Race cars made Indianapolis famous. But don’t let the city’s enthusiasm for sports fool you. Indy has a romantic side.
Begin a romantic getaway with a stop at the South Bend Chocolate Company downtown. A gift of Cherry Blossoms — cherries, pecans and caramel dipped in white chocolate and decorated with red swirls — scores high marks for its decadent flavors and its red and white colors. Gift givers can go one step further by preordering custom-made flavor combinations and candies embellished with a personalized logo or symbol.
A romantic weekend wouldn’t be complete without flowers. Hoosier Orchid in the northwest suburbs displays hundreds of exotic blooms in its greenhouses: colorful cattleyas, a favorite in corsages; speckled red and yellow oncidium orchids; and paphiopedilum (Lady’s Slipper) orchids. Select a favorite before moving on to the Indianapolis Art Museum. Robert Indiana’s “LOVE” sculpture sits on the museum’s grounds, where it has inspired couples and peaceniks since its installation during the Vietnam War. The iconic 12-foot-high steel sculpture with its stacked letters and its famously slanted “O” forms a perfect backdrop for photographs and marriage proposals.
Head back downtown to the Easley Winery and sample several Indiana wines: crisp pinot grigios; delicate chardonnays; smooth, blended reds; or half a dozen fruit varietals. After selecting a bottle, explore downtown Indianapolis via Yellow Rose Carriages, warding off the chilly night air under a cozy wool blanket before returning to accommodations at the Canterbury Hotel. Chippendale four-poster beds, marble baths and one more chocolate — a truffle left on the pillow by turn-down service — mark a perfect end to a romantic day.
And if you can’t leave Indy without seeing the Motor Speedway, don’t let the weekend’s romantic theme stop you. Dozens of couples have passed on the “LOVE” sculpture, opting instead to pop the question at the track.