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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.
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.
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