Walk over the Wabash River on the John T. Myers Pedestrian Bridge separating downtown Lafayette from West Lafayette’s Purdue University, home to 38,000 students, 18 sports teams and a thriving arts scene. Then escape city life with a visit to the surrounding countryside, a rustic region dotted with sprawling parks, farmland and historic battlefields.
Sporting Nation
Join 14,000 rabid fans at Mackey Arena, Purdue’s home for the men’s and women’s basketball teams. The 1967 structure received major upgrades in 2011, and today you can watch the Boilermakers battle their Big 10 rivals in a spacious and modern venue. If football is your preference, watch Purdue’s beloved football team hit the gridiron at the 57,000-seat Ross-Ade Stadium. Arrive early to tailgate in the stadium’s parking lot or grab some goodies inside at the concession stands.
Music and Museums
Enjoy a cultural night out at Purdue’s Elliott Hall of Music, a three-level, 1940 jewel that seats more than 6,000 theater-goers. Purdue Convocations stages a variety of events at the theater, including musicals, operas, ballets and symphonic concerts. Continue your cultural tour with a visit to Tippecanoe Battlefield and Museum, a densely wooded region 15 minutes north of Lafayette. Learn more about the pivotal 1811 skirmish fought on site between Native American tribes and the United States government. Make sure you visit the site's museum to view historic military firearms and cultural artifacts belonging to local tribes.
Call of the Wild
Explore 17 acres of unspoiled landscape in Clegg Memorial Gardens year-round, regardless of weather, via two miles of trails. Wander pathways that hug Wildcat Creek, traversing thick woods and open meadows filled with wildflowers and native plants. Visit the 6-acre Columbian Park Zoo, founded in 1908. Start at the Family Farm, where your kids can feed goats, see pot-bellied pigs and milk a fiberglass “cow.” Make certain you also visit the walk-through butterfly exhibit, listen to the howls of the New Guinea singing dogs and let your little ones play with the interactive fountains in the main plaza.
Eating Out
Treat yourself to heaping portions and affordable steaks at Mountain Jacks, Lafayette’s iconic eatery since 1977. This popular steakhouse requires a hearty appetite, especially when you’re served dishes like filet mignon "Westwood Style," featuring a hollandaise and crabmeat topping. Dine in the comfort of your car at Dogs n Suds, the city’s cherished drive-in since 1956. Chow down on double-decker burgers and Coney dogs topped with chili before washing it all down with root beer served in frosted mugs.
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