Bloomington, Indiana

Eskenazi Museum of Art at Indiana University

Established in 1941, the Eskenazi Museum of Art at Indiana University is the foremost university art museum in the country and one of the best things to do in Bloomington, Indiana. Housed in I. M. Pei’s iconic triangular building on the campus of Indiana University, the museum is home to an internationally acclaimed collection of over 45,000 works of art that include paintings by Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso, African masks, and jewelry.

Aiming to inspire, encourage, and enrich the lives of every visitor to the museum through the beauty of art, the IU Art Museum features permanent collection galleries, traveling exhibitions, and special installations. The museum also features on-site sculptures arranged into nine curatorial areas across three floors. Visitors can enjoy guided tours around the museum for free, though they need to be booked in advance.

Eskenazi Museum of Art at Indiana University, 1133 E. 7th Street, Bloomington, Indiana, Phone: 812-855-5445

WonderLab Museum of Science, Health and Technology

The WonderLab Museum of Science, Health and Technology is an outstanding science museum in the heart of Bloomington dedicated to providing opportunities for visitors of all ages to experience the wonder of science. The museum accomplishes its goal by providing an excellent range of immersive and hands-on exhibits, displays, and programs that inspire curiosity, stimulate questioning, and encourage exploration of science and technology.

Exhibits include the George and Evelyn Brabson Discovery Garden, the Bubble-arium, the Fitzgerald Hall of Natural Science, and the Lester P. Bushnell WonderGarden, as well as “How Things Work,” and various art displays. If you are wondering what to do in Bloomington with kids, this is a great place to visit. WonderLab also hosts a variety of educational and age-specific programs, hands-on workshops, innovative activities, and live animal programs for both adults and children throughout the year.

WonderLab Museum of Science, Health and Technology, 308 W. Fourth Street, Bloomington, Indiana, Phone: 812-337-1337

Monroe Lake

Monroe Lake is 10,750-acre reservoir located southeast of Bloomington and is surrounded by nearly 24,000 acres of protected forests and wilderness areas. Spread over the two counties of Monroe and Brown, the lake provides local residents with beautiful and natural recreational areas in which to enjoy the great outdoors.

Ransburg Scout Reservation is located on the eastern shore along with the Fourwinds Resort and Marina, which is home to over 800 boats. Visitors can enjoy year-round fishing on the lake, as well as other recreational activities such as boating, water-skiing, and kayaking. Expert interpretive naturalists present an array of programs at the visitor’s center during the summer season.

4850 S. State Road 446, Bloomington, Indiana, Phone: 812-837-9546

Indiana University Jacobs School of Music

Based at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music (MAC) is one of America’s greatest performance venues. It can accommodate up to 1,460 people and is home to the Jacobs School of Music Ballet Department. The Musical Arts Center and Ballet Department offer a calendar of internationally renowned performances throughout the year, including The Nutcracker, The Barber of Seville, Carmen, and Oklahoma.

The Jacobs School of Music offers a wide range of music programs, summer academies, and adult summer workshops, as well as pre-college programs and music classes for adults and children.

Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, 1201 East Third Street, Bloomington, Indiana, Phone: 812-855-7433

Indiana University Tours

Discover the University of Indiana on a daily campus visit and tour, which will allow you to learn all about the history of the university and the spirited community that calls it home and to explore the magnificent campus grounds.

Three different Indiana University Tours are offered: a group information session, which gives an overview of the university from an academic, cultural, and social point of view, an overall campus tour led by current students that covers the layout of the school, its buildings, faculties, and residences, as well as its beautifully maintained grounds, and a residence hall tour, which takes a look at the places the students call home. Tours are available on most weekdays and need to be booked in advance.

300 N. Jordan Avenue, Bloomington, Indiana, Phone: 812-855-0661

Buskirk-Chumley Theater

Located in the heart of downtown Bloomington, the Buskirk-Chumley Theater is a performance venue that showcases a range of stage performances, shows, and entertainment for the local community every year. The site also provides a base for both local and nationally-known performers from which to perform, as well as an inviting space for the community to enjoy the arts.

If you are looking for romantic date night ideas in Bloomington IN, watch a performance at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. Performances range from music and movies to dance and theater, including internationally renowned shows such as Of Mice and Men and Mary Poppins. The theater is located just off the downtown square and situated close to many of the city’s downtown attractions, restaurants, bars, and nightclubs.

