How to Spend a Day Trip to Hamilton County
Being spontaneous is definitely a big part of how we travel. Taking a last minute kayak tour around an island in Croatia? Of course. Going on a random bar crawl with our hostel in New York? Yes please. So our day trip was planned by YOU. We put a poll on our Instagram story each day so people could vote on our activities. Check out how we spent our day trip to Hamilton County:
Breakfast
First stop: Indy Coffee Roasters. This was a spontaneous detour because we didn’t check when our original breakfast spot, Stacco House, was open (hey, we’re not perfect trip planners). So a coffee and donut were much needed. Sitting on the outskirts of Main Street in downtown Carmel, this cute coffee shop was buzzing with life and its indoor seating was completely full. Prices were pretty typical – a latte will cost you around $5 and a donut runs around $2.
Second stop: getting a cannoli from Stacco House by Mammamia which is also in downtown Carmel. There beautifies were $6 and totally instagram-worthy with all of the fun toppings. It was our first time trying one, and boy we were not prepared for the mess. We will say, it wasn’t quite the quiet, breakfast eatery we’d imagined. The store is located in a little strip mall with desserts and pastries (carry out only). Eating a cannoli in a car is no joke – make sure to grab tons of napkins!
Activity/Lunch:
Third stop: Top Golf in Fishers. There’s no better way to spend the afternoon with friends than watching their pathetic attempts at trying to hit a golf ball with zero athletic skill. And it’s pretty cheap! This fun activity costs $27/hr before noon or $37/hr from noon-5pm. The price is per bay though, so it’s pretty cost effective if you get a group of up to 6 together. Instead of booking online in advance, we went as walk-ins (which they always have available) and hung out at the bar for about an hour before a bay opened up. We enjoyed a delicious pitcher of sangria for $24, which gives you 4-6 glasses. Nothing compliments a delicious glass of sangria like one of their amazing flatbreads (honestly all their food is to die for), which cost $11. It’s no wonder that Top Golf has been a go-to attraction: it’s a great place to hang out with friends anytime throughout the year (thanks heating lamps), improve your golf swing (or attempt a golf swing) and let off some steam.
Afternoon Wine Tasting:
Fourth stop: Wine tasting at Urban Vines in Westfield. What better way to end a girl’s trip than drinking cheap samples of wine? It’s $8 for a wine flight, which includes (4) 2oz. pours. COVID restrictions have kept capacity limited, so you might want to call ahead or be prepared to wait. They also pre-pour the wine samples, so you can take it at your own pace. We recommend going in the summer so you can sit outside and really take in the cute aesthetic of the winery.
Honorable Mentions:
We only had the day to tour around, so we couldn’t get to all of the amazing things Hamilton County has to offer. Here are a few of our honorable mentions that didn’t win the vote, but we’re hoping to try in the future:
- Archery at Koteewi Park in Noblesville
- Brunch at Rosie’s Place (locations in Zionsville, Carmel and Noblesville)
- Drinks or dessert at Bica Cafe in Noblesville
Trip planning via social media was definitely a spontaneous way to explore Hamilton County. Even though it was only 30 minutes north of Indy, the surprise of what we’d be doing made the day special. This Spring, we’ll definitely be considering more adventures close to home and looking for ways to plan more spontaneous day trips. You can find more of our favorite local hot spots and adventures here.
