Location: Bloomington
Top Things to do in Bloomington
Top Restaurants in Bloomington
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The 10 Best Things to do Good for Kids in Bloomington, Indiana (IN)
Don't let Bloomington's modest size fool you; this Midwestern city offers as much sophistication as it does all-American charm. At Indiana University you will find cutting edge theatrical performances, museums and sports. Check out 4th Street's Restaurant Row for fine international dining. Head downtown for galleries, theaters and fun spots for the kids. Year round festivals will keep you entertained in any season.
Restaurants in Bloomington
1. Indiana University
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 639 reviews
Center of many activities in Bloomington - arts, music, sports and events.
Reviewed By BillWaconia
My wife and I attended IU from 79-83. Our 23 year old son graduates from IU in 5 weeks. First, it's a top notch school with nice, clean kids and a beautiful campus. We have visited our son frequently the past few years. If you want to visit IU here are some of our favorite ideas... 1 Park at the square in downtown Bloomington, walk down Kirkwood to feel the youthful energy, enter the campus, stop in the Union to check out the art and the book store, and continue along the Jordan River to the far side of campus. Take an uber back to your car. 2 Time your trip to coincide with an Opera. Best opera school anywhere and great performances of popular and not popular operas. 3 Eat breakfast at The Runcible Spoon one day even if there is a line, the next day eat breakfast at The Uptown Cafe order two cornmeal pancakes. 4 avoid he campus on busy game days.
2. Monroe Lake
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 177 reviews
Monroe Lake is part of the Indiana State Parks system. It covers 23,952-acres, including a 10,750-acre lake (the largest in Indiana and known for bass fishing) with both open and no-wake areas. The property includes 9 State Recreation Areas (Paynetown, Fairfax, Cutright, Moore's Creek, Salt Creek, Pinegrove, Allen's Creek, Crooked Creek, and Cartop) and 3 Wildlife Resting Areas (Stillwater-Northfork, Middlefork, and Southfork). Facilities vary at each location. The two most-developed sites are Paynetown SRA (campground, swimming beach, marina, general store, activity center, and other amenities) and Fairfax SRA (hotel resort, restaurants, marina, swimming beach, and other amenities). There is a seasonal entrance fee to enter Paynetown and Fairfax ($5/vehicle for Indiana residents, $7/vehicle for out-of-state residents). Refer to our website or call the Property Office for specifics about amenities available at each of the 9 SRAs. Hunting is allowed in all non-developed areas of the property, with special restrictions in the Wildlife Resting Areas. Call the Property Office for information about hunter access.
Reviewed By IslanderOnTheRoad - Bloomington, United States
There are two main parts, Paynetown and Fairfax. Both are very similar with a beach and boat rental. Fairfax has the hotel and restaurant, Paynetown has the campground. Both have walking trails and open areas to sit and watch the water
3. Buskirk-Chumley Theater
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 76 reviews
The Buskirk-Chumley Theater is owned by the City of Bloomington and operated by BCT Management, Inc., a private non-profit organization. The mission of BCT Management, Inc. is to develop the Buskirk-Chumley Theater as a high quality and widely accessible community resource and performance venue, operated in a fiscally responsible manner. Support from the City of Bloomington, Indiana University, the Indiana Arts Commission, our many corporate sponsors and community donors helps maintain this historic community resource and bring a wide diversity of programming to the stage each year. Sign up for our newsletter to keep up to date on all BCT events: https://bctboxoffice.org/newsletter/ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! @buskirkchumley
Reviewed By bornthatway_traveler - Bloomington, United States
I’ve been to the Buskirk-Chumley Theater hundreds of times in my life in Bloomington, so nothing new has compelled me to write a review, other than my wish to show readers my praise! Thanks to Cardinal Stage, Btown’s renowned professional theater group, performances of first-rate quality can be seen here. Southern Indiana can truly be represented on the map for all the shows here. Specifically last afternoon, my family and I went to the matinée for Cardinal’s holiday show, Newsies. Just like every time, the musical was incredible. The Buskirk-Chumley’s historic ambiance, excellent sound quality, and amenities add a lot to even the most standard performance. Of course, no show is ever “standard”—I just had to demonstrate the remarkable splendor of the theater! As a longtime resident, I am continually grateful for the Buskirk-Chumley Theater as an amazing resource for performing arts (*of all kinds*) in Bloomington. Be it a musical or a symphony or a comedy, checking it out is always worthwhile. So highly recommended to see a Cardinal Stage production or any event you can when you’re in town!
