What to do and see in Bloomington, Indiana (IN): The Best Things to do Good for a Rainy Day

March 14, 2022 Tonie Szymanski

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. IU Opera and Ballet Theater

101 N Jordan Ave, Bloomington, IN 47406-1101 http://music.indiana.edu/operaballet
Excellent
93%
Good
7%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 15 reviews

IU Opera and Ballet Theater

Reviewed By BillWaconia

So how many universities have a world class opera house? Not sure, but this is one of them. We have been attending operas here since we attended IU in the 70s, and attend any time we can. Here is the difference - easy to get reasonably priced tickets with great seats, a relaxed crowd, and student performers that put more emotion into their roles than you set at the Met, NYC, Or Santa Fe. This past week we took opera novice IU students to see Suor Angelica and Gianni Schichi and they loved it. So did we. Don’t miss this place.

2. Westbury Antique Market

3106 N Canterbury Ct, Bloomington, IN 47404-1500 +1 812-333-7601 [email protected] http://westburyantiquemarket.com
Excellent
92%
Good
8%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 12 reviews

Westbury Antique Market

Vintage Goods, Re-purposed Items, Antiques, Arts & Collectibles. A varied assortment of merchandise, in a clean well lit environment. HOURS: Monday-Saturday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm Sunday 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm

3. That's the Rub Massage Therapy Center & Body Boutique

205 N College Ave Suite 130, Bloomington, IN 47404-3950 +1 812-333-3393 [email protected] http://www.thatstherub.com
Excellent
92%
Good
4%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
4%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 25 reviews

That's the Rub Massage Therapy Center & Body Boutique

Founded in 2009. That's the Rub Massage Therapy Center & Body Boutique is Bloomington, Indiana's destination for Results-Oriented Massage Therapy (tm). Whether you need medical or therapeutic massage, deep tissue massage, sports massage, or just to relax and unwind with our spectacular spa treatments, That's the Rub has the right massage for you. In September 2014, That's the Rub expanded once again (our 4th time in 4.5 years!) opened The Body Boutique, a specialty store attached to The Massage Center featuring body care, skincare, local art, and quite a bit of whimsy! in 2016, That's the Rub was delighted to work with Ivy Tech Bloomington to develop a new Massage Therapy program to train the next generation of massage therapists. In 2018, That's the Rub once more expanded, adding on a 7th treatment room, and a large class space for both professional massage training for therapists in the region, group classes and education for the public, community workshop space.

Reviewed By hawkhome - Fortville, United States

Both my daughter and I had outstanding experiences---she had a facial and I had a deep tissue massage. We are picky and both were great!

4. Enigma Puzzle House

2660 E 2nd St, Bloomington, IN 47401-5371 +1 812-217-8761 [email protected] http://enigmapuzzlehouse.com
Excellent
100%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 13 reviews

Enigma Puzzle House

Enigma is Bloomington, Indiana's first Escape Room business. We offer a variety of room themes and cater to groups from 2 to as many as 14 people (in our larger rooms). We offer special options and pricing for special occasions, team building, birthdays, etc.

5. Cardinal Spirits Distillery & Restaurant

922 S Morton St, Bloomington, IN 47403-2566 +1 812-202-6789 [email protected] http://cardinalspirits.com/
Excellent
86%
Good
11%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 93 reviews

Cardinal Spirits Distillery & Restaurant

WARM & INVITING TASTING ROOM BAR Our tasting room restaurant & cocktail bar overlooking the B-Line trail is one of the nicest spots in town to enjoy dinner and a drink. The atmosphere is low-key, with a nice mix of young and old, townies and tourists, professors and students. Order a flight, like you might do at a brewery or winery; sip cocktails made with spirits that are distilled on-site; order dinner and desserts from our chef-driven menu DELICIOUS & CREATIVE CRAFT COCKTAILS We’re very lucky to employ some of the most talented and creative bartenders in Indiana. Our drinks are delicious and the details are spot-on. We use all house-made spirits, syrups, tinctures, and freshly squeezed juices, and our menu changes every two months to reflect local and seasonal flavors. Enjoy classic cocktails as well as original creations from our bartenders. UNIQUE DISTILLERY TOUR & EXPERIENCE We are proud to distill some of the best spirits in the country, right here in Bloomington. Our vodka and coffee liqueur have both won gold medals in national spirit competitions. Our whiskey, rum, gin, and other spirits are pretty delicious too. We combine age-old distilling techniques with modern technology, and are more than happy to walk you through the entire process from local grains, fruit, and botanicals to your glass.Tours start at only $10 and you can book online.

