Cicero

Cicero is a town on the northern suburb of Indianapolis in the Nine-County Region of Indiana.

Understand

Northern Hamilton County is comprised of Arcadia, Atlanta, Cicero and Sheridan. Each town has some notable attractions worth the drive. Hamilton County is located just north of Indianapolis comprising of rural communities full of scenic drives and agricultural heritage.

• Hamilton County Convention and Visitors Bureau is located in Carmel.
• Hamilton North Chamber of Commerce, 70 N. Byron St, Cicero, ☏ +1 317-984-4079. Serving Cicero and neighboring towns of Arcadia and Atlanta, the Chamber can provide information about area businesses and upcoming events. The Chamber of Commerce also is home to a Visitor Information Welcome Center, open M-F 9AM to 3PM. 

Get in

While you can get close by plane, a car is a necessity to reach Cicero. There is no bus or train accessibility to Cicero directly from Indianapolis but there are train rides to Cicero from Fishers which is just in the suburbs of Indianapolis, however, since it only about an hour outside ofIndianapolis you can see arrival options there too.

By car

From the metropolitan Indianapolis area, take U.S. 31 north to 236th Street. Cicero is off State Road 19 to the east of U.S. 31. It is a 45-minute drive north of downtown Indianapolis. Cicero is north of Noblesville, the Hamilton County seat, on State Road 19, followed by Arcadia and Atlanta. All are within 10 minutes of each other off of SR19. Sheridan is in the northwest corner of Hamilton County, off State Road 38, a few minutes north of Zionsville.

By plane

In addition to the Col. Weir Cook Indianapolis International Airport, located off of I-70 in Indianapolis, smaller planes can schedule a landing at one of two airports in Hamilton County and nearby Boone County, just west of Hamilton County. Both offer aircraft charter, sales, rental, catering, and flight school.

• Metropolitan Airport, 10401 Willow View Rd, Fishers, ☏ +1 317-849-0840. 
• Indianapolis Executive Airport 11329 East SR 32, Zionsville. +1 317-769-3288. This airport also is home to a Hamilton County Welcome Center, open 6-8PM daily.
• Sheridan Airport, 27045 Jerkwater Road, Sheridan, ☏ +1 317-758-4161. 

Get around

By car

The region is connected by a series of State Roads and highways. General speed is between 55-70 on interstates and highways, and generally 35 on other roads unless otherwise posted.

See

• Sheridan Historical Society, 308 S. Main St, Sheridan. The museum collections document the Native American, rural and industrial history of Sheridan. A new museum is being planned in conjunction with Boxley Cabin. Volunteers chronicle family histories of more than 500 families and can provide genealogy research upon request. 

Built circa 1828, the log cabin home of George Boxley.

• Boxley Pioneer Veterans Park (George Boxley Cabin), 103 W 1st St, Sheridan, ☏ +1 317-758-5054. Built circa 1828, the log cabin home of George Boxley, an anti-slavery activist, has been restored. Additional archeological excavations for pioneer artifacts are still underway on the property around the cabin. By appointment or call for hours. 
• Arcadia Heritage Depot, 107 W. South Street, Arcadia, ☏ +1 317-984-3436. Tu Th 1-5PM. Listed on the Indiana Register of Historic Sites and Structures, the Depot was built in 1869. It now is home to town artifacts including the ticket booth for the old opera house, World War II memorabilia, and authentic "Arcadia Glass." 
• Nickel Plate Arts Trail. Extending 30 miles (48 km) from Fishers to Tipton, the Historic Nickel Plate Arts Trail runs through Fishers, Noblesville, Cicero, Arcadia, Atlanta, and Tipton. The first of eight Indiana artisan trails adopted by the state, the Trail is accessible by rail through the Indiana Transportation Museum or automobile on Allisonville Road and State Road 19 as well as by river. The trail focuses on the more traditional forms of the arts and encompasses food, culture, and community heritage. 

