Two weekends ago we loaded up the car and set out on a little road trip we had been planning for a while. The girls of Always Take The Scenic Route and a few of our close friends trekked an hour East towards Indianapolis for The Museum by Moonlight event. We made sure to head down earlier in the afternoon so we could check into our Airbnb and explore the Fountain Square area.
Where We Stayed
If you’ve never rented an Airbnb you’ve definitely got to try it once, and it is much cheaper than wasting money on a hotel if you are just staying one night. There were 6 of us going on this trip, so I wanted to be able to rent the whole home and all get an actual bed. I came across The Hotel Tango Farmhouse which ran around $240 for the night and with us splitting cost it came to $40 a person.
The farmhouse is owned by the same owners of the Indianapolis distillery, Hotel Tango Artisan Distillery. It was a little shady from the outside but once we stepped inside it wowed everyone. You could tell they are still working on fixing up the home, but for a short place to stay it was wonderful.
The host was very accommodating and they even left us 6 drink cards to use at their distillery. I just love all the farmhouse details and would recommend this place for anyone looking to stay near Fountain Square.
For those unfamiliar with Airbnb, it is an online marketplace for people to lease or rent short-term lodging. The company does not own any real estate, the “hosts” are all real people renting out their homes, rooms, or apartments. The company has over 4 million listings in 65,000 cities and 191 countries. Airbnb can be accessed online or through their phone app. If you are interested in using Airbnb use our link HERE to receive $40 in travel credit when you sign up.
Where We Played
Hotel Tango Artisan Distillery
We decided to stop into Hotel Tango Artisan Distillery to grab a few drinks before our event later that evening. It is a nice change of pace from the usual breweries we would visit. In 2014, Hotel Tango Artisan Distillery was founded by Travis Barnes, a three-time combat Recon Marine war veteran who was disabled during his last deployment to Iraq. Barnes went to law school with intentions of becoming a lawyer but, instead he met a group of fellow law students who are now a fundamental part of Hotel Tango and its existence. Also, law school is where he met his wife Hilary, who has been a driving factor in where Hotel Tango is today.
The name “Hotel Tango” reflects Travis’s military roots. Using the NATO phonetic alphabet, Hilary and Travis have their first letters of their name expressed by “Hotel” and “Tango” respectively—thus the Distillery’s name.
Each Hotel Tango spirit derives its prefix from the phonetic alphabet as such, i.e. Victor Vodka, Golf Gin, Mike Moonshine, etc. That is, except for Whiskey, because the abbreviation for W already happens to be Whiskey.
The place has a very cozy vibe and has a working fireplace in the main area. Hotel Tango even holds yoga classes in their bigger space each month on Sundays, called Detox to Retox.
It’s a place you should check out if you are in the area looking for something new to try. All of their craft cocktails are made with their own spirits. I tried the Cider House Fools drink made with their rum and served hot, it was delicious.
Chilly Water Brewing Company
Our next stop was a quirky music themed throwback brewery, called Chilly Water Brewing Company. The brewery got its name from a Widespread Panic song called ‘Chilly Water’. The inside is pretty casual and basic but the brewery has little nostalgic items such as a CD case beer menu, a food menu that looks like a record, and little music touches throughout the restaurant/brewery.
I highly recommend the Blood Orange IPA and ‘Fire On The Mountain’, a spicy dip served with warm pita bread. We grabbed lunch and beers here and our bellies did not leave here disappointed.
Smash Social
We had just enough time before our event to make one more stop, we ended up at a brand new place called Smash Social. Smash Social is a coffee shop and ping pong bar open to all ages. Their philosophy is to build a culture around having fun, not taking life too seriously, making connections, and embracing friendly competition. Grab a coffee or beer and pay to play a friendly game or you can even become a member and play in tournaments or freely whenever you’d like. This bar was very cool and had a ‘lax’ vibe. It would be the perfect place for a date or to meet new friends. 
Where We Helped Support The Community
Museum By Moonlight
On Feb. 10, from 8 p.m. until the Water Clock strikes midnight, American Funds from Capital Group and the world’s largest children’s museum threw a party for kids at heart. Exclusively for adults 21 and over, guests can explore five floors of new and classic exhibits, enjoy drinks, and refuel with free food samples from restaurants.
All proceeds benefit The Children’s Museum Fund, which ensures that all children and families, regardless of income, can experience the museum. So, buy a ticket, have an unforgettable night, and help out some kids!
These are just a few of the fun things we explored at the museum.
- Break it down with the dinos—the always fun silent-disco is back for another year in Dinosphere®. DJ Indiana Jones and DJ Gabby Love are BACK!
- Take a ride down the Chocolate Slide! The 47-foot slide, themed like a river of chocolate, will send guests whirling through a Wonka-inspired wonderland
- Drop in to ScienceWorks for the RNDC Bourban Lab and Sun King Brewing’s Brewing Basics
- Snap a #MuseumByMoonlight photo with a stormtrooper or ghostbuster to prove you’re a true fan
- Go ’round and ’round on the Carousel
- Bust a move to the Chicken Noodle Soup in DANCE!, then get nostalgic in American POP
- Clown around and walk the virtual-reality tightrope in Circus—Starring YOU!
I HIGHLY recommend attending this event once in your life, the museum is amazing and I hadn’t been since I was in middle school. It blew my mind and I will be back with my nephews, it’s something you should experience!
We hope this helps everyone realize that if you live in Terre Haute, how close you are to all these amazing new places and events. We will continue to provide you with a glimpse into the heart of Indy and our hometown as well. Let us know if there are any places we should check out next time or places that you love that people should know about!
Until next time.
-M
