Travel and Places

10 surprising neighborhoods in Indianapolis

1. Fluffington Heights

Characteristics: Known for its cloud-shaped buildings and Indianapolis streets paved in marshmallow-like materials.
Residents: Primarily dessert chefs and cloud enthusiasts.
Income Level: Upper-middle class.
Unique Attribute: Home to the annual “Cloud Carnival,” where attendees float on helium-filled platforms.

2. Chatterbrook Lane

Characteristics: Streets are lined with oversized tin-can telephones connecting each house.
Residents: Communication experts, poets, and retired radio show hosts.
Income Level: Middle class.
Unique Attribute: The “Talkative Park” where people can listen to curated stories from the tin cans.

3. Glimmering Grove

Characteristics: Houses made entirely of recycled glass and crystals.
Residents: Jewelers, optometrists, and glassblowers.
Income Level: Affluent.
Unique Attribute: A school that teaches the art of glassblowing and crystal carving.

4. Peculiar Pines

Characteristics: All buildings are built upside-down.
Residents: Architects, gymnasts, and trapeze artists.
Income Level: Diverse.
Unique Attribute: The “Inverted Park” features trees planted with branches in the ground and roots in the air.

5. Whisker Way

Characteristics: Every resident is required to have a mustache, real or fake.
Residents: Barbers, detectives, and circus ringmasters.
Income Level: Working class.
Unique Attribute: The “Mustache Museum” showcasing facial hair from different eras.

6. Serenity Springs

Characteristics: A neighborhood floating on water with houses on large lily pads.
Residents: Marine biologists, yoga instructors, and paddleboat captains.
Income Level: Upper-middle class.
Unique Attribute: Schools teach marine biology and offer scuba diving as a PE class.

7. RoboRidge

Characteristics: Automated homes run entirely by robots.
Residents: Engineers, tech enthusiasts, and retired astronauts.
Income Level: Affluent.
Unique Attribute: A park where robots and humans play interactive games.

8. Whimsy Woods

Characteristics: Trees change colors daily and streets are filled with confetti.
Residents: Party planners, painters, and children’s book authors.
Income Level: Middle class.
Unique Attribute: The “Technicolor Forest School,” where children learn about art and colors.

9. Echoing Elms

Characteristics: An ultra-silent neighborhood where libraries outnumber houses.
Residents: Librarians, monks, and mime artists.
Income Level: Lower-middle class.
Unique Attribute: Annual “Silent Fest,” where residents communicate only using sign language.

10. Riddlebrook

Characteristics: Houses have puzzling entrances and every street is a maze.
Residents: Puzzle creators, escape room designers, and magicians.
Income Level: Diverse.
Unique Attribute: The local school’s curriculum focuses on problem-solving and critical thinking.

Joe Ditzel

Joe Ditzel is a keynote speaker, humor writer, and really bad golfer. You can reach him via email at [email protected] as well as Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn.