Bloomington, IN Road Trips

Like most Indiana cities, Bloomington is arranged mostly on a rectangular grid. College Ave and Walnut St, a pair of one-way streets, form the main north-south thoroughfare through the central city, dividing the city into the east and west sides. The east side is centered around the main campus (Bloomington Campus) of Indiana University. The west side historically was the industrial part of town, with a number of factories churning out a variety of industrial products, from limestone blocks to elevators (Otis) to television sets (RCA). While the university keeps growing, many of the industrial plants have now been closed, and the north-side railway running a few blocks west of Walnut St (Monon Railroad, later acquired by CSX) has been converted to a popular walking and bicycling trail (the B-Line Trail). Bloomington is the county seat of Monroe County.

1 Hoosier National Forest, Headquarters: 811 Constitution Ave, Bedford, toll-free: +1-866-302-4173. Office open M-F 8AM-4:30PM. The Hoosier National Forest, in the hills of south central Indiana, is a property managed by the United States Forest Service. It has a total area of 201,047 acres and provides a wide mix of opportunities and resources for people to enjoy. Rolling hills, back-country trails, and rural crossroad communities make this small but beautiful forest a favorite. Climb the Hickory Ridge fire tower for a 365° view of the beautiful forest. Free. (updated Feb 2018) 2 Lake Monroe (Monroe Reservoir). Lake Monroe is a reservoir located about 10 miles (16 km) southeast of Bloomington. The lake is the largest in Indiana with 10,750 acres (44 km²) of water spread over the counties of Monroe and Brown. It is also home to 13,202 acres (53 km²) of protected forest and three recreational areas (Fairfax, Hardin Ridge, and Paynetown). Rock musician John Mellencamp is a native of the area, and resides on the shore of the lake. The largest marina situated on the lake is the Fourwinds Resort and Marina with over 800 boats. The reservoir provides abundant fishing throughout the year, and recreational opportunities such as boating and water skiing attract visitors from throughout Indiana and the Midwest. 3 Lake Lemon. Located in the northeastern part of Monroe County, this is another artificial lake created to ensure reliable water supply for Bloomington and Vicinity.

A large number of events open to general public (lectures, concerts, film showings) take place almost daily on the IU Bloomington campus, at least during the academic semesters. See the calendar of IU Bloomington events. Another calendar of city events is maintained by the local public radio station, WFIU. The Holiday World amusement park in Southwestern Indiana is a two-hour drive from Bloomington. 1 Spelunking (Indiana University Caving Club), 1001 East 10th St (Monthly meetings in IU's Geology Building, Room 126), ☏ +1 812 855-5582. Meetings are the first Thursday of every month at 7:30PM. The IUCC provides students, faculty, staff, community members, and dedicated visitors the opportunity to crawl around in holes in the ground while practicing cave conservation. Monthly trips offer members of all abilities the opportunity to enjoy a safe caving experience with qualified guides. They even provide a helmet and light for the novice! This is a great way to go spelunking legally in Bloomington as many of the area's caves are under restriction for reasons of safety and conservation. Dues are $10 per calendar year. These dues include use of club gear (helmets and helmet-mounted lights) and the opportunity to go on IUCC-led caving trips. You must be a paid member prior to participating in any club trips. $10. Gallery Walk. First Friday of each month, 5-8PM. Openings of new exhibits at a dozen or so art galleries around downtown Bloomington. (updated Sep 2018) 2 Little 500 (Little Five), Bill Armstrong Stadium, 1606 North Fee Lane, ☏ +1 812 855-9152.

Bloomington is known in the Midwest for its selection of world cuisine. Visit East 4th Street between Grant and Indiana Avenues for a huge selection of the best ethnic fare. There are some enduring classics and a small bit of turnover in this district. Formerly there was once even the Snow Lion, an excellent Tibetan restaurant owned by the Dalai Lama's brother! Don't be afraid to travel outside of downtown for great food, remember that University real estate doesn't come cheap, and some of the best new restaurants get their start in the suburbs before moving downtown. Summer is a great time to avoid student crowds, but many restaurants often cut short their hours and even close-up 1–2 days a week, so call ahead from June–August if you don't want to risk a "Back Soon" sign. All Bloomington restaurants and bars are non-smoking. Amol Indian Restaurant, 416 E. 4th St (Corner of 4th and Grant), ☏ +1 812 331-8844. M 11AM-2:30PM, 5:30-10PM; Tu-Su 11AM-2:30PM, 5-10PM. Indian. Excellent Indian cuisine, and quite affordable compared with typical "white tablecloth" establishments. The service leaves something to be desired, but if you go at all, you should go for the lunch buffet which is huge, cheap ($8), and all-you-can-eat. Great for those new to Indian food. Dine-in, carryout and catering. Ami Sushi (Formerly Domo), 1500 E 3rd St (Central campus, near Mother Bear's), ☏ +1 812 339-7868. Japanese. This place is under new management every other week. Large portions and there are often half-price specials. It's not expensive and not bad, but there are better.

