Lafayette is the county seat of
Tippecanoe County, Indiana. It is located 2 hours Southeast of Chicago and 1
hour Northwest of Indianapolis. The Greater Lafayette metropolitan area
consists of the cities of Lafayette and West Lafayette. The combined
population is 85,000, not counting a seasonal student population of an
additional 38,000. West Lafayette is home to Purdue University, one of the
Midwest's finest institutions of higher learning.Get around
The area is divided by the Wabash river. To the East of the river is
Lafayette and to the West is West Lafayette. Lafayette is broken down into
several neighborhoods. Starting at the river and heading East is Downtown.
Here you will find numerous shops and restaurants as well as most of the
museums and theaters. North of downtown is the Historical Centennial
Neighborhood. South of downtown is the Ninth Street Hill Neighborhood. Most
of the shopping and hotels are either Downtown or along one of the main
arteries. State Rd 26 runs East and West bisecting both cities. State Rd 52
curves around the East side of town and crosses the river into the Northern
side of West Lafayette. On State Rd 52 near the Southeast side of town you
will find the Tippecanoe Mall. Interstate 65 marks the Eastern edge of
Lafayette. From South to North there are 4 exits for Lafayette, St Rd 38, St
Rd 26, St Rd 25, and St Rd 43 (for West Lafayette).
A pedestrian bridge connects downtown Lafayette with West Lafayette.
Starting at the river and heading West into West Lafayette is the Levy area.
This area is fairly new with several shops and a multiplex. Continue West up
the hill to the Chauncy Hill area. There you will find most of the college
bars and several restaurants. Just a bit further West is the main campus of
Purdue University. To the North and East of Purdue is the main residential
area of West Lafayette.
There are 15 bus routes around the cities. Tickets are $1, 10 tokens for
$7.50 (you can ask for one free transfer ticket), $28 for a calendar month
pass, free for students and staff at Purdue. There is a free trolley bus
going from Lafayette to West Lafayette/Purdue and back every 10 minutes.
Attractions
• Go for a walk in the historic downtown, Main St. from 2nd to
9th St.
• Tippecanoe County Historical
Association
• Fort Ouiatenon
• Historic Prophetstown State
Park
• Wolf Park
• Columbian
Park
• Columbian Park Zoo
• Lilly
Nature Center
• The Standard Oil station, one of only seven left, is a walk-by museum.
Dining
• Crescent Moon Cheesecake Co., Corner of CR 350 South and
Concord Rd in the Concord Crossing Shopping Center, Lafayette.
• Triple XXX
Indiana's first drive-in restaurant. Known for biscuits and gravy and a
famous hamburger with peanut butter.
• Panera Bread, 328 East State Street, West Lafayette. Have coffee,
bagels, sandwiches. Also have free wireless internet.
• Cajun Connection, downtown Lafayette. Excellent Cajun food,
catering. Crawfish etoufee, try it!!
Drink
Lafayette
• Ben Hur Tavern 1002 S 4th
• Biltmore Tap Room 1202 S 4th
• Champ's 610 S Earl Ave
• Chances Are Showclub
3521 St Rd 26 E
• Checkerboard Tavern 1521 Kossuth St
• Chumley's 122 N 3rd
• Clubhouse Bar and Grill 827 N 6th
• Cox's Pub 3312 South St
• Danzer's Show Club 3481 McCarty Ln
• Filling Station 2603 Greenbush
• Filly's Gentleman's Club 2311 Concord Rd
• Knickerbocker Saloon
113 N 5th St. 765-423-2234 Founded in 1835, billed as Indiana's oldest
saloon. Tons of live music, usually jazz.
• Lafayette Brewing Company
622 Main St. Tel: 765-742-2591. Lafayette's only brewery (do not ask for a
bud light here, only beer made on site served). Brew pub with very good
selection of beers. Also has good food and a second floor stage with live
music and open mic nights.
• Linwood Tavern 1244 N 14th
• Luxie's, 648 Main St.
• Mom's Place 1301 Union
• Overtime Tavern 2511 US HWY 231 S
• The Pub 407 Union
• Sgt. Preston's of the North 6 N 2nd
• Zooleggers 644 Main. Lafayette's only gay bar. Recently renovated
and renamed, formerly known as The Sportsman.
West Lafayette
• Harry's Chocolate
Shop 329 W State St. It used to be a soda fountain but don't expect
any chocolate to be served in this drinking mainstay.
• Hooligans 124 Howard Ave
• Jakes Roadhouse 135 S Chauncy
• Neon Cactus 360 Brown St
• Nick's Billiards Cafe 402 Brown St. More pool tables than you can
shake a stick at
• Veno's Bar and Grill 1400 W State St
• Wabash Yacht Club 135 S Chauncy
• Where Else Bar 304 State St
Lodging
• Bed and Breakfast - Perrin House, Loeb House. Both very nice.
• Super 8 West Lafayette
2030 North Gate Drive. Tel: +1 765 567 7100. Located on the Interstate 65,
seven miles away from Purdue University, Wolf Park and a little away from
the Columbian Park. Secure Online Reservations.
• Econo Lodge West
Lafayette Hotel 200 Brown Street. Tel: (765) 743-9661. Fax: (765)
743-8253. The closest hotel to the campus of Purdue University - located on
the Northeast corner of State Street (Hwy 26) River Road (Hwy 231), near the
banks of the Wabash River. |
|
Get in
• Greyhound Chicago 3.5 hours.
• Amtrak Lafayette is on the
Cardinal/Hoosier state line. Chicaco: 2.5 hours, $20.
• Shuttle Bus from Chicago
airport 3 hours, $50.
• Purdue Airport
• Lafayette Limo shuttle from
Lafayette to the Indianapolis Airport, $23 one way, $40 round trip
Activities
• Skating, in the winter, at Riverside, just east of Wabash
Landing.
• Purdue football game or
other major sporting event
• Feast of the Hunter's Moon
every fall
• Colt World Series every
August
• Taste of Tippecanoe every
June.
Shopping
• Farmers market,
5. street on Tuesday and Saturday mornings, and Thursday evenings from May
to late October.
• LA Village Food Mart, 208 South St., in the Village, Groceries and
Indian specialties.
• Discount Den, Chancey Hill Mall, the Village.
• Tippecanoe Mall, take bus #4A from Lafayette.
Internet
• The Village Coffee House (open wireless and wired)
• Vienna Bar & Grill in the Village (open wireless
• Cafe Moka (open wireless)
• Union Building at Purdue (you have to get a temporary free account)
• Buffalo Wild Wings at Levee Plaza (open wireless)
• Panera Bread (wired and splash wireless)
• Barnes and Noble at Tippecanoe Mall
• West Lafayette Public Library
• Ivy Tech Branch of Tippecanoe County Public Library
• All the public libraries have wired Internet computers available for use
by anyone for limited time periods.
• Airimba
have commercial wireless access at four apartment sites at very affordable
rates especially for short stays.
Links
• Convention and Visitor's Bureau
• Lafayette-Online
• Tippecanoe County
Library local links

|