A couple weeks ago, my friend Chuck and I headed to Indianapolis to meet a few friends working at a convention. There are a bunch of us; and although we all don’t make it every year, enough of us are there to make this a lively time.

This year, a new wrinkle was added when Chuck surprised me with the information that Bagger Dave’s (a restaurant staple on our Michigan trips) opened two restaurants in Indy. Bagger Dave’s is essentially a burger joint, but it is the best burger joint I know. Their create-your-own burger provides plenty of fresh options, and their turkey chili is insanely flavorful. Our other regular food stop is El Rodeo. I ate at El Rodeo many times, and I am happily working my way through their menu. Located in the heart of downtown, I would go there just to hang out and snack on their chips and salsa.

We stayed at the Wyndham Indianapolis West by the airport. Despite hosting the large convention and being near the airport, we enjoyed peace and quiet when in our room. The Wyndham also had a great workout room. The location offered several nearby roads that were relatively quiet and excellent for early-morning runs. I would have liked to spend more time checking out more sites of Indy, but it was a fun few days with good friends and great food. Maybe next time I will see more attractions.

— John Wroblewski, online contributor