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Indiana University Bloomington

About Bloomington

Bloomington is a modern, thriving city of about 69,000 which has earned the reputation of being culturally rich, ethnically diverse, economically strong and physically charming.

Dining

The community offers an unusual and unusually broad array of ethnic restaurants – Moroccan, Indian, Japanese, Italian, Korean and Tibetan – all within easy walking distance of campus, most of which are moderately priced.  Several restaurants feature locally produced meats and produce.

Galleries

Centered around the Courthouse in downtown Bloomington, a short walk from campus, you will find a number of small galleries featuring the work of many local artists and artisans. 

Music and Night Life

Like the campus itself, the community of Bloomington is alive with music.  Local pubs, restaurants and night clubs are filled with music from bluegrass to jazz to country to hip-hop and rock.  The music scene in Bloomington is lively, diverse and rich.

The Surrounding Area:  Places of local interest…..a sampling

Caves – Quarries-Fossils-Limestone.  Outside of Bloomington, you will find that southern Indiana is a hilly area that was never glaciated by ice sheets – unlike the flatlands of northern Indiana.  Long subjected to erosion, it is an area of sharp ridge, deep gorges and scenic waterfalls.  There are also numerous caves and sinkhole, which have been formed in places where water action has dissolved the underlying limestone of the plateau.  It is a region studded with geological wonders of karsts and caves, fossils, rock formations and limestone quarries.

Woods and Lakes 

Within 15 miles of downtown Bloomington lies Monroe Lake, the largest man-made lake/reservoir in Indiana where opportunities to rent a boat, take a swim or have a picnic reside.  The Charles Deem Wilderness and Brown County State Park, both about 20 miles from Bloomington, are havens for hikers and horseback riders with trails running through a canopy of the maples, oaks, sycamore, beech and walnut hardwoods.

Wineries

Seven miles north of Bloomington, the gardens and the setting of Oliver Winery are as lovely as the wine they produce.  A tasting room provides an opportunity to sample local wines, tour the winery, gardens and relax on the outside patio overlooking the woods and pond.  Within walking distance of campus, you can visit Butler Winery (Indiana wine from Indiana grapes), sample local wines and purchase wine and beer making supplies.

Tibet Cultural Center

A short distance outside of Bloomington, the Monogolian Tibet Cultural Center welcomes people of all religious faiths to join the monks for lessons, classes and visits to the Center.  The Tibet Cultural Center was last visited by the Dalai Lama in 2007.