It was inside. Kids had fun. There was plenty of room for all of the kids. Even the young ones…read morehad things to do. It was inexpensive. No drinking water to buy as the machine was out of order. Kids screaming so loudly that I couldn't wait to leave. I mean. SCREAMING!!!! And the parents did nothing about it. Sat there and ignored it. If other kids were there, instead of the screamers, it would have been very nice. Just two of them were out-screaming one another. The sign says No Screaming. Apparently the adults didn't read it or didn't care. And the people at the desk didn't do anything to stop it. So.... that was torture. At least it was for us.

We had a lovely visit here over the weekend to check out their indoor playscape ($2 per kid for…read moreentrance). My friend and I were looking for an easy spot to catch up and drink our coffee with low key kiddo entertainment during the winter months. This spot was the perfect answer. Low investment, fairly straightforward setup and chairs/benches surrounding the play area for adults. It's a fairly simple setup and perfect for about an hour. The center also features an indoor walking track, basketball courts and a calendar filled with events like gingerbread house making, adult classes and more. A treasure for the Broad Ripple community (and beyond).

Even though they tried to open it for only the Fourth of July without any fanfare, umbrellas or…read moresnack bar it still was a hit! This very historical pool is still gorgeous and the fact they want to tear it down is unsettling. I have just never heard of putting a lazy river in front of a real river, but that's just me. Every time I go here I see somebody I know and it is such a great neighborhood area. It definitely is the best pool in town. The bathrooms need work as well as the concrete area but there's plenty of handicap parking and there is a dog park there as well. There's a nice walk along the river and many many playground activities available. They even have a soccer or rugby area as well as a tennis court. This truly is a jam in the city with White River and all its glory.

I have mixed feelings about this park. It is a 62 acre park, with 10 of it being woods. The park…read morewas originally a farm that dates back to 1882. It was then converted to an amusement park, the White City Amusement Park, in 1906. The park was opened in 1922 and still maintained some of the amusement park rides. The park has an outdoor pool that is in need of some intensive TLC. It is very raggedy. There are two picnic shelters, one of which is huge. They both have picnic tables under them and grills just outside of them. They have 2 sets of 3 tennis courts complete with benches and are awesome. They are well maintained and one of the park's better amenities. The baseball and multi-use field, not so much. The baseball field has an old backstop and the grounds need some maintenance and landscaping. The field had one goal that was not set up out there. The field was hard and had a lot of divots, aka ankle breakers. There is a nice dog park at the front of the park. It was packed with large dogs. There is a lot of obstacles and grass for the dogs and a shaded place for their owners to sit while the dogs run around. The park is located just off of the White River and has a public boat ramp to launch your watercraft. The ramp is very long and steep. There is also a nice wood viewing platform that overlooks the River. The park has a playground area is lined with wood chips and has 2 jungle gyms with slides and monkey bars. One of the jungle gyms is accesible. There is a set of traditional swings and a set of ADA/toddler swings. The equipment is old and the playground area is far from exciting. There are benches around the playground area to sit and watch the kiddos. There is an area called the Picnic Knoll that is located right outside of the playground area. It is where you will find a bunch of picnic tables placed in the forest. The final amenities I will discuss is the parks neglected walking/jogging/running/bicycling and fitness path. Many of the fitness path signs are damaged and/or unreadable. The trail is mostly a dirt path and dog walking is welcomed. The park has a decent sized parking lot, but a lot of it is being taking up by construction material and equipment. I believe they are currently building a new family center. That is a step in the right direction, because much of this park seems neglected. I was unsure if, outside of the dog park, if it was being maintained. This is a decent conventional nature park, that with a few upgrades and some TLC, could really be awesome. I know the are working to improve the park and cannot wait to see what Fun fact: The park's pool hosted the 1924 and 1952 Olympic swimming tryouts as the Broad Ripple Amusement Park

