The Indianapolis Skywalk System

Updated March 7, 2026

How to get between your hotel, the Convention Center, and Lucas Oil Stadium without ever stepping outside.

Indianapolis has something most convention cities don't: an enclosed, climate-controlled skywalk system connecting 4,700+ hotel rooms directly to the Indiana Convention Center. That's more skywalk-connected hotel rooms than any other U.S. city. Whether it's 10°F in February or 95°F in August, you can walk from your hotel room to your convention session without going outdoors.

Skywalk-Connected Hotels

These hotels have direct, enclosed skywalk connections to the Indiana Convention Center. You can walk from your hotel room to the exhibit halls without going outside.

JW Marriott Indianapolis

10 S West St · 1,005 rooms · $$$$

The largest hotel in Indiana and the Convention Center's closest neighbor. The skywalk connects the hotel lobby level directly to the Convention Center's west entrance. Walk time: 2 minutes door to door. The JW Marriott complex also includes Dean's Steak & Seafood and High Velocity sports bar — both accessible without going outside.

Hyatt Regency Indianapolis

1 S Capitol Ave · 499 rooms · $$$

Connected to the Convention Center via a 2nd-floor skywalk on the south side. The Hyatt also connects to Circle Centre Mall via an enclosed walkway, giving you indoor access to additional restaurants, Yard House, and retail. The revolving rooftop restaurant (Eagle's Nest) offers panoramic views of downtown. Walk time to Convention Center: 3-5 minutes.

The Westin Indianapolis

241 W Washington St · 573 rooms · $$$

Connected to the Convention Center's north side. The Westin's skywalk also connects to the Marriott IndyPlace complex, so you can reach 200+ venues through the enclosed system. Walk time to Convention Center: 3-5 minutes.

Crowne Plaza at Union Station

123 W Louisiana St · 273 rooms · $$

Connected to the Convention Center via a skybridge on the south side. This is the most budget-friendly skywalk-connected hotel. Unique feature: you can book a room in a restored 1920s Pullman train car inside the historic Union Station train shed. Walk time to Convention Center: 5 minutes.

Booking tip: During major conventions (Gen Con, FFA, NFL Combine), skywalk-connected hotels sell out months in advance. Book as early as possible — the convenience premium is worth it, especially in extreme weather months (January-March, July-August).

Key Skywalk Routes

Here are the most common routes convention visitors use through the skywalk system.

JW Marriott → Convention Center

2 minutes. From the JW Marriott lobby, take the elevator or escalator to Level 2. Follow signs for the Convention Center. The skywalk crosses West Street and enters the Convention Center's west hall.

Hyatt Regency → Convention Center

3-5 minutes. From the Hyatt lobby, take the elevator to Level 2. Follow the skywalk south — it crosses Capitol Avenue and enters the Convention Center's north side. Signs are well-marked.

Hyatt Regency → Circle Centre Mall → Restaurants

5-7 minutes. From the Hyatt, follow the enclosed walkway east toward Circle Centre Mall. Inside the mall, you can reach Yard House (100+ beers on tap) and other food options without going outside.

Convention Center → Lucas Oil Stadium

5-8 minutes. The Convention Center connects to Lucas Oil Stadium through an underground tunnel on the south end. Follow signs for Lucas Oil — you'll pass through a lower level corridor. This connection means you can attend a convention during the day and a Colts game or concert at night without ever going outside.

Westin → Convention Center → JW Marriott

7-10 minutes end to end. You can walk the entire east-west span of the system — from the Westin through the Convention Center to the JW Marriott — entirely indoors. Great for meeting people staying at different hotels.

The Lucas Oil Stadium Connection

One of the skywalk system's best features: the Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium are connected via an underground tunnel. This means:

  • Convention attendees can walk to Colts games, concerts, and events at Lucas Oil without going outside
  • During NFL Combine, scouts and media move between the Convention Center (press events) and Lucas Oil (workouts) through the tunnel
  • During NCAA Final Four, the tunnel connects the Fan Fest at the Convention Center to the games at Lucas Oil
  • The Big Ten Football Championship uses both venues — tailgating and events at the Convention Center, game at Lucas Oil

Circle Centre Mall Access

The Hyatt Regency skywalk extends east to Circle Centre Mall, adding indoor access to:

Hours & Important Tips

Skywalk hours: The skywalks are generally open from 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM daily. During major conventions, hours may be extended. After hours, you'll need to walk outside between venues.
Follow the signs. The skywalk system is well-signed with directional markers for the Convention Center, Lucas Oil, and connected hotels. If you get turned around, ask any hotel lobby staff — they deal with this question all day during conventions.
Not all hotels are connected. The Indianapolis Marriott Downtown, Omni Severin, Hilton Indianapolis, Embassy Suites, and The Alexander are all within 5-8 minutes walking distance but are not skywalk-connected. You will need to go outside to reach these.
Expect crowds. During Gen Con (70,000 attendees) and FFA Convention (60,000+ students), the skywalks become pedestrian highways. Budget extra time for the walk, especially around session start/end times.
Accessibility. The skywalk system is ADA accessible with elevators at each connection point. Ask hotel staff for the accessible route if you need it.

Park + Skywalk Strategy

If you're driving downtown, you can combine a cheaper garage with the skywalk system to save money while staying indoors.

Best combo: Park at Circle Centre Garage ($2 for 3 hrs / $22 max daily) and walk indoors through Circle Centre Mall → Hyatt Regency → Convention Center. Entire route is enclosed. 7-10 min walk.
Budget combo: Park at Blue Garage ($30 max daily) and walk through the skywalk system to the Convention Center. 5 min enclosed walk.
JW Marriott access: Park at Washington Street Garage and use the skybridge directly into the JW Marriott, then walk to the Convention Center. Entirely indoors.

For more on parking options and rates, see our complete parking guide.

Why this matters

Indianapolis hosts conventions year-round, including winter months when wind chill can drop below zero and summer months when heat and humidity are brutal. The skywalk system isn't just convenient — it's why Indianapolis can host 500+ events per year regardless of weather. It's one of the city's greatest infrastructure advantages, and most first-time visitors don't know it exists.

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