Recreation In and Around Bloomington

The I.U. campus at Bloomington is among the most beautiful university campuses in the country. It is a lively place and offers a range of recreational options. The city of Bloomington too, has much to offer all age groups. Some of these options are outlined below.

Music

Bloomington has a vibrant music culture, with many local groups and music festivals like the Early Music Festival, The Lotus World Music Festival etc.

The School of Music at I.U. has music performances in its recital halls practically every day and has outstanding opera and concert performances in the Musical Arts Center.

Theater

The IU theater and Auditorium regularly offer plays and professional theatre productions. There are also fine performances staged at the Brown County Playhouse in Nashville, IN which is nearby.

Art Institutions

There are fine museums on the IU campus. The IU Art Museum and the Mather Museum of World Cultures have diverse and unique art collections from across the globe. Another notable feature on campus is The Lily Library with its collection of old and rare books, manuscripts and other special collections.

In downtown Bloomington, at the John Waldron Arts Center & Bloomington Area Arts Council and the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, local artistic talent is featured on a regular basis and, programs in a range of arts and crafts are organized for children and adults.

Films

Besides the latest movies screened in movie theaters in town, The Ryder, a local film organization, screens many award winning and international films in theatre and restaurant settings. Award winning East Asian films shown by the East Asian Studies program at I.U. form a significant part of the rich international film fare available for students at I.U. Free movies for IU Students are offered in the Whittenberger Auditorium every weekend.

Restaurants

Bloomington possesses numerous restaurants and eating houses serving cuisine from across the world. Look at the local Bloomington Restaurant Guide to see the wide range of foods available.

Sports

There is a wide range of sport/exercise options offered to students in the two huge state-of-the-art Recreational Sport Centers. Beside these centers, there are courts for a number of sports located at different points on campus, track and field facilities at the I.U. Stadium, a bowling alley in the Indiana Memorial Union building, swimming pools, tennis center and many other facilities.

Outdoor Activities

Bloomington is a great place for those interested in outdoor activities. Lake Monroe, the state's largest lake, offers great sailing facilities and fishing, while Griffy Lake in Bloomington is a much frequented spot for hiking, canoeing and fishing. There are also parks and trails that offer an ideal environment for biking, trekking and horse back riding. The University has its own outdoor sites at Bradford Woods and on Lake Lemon for those interested in camping, boating and experiencing the wilderness.

Places to Visit

There are a number of scenic spots to visit around Bloomington. Of these Brown County is notable for its Fall leaf colors. Nashville and Bedford are picturesque towns featuring handicrafts and festivals.