Race Day
The green flag falls after 'Back Home Again in Indiana'.
Indianapolis 500
'The Greatest Spectacle in Racing': 300,000 fans watch 33 cars at 230 mph, on Memorial Day weekend.
First run in 1911, the Indy 500 is the largest single-day sporting event in the world. The winner drinks a bottle of milk and kisses a strip of bricks.
Practice and Carb Day fill the whole month of May, and the Pagoda and Snake Pit add to the fun.
- Best Time
- May
- Time Needed
- 2–3 days
- Cost Level
- $$$$
- Open
- Sunday before Memorial Day
- Getting There
- The Speedway is about 15 minutes west of downtown Indianapolis.
What to See
0 of 3 are freeCarb Day
Final practice and a concert, on the Friday.
Museum and track tours
Year-round, including a kiss of the bricks.
Know Before You Go
- Traffic is heavy; shuttle buses run from downtown.
- Bring sun cream and a soft cooler.
- Hotels fill a year ahead.
Where to Stay
Stay in downtown Indianapolis.
Where to Eat
Our picks are on the way.
Editor's picks. Nobody paid to be on this list.
Something wrong or out of date?
Traveler Reviews
Sign in and mark Indianapolis 500 as visited to write a review.
Go Next
If You're NearbyIndianapolis
Indiana
Home of the Indy 500 at the Motor Speedway, with a compact, walkable downtown.
Full Guide
Must-SeeChicago
Illinois
The birthplace of the skyscraper, on the shore of a lake the size of a sea.
Full Guide
If You're NearbyCincinnati
Ohio
An Ohio River city with the Underground Railroad Freedom Center and chili served over spaghetti.
Full Guide
Last checked 2026-11-01. Part of the Midwest list.