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Things to Do in Bloomington

Whether you’re new to Bloomington or a longtime resident looking for something different, this guide covers hundreds of activities, attractions, and hidden gems across Monroe County. Most are free or low-cost.

Places marked “See it on the 3D map” open in Bloomington 3D, our model of the city. Business names link to their directory listings.

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🎨 Arts & Crafts

Classes & Workshops

DIY & At-Home Crafts

  • Paper Crafts – One of the least expensive hobbies. Start with watercolor sets, glue, glitter, and scissors. YouTube tutorials provide free instruction.
  • Adult Coloring Books – Available at local bookstores and craft stores. Pair with colored pencils or alcohol markers.
  • Basket Weaving – Many materials can be foraged locally. Learn to identify plants while developing a traditional skill.
  • Diamond Painting – Affordable supplies available at Dollar Tree. Mini diamond paintings make great starter projects.

Community Art Spaces

  • Hoosier Artist Gallery – Local artist community that showcases work in progress and finished pieces.

🥾 Outdoor Activities & Trails

Tip: Download the AllTrails app for detailed trail maps, difficulty ratings, and recent user reviews.

Nature Preserves & Parks

Hikers walk along a raised grated boardwalk through a marshy wetland with tall grasses and sparse trees under a blue sky.
  • Beanblossom Bottoms Nature Preserve – Wetlands with frogs, birds, and accessible boardwalk trails. Great for bird watching.
  • Leonard Springs Nature Park – Hidden caves and steep hiking trails. More challenging terrain. See it on the 3D map
  • Cedar Bluffs Nature Preserve – Towering limestone cliffs with spectacular spring wildflowers.
  • Amy Weingartner Branigin Peninsula Preserve – Ridge trail extending into Monroe Lake. Excellent bird sanctuary.
  • Lower Cascades Park – Sheltered picnic area with creek access and playground. Family-friendly. See it on the 3D map
  • Bryan Park – Neighborhood park with pool (seasonal), tennis courts, and popular with dog walkers. See it on the 3D map
  • Karst Farm Park – County park featuring visible sinkholes and event space. See it on the 3D map

State Parks & Forests

  • McCormick’s Creek State Park – Indiana’s first state park. Multiple trail options and seasonal activities.
  • Hoosier National Forest / Charles C. Deam Wilderness – Massive wilderness area for serious hiking and backcountry camping.

Paved Trails (Accessible)

  • The B-Line Trail – Bike and pedestrian trail running through downtown Bloomington. See it on the 3D map
  • Clear Creek Trail – Quiet, paved path through woods and open fields. See it on the 3D map
  • Limestone Greenway – Follows former railroad corridor, connects to Clear Creek Trail. See it on the 3D map
  • Heritage Trail (Ellettsville) – Walking path with open skies and prairie views.

Lakes & Water Activities

  • Monroe Lake – Boating, fishing, swimming beaches. Spectacular sunsets. Multiple access points. See it on the 3D map
  • Lake Griffy – Woodsy trails, canoeing, fishing. Popular for eagle watching in winter. See it on the 3D map
  • Lake Lemon – Peaceful setting with relaxing morning views. Good for loons in migration season.
  • Fairfax Beach – Year-round destination on Lake Monroe.

Special Outdoor Experiences

  • Sculpture Trails – Outdoor art installation combining nature walks with contemporary sculpture. Learn more
  • Caving – Multiple cave systems in the area. Some require permits; others are accessible with guides.
  • Geocaching – Treasure hunting with GPS. Active community in Bloomington area.
  • Bird Watching – Lake Lemon (loons), Lake Griffy (eagles), Beanblossom Bottoms (wetland species).
  • Hot Air Balloon Rides – Scenic flights over Southern Indiana’s rolling hills.

IU Campus Green Spaces

  • Dunn Woods – Shady, peaceful walking paths at the heart of IU campus. See it on the 3D map
  • The Arboretum – Tranquil botanical haven with seasonal blooms and themed gardens. See it on the 3D map
  • IU Biology Greenhouse – Indoor rainforest, desert, and carnivorous plant collections under glass.
  • Jordan River – Small stream winding through campus. Popular study and picnic spot.

