If your idea of a great trip includes captivating scenery, nightlife, culture, sports, and maybe a good coffee shop, consider heading to a college or university town for your next jaunt. One of the best is Bloomington, Indiana, home to Indiana University (IU). It’s a vibrant college town filled with attractions among the brick sidewalks and romantic old buildings.
Erin Erdmann White, Director of Leisure Marketing and Media at Visit Bloomington touted the area for RV travelers for numerous reasons - for visiting the IU campus, for the town being a destination unto itself, and for the area’s fine outdoor recreation.
The campus itself is amazingly picturesque. Local limestone has been quarried in the area since the 19th-century, evident in the beautiful stone buildings on campus. Ms. White said, “Make your way to the Sample Gates, the ceremonial entrance to Indiana University’s campus. Once you pass through the gates, give yourself plenty of time to explore the Old Crescent area - some of the buildings are approaching 200 years old.” The tree-lined campus is always charming but fall and spring are particularly stunning times to visit.
IU is a major university, with big-school amenities including dozens of museums and cultural venues. There are always plenty of free activities, including more than 1,000 free musical events on campus each year. If you’re a sports fan, IU is part of the “Big 10.” Hoosier traditions run deep, so consider timing your visit to catch a football or basketball game and enjoy the buzz.
Off-campus, Bloomington’s walkable downtown is rich in its own history, filled with authentic dining options, craft spirits, and eccentric little shops selling merchandise hard to find elsewhere. While all of it is aimed at the student body, it’s available to anyone visiting the town.
Bloomington has some amazing shopping opportunities. Historic Fountain Square is home to 18 one-of-a-kind boutique stores. Within two blocks are a dozen more eclectic shops to keep you busy. Ms. White mentioned that on Saturdays, “Bloomington is home to the best and largest farmers’ market in the state.”
The city and surrounding provide excellent antiquing, with several large antique malls to explore. About 30-minutes east on Interstate 65 is the Exit 76 Antique Mall; with more than 600 vendors, it’s one of the largest in the Midwest. Their sister facility, the Bloomington Antique Mall located right in town. Ms. White noted, “It’s housed in an old grain building off the B-Line walking biking trail in downtown Bloomington.” Three other antique stores are short walks from there, with others just a short car drive in town.
Bloomington, IN downtown streets at sunset [Photo/Visit Bloomington]
If you want to experience campus dining traditions start with the Village Deli, serving pancakes as big as your head. Mother Bear’s Pizza has served the campus community for over 45 years and a great place for a lunchtime bite. Then, there’s Nicks’ English Hut, which has been serving the community for over 80 years and is a great spot for experiencing the college vibe, particularly at game time; Ms. White said, “Nick’s proximity to campus helps drive its popularity. It’s one of Bloomington’s oldest restaurants, founded in 1927,” adding, “Just a couple storefronts away is Café Pizzeria.” They were the restaurant that brought pizza to Bloomington in 1953.”
Ms. White went on to describe that, “Downtown’s Fourth Street is affectionately referred to as International Restaurant Row and is home to more than a dozen ethnic restaurants most of which were private residences at one point.” A block from the courthouse on Kirkwood Avenue is the Irish Lion, an Irish-American pub housed in a restored historic 1882 tavern. Their bar offers 230+ Irish Whiskies, Scotches, and American Bourbons. Restaurant management notes, “Single malt Scotches are very popular here.”
From award-winning wines to locally-made ales, Bloomington has an amazing array of craft spirits to try. Upland Brewery’s 12 taps pour everything from lagers to traditional ales and even wood-aged sour ales. Their Kiwi Lambic was listed as one of the seven influential sour beers by USA Today. Their brew pubs are family and pet-friendly and offer a menu featuring Indiana-sourced ingredients.
For digital nomads and those working while traveling, there’s Switchyard Brewing Company that starts each day at 8:00 AM as a co-working space offering their own coffee and teas along with Wi-Fi and plenty of space to plant a laptop. Later, enjoy any of their 14 rotating micro-brews or choose from a selection of ciders and wines.
Oliver Winery started as an Indiana University professor’s hobby in the 1960s. Today, it’s one of Indiana’s best-known wine brands ranked among Wine Business Monthly’s top 50 wineries in the U.S. and Travel + Leisure's top 25 wineries to visit in the U.S. Their fruit-forward wines range from Midwest-style sweets to award-winning dry reds. Ms. White pointed out, “Oliver produces more than 20 million glasses of wine annually.” The winery’s location is just north of the city limits on Interstate 69. Tours are available daily.
While Bloomington is a modest-sized city with plenty to do, it’s also far enough from major urban centers to offer plenty of access to outdoor recreation.
Brown County State Park - With 15,696 acres, Brown County State Park is Indiana’s largest state park. It first opened in 1929; then, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) expanded the park starting in 1934. Today, there are more than 18 miles of hiking trails ranging from easy to rugged, 70 miles of bridle trails, fishing (and ice fishing) on two lakes, and an Olympic-size pool facility.
Hoosier National Forest - About 45 minutes from downtown Bloomington, this 203,000-acre national forest spans nine counties. The 260 miles of trails take hikers along canyons, seasonal waterfalls, sandstone formations, and rock shelters. Additionally, equestrian trails serve five horse camps.
For those with an interest, there’s an 88-acre old-growth forest and a prehistoric archaeological site. There are opportunities for seasonal float trips through the forest on two area rivers. And 8,800 Patoka Lake makes the forest popular with boaters and anglers. Several sand beaches are available for swimming.
Back adjacent to Bloomington, three are lakes provide local water recreation. The largest, Lake Monroe encompasses 10,750 acres and offers boating, swimming, and fishing. Lake Lemon is 1,650 acres, also offering boating, fishing, and swimming. Smaller Griffy Lake, just 109 acres, offers fishing and non-motorized boating only.
Because of the proximity to Brown County State Park and the Hoosier National Forest, RV camping options near Bloomington are plentiful. Ms. White acknowledged, “Several different RV options exist in and around Monroe Lake, Indiana’s largest inland lake and the Hoosier National Forest.”
Those at the Hoosier National Forest alone total 300 RV spaces spread across three camping areas. In full, better than a half-dozen facilities within 20 miles of campus, collectively represent over 1,400 spaces, so there are plenty of options, and you’ll be in good company should you make Indiana University part of your travel plans.
Features, Indiana, Outdoors, Parks & Recreation, RV Lifestyle