Breakfast – Eggshell Bistro

We started the morning early with breakfast on the City Center’s north side at Eggshell Bistro, where Chef Larry Hanes is creating a Euro-influenced oasis in the middle of Indiana. Eggshell Bistro makes brunch an art form.

My favorite dish was asparagus strata, an egg and bread cassolette. The chef incorporated a double-smoke ham, caramelized onion, Jarlsberg cheese, and basil pesto. It had tasty bits of caramelization around the edges. A mix of fresh fruit accompanied the dish. Chef Larry Hanes’ signature arrangement of dried and fresh flowers decorated each plate. I wasn’t surprised to learn; Chef Hanes is a former graphic designer.

Biscotti is Eggshell’s specialty dessert. The chocolate-covered biscotti with sea salt draws chocolate lovers. The almond corn biscotti pays homage to Indiana and Italy. Don’t miss these! They’re a portable mid-afternoon snack.

Morning – Explore Carmel Arts & Design District

Discovering Carmel Arts & Design District, hunting for just one more of J. Seward Johnson’s 17 life-size sculptures is like a scavenger hunt at its best. Sometimes the sculptures are so life-like you’ll do a double-take, as I did when I saw a statue of a suited-business man seated on a bench reading a newspaper.

You’ll find art galleries throughout the district where Indiana artisans offer one-of-a-kind creations like glass works, stoneware, drawings, and paintings.

Lunch – Burgers

If you prefer burgers, Bub’s Burgers & Ice Cream offers burgers hand-made from fresh ground chuck, never frozen. Then they’re flame-grilled. They make the buns daily in house to perfectly fit the burgers. Lettuce, tomato, pickle, and onion, accompany each burger.

The Big Ugly, a one-pound burger starts with 22 ounces of pre-cooked weight and becomes a one-pound burger after it’s cooked. Finishing this giant burger will get your picture on the wall.

Afternoon – Hiking or Biking the Monon Trail

After that one-pound burger, you’ll need some exercise to work it off. The 23-mile paved Monon Bike Trail connects Carmel to Indianapolis through Westfield and Sheridan. This former railroad section is now the perfect trail for hiking and biking.

Piper’s Pro Planning: If you don’t have your bikes with you, check out Carmel Cyclery Bicycle Shop to rent bikes for your trek.

That biking and hiking may have made you work up an appetite for a snack. Two options for sweet treats are the award-winning hand-made chocolates from XChocol’Art or a gluten-free, dairy-free bakery treat from No Label at the Table.

Dinner – Casual Dining Options

After a break and a quick change for the evening, there are several options for dinner in Carmel Arts & Design District.

Sun King Brewing has several counter-service restaurants situated within the food-court-style brewery. They offer handmade spirits and beer to accompany your meal. While Sun King Spirits is for all-ages, you have to be 21 or older to drink beer or spirits.

La Margarita serves Mexican fare, The Den by FoxGardin has local favorites like the Carmel Tenderloin, Queenie’s Pizza offers up your favorite pizza.

Evening – Experience the Theater

We ended the day with another type of art – the performing arts. After dinner, we attended a ballet at the Tarkington, one of Carmel’s Center for the Performing Arts venues. The center includes four sites, The Palladium, The Tarkington, The Studio Theater, and the Great American Songbook Foundation. The Palladium is a 1,600-seat concert venue that hosts gifted performers like Lyle Lovett and Trisha Yearwood. At the same time, the Tarkington is a unique 500-seat proscenium theater featuring Broadway shows like A Chorus Line or Steve Martin and Martin Short. Finally, the Studio Theater is a flexible theatrical space and home to the Actors Theatre of Indiana.

If you are in the area Monday through Friday during business hours, check out the Great American Songbook Foundation’s rotating exhibits, dedicated to preserving and promoting the music of the Great American Songbook. The public exhibits share the Songbook’s music, history, and culture. When I was there, the Foundation featured the Andrews Sisters. The year before, they featured Meredith Willson of Music Man fame. Each year the exhibit is different. The current display is From the Jazz Age to Streaming: The Soundtrack of the 20s-20s.

So, whether you’re an art lover, an outdoor enthusiast looking for hiking and biking, or a foodie, the perfect day awaits you in Carmel, Indiana.

Getting There

Carmel, Indiana is in the Eastern time zone and in Hamilton County. Noblesville is the county seat.

Most major US airlines serve Carmel through Indianapolis International Airport (IND). You’ll find flights on:

• Air Canada
• Alaska Air
• Allegiant
• American
• Delta
• Frontier
• Southwest
• Spirit
• Sun Country
• United

How far is Carmel, Indiana from?

City	Driving Distance
Chicago, Illinois	181 miles
Fort Wayne, Indiana	121 miles
Grand Rapids, Michigan	240 miles
Indianapolis, Indiana	23 miles
Lansing, Michigan	333 miles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin	279 miles

If you’re looking for even more things to do in Indiana, Jamie Ward can help you out with her book “100 Things to Do in Indiana Before You Die.”

For more Midwest travel inspiration, check out these posts:

• 15 Fun Facts about the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
• 10 Things to Do in Fort Dodge, Iowa with Grandkids

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