Buskirk-Chumley Theater, 114 East Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, Indiana, Phone: 812-323-3020

Bloomington Community Farmers Market

The Bloomington Community Farmers Market is a weekly market that sells a variety of farm fresh produce, handcrafted products, and other organic items produced by local farmers, artisans, and artists.

Visitors to the market can explore over 40 vendor stalls to discover a wide variety of delicious locally grown produce, including fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers, as well as dairy, charcuterie, and homemade honey, jam, jellies, and pickles. During the winter months of November and December, the market offers an array of winter produce, cheese, chocolates, coffee, and arts and crafts. The market also features live music and other entertainment.

East Lot, Bloomington Civic Plaza, 1800 W. Old Shakopee Road, Bloomington, Indiana, Phone: 952-563-8700

Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center

Founded by Thubten Jigme Norbu, brother of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center and Kumbum Chamtse Ling Temple are the oldest and largest centers of Buddhism in the United States. Established with the aim of nurturing and preserving the rich culture and heritage of Mongolia and Tibet, the center features several shrines, stupas, sculptures, and prayer wheels.

The beating heart of the center is the Kumbum Chamtse Ling Temple (meaning “Field of Compassion” in Tibetan) and residences for the monks. Visitors can enjoy guided tours through the center, which includes stops at a reception room, special shrine room, and bookstore, giving visitors a chance to learn more about the ancient culture of Buddhism along the way.

3655 Snoddy Road, Bloomington, Indiana, Phone: 812-336-6807

Wylie House Museum

Built in 1835 and owned and operated by Indiana University Libraries, the Wylie House Museum was the home of Andrew Wylie, the first president of Indiana University, and his family. Today, the historic house is a museum dedicated to displaying life at the Wylie home in the mid-19th century, and it offers guided tours to the public.

Aligning itself with the campus curriculum, the museum also provides educational programs and research opportunities for students and faculty of the University. Free guided tours are conducted every day of the week from May to November, and the Wylie House has a small gift shop where visitors can purchase heirloom seeds grown in the museum gardens.

307 E 2nd St, Bloomington, IN 47401, Phone: 812-855-8028

IndiGo Birding Nature Tours

IndiGo Birding Nature Tours offers personalized, guided birding and nature tours in south-central Indiana. Visitors can enjoy a range of tours, including birding tours, “Fall colors” photography tours, historical tours of Brown County and naturalist hikes through some of the region’s most beautiful natural landscapes.

IndiGo Birding Nature Tours also offers tailor-made trips to some of the area’s most popular attractions, including Yellowwood State Forest, Brown County State Park, Lake Monroe, and Hoosier National Forest, as well as Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area. Drinks and snacks are included on each tour, as are state-of-the-art binoculars and spotting scopes.

IndiGo Birding Nature Tours, 2432 E. Rock Creek Drive, Bloomington, Indiana, Phone: 812-679-8978

Tranquil Vibe Day Spa

Tranquil Vibe Day Spa offers a range of pampering and therapeutic treatments, massages, and facial services in an elegant and luxurious setting. Choose from a range of spa services or special spa packages, which include facial and skin treatments, body treatments, therapeutic and relaxation massages, waxing services, and restorative and healing hydrotherapy treatments.

Featuring comfortable and spacious treatment rooms with calming décor and imported linens, the spa also offers a custom-designed hydrotherapy suite, a tranquil room for pre- and post-treatment or service relaxation, and a beautiful patio overlooking a tinkling creek on which to relax in the summer.

383 S Park Ridge Rd Suite 101, Bloomington, IN 47401, Phone: 812-287-8024

Oliver Winery

Indiana University law professor William Oliver founded Oliver Winery in the 1960s, and it has been producing excellent wines ever since. One of the largest wineries in the United States, Oliver Winery aims to produce wines that capture the flavor of the high quality grapes produced by the vineyard. Some of the wines they produce include semi-dry and dry whites and reds, dessert wines, and sparkling wines.

The winery also produces Beanblossom Hard Cider, Bubblecraft, and a light wine made from honey called Camelot Mead, and it offers daily wine tasting and weekend tours of the production facility and cellar. Visitors can also enjoy gourmet picnics on the farm and purchase a variety of wine-related items and accessories from the gift shop.

200 E Winery Rd, Bloomington, IN 47404, Phone: 812-876-5800 or 800-25-TASTE

Cardinal Spirits

Cardinal Spirits is a craft distillery in Bloomington that produces a range of spirits such as high-quality whiskey, rum, gin, vodka, and specialty liqueurs. Established to “increase a connection between people,” Cardinal Spirits is a craft distillery that produces its range of spirits using locally sourced ingredients and products.

