Dating in Indianapolis, Indiana (IN): Resource Guide

Interested in dating in Indianapolis, Indiana? Welcome to the Crossroads of America!

It is a popular spot for tourists, travels, and college students, and the dating scene is very active in the lively city. The downtown area is full of enticing personalities and the small agricultural state loves to get involved in events Downtown. Indianapolis has been affectionately nicknamed Indy by its residents.

If you’re in Indy for an evening, a month, or several years, this guide will let you know everything you need to start dating in Indianapolis.

Best Indianapolis Dating Sites

It’s a big city with lots of singles! Instead of scouring the bars, parks, parties, and nightclubs in Indy, take to your computer to find that special someone. These apps are the most popular in the city of Indianapolis, full of local singles who are eager to mingle.

For Singles: Match.com

Match.com is the best for dating in indianapolis Match.com: Nothing can really compare to this dating website. Even in Indianapolis, Match.com remains the best place to connect with local singles and establish connections that result in real dates, real relationships, and real love. Most of the Match population from Indy are focused on long-term relationships, and since the city isn’t that massive, meetups are very easy.

It’s not a free website, but Match.com has astounding success rates. The numbers for happy couples in Indianapolis grow and grow, and if sitting at a bar buying drinks for anyone who catches your eye isn’t exactly a fun time for you, consider registering on this premium dating service.

For Professionals: EliteSingles.com

elitesingles review With all those sky-rise office buildings, you better believe that Indy is a place for professionals. The career-driven group of Indianapolis residents is always growing, but the Downtown scene is filled with college students and party-goers. Finding someone who is on your level as a partner can be hard in such a diverse city, but Elitesingles makes it a little easier to find that match.

Choose between several membership options to get the series of features that fits your needs best. This website is designed to cater to the personal needs of its users, and you can find someone with your same passions and goals in life. Keep in mind, this is no run-of-the-mill hookup site, so only sign up for serious inquiries.

For Seniors over Age 50: Ourtime.com

our time in austin Ourtime.com: An estimated 98,363 Indianapolis residents are seniors. The dating pool for those 50 and up is pretty big, but since this demographic won’t be easily found in the loud bars, turning to an online dating service like Ourtime is a great chance to meet these amazing people.

Online dating is a scary hurdle for seniors, but Ourtime makes it easy with affordable premium membership and simple features. It’s about connecting based on interests and passions and creating meaningful relationships with nearby Indianapolis lovers.

For LGBTQ+: Bumble.com

Bumble.com: This new app on the dating scene has given the gay community something to talk about, and it’s made its strong presence on Indianapolis singles. Thousands of users from Indy are on the innovative app, that attracts all sexual orientations and has plenty of opportunities for same-sex connections.

With as many gay bars as Indy has, it’s easy to meet someone on this free app that revolutionizes the way we connect online. Many members on Bumble are tired of dating cliches and enjoy the unique platform and it’s a new approach to internet dating, and Indianapolis is a city of progressive thinkers.

For Hookups: AdultFriendFinder.com

Adultfriendfinder.com: With such a strong population of young persons in Indianapolis, a high number of those being college students, it’s inevitable that the hookup desire for the city is high up there on the charts. Adultfriendfinder is packed with Indy singles looking for quick, fun times all over the city.

Match-up with nearby sexy Indy residents or visitors discreetly and quickly on the biggest platform of “no strings attached” online dating. AFF is free to use but offers a premium version as well to get more matches and opportunities for a true Indy-style fling.


Best Dating Apps in Indianapolis

You’ll be hard-pressed to find someone strolling the busy Indy streets without a phone in-hand, thanks to the college student population and business-oriented career paths. Mobile connection in a big city like Indianapolis is essential so a dating app could be the difference between lonely nights and a positive connection.

Bumble.com attracts more than just a homosexual community but offers a place for anyone tired of the “norm” to meet online. The platform focuses on safety and respect and takes a very Sadie Hawkins approach to communication by allowing only the female-identifying members message first. Their free version is all-inclusive, but the premium membership comes with lots of great reasons to pay.

If a more traditional approach to mobile dating is up your alley, Tinder.com is a solid favorite. Though primarily popular for short-term dating in Indianapolis, several great relationships and fantastic evenings have started with a swipe right on the app.


Best Dating Bars for Singles in Indianapolis

Indianapolis has a very active nightclub scene, and a great bar is the best place to connect with local singles. These three places are the best bars to go for a great time, and they often have been key in setting the perfect date scene and bringing the community closer together.

The Tap

The Tap on Mass Avenue: Widely renowned across the city as Indy’s best place to grab a beer, The Tap is located perfectly on one of the most popular areas Downtown and features a large, beautiful patio outdoors. Inside, you have a huge selection of craft beers, excellent appetizers, and lovely decor to keep things lively and entertaining. The bar is popularly frequented and attracts a very outgoing personnel. With such close distance to performance venues, restaurants, and retailers, The Tap is a great place to end a full day or start a great date. Catch one of their live shows and enjoy the full menu when you have the time!

