A basketball fan's guide to Indianapolis

Why it matters: In 49 other states it's just basketball, but this is Indiana. We take the sport and our hosting duties very seriously.

• Here's your guide to having a great time in the Circle City.

The big picture: All the games are being played at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home of the Indiana Pacers in the heart of downtown Indy.

• Games start at 3:30pm Wednesday and continue throughout the week until the final at 3:30pm Sunday.

🏨 Where to stay: Downtown is built around hosting big events, so there are plenty of hotels. Some are already sold out, but here are three with good vibes and, at our last check, still had rooms available during the tournament.

• The Residence Inn by Marriott on the Canal puts you directly on one of our favorite walking paths in town (see more below), connecting you to a state park, museums and more.
• At the Crowne Plaza Hotel inside Union Station, not only will you be just three blocks from the action — you can stay inside an old train car.
• Bottleworks is just outside the downtown core, but this newly restored art deco gem anchoring a bustling entertainment district is worth the quick Uber trip or longer walk.

🥞 Pregame: Fuel up with a solid brunch.

• Cafe Patachou at the Stutz will take you to one of the hippest little redevelopments, an old factory reborn into artist studios and shops — including another location of the city's favorite breakfast spot. Don't skip the cinnamon toast!
• Tupelo Honey is an import from Asheville, North Carolina. The biscuits don't miss and it's just two blocks from Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
• If you don't mind a wait, try your luck at Milktooth. There's a reason it's on every list of the best places to eat in Indianapolis.

🚶 Walk it off: After sitting through a game or two, stretch your legs with a stroll around our exceedingly walkable downtown.

• From Gainbridge Fieldhouse, you're only a mile from White River State Park and its walking trails along the eponymous river.
• The park also connects to the downtown canal walk, one of our favorite walking paths in the city — a unique manmade canal flanked with museums, pocket parks and apartments.
• Gainbridge is also just a few steps off the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, which will connect you in just half a mile to the Fletcher Place neighborhood with its bars and restaurants.

🥩 Postgame: You could eat at one of the dozen steakhouses downtown… or you could check out a few of the neighborhoods surrounding downtown to get a feel for the city, the way we locals live it.

• Fountain Square is just a mile southeast of the fieldhouse and has tons of funky cafes, bars, restaurants and shops. Hit up Upland for our favorite local beer and great food, then stop by the Inferno Room, an over-the-top tiki bar, on your way back downtown for a nightcap.
• Mass Ave is a whole vibe, a mile-long stretch of road that starts just a half-mile north of the fieldhouse and ends at the Bottleworks entertainment district. Put your name on the waitlist for dinner at Bodhi, the best Thai food in town, and peruse the shelves of nearby Tomorrow Bookstore while you wait.
• Diehard basketball fans will want to make the trek a few miles north to Butler University. Walk around the picturesque campus, see historic Hinkle Fieldhouse — where one of the greatest basketball movies ever made was filmed — and then scoot on up the road for a hot slice of Byrne's Grilled Pizza.

Pro tip: Skip Circle Centre Mall.

• I know — it's right there. But it's about to get a major makeover and there are only a handful of stores left inside, hanging on for dear life.