April 2026 Fishers Parks-owned historic house; however, it…read moreseems not possible to arrange a visit for a small group to learn about the home's history. It appears to be used for commercial use under a contract between Fishers and Ritz Charles. You can still visit the park and walk the grounds, but you can't get a tour of the house from what I can tell. All tour requests for the Ambassador House can be sent to: info@simplyservedcatering.com or (317) 575-2244 - but I don't want catering!

The historic Ambassador House, built in the mid 1820s and Heritage Gardens are located in the back…read moreamongst trees in Fishers Heritage Park. The house and the gardens, which is owned and operated by the City of Fishers Parks & Rec Department, make it an ideal destination to host weddings and special events. The house, rich in history, is a Greek Revival style home. There are private grounds and beautiful gardens to host events of up to 250 guests from April to October in a large event tent or during the colder months, they can host up to 60 guests.

Carmel is full of roundabouts and public art, and at first when I was at the midtown plaza,…read morechecking out the area and enjoying some food, I saw this piece because it was noticeable in the dark, and I really enjoyed the colors. I googled around a bit and discovered that it is called sail, and that makes sense since it looks like the sails of a ship. It was created by two people who met while they were teaching at the Herron school of art. The structure is acrylic, steal and lights. Check it out! It's hard to miss, and very cool at night.

This is an eye catching sculpture that is constructed of steel and colorful arcylic. It is also…read moreequioed with lights that illuminate the colored glass at night. It is 30 feet tall and the city commissioned Quincy Owens and Luke Crawley of Owens + Crowley to construct the piece. In 2019 They wanted it to be an iconic landmark for the new Midtown plaza area. The three towing structures resemble sails of a ship, hence the name. They definitely do stick out. It is located along the Monon Trail and I saw it from far away. I liked the way the sun beamed through the colored glass and it's humongous size. It demanded my attention. There is free street parking available all along the section of the trail that the sculpture is located. It I may be difficult to find a spot though, so be prepared to walk. There are a few spots that are across from the sculpture and are designated as 20 minute parking. That is where I parked. You have a real good chance of snagging one of those spots. And I doubt you will be there longer than 20 minutes, so you should be good. As with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is probably not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes and tht includes me being hypnotized by the light hinting through the sculpture's colored glass. You may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. There is another piece on the trail and nearby roundabouts that would be perfect to start with.

I know that people sometime spend hours if not days planning what these public art pieces will look…read morelike and what they represent. But TBH, it looks like a hairy testicle ontop of a random scribble a preschooler made. In simpler words: it's an eyesore

Let's be honest. If you live in Central Indiana you've heard of "Morning Sun" even if you've never…read moreheard of it by name. I have to feel kind of bad for artist Brad Howe. Howe created "Morning Sun," a 16-foot tall roundabout sculpture located at 1215 S. Rangeline Road that is made of stainless steel and urethane. While Carmel has a solid reputation for promoting public art, at times even successfully, the truth is that "Morning Sun" has received mostly scathing reviews from the public since its appearance on Rangeline Road in a visible location. The reason, of course, is that it resembles a testicle. I kind of feel like we should call it pubic art. I'm not even sure you can say that in a Yelp review, but the simple fact it's true. If you look at "Morning Sun" and think of anything else, well, you're lying. Unveiled in January of this year, I'll confess I also briefly thought it resembled the COVID-19 virus. But, that would be weird. I don't have the heart to give "Morning Sun" a 1-star review despite honestly finding it to be one of the ugliest pieces of public art I've ever seen. I also can't help but think it's wildly out of place in its current location. But, well, to each their own I guess. I suppose I feel better knowing that it's not created by a local artist. Howe is California-based and also created "Cyclo" and "Reckon" for Carmel - both of which are massively preferable to this work. The 45th sculpture to be installed by Carmel, at a reported cost of $209,200, "Morning Sun" is intended as a piece of contemporary abstract art by Howe. To his credit, Howe has maintained both an open mind and a sense of humor about the not so positive feedback. Howe also acknowledges the unique timing of the sculpture's placement amidst the pandemic - though, of course, the sculpture was actually commissioned prior to the pandemic. As noted, I'm not a fan of roundabout art. I tend to find it distracting in a driving situation where distraction isn't particularly a good thing. However, Carmel most certainly has some good pieces of public art. "Morning Sun," at least in my opinion, isn't one of them.