The Blickman Educational Trail Park at White River was established in 2005 by Sol and Toby Blickman…read moreas an outdoor environmental educational destination for young people with a special focus on both Boy and Girl Scouts. Donating the land that allows a link between Marott Park and Holliday Park, the Blickmans funded this park to ensure it would remain in its natural state for perpetuity. The odds are fairly strong that you've driven by this park many times if you've lived in Indy for any length of time at all. Located right at 64th and Meridian, not far from the Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation where the Blickmans were members, the Blickman Educational Trail Park is one of those "over the shoulder" sites where you pass it, you realize there's something there, and you look over your shoulder to try to figure out what it is. Sol Blickman was a longtime philanthropist in the Indy area. He owned Rogers Jewelers before selling it off to Zale's, then started Rogers Swimming Pools in Broad Ripple. He received a Distinguished Hoosier Award from Governor Daniels in 2005. The actual trail itself is short at .7 miles and connects to the White River Trail. There's ample parking here. It's worth noting that the Blickman Educational Trail Park is truly a "nature" resource and is not a recreational area. There are no real activities beyond those related to environmental education. It's also worth noting, and this causes a loss of a star for me, that the trail itself is not fully accessible, though I do believe there's a way you can detour that allows at least some access. Because the trail does have a section by White River, there's also the potential for flooding - when it's not flooded (which is most of the time), it's stunning in its beauty. This is one of those stunning little gems in Indy that it seems like most people ignore. I was honestly surprised it hadn't been reviewed but, again, it's one of those little spots that's such a short trail it's not really worth going out of your way. It's also set aside off Meridian Street and super easy to miss. I would definitely recommend checking it out at least once. It's yet another wonderful example of someone doing something really great for Indy and ensuring their legacy continues long after they've passed away.

Kimmy Cupcake is the best! She is great with kids of all ages and can even accommodate adult events…read moreupon request. She offers a wide variety of face painting designs, glitter tattoos, crafts, and games - she will truly make an impression on any child's birthday or other kid friendly event. Prices are very reasonable and Kim is an overall pleasure of a person to interact with. Highly recommended!!

From the owner: Kimmy Cupcake brings more fun than you can imagine! I do face painting, glitter tattoos, crafts,…read more glitter makeovers, & ribbon dancing. Book me for your next party, event, fundraiser, or family reunion!

Came here for their Ethnic (European, Scandinavian, Scottish, English, Greek, Latvian, Lithuanian,…read moreEastern European, etc) food and music event. Really laid back feel. The food was good especially the Polish pierogies stand. You can see how well handmade they were with a nice thin dough unlike the store bought ones. Most of the vendors took credit cards though oddly the only beer vendor did not. So if you want a beer you will need cash. They had "strolling" musicians which is a nice touch and not something you often see. The guy on the accordion was real good too! Same with the guy in a kilt playing the guitar. Lots of dancing demonstrations by the various ethnicities. The Italian fest was on the same day and while that event had lots of publicity on the local morning news for some reason they ignored this festival. Which is a shame as it was pretty good but it is probably not as well connected as the Italians. We bought our tickets in advance and it included parking. #357

From the owner: The Indianapolis Latvian Community Center is a non-profit organization serving the Indianapolis…read morearea and our surrounding Latvian community. We provide a venue for: Birthdays, Business Meetings, Festivals, Church Functions, Family Reunions, Retirements, Weddings, and various other Social Events. The Center houses two separate banquet halls: Riga Hall, National Hall (includes a stage with quality sound and lighting). Moreover there is a lounge and a large kitchen to serve many. The property is situated on eight beautiful acres in Northwest Marion County. Our center serves as a meeting place for our members as well as the local community to come together in celebration!

Hohlt Park is sort of the unofficial park of the Rocky Ripple area of Indianapolis. Bordered by…read moreWhite River and the Canal just north of Butler, Hohlt Park is located 8 blocks west of 52nd and Meridian. Sadly, I'll admit I didn't even really know about it until friends played a concert here. With space donated by the Hohlt Family, this is a pretty simple neighborhood park with playground equipment, a dome climber, a merry-go-round, and a field that often plays host to small concerts/musical events. Additionally, of course, Hohlt Park hosts the Rocky Ripple Festival. Additional facilities include sports fields, a shelter with picnic tables, and lots of greenery. This is by no means a high-end park and it's certainly not one I'd go out of the way to experience, however, if you're in the area it's a great place to stop, rest, play, or enjoy a picnic. Overall, I'd probably lean more toward a 3.5 here, however, I do think this park serves the Rocky Ripple area well and it's reasonably well maintained - so, I'm going with the 4-star. As a matter of note, this park does not fall under Indy Parks. When I was here, I encountered a handful of people who were friendly and the park was clean and felt safe to me.

