Find your third place in Indy

Third places are public, informal gathering spaces that you frequent in your community. We’re here to get your recommendations and help others find their third place.

Overhead view of bouldering gym

North Mass Boulder has created a community by hosting events that are open to everyone.

Photo by Sydney W. via Yelp

Do you have a third place in Indy? Take a moment to reflect.

Besides your home (first space) and workplace (second space), where do you go throughout the week? Whose faces do you see, and who do you talk to when you go there? Is the vibe at this space easy, non-pressuring, and potentially playful? Do you look forward to going and feel welcome?

Ray Oldenburg, a sociologist who wrote about third places in his book, “The Great Good Place,” shares that third places — public, informal gathering spaces that you frequent in your community like coffee shops, parks, libraries, churches, breweries, bookstores, salons, etc. — are important for many reasons, but particularly for promoting social vitality + a sense of community.

Sound familiar? If you have a third place, we’d love for you to share it with us so we can pass along recommendations and help others find their third place in the Circle City.

More from INDYtoday
Have questions like “What is composting?” and “How do I compost in an apartment?” Here’s everything you need to know to start your composting journey.
Put your money where your community is and help us create a guide to small businesses by submitting your favorite local spots and sharing this page with a friend.
Beleaf it or not, an estimated 30 million Americans drink tea every day. Here are some places you can have a beau-tea-ful afternoon tea experience — or just grab a simple cup.
Whether you’re a casual cardinal custodian or a lifelong lark lover, here’s where you can start birding, learn more about local species, and catch a glimpse of them crossing the skies.
In honor of the MICHELIN Guide expanding into the Great Lakes region of the U.S. with Indianapolis included, here are a few restaurants we think deserve the prestigious honor.
Avril Lavigne? Check. Keith Urban? Check. It’s not a bad idea to triple-check this list and get your concert tickets before they sell out.
Love your city? Get engaged by joining a board or commission related to a topic you’re passionate about or have experience in.
With the Masters Tournament right around the corner, we took a swing at narrowing down what local food picks we would bring to the Masters Champions Dinner table.
Mother Earth is defrosting, and she’s sprouting dozens of edible plants + flowers that you can find in your own backyard. Go on the hunt with our foraging guide.
Pack your reusable shopping bags — we’ve rounded up eight farmers markets around Indianapolis with everything from fresh produce to gorgeous flowers and beyond.