The art along the Monon Trail in downtown Carmel is fun and interesting. These giant bicycles were…read morecreated by Wiktor Szostalo, a Polish raised, now American, sculptor. The steel structure was completed in 2017. The conjoined disfigured bikes are a bit silly and childlike. The bikes sit envious, watching local athletes whiz by on high end racing bikes. The sculpture is surrounded by nice landscaping and occasional benches. The walkway is accessible for wheelchairs or strollers.

This is an attention-grabbing piece that was created by Wiktor Szostalo in 2017. It is constructed…read moreof stainless steel and corten and consists of three 8-foot tall colorful (Blue, orange, and pink) bicycles connected by a single handlebar. The bells on the bike actually work. It is also meant to be a structure for kids to safely climb or the public to rest. You will find it along the Monon Trail in Carmel. It is fitting that it is on a trail that is popular among bicyclists. The paint on the bikes is a bit dull, but I think that is by design. I really like this piece. It is simple, eye catching and placed appropriately. It needs no explanation and adds beauty to this area that the city has invested a lot into. There is free street parking right by the sculpture and a garage available to park within a very short walk. I know that this is probably not going to be a long stop. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip such as the Selfie Mural or the Sails sculpture that is right down the street.

If you happen to be at Conner Prairie, you may notice this well preserved covered bridge on the way…read moreto the Civil War Journey area of the park. Inside the bridge, there are banners and sound recordings of things you might hear people say while discussing the Civil War in 1863. Although a Union State, there were a lot of Copperheads who supported the Confederacy. The bridge is fairly short for Hoosier standards at only 110' long. Odd fact is that the bridge wasn't around during the Civil War. It wasn't built until 1884 during the later stages of the covered bridge building boom of the 1870's and 80's. Although bridges usually span rivers, the park has built a pond beneath the bridge to give it the appearance of being functional. You don't hear the murmuring of water flowing underneath like you do at many other bridges. So, it's a good idea of having the sound recordings take your mind away from what's missing. The bridge seems to be in great shape. I've been to nearly 50 covered bridges in Central Indiana and this one is right up there for the best preservation. Review #2720

Cedar Chapel Covered Bridge so far is my favorite covered bridge in the state of Indiana or…read moreanywhere! I am so impressed at how much care goes into the preservation of the covered bridges in this state. Not only do they keep many of them freshly painted and structurally sound, they celebrate them with driving tours, festivals and special parks such as Conner Prairie. Cedar Chapel is a beautiful structure unlike any other I've seen, moved from its original location to the Conner Prairie Pioneer Settlement. Six years prior to its purchase it sat roadside and then remained on Conner Prairies property for 25 years until The Governor's Office presented a check for $240,000 to aid in the cost of it's restoration. Conner Prairie is AMAZING! Truly worth visiting with your family as you walk through time. The facility is divided into villages. There is an 1836 Prairietown, an 1863 Civil War Journey, 1859 Balloon Voyage, animal encounters, a homestead, Indian camp, nature walk and many interactive areas. The bridge is located between the 1836 Prairietown and 1863 Civil War Journey. We had very little time to spend here, but are making plans to return soon! BRIDGE FACTS Year Opened: 1884 Builder: George Woerntz & Son Length: 110 feet (124 feet including the 7-foot approaches at each end) Width/Height: 12 feet wide / 13 feet high Truss type: Howe Truss Current Location: Conner Prairie Interactive History Park in Fisher, IN Original Location: DeKalb County FINAL THOUGHTS It costs to get into Conner Prairie ($15/adults or $10/children at the time of this review), but it is so worth it, especially if you are a fan of historic details. Of all the bridges I've EVER seen, I would recommend this be a top destination for your travel folder. It is one of the most beautiful covered bridges you will ever see in an ideal family setting loaded with things to do. Visit. Enjoy.