This is a medium sized neighborhood park, spanning about 6 acres. It has a small amount of parking…read moreavailable in a grassy area and one odd thing that I noticed is that there are not any trash receptacles in the park. The park has been known to hold community special events such as the Rocky Ripple Festival. The park has a nice pavilion with picnic tables under it and there is also a decent sand volleyball court with bleachers next to it. You will find a lot of green space here that is suitable for field sports such as football and soccer, or having a picnic, playing catch, or flying a kite. The park's playground is on a bed of wood chips and has your traditional equipment such as a merry go round, toddler and traditional swings, a 4-way see-saw, and a medium sized jungle gym with slides (straight and spiral), climbing nets and monkey bars. The park just recently replace it old dome climber with a new crab trap play structure. It is very nice. I found the park's picnic tables very neat. It looks like the legs were made from small tree trucks. They are pretty cool if you ask me. The park seemed pretty well maintained, especially considering there was not a trash can to be found and the amount of grass that has to be maintained. This is a nice park, but I will be the first to admit that is not a destination park and finds most of its usage from people from the adjacent neighborhood that live within walking or biking distance. It is a very nice park if you live in the area or just visiting the area and looking for a playground or place to hang out.

My 7 year started attending Mrs. Carlyle's gymnastic class here this year. She loves it and so…read moredoes the many other girls and boys who attend. Chris Carlyle connects well with the kids and makes them feel right at home on the mat. She has great experience, is an excellent teacher, and leads an upbeat class. As an observer, I really like how close I am to be able to see them work out. It is excellent to get to see my daughter nail her cartwheel and then look right at me with that giant smile on her face! We are very pleased! NOTE: See the website for the class schedule and cost.

This park is deceptively larger than it looks sitting at 2.7 acres. It does not have a designated…read moreparking lot, but there is a lot of free street parking available along the streets surrounding the park. The park was opened in 1928 and originally known as 61st and Broadway Park (after the streets it's located off of). It was renamed to Dan Wakefield Park in 2016, after a long time local resident and author/journalist, in part due to a campaign proposing the change was started. The park has a lot of green space. It would be good for activities such as picnic'ing, playing catch, flying a kite, or even a small football or soccer game. There are a few picnic tables placed on the green space to sit and/or eat. There is also a half decent tennis court and remnants of a volleyball court. The net is missing and the sand court is in very bad shape. You will find a relatively small picnic shelter at this park with picnic tables and a modest playground area. The playground area is lined with wood chips and has some older equipment which includes a jungle gym with slides, a bank of toddler swings and a bank of traditional swings. There are also a couple of sit and spins. The equipment could really use an upgrade. There is a lot of trees that provide decent shade at this park, which would be nice on a hot sunny day. There is a restroom facility at the park as well, but it was temporarily enclosed within a fenced area that they are doing some heavy construction on. I think it is where the splash pad is located. This is a good neighborhood park and has lots of potential, but time has seemed to catch up with it. The main draw for this place would probably be its splash pad. I hope it is back operational before the hot weather is here. Well, outside of the splash pad, it does not look like the city has invested much into the park in a while. This is not a park that you would travel to per se. But it may be worth while if you were in the area or lived in the surrounding neighborhood.

Here is another nice park for the folks in Broad Ripple. This one features tennis and volleyball…read morecourts, a splash park, a playground for kids, and a small swing playground for toddlers. There is a shelter with picnic tables but I didn't see a grill. There are restrooms and a water fountain available during park season. There is shade for adults who might not be participating in the splash park. Note: I thought the tennis courts looked like they were in really good condition compared to many I've visited. Review #595

Enticed by a kid and dog friendly location . Pleasantly surprised they had Guggman beer which is my…read morego to , but was interested in trying Centerpoint beer and they didn't have any Good: dog and kid friendly, room for kids to roam, but it's all concrete so at their own risk. Loved the yard games and chalk, a worker (I assume) came out and gave my son a ball and balloon which made his day and kept him busy which was kind. Not so good: first time here and they were out of almost all of the food, and I think only one person working because it took a good 10+ min to see anyone to order my beer. Again first time here so I was confused; was I in the wrong spot, do I go up front to order? Do I need to use the QR code for beer? I ended up asking some people in the area and they said "oh you're in the right spot, I just haven't seen anyone in quite some time." Suggestion would be more signage as to where to order, and maybe even a "will return in X min" sign so you know someone is working somewhere and have a better idea of when they will return to set expectations. If the guy, who I assume worked there, didn't come out and give my son a ball, fill the dogs water bowl up, etc. then I would have been uninterested in returning, but I think I'm going to chalk it up to a holiday and it being hard to find service people. Since they have Guggman beers I may be back if I'm looking for a dog and kid friendly location.

What a perfect chill spot! This place has great drinks and you can order from 317 BBQ next door,…read morethey'll bring it out to you. The beers are great, they have a few that are always on the menu. I like to try the new ones that come out. What I also like about this location is that they have coloring pages, probably meant for kids but I partook in that. I did however do some work while I was there. Didn't need the internet and I'm not sure if they have WiFi for clients. The bartenders are always great and patient when I'm asking to sample all the new beers. Check it out if you're in the area.