💪 Physical Activities & Sports

The Warehouse (Downtown by Switchyard)

FREE admission – One of Bloomington’s best-kept secrets for indoor activities. See it on the 3D map · Directory listing

Pickleball Equipment: The Bloomington Pickleball Club is Selkirk-sponsored and has paddles available to borrow. Contact Will Bain or Matthew Slatkin. Bloomington Pickleball Club | The Warehouse Pickleball

Other Physical Activities

  • Roller Skating – Affordable monthly pass available. Three adult open skate sessions weekly, plus “Boogie & Burn” workout session. Saturday all-ages lessons available.
  • Kokoro Karate – $60/month. Visit website
  • Tennis – Public courts at Bryan Park and other city parks. See it on the 3D map
  • Frank Southern Ice Arena – Ice skating and hockey. See it on the 3D map
  • Fitness Centers – Multiple gyms available starting at $20/month.
  • Rock Climbing – Indoor facilities available year-round.

🖼️ Museums & Galleries

Art Museums

Science & Natural History

  • WonderLab Science Museum – Interactive science and technology exhibits for all ages. Hands-on learning experiences. See it on the 3D map
  • Glenn Black Laboratory of Archaeology – Working research lab with geology and archaeology displays. See real scientists at work. See it on the 3D map
  • Indiana Geological Survey – Research facility focused on Indiana’s unique geology and limestone industry heritage. See it on the 3D map

Cultural & Historical Museums

  • Mathers Museum of World Cultures – Global artifacts with hands-on exhibits. Excellent for families. See it on the 3D map
  • Monroe County History Center – Local history housed in the historic Carnegie Library building. See it on the 3D map
  • Lilly Library – Rare books collection including a Gutenberg Bible, first-edition Shakespeare folios, and more. Free admission. See it on the 3D map
  • Wylie House Museum – Historic home with heirloom gardens. Period furnishings and local history. See it on the 3D map
  • IU Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology – Collections from around the world with rotating exhibits.

Specialized Collections

  • Kinsey Institute – Research archives for sex, gender, and reproduction studies. Gallery exhibitions open to public.
  • IU Office of University Archives – Preserves IU’s extensive history. Research facilities available. See it on the 3D map

Money-Saving Tip: Many museums offer free admission days. Check individual websites or ask at the Monroe County Public Library for the current schedule.

🎭 Performance & Theater

Community Theater

IU Performances

Music Venues

Volunteer Opportunity: Usher at Buskirk-Chumley or other theaters to see shows free while supporting the arts.

📚 Libraries & Books

Monroe County Public Library

Free programs for adults including cooking classes, crafting, board games, gardening workshops, book clubs, movie screenings, and game nights. See it on the 3D map · Directory listing

Independent Bookstores

Specialty Libraries

  • Lilly Library (IU) – Rare books including Gutenberg Bible. Free admission to view exhibitions. See it on the 3D map
  • IU Libraries – Main library and subject-specific branches. Some areas open to public. See it on the 3D map

🎲 Gaming & Hobbies

Tabletop Gaming

  • Common Room – Role-playing games including Dungeons & Dragons, Call of Cthulhu, and Warhammer. Buy a few dice and play for decades. Welcoming community for new players. See it on the 3D map
  • Board Game Nights – Check Monroe County Public Library calendar for free board game events. See it on the 3D map

Comics & Collectibles

At-Home Activities

  • Jigsaw Puzzles – Available at local stores or check out from library. Recommend 300-500 piece puzzles for manageable challenge.
  • Video Games – Solo or cooperative play.
  • Lock Picking – Inexpensive hobby that develops problem-solving skills. Has come in handy for locked-out residents!

🍽️ Food & Dining

For complete restaurant listings, visit our Bloomington Food & Drink page.

Breakfast & Cafés

Pizza

International Cuisine

Local Favorites

Breweries & Wineries

Farmers Market & Co-ops

🛒 Markets & Shopping

International Markets

Specialty Food Shops

Vintage & Antiques

Gifts & Local Artisans

Books, Music & Comics

🎓 IU Campus Resources

Indiana University Bloomington is part of the town: its campus is open to walk, and its student paper, radio and cultural centers serve the whole community.