This is one of the many realistic-looking statues hanging around the downtown Carmel Arts & Design…read moreDistrict. This one is called "Things to Do," and it was created by artist J. Seward Johnson Jr., who is an American realism artist. This statue, like all of Seward Johnson's sculptures that I've seen so far, toe the line between realistic and uncannily creepy. I tend think that they lean more on the creepy side myself, so I try not to look at these statues that much when I pass them on the street. This statue depicts a woman sitting on a bench with a pen and notebook, deep in thought with her sunglasses in hand. I can relate to the sentiment of the statue because, like this woman, I, too, have lots of things to do daily. And like this statue, I, too, must make lists to contain the multitude of things I need to do and remember. The statue is located on southeast corner of Range Line Road (or Rangeline Road -- it's spelled both ways sometimes) and Main Street.

The City of Carmel has injected a bunch of fun activities and art along the Monon Trail in area…read moreknow as Midtown. The trail splits in this area with bike/running paths and pedestrian paths. In the medians between, there is a artsy splash pad/fountain, good for a quick cool down on a hot day. One area has a fun climbing structure for kids. There is even a colorful ping pong table, complete with paddles and balls. I even saw a bocce ball and shuffle ball courts - completely equipped! The setup is perfect for a date night or family fun. There was a temporary photo backdrop of splashing water commemorating the local swimmers going to the US finals and Olympics. Along the trail are several sculptures and murals that keep the trail interesting. There are benches and tables periodically to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee or socialize. The landscaping is lovely. The area is kept immaculate. The maintenance staff is super friendly. There is some street and garage parking nearby. The pedestrian traffic gets congested during peak times. Pro tip: Early morning walks are quiet and there is plenty of parking.

Beautiful trail that leads to a cake shop. It was so pretty during the fall season. You can see all…read morethe foliage. Great way to get your steps in.

This piece reminds me of a business sign or something that I saw in the Toon Lagoon section of…read moreIslands of Adventure. It is a simple abstract design that is located smack dab in the center of a busy traffic circle. It was made in 2021 by California artist Brad Howe. It stands 16 feet tall and is constructed of stainless steel and urethan. It has a white oval with a black outline and lots of black dashes covering it, on top of a red and white structure. The colors do pop. I think that the top oval represents the sun rising, hence the title. But that is just me, the average viewer of this piece. You can view the sculpture by either doing a safe and strategic slow rolling drive by or parking and getting out to get a closer look. I parked in the Kroger parking lot and walked to a location with a good vantage point of the sculpture. Yes, the sculpture has received a lot of criticism on social media. One person said "It looks like a crude depiction of the COVID-19 virus". To me, that is a stretch. I did not see it, until it was brought up, and now I kind of see it, but it is still a stretch. But like it or not, that is the beauty of abstract art. Its interpretation is left up to the eye of the beholder. So, no one is right and no one is wrong. As with most scuptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is probably not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip such as the other sculptures at the roundabouts on the road.

Although this piece has taken some social media flack for its unusual appearance (compared to the…read moremajority of art installations which are bronze reproductions in the arts district), I have to admit that with the bright red vertical stripe and the black and white "sun" at the top, I noticed this sculpture in the roundabout on Rangeline Road and Executive Drive from as far away as 116th Street (3 blocks to the south.) It definitely got my attention and made me aware there was a roundabout ahead (a nice safety feature why roundabouts are great locations for public sculptures of size and color.) I won't lecture you on what you should or shouldn't like about this installation. Art is an individual experience and even though we see the exact same thing, I may miss something that you notice and vice versa. When art is abstract, it is great for creating discussion trying to understand what the artist was visualizing when working on the piece. Did he succeed or fail in the effort. You will notice that many artists do not title their works because they want you to put effort into understanding the work. I also won't share the malicious comments that some viewers have posted elsewhere. It isn't my favorite piece by this artist in the Carmel Area (I like Carmel Watusi several blocks to the north of the arts district also on Rangeline Road.) But it is definitely unlike anything else I've seen in the area known for its 20+ bronze lifelike figures of earlier times and most of the figures are caucasian. This is a piece for interpretation, not to be mistaken as a literal Rising Sun. In between the two pieces, a third piece called Reckon is also another piece by Howe on Rangeline Road and just south of Main Street. Review #3862