The Mousetrap

The Mousetrap: While some may reference this historically acclaimed bar as a bit of a dive, there is nowhere like it in Indianapolis that can capture the same soulful vibe and personality that this iconic building can. It’s got nightly events and is known as the best music bar and venue in the city. From blues on Mondays to EDM on Thursdays and Jazz on Tuesday, The Mousetrap has a little bit of everything for everyone. There is pool tables, darts, dozens of drink specials nightly, and a great crowd of returning customers. On the outside, it may not seem like much, but tons of happy nights have been spent at this bar over delicious meatloaf and homemade soups and beer.

Nicky Blaine’s

Nicky Blaine’s Cocktail Lounge: This vintage, nearly Victorian bar is the oldest in Indianapolis, but it attracts a very lively crowd. It’s classy, elegant, and almost nostalgic in a way, focusing on a beautiful evening and perfect for finding or bringing a date. Fully featured with private rooms, extensive cocktail bars, cigar services, and antique furnishing, Nicky Blaine’s provides an atmosphere and energy that is romantic and timeless in nature. Their dessert menu is full of decadence and you can get full meals from their kitchen until 2 am, too.


Speed Dating in Indianapolis

The Indianapolis Singles Speed Dating event is the one and only quick stop shop for successful speed dates. These events are coordinated with flawless execution, allowing participants 6 dates within an hour, and boast of wild success. Indianapolis Singles varies in its event locations, but sign up for their popular newsletter and be notified when the next exciting speed dating party will be thrown, and where.


Indianapolis Dating Events & Clubs

Downtown Indy is a great location to explore with several densely populated spots with bars, clubs, restaurants, and plenty of singles looking to find their next date. From the bar crawl activities on Mass Avenue to the packed nightclub Landsharks in Broad Ripple, Indianapolis has something for everyone and events every weekend for singles from anywhere.

The Indianapolis Singles offers a full membership at a low price that provides all the information you need on local dating events, singles parties, and even a matchmaking service to connect you with other Indy residents quickly. It’s a real-world dating service that uses both technology and face-to-face interaction to jump-start relationships in Indianapolis.

Outside of the several clubs, Eventbrite features a constant calendar of singles parties and dedicated events.


Dating Chat Rooms in Indianapolis

A bustling, vibrant city like Indy can make anyone feel lonely, even amidst the museums and nature parks. When the blues get you down, check out of these discreet, lighthearted chat rooms for Indy conversation:


Personals in Indianapolis

Hookups can be dangerous in cities such as Indianapolis, and personal ads and websites are filled with potentials scams and fake profiles. Discovering a genuine, safe match for dating or casual sex in Indy through the use of low-grade personals can be a little challenging.

Flirt.com has some great options if you have an account with them. Plenty of Fish, a popular online dating site, also has a page for personals to be posted from Indianapolis, and it’s a reliable platform with real members.


Things to Know about Indianapolis Dating

Things to know about Indianapolis dating Centrally located in the Midwest, Indianapolis sees a lot more short-term visitors than it does full-time residents. It’s in close proximity to major cities Chicago and Cleveland, and only mere hours away from the surrounding sister states on all sides. With well over 800,000 people living within Indy, it’s bursting with life.

Forbes rated Indianapolis as one of the Top 10 Downtown Cities in America, noting the “young and active character” of the city and those living in it. The average age of the Indianapolis population is 34, so it’s an ideal area for serious adult dating. Diversity is highly valued in Indy, and in 2013 it reached a new milestone of 300,000 African-Americans living there, making up 29% of the population. 56.5% is Caucasian, and the remaining residents fall into small percentages of other races.

42.5% of Indy’s population classify themselves as religious, and same-sex marriage was legalized in 2014. Now, about 4.1% of the population of Indiana as a whole identifies as something other than heterosexual, most of them living happily in Indianapolis.


Wrap Up

Indianapolis is a city of art, cultural, and historical impact. Romantic in nature, dating in Indianapolis is bound to be an exciting adventure and one full of late nights and wild passions. It’s the heart and pride of Indiana, America’s Crossroads, and a place for hearts all over the country to find a moment to live vibrantly. Young or old, Indy can provide a beneficial dating scene to anyone from anywhere and give you a great experience in the process.



chelsea king - chief editor of romancescams
Written by Chelsea King

Chelsea has been a direct victim of romance scams herself losing over $35,000 in a span of a year in 2015. She joined and took over operations of RomanceScams.org in 2015. She brings first-hand experience in studying romance scams, and also experience in vetting dating sites for legitimacy. Read more of Chelsea's articles.

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