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Indianapolis native Kristy Sandlin has recently joined the AirTran Airways team as a customer service representative. Her city has many hidden gems, a fantastic sporting heritage and a couple of world’s firsts up its sleeve.

What makes Indianapolis so special?

It has a huge sporting heritage. We have the Indianapolis Pacers, the Indianapolis Indians minor league baseball team, and then there’s college basketball and football and the racetrack with the three main races of the year: the Indy 500, the Allstate 400 and Formula 1. We have sports year round. The best thing is that all the sports, all the big events, are affordable. They really try to make them accessible to families with children.

What are the best spots for shopping?

Circle Centre Mall is the best and has a huge range of stores. The center point of the mall is called the Artsgarden, and it’s all glass. They hold a lot of symphonies, and you can even get married there. It’s amazing to see, really pretty.

If a visitor wanted to see a bit of Mother Nature?

One of the nicest places to go is Eagle Creek Reservoir. It’s a little bit out of the center, so it’s very quiet and peaceful. They’ve recently allowed one restaurant to open there. It’s called Rick’s Boatyard Café and overlooks the creek so you can watch the sunset. It’s wonderful.

How about for dinner and to party the night away?

St Elmo is a big pull. It has a laidback atmosphere and fairly casual mix, though it’s a bit pricey. The shrimp cocktails are famous, and they do really good steaks. It’s definitely for the steak people! The Rathskeller is a lively beer garden that offers the best German food in Indy. Partying is on Meridian Street. All the clubs are centrally located and in walking distance— especially if you’re staying downtown. You’ve got all the restaurants and hotels there, so it’s easy to party.

Where would you go for a more offbeat experience?

There’s an area called Broad Ripple. It’s a huge bar hangout with every type of venue. It’s a little north of the center, about a 20 minute drive out of town, but well worth it if you just want to check it out. It’s definitely the offbeat area. You’ll see a little bit of everything there— rock, reggae, indie and gothic.

What about for the kids?

Indy Zoo has the only underwater dolphin viewing zone in the world. You go in and can see the dolphins all the way around. In the evening you can have wedding receptions and things like that there, and it’s perfect for kids. The Indiana State Museum and the IMAX Theater are fantastic. We also have a canal with paddle boats downtown, which is great fun.

If you have only a short time to get a taste of the city?

Catch a play at the Indiana Ballroom, check out the Eiteljorg Museum and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame. One final tip: we have an amazingly unusual golf course. Over at The Brickyard Crossing Golf Course, holes seven through 10 are actually inside the racetrack. No other course has that, and when people visit the city—if they’re into their golf—it has to be on their list.

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