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Firedog91902

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I'm planning a RV trip for Aug 2019 which includes 4 days near Lucas Oil stadium in Indianapolis to see DCI finals (Drum Corp).  The RV is 25' with no tow.  We use bicycles for local travel and to sight see.  There is an RV park at the Indiana State fair.  It just 5 miles from the stadium and Google Earth shows plenty of quiet residential streets and off street paths for safe bicycle travel.  I don't see any bike lanes common in California.  The state fair is also running those days and RV registration is required but can't be made until May 2019.  I have to buy event tickets now to get decent seats for the Drum Corp.

If anyone is familiar with the Indiana State fair RV park and the area around it?  Another RV park within 12 miles of the Stadium?  I would appreciate comments.  I don't want to buy expensive show tickets and not have an RV site that works for our situation. 

 

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Allstays app shows camping available also at the Brickyard 400. Not sure if that is only during events or at anytime. Might not hurt to check it out as I?m sure the fairgrounds will be very crazy during State fair time. The number to call for info/reservation is 800-822-4639.

Vicki
 
Firedog, I live in Indianapolis and I am very familiar to the area.  The State Fairgrounds are located in one of the worse areas in our city.  NO WAY would I park an RV there and bicycle around.  And Indianapolis tries to be bicycle friendly, it's a joke.  Once you are in the downtown area, Indy is a very nice, clean city, you'll enjoy it.

There is a RV park on the southside of Indianapolis, http://www.lakehavenretreat.com/ I'd stay at.  It would be a further bike ride, 6-7 miles.  Uber is popular around here as well?


 
spencerpj, you answered my questions perfectly.  Thank you.  You saved me from a big mistake.  We'll book Lake Haven and Uber to and from Lucas Stadium.  I think we'll stay a couple extra days for bicycling and to visit downtown in daylight. 
 
Another option to check out that far out is call Lucas Stadium and is if you can boondock in their parking lot. I'm sure there are lots of RVs there for the Colts games.

Also check with the organizers of the DCI finals. They may have made parking arrangements for those attending.
 
Firedog91902 said:
spencerpj, you answered my questions perfectly.  Thank you.  You saved me from a big mistake.  We'll book Lake Haven and Uber to and from Lucas Stadium.  I think we'll stay a couple extra days for bicycling and to visit downtown in daylight.
Click to expand...
While downtown, Bike around the canal and zoo area, nice.  If you look at map, Meridian, aka 135, is somewhat of an attempt to be bike friendly, main outlet from southside to downtown, along with Bluff Rd.
Enjoy, Lucas Oil is a beautiful venue.
 
I also live in Indianapolis and strongly disagree about the fairgrounds being located in the worst of the worst areas.  Problem is, its much to generalized to say "area" since it conveys nothing.  I live 1.0 mile north and east of the fairgrounds in the hottest real estate area in the city --Meridian Kessler.  Does that put me in the "area"?  The Fall Creek neighborhood and Herron Morton neighborhood are also within spitting distance of the fairgrounds as well as the North Meridian St. Historical District.  Likewise, within a mile the other direction the neighborhoods get a bit rougher, but one is not IN those neighborhoods when at the fairgrounds.  In FACT, the fairgrounds itself is located in the LOWEST homicide rate district in the city.

I was born here, grew up here and just sold my house Ive lived in the past 31 years and would not hesitate to stay at the fairgrounds.  I regularly drive the roads around it, have biked the Monon Trail that runs by it numerous times and was never the slightest bit uncomfortable.  These older Indy neighborhoods are not McMansion suburbia carved out of the cornfields.  They are full of trees, character, charm, biking trails, restaurants, farmers markets, dog walkers, baby-buggy runners, and full of young professionals with families. 

Also, there are great bike trails in Indy.  The Monon is 4 blocks from my house and I can ride 20 miles north, or go east along  the canal past the art museum and White River to downtown and the zoo and White River State Park or south past the fairgrounds to downtown as well. 

The fairgrounds would have been the perfect place for the original poster to stay and they would have enjoyed biking the paved trails.  The campgrounds has security and does not have monthly or weekly rates so there are no long term residents unless they are paying the $30 per day fee=$900 per month.  Not a lot of riff raff at those rates.

Linda
 
Linda, thank you for your comments.  I "drove" the streets around the fair grounds with Google Earth.  I must say my impression was the area between the fair grounds and the Lucas Stadium looked very pleasant with quiet streets, nice park ways and well kept homes. 
I like the idea of getting permission to camp in the Stadium so I'll first explore that.  Drum Corp competition only uses 1 side of the stadium, so I would think there may be excess parking available.  If not, I think the energy of the fair would be fun.  Even if we don't stay at the fairground, we'll ride there to see the fair.
We are really looking forward to our visit.
Richard
 
Dreamsend said:
I also live in Indianapolis and strongly disagree about the fairgrounds being located in the worst of the worst areas.  Problem is, its much to generalized to say "area" since it conveys nothing.  I live 1.0 mile north and east of the fairgrounds in the hottest real estate area in the city --Meridian Kessler.  Does that put me in the "area"?  The Fall Creek neighborhood and Herron Morton neighborhood are also within spitting distance of the fairgrounds as well as the North Meridian St. Historical District.  Likewise, within a mile the other direction the neighborhoods get a bit rougher, but one is not IN those neighborhoods when at the fairgrounds.  In FACT, the fairgrounds itself is located in the LOWEST homicide rate district in the city.

I was born here, grew up here and just sold my house Ive lived in the past 31 years and would not hesitate to stay at the fairgrounds.  I regularly drive the roads around it, have biked the Monon Trail that runs by it numerous times and was never the slightest bit uncomfortable.  These older Indy neighborhoods are not McMansion suburbia carved out of the cornfields.  They are full of trees, character, charm, biking trails, restaurants, farmers markets, dog walkers, baby-buggy runners, and full of young professionals with families. 

Also, there are great bike trails in Indy.  The Monon is 4 blocks from my house and I can ride 20 miles north, or go east along  the canal past the art museum and White River to downtown and the zoo and White River State Park or south past the fairgrounds to downtown as well. 

The fairgrounds would have been the perfect place for the original poster to stay and they would have enjoyed biking the paved trails.  The campgrounds has security and does not have monthly or weekly rates so there are no long term residents unless they are paying the $30 per day fee=$900 per month.  Not a lot of riff raff at those rates.

Linda
Click to expand...

NE of the Fairgrounds is nice, He will be going SW to downtown.  Are you really encouraging an out of town guest to ride a bike ride from Lucas Oil, in the evening, up by 38th and Meridian / 38th and Keystone.  Not a chance.  And as far as actually camping there, I do not have and experience.  We do differ in opinion, and yes, the Monon Trail is a good place to ride a bike as well.

Edit:  Google Indianapolis Crime map.  I'll agree the the fairgrounds are not in bad area, directly south of them is, and if you will be bike riding, in August, (hot), and the Fair is going on, and you didn't say if it was a weekend, just be careful and enjoy our city  :)
 
I also live in the Indy area, and while I can't, or won't comment on area crime, I wouldn't want to camp at the fairgrounds during the fair.
 
We were just in Indy for the weekend (no RV) and I drove thru the area just south and southwest of the fairground on my way to the children?s museum. Right up until the second I got to the museum I was cursing google maps for taking me and my 2 under 3 year old children thru that area and couldn?t believe a children?s museum could be located there.  Now the whole neighborhood changed in a matter of 1 block and I didn?t feel like I was gonna get murdered on the way into the museum, but I kinda shows how quickly things can change. Don?t take a wrong turn  :eek:
 
brclark82 said:
We were just in Indy for the weekend (no RV) and I drove thru the area just south and southwest of the fairground on my way to the children?s museum. Right up until the second I got to the museum I was cursing google maps for taking me and my 2 under 3 year old children thru that area and couldn?t believe a children?s museum could be located there.  Now the whole neighborhood changed in a matter of 1 block and I didn?t feel like I was gonna get murdered on the way into the museum, but I kinda shows how quickly things can change. Don?t take a wrong turn  :eek:
Click to expand...

AMEN  :))

Hope you enjoyed the Children's Museum, Last I was there 15 years ago, kids loved it.
 
Quick update.

I contacted DCI and they'll give us a pass to camp for 3 days in an overflow lot used by the Drum Corps.  It never hurts to ask.
 
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