One website found the coolest city in each state recently. When it comes to Indiana it might come as a shocker.
The term “cool” is so subjective. What might be cool to you might not be to me, and vice versa. I like to think that I have my cool moments, but if you were to ask my kids, they would most likely strongly disagree…I’m not sure why. In any case, the website, The Discoverer, recently listed the coolest city in each state.
Now, Indiana towns are really a hot topic lately. When it comes to Indiana, we have no shortage of small towns with a few big cities scattered in there too. Everyone has small-town pride nowadays. Recently we have covered many of these towns in articles such as the worst small towns in Indiana, an Indiana small town that makes you feel like you are in a Hallmark movie, the best must-visit small town in Indiana, the best small town in Indiana, HGTV naming this Indiana town as the most charming in the state, and the most expensive place to live in Indiana, to name a few. So, what is the “coolest city” in Indiana? Let’s find out.
176864144
The Coolest City in Indiana is…
The Discoverer says that the coolest city in Indiana is none other than Lafayette. Here’s what makes Lafayette so cool, according to the website:
With esteemed Purdue University just over the river in West Lafayette, Lafayette contains a lively sports culture created by the school’s talented teams. If folks aren’t cheering on the football team at Ross-Ade Stadium or rooting for the basketball team at Mackey Arena, then they’re probably enjoying the outdoor activities that sit right on West Lafayette’s doorstep. With multiple nature areas, a state park and a heritage trail all surrounding the town, there are plenty of ways to get out and about.
Don’t miss: The downtown farmers market every Saturday from 8:00 am – 12:30 pm from May through October.
This is kind of surprising to me because when most people think of Indiana, the first thing that comes to mind is Indianapolis. If you have ever been to Indy, then you know that there are so many fun things to do there. So, naturally, I assumed that Indianapolis would get this distinction. I was clearly wrong.
That being said, I have never been to Lafayette, and the only thing that I know about the city is that it is the home of Purdue University and that it’s also home to a really cool indoor amusement park that is also in Louisville, Kentucky called Malibu Jack’s.
As I said earlier, the term “cool” is subjective, so we might have a difference of opinion on what the coolest town in the state actually is. I can’t say that Lafayette is or isn’t the coolest place in Indiana, but if the internet is making the claim that it is, then it might just be worth the visit.
KEEP READING: 40 Real Indiana Towns with Quirky, Weird, and Funny Names
Outside the major cities, the Hoosier state is full of tiny little towns you’ve probably passed through on your way to one of those cities. Most of them are likely 100 to 150 years old, or older, and have been around far longer than the large metropolitan areas such as Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, South Bend, and Evansville. Typically, they were started by early settlers who found their way to the state and decided to make it home. Eventually, others would join them, and a community was formed. Over time, as the surrounding areas grew, most of them were folded into those areas and governed by the nearest city or county’s governing body officially making them “unincorporated,” meaning they did not have their own formally organized municipal government.