Do

Outdoors

• Morse Reservoir This man-made lake, located between Cicero and Noblesville has 1,500 acres for boating and water activities and 35 miles of shoreline. More than 95% of the shoreline is residential, but recreational boating is allowed. Launch your boat from the Carrigan Road Bridge marina. Morse Lake Park, by the dam on the east side of the lake, allows supervised swimming in the lake and year-round picnicking as well as fishing.
• Red Bridge Park, State Road 19 (north of 236th Street), ☏ +1 317-984-3475. On the western edge of Morse Reservoir, the park has a boat dock rentals as well as a pool and community shelter building. Fishing is allowed within the park with the proper permits, but you can’t swim in the lake or launch your boat here. 
• Strawtown Koteewi Park, 12308 E. Strawtown Ave, ☏ +1 317-984-5556. Five miles outside of Cicero, this 800-acre park has also become a hotbed for archeological activity. Students from state universities have discovered arrowheads, pottery and other items dating back to 1400 AD. Some are on display at the Taylor Center of Natural History on the park grounds. It offers a canoe launch on the White River for boating and fishing, nature trails for hiking or cycling, equestrian trails for riding, and wetlands and prairies. It offers an archery center, treetop trails, an equestrian center, snow tubing, an archaeological arventures, all open seasonally. (updated Mar 2020)

Festivals

• Lights Over Morse Lake (4th of July). The town of Cicero partners with the Indiana Transportation Museum to provide a transportation train to and from this annual festival. Activities include music, kids’ carnival and, of course, fireworks. This is a great small-town way to celebrate Independence Day. If you want to spend the night, riding the train connects you to Fishers hotels. 
• Atlanta New Earth Festival (Late September), ☏ +1 765-292-2626. Main Street. This weekend-long event features arts, antiques, crafts and collectibles. Hundreds of vendors line the main street selling everything. Woodcrafts, t-shirts, racing memorabilia, even knives. The Indiana Transportation Museum offers a train shuttle from Noblesville at Forest Park. 
• Weekends in October Pumpkin Train (Indiana Transportation Museum excursion) 825 Park Dr. in Forest Park +1 317-773-6000. The train excursion includes a visit to an area pumpkin patch, straw bale maze, petting zoo, face painting and more autumn related activities. The highlight is the ride on the train, which leaves from the Noblesville train station. Reservations are STRONGLY recommended.

Golf

• Bear Slide Golf Club, 6770 E. 231st Street, ☏ +1 317-984-3837. Golf Digest gives this course 4½ stars for its Scottish links style front nine, with a traditional back nine. Area hotels offer a “Stay and Play” packages for this course. 

Buy

• Arcadia Farmer's Market, N West St & W Main St, Arcadia. 
• Uncle Henry’s Candies, toll-free: +1-888-757-8099. The original Uncle Henry is long gone, but his nephew Carl Harvey has continued the family candy-making tradition. Choose from chocolate pecan bark, white chocolate bark with M&Ms or peppermint, pecan logs, peanut clusters, or turtles. Carl also offers sugar free turtles, but the fully loaded caramel, pecan and chocolate version is the one to try. 
• Lisa's Pie Shop, 5995 S. U.S. 31, Atlanta, ☏ +1 317-798-6944. Tu 10AM-6PM, W-F 8AM- 6PM, Sa 10AM-5PM. Lisa Sparks has been making pies since 1986 and, man, are they good. She only takes cash or check if you go to the shop, so be prepared. 23 varieties of pie, plus the best road food, and a "pie in a jar". Pies $12-15. (updated Sep 2019)

Eat

• Alexander’s on the Water, 369 W. Jackson St, ☏ +1 317-984-8173. Open seven days a week during the summer (closed for winter), this old-fashioned ice cream shop offers 16 ice cream flavors for Morse Reservoir boaters. (A full-service shop, which also offers sandwiches, is in Noblesville.) 
• 10 West, 10 West Jackson Street. 4:30-9PM. Rustic-chic tavern featuring eclectic American fare such as steak, burgers & pasta, plus a bar area. 
• Jan's Village Pizza, 200 S. Main Street, Sheridan, ☏ +1 317-758-6660. Tired of those national chains cheap, artificial pizza? Try a real mom and pop pizzeria. Jan's Village Pizza guarantees you'll love their pizza - good taste and good quality matter! 

Sleep

• Roads Hotel, 150 E Main St, Atlanta, ☏ +1 317-832-7692. Haunted. (updated Dec 2017)

Go next

• Noblesville