Reviewed By jd502016 - Bloomington, United States

We had drinks and Sunday Brunch on their outside deck. Th brunch drink menu is primarily juice or coffee flavored combinations and they are perfect for an alcoholic drink at 10:30 on Sunday morning. The brunch food items are bigger than you might expect and they were very well done and tasty. The service is always excellent. If you are visiting soon you may still be able to pick up a bottle of their Octoberfest Whiskey.

6. Switchyard Brewing Company

419 N Walnut St, Bloomington, IN 47404-3842 +1 812-287-8295 [email protected] http://www.switchyardbrewing.com
Excellent
93%
Good
5%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 40 reviews

Switchyard Brewing Company

Born as a garage startup, our all ages, family-friendly brewery taproom is located in beautiful downtown Bloomington. Passionate about our craft, we work and play by our guiding principles to redefine the brewery experience and positively impact our community. Featuring local ciders, a seasonally rotating wine list and, launching late July 2020 - King Dough Slice Shop - 20" NY style pies & individual slices and flavorful appetizers! Effective June 2020 our facility is no longer dog friendly. The patio remains dog-friendly.

Reviewed By katiev_btown - Bloomington, United States

My wife and I had said for years Bloomington needed a casual, family friendly brewery and we finally got it with Switchyard. Great place to meet up and hang out with friends. Can’t wait for king dough pizza to be there soon too!

7. Buskirk-Chumley Theater

114 E Kirkwood Ave, Bloomington, IN 47408-3330 +1 812-323-3020 http://www.buskirkchumley.org/
Excellent
67%
Good
25%
Satisfactory
7%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 76 reviews

Buskirk-Chumley Theater

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!

8. Wine and Canvas

135 N Gates Dr, Bloomington, IN 47404-4895 +1 812-345-1019 [email protected] http://www.wineandcanvas.com
Excellent
89%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
11%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 9 reviews

Wine and Canvas

9. Butler Winery

6200 E Robinson Rd, Bloomington, IN 47408-9380 +1 812-332-6660 [email protected] http://www.butlerwinery.com/
Excellent
65%
Good
26%
Satisfactory
7%
Poor
0%
Terrible
2%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 46 reviews

Butler Winery

Reviewed By JackieRR_12 - Nashville, United States

My husband and I visited Butler Winery on Sat, February 16 for Chocolate Lovers Weekend AND it was our 6th Anniversary. Our assistant who poured our wine had excellent knowledge of the wines we chose to taste. For $5 p/p we could taste 8 wines and towards the end of the tasting, it was suggested which wines paired well with the chocolate offerings the winery had. All 3 chocolate offerings were delightful! After sitting at the tables to rest a few minutes, we decided to buy a white wine. Once we purchased our wine we headed outside. It was a beautiful sunny day and we walked around to the vineyard and took a selfie. If you ever want to be in a rural setting where it is quiet and relaxing, Butler Winery in a cool place to visit,

10. Eskenazi Museum of Art at Indiana University

1133 E 7th St, Bloomington, IN 47405-7509 +1 812-855-5445 [email protected] http://artmuseum.indiana.edu/
Excellent
61%
Good
28%
Satisfactory
8%
Poor
2%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 109 reviews

Eskenazi Museum of Art at Indiana University

Since its establishment in 1941, the Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art at Indiana University, has grown from a small university teaching collection into one of the foremost university art museums in the country. Today, the Eskenazi Museum of Art's internationally acclaimed collection, ranging from ancient gold jewelry and African masks to paintings by Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso, includes over 45,000 objects representing nearly every art-producing culture throughout history.

Reviewed By luv4phood - Marietta, United States

What a treasure! A lovely on campus museum with an impressive collection and it is free. There are seven galleries with a range of art including work by well known artists like Monet and Pollock.

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