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Picking up Emerson and running through downtown, all the way up to the North Side, Michigan Street is the easiest way I've found of entering downtown from the near East-Side. It crosses nearly every street of interest downtown, including Massachusetts Avenue and Meridian, and runs straight through the campus of IUPUI, where I attend college. Traffic usually flows very well, barring the occasional train that creates a back-up. New York runs parallel to Michigan in the opposite direction, and between these two streets, you can never be lost downtown. Just find one, and you will immediately know which direction is "home", or in the case of the visitor, "the hotel".

I lived on Fisher Road from the ages of three to thirteen. There was no city water until we moved out. The reason we moved is because what had been an open field was being turned into a subdivision, and the resale value of our home was steadily decreasing as they put the entrance to the subdivision literally on our doorstep. This was a wonderful street to grow up on, however. The backyards were spacious, and it was extremely serene. Traffic would fly down the road, though, as police officers rarely patrolled. During the fair (Marion County fair), it could be nearly impossible to leave our driveway, for all the cars backed up down the street. Raymond Park Middle School is within a short distance, but restaurants and bars are scarce. New construction near Brookville Road and Franklin has brought a McDonald's, Burger King, and a coffee shop in recent years, but it's still slim pickings for nearby food.

My parents bought a home in Irongate while I was still in high school. The homes in this community are moderately priced, and vary in appearance more than in some subdivisions. Irongate is bordered on three sides by cornfields, and faces Mitthoeffer Road. Close by are Grassy Creek Elementary School (which I attended for fourth and fifth grade when my elementary school went year-round), and Creston Middle School. Within a short drive is the Washington Square Mall, Walmart, Sam's Club, and Meijers, as well as Cherry Tree Plaza, which has nearly every fast food place imaginable. The neighborhood association has some odd rules, which are intended to keep the neighborhood looking nice but may rub some people the wrong way (such as no above-ground pools, specific restrictions when it comes to tool-sheds, etc). Compared to where I live now (the 300-400 block of North Bosart) this subdivision is literally a ghost-town. Neighbors don't socialize with one another often at all.

While East 38th Street houses the Indiana State Fair, and has seen the same recent revival attempts as the rest of the city, the surrounding area is still dilapidated and rough. While there is certainly no danger while traveling during the day, or during large events, such as the flea-market, Boat and R.V. Show, and other events on the grounds of the fair, it is not an area to be stuck alone at night. Make sure you lock your windows and doors, and just exercise common sense when dealing with locals. When stopped at stop lights, it is not unusual to have someone tap on your window, begging for money or attempting to sell peanuts, holy water, or other fare. Please don't be scared of our city by this area, but don't go driving down the street, making it obvious that you are from out of town and possibly flush with cash. The housing on the street ranges from abandoned, crime-ridden apartment homes to beautiful, newly-restored condos (as you get closer to downtown), but the traffic can be perilous. The speed limit varies, but be prepared to go a bit faster to keep up with traffic, especially past Fall Creek and heading into downtown.

West Washington Street is the leg of Washington Street exiting downtown. Along this stretch of the road, you will find the Indianapolis Zoo, the White River Botanical Gardens, and the Eitlejorg Museum. The Indianapolis Zoo is a wonderful place to visit, no matter your societal standing, and has a beautifully redone Ocean's Exhibit. Part of this exhibit includes an underwater "Dolphin Dome", in which visitors walk out into a globe in the dolphin pool. The dolphins swim all around, and it thrills visitors of all ages. It's a definite must-see for people visiting the city, or for locals looking to reacquaint themselves with the attractions.

For those of us that have lived on the East Side for nearly our entire lives, we have seen East Washington Street boom in business, and then crest and fall. Cherry Tree Plaza and the Washington Square Mall, which were both once places buzzing with activity, have mostly become obsolete. The mall is anchored by a Target, L.S. Ayres, Sears, and Burlington Coat Factory, because the other major department stores shut down at one point or another. The rest of the mall is littered with no-name beauty stores, obscure clothing stores, and little-known restaurants. However, there is currently construction happening to widen this stretch of US 40, and many new restaurants and businesses have begun to pop up, such as Q'doba's Mexican Grill. The Walmart is in dire need of a staff that cares about their store, as it is often dirty and packed to the extreme, especially around the first of the month. Overall, there is work being done to improve and revive this area, but it's suffering at the moment.

Broad Ripple is known to locals as "Broad Ripple Village", and has a plethora of dining, entertainment, and shopping opportunities. Located near downtown, the atmosphere of Broad Ripple is vastly different from the inner city. Populated mostly by college students and more independent, artistic types of all ages, Broad Ripple emits a laid-back atmosphere. Some of the city's best niche clothing shops are located in the Village, as well as Metamorphosis, a popular tattoo shop. There are bars and clubs galore, and there is a franchise of Hot Box Pizza, which is wildly popular for their outrageously huge lists of available toppings, crusts, and sauces, as well as their breadsticks. Young or old, single or married, kids or not, there is something in Broad Ripple to suit your tastes.

Talbott Street is perhaps best known to the locals as a predominately gay and lesbian bar area. However, all are welcome in the nightclubs and hang-outs on Talbott, as long as he or she is open-minded and looking for great music and a good time. With such attractions as the gorgeous Sky Bar, there is something for everybody, no matter their tastes.

Meridian Street is a section of US-31 that runs directly through downtown Indianapolis. It is a hub of activity nearly anytime, day or night. While parking anywhere on the street can be tricky (parallel parking or expensive parking garages are the only real options), one could spend hours going from restaurant to restaurant, bar to bar. In fact, almost all of downtown's big-name restaurants are located either on Meridian, or within a short distance. Some of these restaurants include Sushi on the Rocks, the Old Spaghetti Factory, and a downtown favorite for pizza, Giorgio's. There are a number of bars scattered along Meridian that cater to nearly any crowd - country, hip-hop, cigar-bar regulars, and more. Meridian goes right through the heart of downtown, snaking around Monument Circle and past the Hilbert theater. Overall, I would recommend the downtown Indy leg of Meridian as a great place to relax, whether a native Hoosier or an out-of-towner.

My grandmother lived on this street for nearly fifty years. Two of my aunts lived on the next block down. Obviously, Bosart has quite a place in my heart. In the last decade or so, property values in the surrounding streets has steadily declined. However, after I moved into my grandmother's house on the 300-400 block of North Bosart, I began to understand why people called it an "oasis". My block has a wonderful anti-crime/neighborhood beautification committee that is head by some of the kindest people one will ever encounter. Every house is clean and beautiful, most with wonderful landscaping. When a home is for sale, all of the neighbors pitch in to make sure the appearance of its yard is neat, so that it will not look abandoned. There are often community events, such as block parties and yard strolls, that bring everyone together and make everybody feel important. The neighbors are quick to have birthday parties and get-togethers for one another, and I walk my dogs daily with a group of between one and five other women. This block (and the street as a whole) is conveniently located from downtown, without being too close. Overall, it's a wonderful place to live.