wask.com

Indianapolis is a city of wheels and freeways, public transportation is virtually nonexistent, and taxis don't cruise for fares beyond downtown. Count on renting a car or bringing your own if you want to travel beyond downtown.

• An airport notorious for its long plane taxiing times is about to shed its cobbled together look and unfold the nation's first post- 9/11 designed and built airport. The new, elegant Indianapolis International boasts plenty of art, an outdoor playground, fast access to rental cars, and dining and shopping choices featuring local favorites, such as Patachou on the Fly, Shapiro's Delicatessen, and the wickedly delicious South Bend Chocolate Company café.


• Hoof it on Indianapolis Greenways, a network of rails-to-trails paths. The Monon Trail in Broad Ripple is one hot spot for face time on beautiful spring and fall days. An evolving network of cultural trails is taking shape along the greenways.


• Carriages regularly clip-clop around downtown and are a nice way to give kids a treat and your feet a rest. The cost may seem steep-$40 for 30 minutes on weekday and $50 on the weekends-but you can get four to six in a carriage. Call Yellow Rose or Blue Ribbon for a reservation or check the carriage stands at the Hyatt, on the south side of Monument Circle, and at the southwest corner of Illinois and Maryland Streets by Steak-n-Shake; like taxis, carriages also troll for fares.


• Gondolas, bikes, surreys, pedal boats, and Segways are all at your service at the White River State Park, where your mode of transportation is half the fun of the visit. The Segway experience is a tour, not an open rental, and participants must be at least 14. The $45-an-hour charge is a bargain for this blast of a tour.