4. WonderLab
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 232 reviews
The WonderLab Museum of Science, Health & Technology is an award-winning science museum and popular destination for family fun! The museum offers two floors of exciting hands-on experiences for visitors of all ages! These include a two-story grapevine climbing maze, close encounters with live animals, the Bubble-Airium, and a special area with science adventures for very young children. WonderLab is an accessible facility. Amenities include a gift store, vending/snack area, and outdoor garden. WonderLab is located on the B-Line Trail in the heart of the Bloomington entertainment and arts district (BEAD). See WonderLab’s website for special programs and events, discount admission opportunities, special exhibitions, private party rentals, high visitation alerts, and more.
Reviewed By cmeyer634 - Bloomington, United States
WonderLab is supposed to be for kids but I like to explore with them. The big aquarium is amazing. My grand daughter is just 2 but she loves to look at the animals, play with the water and bubbles, and make things work. There is a special toddler area for the little ones to experiment, with places to climb and crawl, things to throw and roll, puppets, and water tables. There is no way to list all of the things to do, so many trips are required. The store has a wide variety of interesting items that would make great gifts.
5. Bloomington Community Farmers Market
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 94 reviews
Reviewed By 442shelleyj - Bloomington, United States
This is a great way to spend your Saturday morning, whether you are a local or a visitor. Lots of fresh produce, veggies, honey, meat products and more. Usually always something unique going on at City Hall at same time (wellness fairs, chili cook-offs, craft fairs, etc.). Tons of options for breakfast - coffee, pastries, fresh bread. Great place for all ages.
6. Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 72 reviews
Reviewed By rimjhim1 - Crofton, United States
This was our second visit and we were pleasantly surprised by one of the guides who greeted us and gave us a wonderful explanation of the significance of the place built by the Dalai Lama’s brother who used to be a faculty member at Indiana University. She went through each picture and shared the inner meaning and story depicted in the work of art. I recommended she share her narrative on YouTube. Must visit.
7. Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 152 reviews
Reviewed By LRead44 - Houston, United States
Assembly Hall is a great place to see a basketball game. If you can afford it, splurge on lower level seats. The upper level is very steep and if you have trouble with stairs like me....it was scary.. GREAT FANS too. Their student section is CRAZY.
8. Fairfax State Recreation Area (Monroe Lake)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 40 reviews
Fairfax State Recreation Area is one of 9 state recreation areas located on Monroe Lake (Bloomington, IN) and managed by Indiana State Parks. Fairfax features a large swimming beach (open seasonally), a hiking trail, 3 picnic shelters, 2 boat ramps, and plenty of opportunities for hunting and fishing. It's also home to the Fourwinds Resort and Marina, which is a privately owned and operated business that leases space at Fairfax SRA. Fourwinds has a hotel, 2 restaurants, marina, boat rental, swimming pool, private beach, and other activities/amenities for resort guests. The restaurants and boat rental are available to the general public. As they are a private business, reviews and comments specific to the Fourwinds Resort and Marina should be posted on their separate TripAdvisor page.
Reviewed By lornaf768 - Coatesville, United States
Love the park, it has great senic views! The park had some activities going on this week with archery!!! Fourwinds hosted some groups at it Inn. It was a very busy and hoping park. Love it there!!
9. Indiana Memorial Stadium
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 86 reviews
Reviewed By 364ansleyv - Wooster, United States
The Indiana University Memorial Stadium is a real experience. The recent renovations and additions to the facility make it one of the best college football stadiums I have seen. Also, the digital displays and interactive camera work are a wonderful augmentation to any home football game. Even if you are not that into football, you can still have a wonderful fall experience. Tailgating is a big deal in the lots and fields around the stadium, but be sure to save some room for snacks during the game.
10. Monroe County Courthouse
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 32 reviews
Reviewed By interceptpubs - Columbus, United States
Had a few minutes to spare so took a look around Monroe County's courthouse on the square in Bloomington. Designed in the style of the public buildings of the Chicago and St. Louis World's Fairs at the turn of the 20th century, this interesting structure features a nice sculpture by Albert Molnar by the front entrance and several murals in the interior by Gustave Brand. The building itself is naturally clad in Indiana limestone for which the area around Bloomington is, of course, well known. This is actually the third county courthouse built on this site - the first, basically a log cabin, dating back to the county's founding, with the present structure dating back to 1908. If you look closely at the top of the dome, there's a fish-shaped weather vane which previously sat atop the second courthouse. The interior of the dome is quite striking with extensive backlit stained glass panels. After view it from the ground floor, be sure to go up to the balconies on the second and third levels. In addition to the closer views of the domes interior and the various murals, there are some interesting architectural details such as the large faux marble finished columns. Also along the walls on the second and third floors are several large format photos from 19th and early 20th century Monroe County, including area soldiers preparing to depart for the Spanish-American and First World Wars. Outside, there are good size monuments honoring Civil War and Second World War soldiers, the latter from the studio of Owen County sculptor E. M. Visquesney. The latter is in stone or cast concrete and is different than his more common "Spirit of the American Doughboy" honoring First World War soldiers seen at other courthouses around Indiana and beyond.