The Vid Bloomington, 105 West 7th Street, ☏ +1 812 333-0064. Also known as the Video Saloon. This bar/live music venue features a relaxed atmosphere and nice staff. Serves as a "melting pot" and has a diverse mix of students and Bloomington residents. Bloomington Brewing Company, 1795 E 10th St, ☏ +1 812 323-2112. Primarily available at Lennie's, a sophisticated gourmet pizza and beer restaurant. After you select your beer, you'll be asked whether you want it hand, nitro, or CO2 pumped. Choose hand pumped unless you really prefer your beer cold. Bluebird, 216 N Walnut St, ☏ +1 812 336-3984. A bar across from Kilroy's Sports that features live bands, three bars, a dance floor, and good drink specials. Generally a more chilled out crowd. Cover is usually between $3-5. The Bishop, 123 S walnut St. Where have all the good bars gone? It would be The Bishop. A beer only bar with an exotic selection from around the globe. Also a music venue housing nearly 200 people. The premier spot for Bloomington's music and libations. Don't want to see a show? Don't worry! No cover for the bar. Brothers, 215 N Walnut St. Directly across from Bluebird. No cover. Strictly enforces IDs and "casually nice" dress code. Features two levels, with a bar on each floor. The second floor has a nice outside lounging area centered around a large fire pit. Unless you want to hang out with a bunch of frat brothers and undergrads with false IDs, best to pass on this one. The Crazy Horse Food & Drink Emporium (Crazy Horse), 214 W.

A majority of Bloomington hotels are concentrated along the city's main north-south axis, Walnut and College Ave (aka Business Route 37, i.e. the highway from Indianapolis), between the downtown are and the city's northern edge, where the highway enters the city. The downtown ones are convenient for a traveler without a car, as they are walking distance to downtown attraction and the IU campus; those on the northern side may have better parking and better highway access. 1 Courtyard Bloomington, 310 S. College Avenue, ☏ +1 812-335-8000. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. This hotel offers free Wi-Fi, indoor pool and fitness center. (updated Mar 2015) Fourwinds Resort and Marina. Known locally for its private beach on Lake Monroe, boating, and meeting facilities. Guests can also enjoy onsite tennis courts, nearby golf courses, fishing, dining, and rentals (including water toys). Holiday Inn Express Hotels & Suites, 2800 Express Lane, ☏ +1 812 279-1206. Bedford 20 miles (at IN 37). 64 rooms, free Smart Breakfast, Priority Club points, free wireless high speed, indoor pool, sauna, hot tub, 24-hour fitness room, meeting rooms. A Summerhouse Inn, 4501 E Third St (Two Miles East of College Mall), ☏ +1 812 332-2141. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. A Summerhouse Inn is Bloomington's classic family motel, having served the area since the 1960s. Providing Bloomington's only courtyard setting, a guest fire pit, an outdoor pool, and a complimentary breakfast, A Summerhouse Inn represents hospitality from a simpler time. $60-100.

Indianapolis International Airport (IND IATA) is the nearest commercial airport to Bloomington, located about 50 miles away. Scheduled bus service between the airport and Bloomington is provided by the Bloomington Shuttle Service. The shuttle vans or buses depart the airport's Ground Transportation Center every hour or every two hours (depending on the day of the week) from 6:40AM until 10:40PM. (The schedule may be reduced during the COVID pandemic, though). Tickets are priced at $29 one-way, as of 2021. The shuttles stop at the Indiana Memorial Union on the IU campus, as well as at a number of other locations on the IU campus and in the downtown area. The Miller Transportation (AKA Hoosier Ride) buses also sometimes (twice a day, as of 2021) stop at the Indianapolis Airport on their way between Indianapolis and Bloomington; their fare is $15 (plus a small booking fee), and they stop at the downtown bus station in Bloomington. Taxi fare from the airport to Bloomington is around $90. Monroe County Airport 972 S Kirby Rd. +1 812-825-5406. All scheduled service to this airport, a few miles southwest of the city, stopped in the early 1990s; it is only used by general aviation. I-69 – Interstate 69 heads southwest through rural areas of forest and farmland to Evansville, and north through similar areas to Indianapolis.

Bloomington Shuttle Service offers shuttles to four destination points in town, charters, limousines, and service to and from Indianapolis Airport. Bloomington Transit is a full city-wide bus system with various routes to choose from. While serviceable, most buses only run every hour or half hour, and Saturday routes only run every hour. Only the routes serving campus (Route 6 and Route 9) run on Sundays. The system's main hub is the downtown transit center, at 3rd and Walnut Sts. Single-trip tickets cost $1, with a variety of discount passes available to those who need to use the system on ongoing basis. IU students and staff can ride the system for free with their ID cards. Indiana University Campus Bus is a separate system from Bloomington Transit. To avoid confusion with the city bus system, instead of numbers, campus bus routes are identified by letters. While mostly of interest to students, the campus bus system is open to general public, and charges no fares. Rural Transit operates several routes, on very limited schedule, to a number of locations just outside the city limits, as well as to the nearby towns of Ellettsville and Spencer (Owen County). Electric scooter rental (from two companies, Bird and (Lime) is available, and pretty popular. The city has promulgated regulations in regard to their use. Taxi. The city is served by taxis, although the fares are high at 50¢ per quarter-mile plus a $4 charge for being picked up. One local taxi company is Red Tire Taxi; there are others. Parking near the university is regulated.