one’s sure how this happens exactly, but it probably has something to do with the Colts paraphernalia all across the city.

Indianapolis is one of the lucky cities that experiences all four seasons, but when you experience them in this city is quite unpredictable. One day might be sunny and 75°F (23.8°C), and the next day, it can be below freezing and snowing. You’ll get used to dressing for any possible weather scenario and learn that clothing layers are your best friend.

Since the weather in this city has a mind of its own, everyone in Indianapolis gets excited when it begins to warm up. Whether it’s an unexpectedly warm day in February or comfortable day in the spring or fall, most residents of Indianapolis will be found sporting shorts as long as it’s at least 50°F (10°C) outside.

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It’s impossible not to pick a college team to root for when you’re in Indianapolis. Though the two major teams, IU and Purdue, aren’t located in Indianapolis, Indy Hoosiers are fiercely competitive when it comes to their college basketball. Even if you move away, you’ll find yourself unable to root for one of these two college teams.

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Indy may be a major city, but everyone who has ever lived there knows it’s a city with a small-town feel. Things move a little slower in Indianapolis. You won’t find people running to get to work or shouting on the streets because they’re in a hurry. People take time to talk and really enjoy life. Spend a little bit of time in this unique city, and you’ll find this uncommon habit will easily rub off on you.