Campus landmarks

  • Sample Gates – the entrance at the end of Kirkwood Avenue, built in 1987 as a gift of Edson Sample in honor of his parents. See it on the 3D map
  • Old Crescent and Dunn’s Woods – the nine oldest campus buildings, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. See it on the 3D map
  • Rose Well House – an eight-sided limestone pavilion from 1908, home of the midnight-kiss tradition. See it on the 3D map
  • Showalter Fountain – Robert Laurent’s “Birth of Venus” on the Fine Arts Plaza, 1961. See it on the 3D map
  • Lilly Library – opened in 1960; its collections include a New Testament volume of a Gutenberg Bible and a Shakespeare First Folio. See it on the 3D map
  • Dunn Meadow – IU’s gathering ground for free expression since 1969. See it on the 3D map
  • Bill Armstrong Stadium – where the Little 500 bicycle race has been run since 1981 (the first race was in 1951). See it on the 3D map

Campus resources in the directory

🎉 Community Events

Concerts, festivals, markets and meetings are collected on the BloomingtonOnline events calendar. Hosting something? Submit your event and it can appear there.

Yearly traditions

  • Canopy of Lights – the courthouse square is lit up the Friday after Thanksgiving. See it on the 3D map
  • Little 500 – IU’s famous bicycle race, first run in 1951. See it on the 3D map
  • Lotus World Music & Arts Festival – held downtown in early fall.

Looking for something to eat or drink? See this week’s food and drink specials.

🤝 Volunteer Opportunities

A good first stop is the City of Bloomington’s volunteer program, which connects people with local organizations that need help.

Start here

Food pantries and food banks

Community, nature and animals

💡 Special Interest Groups

Clubs, societies and groups that welcome new members.

Arts and making

Community and causes

🐾 Family & Animal Activities

Ideas for kids, families and animal lovers. For more, see Outdoor Activities & Trails and the museums above.

With the kids

Animals and nature

🏛️ Local Lore & Landmarks

A few stories and places that make Bloomington Bloomington.

Downtown

  • Monroe County Courthouse – a Beaux Arts building from 1907–08, the county’s third courthouse (the first was log, in 1818). A gilded copper fish weathervane, saved from the 1826 courthouse, sits on top. See it on the 3D map
  • Buskirk-Chumley Theater – opened December 11, 1922, as the Indiana Theater; it showed movies until 1995, and its marquee still reads “Indiana.” See it on the 3D map
  • People’s Park – grew from the lot left after the Black Market store was firebombed on December 26, 1968; it received a state historical marker in 2020. See it on the 3D map
  • Lower Cascades Park – Bloomington’s first city park, dedicated in 1924. See it on the 3D map

Limestone and the movies

  • Indiana limestone is Salem Limestone, quarried mainly between Bloomington and Bedford. The quarries are private, so visiting one without permission is trespassing.
  • The film Breaking Away (1979) was shot around Bloomington in the summer of 1978. “Cutters,” in the film, are stonecutters. Writer Steve Tesich won an Oscar for the screenplay.

Resting places and worlds apart

  • Rose Hill Cemetery – the burial place of Hoagy Carmichael (1899–1981), born in Bloomington, and of Andrew Wylie, IU’s first president. See it on the 3D map
  • Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center – founded in 1979 by Thubten Jigme Norbu, the Dalai Lama’s elder brother and an IU professor. See it on the 3D map

Old buildings

Guided tours on the 3D map

  • A first look: Eleven stops, from the Courthouse Square out to Lake Monroe and the quarries.
  • Limestone town: From the quarry country into town: the courthouse, the Sample Gates, the Old Crescent and Elm Heights.
  • IU campus walk: Through the Sample Gates and the Old Crescent, past Dunn Meadow, to the fountain, the museums and the halls.
  • IU’s campus tour: IU’s own admissions tour: from the Sample Gates through the Old Crescent and Dunn Meadow to the arboretum, the library, the arts, Memorial Stadium and Assembly Hall.
  • IU arts walk: IU’s own 30-minute arts route: the museum and its sculptures, the fountain, the auditorium, the cinema and Calder’s stabile at the Musical Arts Center.
  • IU’s self-guided walk: The route IU gives campus visitors: the Union, the museum, the arboretum, the library, Ballantine, the Well House and out through the Sample Gates.
  • Townie bars: The bars from our townie bars guide: downtown first, then out to the neighborhood bars.
  • Pickleball courts: Public places to play, west to east: the county and city courts, indoor open play, campus and the east side.
  • International markets: Latin, Asian, Indian, Afghan, Mediterranean and Italian food shops: from North College Avenue through downtown, south on Walnut, then out the east side.
  • Today’s specials: Every business with a food or drink special today, one after another.

Or explore the whole map.

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