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Things to Do in Bloomington, Indiana

December 1, 2015 By Nedra McDaniel 3 Comments

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Bloomington Indiana

So what does Bloomington, Indiana have to offer?

I discovered that Bloomington offers more than I expected. Of course, there is a lot of activity surrounded around the University of Indiana, but I think that only enhances your experience.

Oliver Winery

Scenic Wine Tasting

During my visit to Bloomington, I visited Oliver Winery the first evening. The grounds are absolutely gorgeous! I can see why this is a popular location for special events.

Oliver Winery 5

The wine selection is also wonderful which gives plenty of options for every pallet. What started as a hobby for a former Indiana law professor in the 1960’s has grown into one of the largest wineries in the eastern United States.

Oliver Winery 6

Oliver Winery 8

 

Downtown Bloomington

Downtown Bloomington

The following day our group discovered downtown.

Micheal's Uptown Cafe

We started our downtown tour with lunch at Uptown Cafe. Uptown Cafe has been a local favorite since it opened in 1976. The owner, Michael Cassidy fell in love with Louisiana style cooking and the menu and atmosphere reflect his love of New Orleans.

Micheal's Uptown Cafe meal

I opted for the Cajun Meatloaf that’s an Uptown Classic. (Char-grilled and served on a toasted brioche bun with lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise.)

Monroe Courthouse 4

Gorgeous Architecture

After lunch, we walked to the Monroe County Courthouse, Pictura Gallery, and Bloomington Antique Mall. There are lots of unique shops on Morton Street that are worth checking out. If you love vintage items, you might want to allow more time to spend inside the Antique Mall. If you love architecture, you will really enjoy the detail of the courthouse.

Monroe County Courthouse

Monroe County Courthouse 2

Monroe County Courthouse 3

art museum

Anitque shop

Bloomington Antique Mall

After our walking tour I wandered solo for hours downtown discovering the Indiana University at my own pace. I didn’t use a map so I relied on random strangers to point me in the direction of interesting things. The campus of Indiana University is really beautiful.   The free art museum on campus was definitely an additional SCORE!

An afternoon at Indiana University. #visitbtown #tmsbloomington #indianauniversity

A video posted by adventuremom (@adventuremom) on Aug 12, 2015 at 2:15pm PDT

I also loved this sculpture.

Brain Sculpture

For dinner, we ate at a farm to table restaurant downtown called FARMbloomington.  This restaurant has a very eclectic atmosphere and takes pride in creating “crowd-pleasing recipes for every budget and taste using local foods with global flavors.”

FARM Bloomington 2 e1530050499318   FARM Bloomington 3

After our meal, we watched the performing arts group “Hudsucker Posse” outside in the back parking lot.

Hudsucker Posse

FARMbloomington also had another eclectic gem in the lower level called The Root Cellar Lounge. This speakeasy style bar has little seating nooks that create a cozy atmosphere for enjoying a drink.

The “Root Cellar” bar beneath Farm Bloomington is an eclectic speakeasy with several unique seating areas. #visitbtown #tmsbloomington A video posted by adventuremom (@adventuremom) on Aug 12, 2015 at 7:56pm PDT

the chocolate moose e1530050117986

Sweet Treat

The following day I had to try a Pineapple Dole Whip from the Chocolate Moose which is a beloved local favorite place to get a sweet treat.

Courtyard by Marriott Bloomington

Where I Stayed

All of the locations that I mentioned above were walkable from our stay at the Courtyard by Marriott in downtown Bloomington.  The hotel is also right next to the Monroe County Convention Center.

Courtyard by Marriott courtyard

Courtyard by Marriott Room

I really enjoyed discovering Bloomington for the 1st time during my visit. You can find even more things to do in Bloomington from their website.

Downtown Bloomington Indiana

Thanks to Visit Bloomington and TMS for hosting my visit. 

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Filed Under: Adventures, Adventures With Friends, Art, Featured, Food Adventures, Restaurants, Solo Adventures, Travel Tagged With: antique mall, Bloomington, courthouse, Indiana, TMS, Travel Media Showcase, University of Indiana, Uptown Cafe

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. My Gym Family

    March 10, 2018 at 3:08 am

    It’s a beautiful winery with a lovely setting great place to go for an afternoon with friends or family.

  2. Nedra McDaniel

    July 28, 2016 at 11:29 pm

    Thanks for catching that. I fixed it.

  3. Sarah

    July 27, 2016 at 8:55 pm

    It’s Indiana University (IU) not University of Indiana 🙂

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