Downtown Indianapolis is a grid with Monument Circle in the middle and diagonal avenues like Massachusetts Avenue cutting across it, which makes it a very good place for Strava art. Long straight streets, a few handy diagonals and plenty of corners to turn.
We ran these shapes through our free route engine on real Indianapolis street data, so you know where to start and what match to expect before you head out.
Updated October 2026
Quick answer
Downtown Indianapolis is a great place for Strava art. In our test runs at a 5 mile target, a star scored 99% match starting at Delaware Street and Michigan Street, a heart 98% and a candy cane 97% from Massachusetts Avenue and New Jersey Street, a tree 95% from Walnut Street and Cleveland Street, and a turkey 92% from Massachusetts Avenue and New Jersey Street. Open the free Run Art Route Maker with the shape picked, set your start there, download the GPX and go.
- Star route (free): 99% from Delaware and Michigan, 5.0 miles.
- Heart route (free): 98% from Mass Ave and New Jersey, 5.0 miles.
- Candy cane route (free): 97% from Mass Ave and New Jersey, 5.0 miles.
Five Indianapolis shapes, with where to start
Every number here comes from running our route engine on real Indianapolis street data with a 5 mile target. Every start on this page sits downtown, between Monument Circle and the Mass Ave area. Your own score depends on your exact start, so the tool shows it to you before you run.
| Shape | Suggested start | Match in our test | Route length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Star | North Delaware Street and East Michigan Street | 99% | 5.0 miles |
| Heart | Mass Ave, Massachusetts Avenue and North New Jersey Street | 98% | 5.0 miles |
| Candy cane | Mass Ave, Massachusetts Avenue and North New Jersey Street | 97% | 5.0 miles |
| Tree | East Walnut Street and North Cleveland Street | 95% | 4.9 miles |
| Turkey | Mass Ave, Massachusetts Avenue and North New Jersey Street | 92% | 4.9 miles |
Star: Indianapolis's top score
The star was the cleanest shape in our Indianapolis tests at 99% and 5.0 miles, starting at North Delaware Street and East Michigan Street. Five points, five miles, and a lot of right angles turned into sharp ones. Your Strava followers will assume you planned it for weeks.
Heart: 98% from Mass Ave
The heart scored 98% at 5.0 miles from Massachusetts Avenue and North New Jersey Street. It is the easiest first art run anywhere, and this one starts right on Mass Ave. Run it for an anniversary, or as an apology for every dark 6 a.m. long run you dragged someone to.
Candy cane and tree: holiday art downtown
From the same Mass Ave start, the candy cane scored 97% at 5.0 miles. The tree scored 95% at 4.9 miles starting a few blocks north, at East Walnut Street and North Cleveland Street. Run the candy cane in December and tell everyone the extra corners were festive on purpose. Our Christmas Strava art guide has more holiday shapes.
Turkey: 92% from Mass Ave
The turkey scored 92% at 4.9 miles from Massachusetts Avenue and North New Jersey Street. The legs are out and back, so you will run down a block and turn right around. Set the distance to 3.1 for a homemade turkey trot, and check the new score before you go. Our turkey running route guide has the full Thanksgiving plan.
Monumental Marathon week
The Indianapolis Monumental Marathon is Saturday, November 7, 2026, with the marathon and half marathon starting together at 8:00 a.m. downtown, so race week is a great excuse for an art run. The official course map marks Monument Circle, and from a start right on the circle our candy cane scored 96% at 5.1 miles. Want a 26.2 instead of a picture? It scored 89% at 5.0 miles in our tests, starting at East Ohio Street and North Pennsylvania Street. Numbers have more corners than pictures, so if it looks jagged, add a mile or slide the start a few blocks. Cheering instead of running? Our Monumental Marathon spectator guide covers Riverside Park at mile 20 and the finish, our free Marathon Spectator Planner does the timing math, and the Marathon Sign Maker makes a sign your runner can read at mile 20.
Indianapolis tips for cleaner art
Use the grid and the diagonals. Downtown streets mostly run north to south and east to west, and Massachusetts Avenue adds a long diagonal, so the engine has plenty of lines to work with.
Watch the tiny streets. Downtown has plenty of service roads and alleys. They help the shape, but some are quiet or private, so check the route before you go.
Move the start, not the shape. If your score is low, slide the start a few blocks before you give up on the shape. In our tests, moving the star from Monument Circle to Delaware and Michigan took it from 93% to 99%.
Check the route first. Some streets may be busy or closed, especially around race weekend. Stick to sidewalks and paths, and follow traffic rules. The tool does not know about construction, events or which crosswalk has the longest light.
Keep your home private. Start a few blocks from home or use a privacy zone in your app.
For the runner whose feed is now mostly art, the My Strava Has Better Art Than My Living Room tee says it best. And for the one who ran you a heart around Mass Ave, the Ran 10 Miles to Draw You a Heart tee is the receipt.
Not affiliated with Strava, Inc. Strava is a trademark of Strava, Inc.
FAQ
Where is the best place for Strava art in Indianapolis?
Downtown worked very well in our tests. Around Mass Ave and Delaware Street, a star, heart, candy cane, tree and turkey all scored 92% or better at a 5 mile target.
Can I start on Monument Circle?
Yes. From a start on the circle, our candy cane scored 96% and our star 93% at a 5 mile target. Moving the star a few blocks northeast gave the best score on this page.
How long is an Indianapolis art run?
You choose, from 2 to 15 miles. All the shapes on this page were tested at a 5 mile target and came out between 4.9 and 5.0 miles.
Is the Run Art Route Maker free?
Yes. No app and no sign-up. Download the GPX for Strava, Garmin Connect or Coros.