They also ferment and distill 100% of their products on site using a continuous column still. Spirits include whiskey, vodka, gin, rum, and bourbon, as well as seasonal spirits and Songbird liqueurs. Cardinal Spirits offers distillery tours, tastings, and cocktails for visitors.

922 S. Morton St., Bloomington, IN, Phone: 812-202-6789

Bub's Burgers and Ice Cream

Established in 2003, Bub's Burgers and Ice Cream has become a popular franchise in three different locations, and they are known for their All-American menu of classic burgers, fries, and ice cream. Located in Carmel, Zionsville and Bloomington (which has received numerous awards), burgers are the restaurant’s specialty. They are made from scratch with hand-ground beef patties, freshly baked buns, and crisp salads and sides. The menu also features other food favorites such as chicken sandwiches, grilled Mahi Mahi, elk burgers, and the popular Bub’s Hotdog.

480 N. Morton Street, Bloomington, IN, Phone: 812-331-2827

Butler Winery

Established in 1983 by Jim and Susie Butler, Butler Winery is the fourth oldest operating winery in Indiana. Located in the heart of the Indiana Uplands viticultural area, the winery produces wines of distinctive character according to the philosophy that wine made from locally grown grapes reflects the character of the climate, soil, and people that grow them. Butler Winery produces wine in both stainless steel and American oak barrels using a variety of grapes, including Chambourcin, Chardonel, Cabernet Franc, and Tannat.

The wine farm offers cellar tours and wine tastings on Saturdays and Sundays, and wines can be bought from the farm and in-town shop, as well as a selection of unique wine accessories and gift items.

6200 E Robinson Rd, Bloomington, IN, Phone: 812-332-6660

Lennie's Gourmet Pizza

Open seven days a week for lunch, dinner, and brunch, Lennie's Gourmet Pizza serves a range of delicious, wood-fired pizzas with gourmet toppings, as well as an array of eclectic entrées. Using only the freshest ingredients sourced from local farmers and producers, Lennie’s has menus that feature favorites such as chicken wings, meatballs, pasta, soups, salads, and, of course, pizza.

Pizzas come with gourmet toppings like blue cheese and apple or Portobello mushrooms and goat’s cheese, and all meals are accompanied by craft beer from Bloomington Brewery, one of Lennie’s Gourmet Pizza partners.

514 E Kirkwood Ave, Bloomington, IN 47408, Phone: 812-323-2112

Upland Brewpub

The Upland Brewpub is the headquarters and main tasting room of the Upland Brewing Company, a brewery that has been producing beer for over 14 years. Featuring a cozy, inviting pub-like restaurant and tasting room, Upland Brewpub will charm beer lovers and foodies alike; it is difficult not to love the vast menus of both creative and innovative beer and food. Seasonal lunch and dinner menus are served, and dishes can be paired with at least seven of the brewery’s home brews on tap, which are rotated on a seasonal basis and served in a sampler or by the glass.

The pub also boasts an excellent selection of local and international wines, as well as 6-packs, bombers, and growlers to go. Visitors can enjoy guided tours around the brewery every Saturday and Sunday to learn more about the brewing process and how the ale is made.

Upland Brewpub, 350 W. 11th Street, 4060 Profile Pkwy, Bloomington, IN, Phone: 812-336-2337

The Runcible Spoon, Bloomington, IN

The Runcible Spoon is a cozy eatery in the heart of downtown Bloomington that features a menu of hearty, home-cooked food, and freshly brewed coffee. Opened in 1976, the restaurant became famous for having the only coffee roaster in town, a tradition that continues today. This restaurant attracts both locals and visitors with their aromatic cups of coffee.

The Runcible Spoon serves a variety of dishes from homemade pancakes and freshly baked pies, to soups, salads, sandwiches and burgers, pasta, and vegetarian and seafood specialties.

The Runcible Spoon, 412 East 6th Street, Bloomington, IN, Phone: 812-334-3997

Monroe County History Center

The Monroe County History Center came about due to the efforts of a small group of local residents who wanted to ensure that future generations would be able to learn more about the early days of Monroe County. Today the center has its own building where a rotating collection of exhibits are on display. Just a few of the fascinating episodes of Monroe County History displays include Transportation Roots, the Legacy of Gayle and Bill Cook, Hoosier Quilts from Pioneer Country, Limestone History and the 1830’s Pioneer Life exhibit. If you are unable to visit the center you can admire much of the collection online.

Monroe County History Center, 202 East 6th Street, Bloomington, IN 47408, 812 332 2517