1. Pretty Much Everybody Is Over The Speedway
500 and its home are icons of the city, but honestly, most locals are pretty indifferent to the whole thing.
2. But Everyone In Indianapolis Loves The Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are just as iconic as the speedway, but this is an icon the entire city can get behind. Come Sunday, if you’re not decked in blue and white, you’re out of place.
3. If You Can’t Find A Good Beer Here, You’re Doing It Wrong
With Sun King Brewing Company, Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Company, Triton Brewing Company and at least a dozen other local beer joints and microbreweries, you’re never going to run out of something delicious to drink.
4. St. Elmo Has The Best Steak You Will Ever Eat
Got a hot date? Impress them with a dining experience at the upscale St. Elmo Steak House, and as a bonus, the portions are so huge you can be extra romantic and share.
5. B-R-U Spells The Best Burger You’ve Ever Had
BRU Burger Bar’s burgers are no nonsense about the basics. They have perfect patties, perfect buns, and some seriously amazing homemade ketchup. Don’t leave without trying the top-notch Provençal burger.
6. Everybody Hates Tom Brady
Maybe Peyton Manning doesn’t play for the Colts anymore, but that doesn’t mean his greatest quarterback rival Tom Brady isn’t still loathed in Indy. If you own his jersey, don’t wear it here.
7. But Reggie Miller Is A God Among Men
On the other hand, you can’t get closer to a sports god in Indy than Reggie Miller, the retired NBA player who spent his entire 18-year career playing for the hometown Pacers. That’s devotion.
8. And Everybody Still Misses Peyton Manning
Sure, Andrew Luck is awesome, but Peyton is still near and dear to Naptowners' hearts.
9. Everyone Secretly Wants To Ride In The Chicken Limo
Yes, you heard right: “Chicken Limo.” Locals can take a limo dressed as a chicken to parties, dances, and hey, even weddings.
10. Come Lunchtime, Everyone Is At The Goose
If it’s lunchtime, it’s Goose the Market time. It’s hands down the best sandwich spot in the city. And hands down the best sandwich there? The Batali.
11. This Is A Totally Normal Sandwich Size
What? Your sandwiches don’t have so much meat that it literally cannot be contained within the strict bun circumference? Come to Indy and eat a classic pork tenderloin sandwich.
12. And This Isn’t Your Typical Cheap Greasy Pizza
Not feeling like a sandwich now? Luckily, there’s some incredible pizza at Bazbeaux Downtown, especially the Bazbeaux Special topped with fresh basil, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes.
13. When Locals Say “Ooey Pooey,” It’s A Good Thing
I.U.P.U.I is said there like “ooey pooey,” rhyming with the song “Louie Louie” and it stands for Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis.
14. “Hoosiers” Is The Best Sports Movie Ever Made
And it’s only partly because it’s loosely based on local heroes, the 1954 state champions from Milan High School.
15. Your New Best Friend Is Anyone With A Boat
Come summertime, find someone who has a boat on Geist Reservoir because it’s the best way to spend a warm day.
16. There’s Some Venice Romance In Indy
Looking for a romantic evening? A little Italian dinner is best capped off with a ride along the canal in a Venice-inspired gondola.
17. When They Talk About The Indians, They Don’t Mean Cleveland
If you’re talking baseball games and the Indians, locals will let you know their talking about their beloved minor league Indianapolis Indians, who draw major crowds to Victory Field—especially during fireworks nights.
18. Pick A College Team And Stand By It
Whether you’re choosing the nearby Notre Dame, Purdue University, Butler University, or the University of Indianapolis, you’re going to want to show your pride for a team because college sports are major in Indy.
19. Indiana’s State Fair Is Way Better Than Yours
The Indiana State Fair is a quintessential example of the community-mindedness of Naptowners. Everyone shows up to pay homage to the farmers of their hometown—and the rides and food don’t hurt.
20. Naptowners Are Totally At Home In The Great Outdoors
Hoosiers get to hike and play in one of the best urban park systems in the whole country—a system made up of almost 200 individual parks.
21. You’ll Be Exhausted After A Day In Indy
Naptowners are an active bunch, and they’re always on the go, whether it’s to outdoor yoga classes in the Circle, biking through the park system, or just grabbing their running sneakers and hitting the pavement.
22. Any Long Long’s Line Is Worth The Wait
You haven’t lived until you’ve tried a glazed donut from Long’s Bakery. So just stop reading and go right now.
23. Everyone Wants The Best Seat At The Indy Film Festival
Ten days of movies? Where do we sign up? The Indy Film Fest isn’t just movies, though. There are panels, parties, and enough popcorn to fill the room.
24. Naptowners Know Tomlinson Hall Isn’t Where You’d Expect It To Be
Tomlinson Hall is located in a pretty unexpected venue: underground. Beneath Indy’s City Market is a network of passages and catacombs made of limestone and brick, dating back to the late 1880s.
25. You Better Burn Your USC And Navy Jerseys
The nearby Fighting Irish of Notre Dame are the adopted home team of some Indy locals, and so you’ll hear fans talking smack of their longtime heated football rivals, Navy and the University of Southern California.
26. Come Winter, You’ll Be Eternally Grateful For The Skywalk
Okay, so yes, it gets cold in Indianapolis. But Naptowners aren’t just going to take it lying down. Enter the Skywalk system, where you can get from place to place without having to bundle up in every sweater you own.
27. Wear Your Navy, Gold, Silver, And White
With the Indiana Pacers, it’s all about paying respect to the team’s legendary past and carrying on that fandom throughout generations. Fathers still talk about the Reggie Miller era and everyone still cheers wildly today.
28. Slippery Noodle Isn’t What It Sounds Like
Instead, you say Slippery Noodle to a Hoosier and they know you’re talking about amazing live music—though its only one of many excellent venues in the city.
29. The Circle Is The Center Of The City
Monument Circle, a.k.a. the Circle, is the center of Indy all year ‘round, but it’s especially important come Christmastime when lights are strung onto the monuments during the Circle of Lights to get in the holly jolly spirit.
30. Sometimes Naptowners Cheer Against Their Home State
The Indiana-Purdue rivalry is one of the longest running in college football history, and fans take it very, very seriously to make sure their pick of the Hoosiers or Boilermakers takes home the Old Oaken Bucket.
What do you have to explain to out-of-towners about Indianapolis? Tell us in the comments below! 
