Lafayette (joined to West Lafayette and home to Purdue University) feels lively—not a bland stopover—with affordable, walkable neighborhoods, a revitalized downtown of restaurants, craft breweries, live music and seasonal festivals, plus riverfront trails and parks, so multi‑week stays can feel like living rather than just working.
Big‑city options are an easy drive: West Lafayette’s campus culture is immediate, and Indianapolis is about an hour away for museums, pro sports, and an international airport.