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About Bloomington

Bloomington is a modern, thriving city of about 69,000 which has earned the reputation of being culturally rich, ethnically diverse, economically strong and physically charming.

Dining

The community offers an unusual and unusually broad array of ethnic restaurants – Moroccan, Indian, Japanese, Italian, Korean and Tibetan – all within easy walking distance of campus, most of which are moderately priced.  Several restaurants feature locally produced meats and produce.

Galleries

Centered around the Courthouse in downtown Bloomington, a short walk from campus, you will find a number of small galleries featuring the work of many local artists and artisans. 

Music and Night Life

Like the campus itself, the community of Bloomington is alive with music.  Local pubs, restaurants and night clubs are filled with music from bluegrass to jazz to country to hip-hop and rock.  The music scene in Bloomington is lively, diverse and rich.

The Surrounding Area:  Places of local interest…..a sampling

Caves – Quarries-Fossils-Limestone.  Outside of Bloomington, you will find that southern Indiana is a hilly area that was never glaciated by ice sheets – unlike the flatlands of northern Indiana.  Long subjected to erosion, it is an area of sharp ridge, deep gorges and scenic waterfalls.  There are also numerous caves and sinkhole, which have been formed in places where water action has dissolved the underlying limestone of the plateau.  It is a region studded with geological wonders of karsts and caves, fossils, rock formations and limestone quarries.

Marengo Cave:  www.marengocave.com
Blue Springs Cavern:  www.bluespringcaverns.com

Woods and Lakes 

Within 15 miles of downtown Bloomington lies Monroe Lake, the largest man-made lake/reservoir in Indiana where opportunities to rent a boat, take a swim or have a picnic reside.  The Charles Deem Wilderness and Brown County State Park, both about 20 miles from Bloomington, are havens for hikers and horseback riders with trails running through a canopy of the maples, oaks, sycamore, beech and walnut hardwoods.

Wineries

Seven miles north of Bloomington, the gardens and the setting of Oliver Winery are as lovely as the wine they produce.  A tasting room provides an opportunity to sample local wines, tour the winery, gardens and relax on the outside patio overlooking the woods and pond.  Within walking distance of campus, you can visit Butler Winery (Indiana wine from Indiana grapes), sample local wines and purchase wine and beer making supplies.

Tibet Cultural Center

A short distance outside of Bloomington, the Monogolian Tibet Cultural Center welcomes people of all religious faiths to join the monks for lessons, classes and visits to the Center.  The Tibet Cultural Center was last visited by the Dalai Lama in 2007.


Tourist Links

The beauty of the Bloomington campus does not end at the campus gates; it extends to all of southern Indiana, an area characterized by rolling hills, hardwood forests, rushing streams and limestone caves. 

Cultural attractions – you will find them on campus, off campus and in surrounding towns and cities.  All that the campus and this area has to offer can be experienced without much traffic, without much congestion and often at minimal or no expense. 

Here's a sampling of what awaits you.

Activities On Campus

Museums

  • IU Art Museum
    Designed by I.M. Pei, the building itself is a work of art.  Galleries include Western Art, Ancient    and Asian Art, Africa, Oceaniana and the Americas, and Special Exhibitions.  Excellent gift shop.
  • Lilly Library
    View rare and historic books, manuscripts and letters, as well as an extensive collection of mechanical puzzles. 
  • Jordan Hall Greenhouse
    IU Biology provides space to grow plants that serve the teaching and research needs of the Department.  The greenhouses contain many plants from around the world, which are grown in conservatory rooms open to the public.

Performing Arts

  • Jacobs School of Music
    Attend an opera, recital concert, band performance from a world class school of music performed by world class musicians.

Physical Fitmess Activities

The Bloomington campus has miles of scenic paths which are ideal for running, walking or strolling.  Many of these paths meander alongside streams, through woods and across grassy meadows.

Two sports facilities (HPER and SRSC) offer passes to visiting guests for a nominal fee of $5.00 or less per day.

  • Student Recreational Sports Center (SRSC)
    New, modern, state of the art athletic facility. Basketball, handball, squash courts, weight room, indoor track, weight room, table tennis.  Day passes may be purchased at the check-in desk.  Equipment is available for check-out.
  • IU Golf Course
    Features a beautiful and challenging 18-hole championship course, a nine hole executive course and a lighted driving range.  Open to the public.  A short drive from campus.

Activities in the surrounding area

The Bloomington Visitors and Convention Bureau's web site identifies a number of places of interest in and around Bloomington.  Some places of particular interest are:

Winery

  • (Bloomington)  Oliver Winery
    Locally owned, Award winning wines.  A tasting room.  Lovely setting and beautifully landscaped grounds.  Located 7 miles from campus.

Resort/Casino/Spa

  • French Lick Resort and Casino
    Famous during the early 1900s as a getaway for the famous and infamous, French Lick has recently been restored into a beautiful resort, spa (mineral baths) , golf course, horse back riding and casino.  Driving time from Bloomington is about 1 ½ hrs.

Outdoor Activities

  • Lower Cascades Park
    Has an AMAZING playground in a beautiful wooded setting with picnic area, a stream and short hike to a waterfalls.
  • Cascades Golf Course
    Open to the public. 27-hole facility that rests on 200 acres of beautiful rolling hills filled with native trees and natural topography.
  • Lake Monroe
    The largest reservoir lake in Indiana.  Has beaches, boat rentals (including pontoon party boats), camping and hiking trails. Approximately 10 miles south of Bloomington. 
  • Brown County State Park
    Provides a taste of the scenic beauty of southern Indiana – rolling hills, hardwood forests, hiking and horseback riding. About 20 miles east of Bloomington.
  • McCormick's Creek State Park  & Spring Mill State Park
    If you are interested in seeing some of the unique geology of southern Indiana, these parks provide that opportunity - limestone caves, sink holes, natural bridges. The wooded trail down the canyon in McCormick's Creek is a walk through the geologist history of southern Indiana. Spring Mill has a pioneer village with a functioning grist mill, grinding corn into true ‘stone ground cornmeal. Both parks are about 20 miles from Bloomington.

Museums

  • (Bloomington)  Wylie House Museum
    Take a step back in time to the early 1800's by visiting the home of IU's first president.
  • (Indianapolis)  Indianapolis Zoo and White River Gardens
    White River State Park is located in downtown Indianapolis, along the banks of the White River.  Within the park complex are the Indianapolis Zoo, the White River Botanical Gardens, as well as an IMAX theatre and the Eiteljorg Museum.  The zoo is AZA accredited – thus assuring that the facility is dedicated to providing excellent care for animals.  The Gardens inspire, impress, enliven and entertain.