This city in the heart of the rolling, rugged hills of south central Indiana certainly lives up to its name. Redbud, dogwood and lilac trees, daffodils and lilies bloom like mad throughout the area. The foliage peaks in mid-fall when the ash, oak and maple trees get together for a visually pleasing version of “Autumn Leaves.”
This charming city is home to Indiana University, considered one of the most beautiful college campuses in the U.S. because of its intricate limestone architecture. The university is especially known for its School of Music, Art Museum and Lilly Library.
Two years ago, Vegetarian Times magazine proclaimed this city of 62,000 one of the eight most desirable U.S. cities to live in; not too long ago, Rand McNally named it one of the better cities in which to retire.
“The kids at the high school here are from 70 different countries because the university brought their parents here,” says Kerry Feigenbaum, innkeeper at Scholars Inn, one of several area bed-and-breakfasts.
Feigenbaum, like husband Lyle, attended IU. They both did lengthy stints in splashier cities after school–Kerry in Key West and Lyle in New York–but after a few years they decided to return to their favorite city. “We’ve gotten the inn going, and we want to raise a family,” Kerry beams. “We just want to stay here forever.”
Scholars Inn, at 801 N. College Ave., is a restored 100-year-old brick mansion decorated with area antiques. It has five rooms named after noteworthy Indiana natives. One is the Gene Stratton-Porter Room, named for the author and naturalist. Some of her early 1900 novels–“Girl of the Limberlost,” “Keeper of the Bees” and “Freckles”–are there in the room, among lots of other school relics.
A few blocks over in the center of town is Fountain Square, steps from the courthouse. In a two-year renovation, back entrances of many of the original old-time restaurants and shops on this block were opened up so now you can walk into a common, open atrium.
Bloomington has some great folksy cafes and ethnic eateries that include Chinese, Japanese, French, Italian, Greek, Afghan, Thai and good old American. The Irish Lion, at 212 W. Kirkwood Ave., is housed in a historic building and offers some hearty Celtic stew and mutton pie to down with a half (or full) yard of beer. Another `lion,’ the Snow Lion, a cozy restaurant at 113 S. Grant St., serves up modified Tibetan fare. A favorite dish there is curried chicken. The restaurant is owned by Jigme Norbu, a nephew to the Dalai Lama.
And speaking of things Tibetan, Norbu’s father, Thubten Norbu, elder brother of the religious leader, established the Tibetan Cultural Center on the edge of town. Educational programs and meditation sessions are offered amid 96 acres of nature. It’s the only Tibetan memorial in the country.
Bloomington is located in Monroe County, a neighbor to fall-famous Brown County. It is surrounded by three state parks, a state forest and the Hoosier National Forest. Though Hoosier Hysteria (basketball!) is on hiatus through the summer, hiking, biking, boating, horseback riding and caving keep the residents busy. Bob Knight is known to be an avid golfer and fisherman in this part of Indiana.
Also engaging are the dozen or so art galleries in town, along with the noted collections at the IU Art Museum. And School of Music students offer some worth-listening-to performances almost nightly. Some former students have stayed on in the area to contribute great jazz, blues and rock at clubs like Bluebird, Wild Beet and Second Story.
On Aug. 30 and 31 during Labor Day weekend, the annual 4th Street Festival of the Arts takes place downtown with more than 80 artists displaying pottery, weaving and other artworks.
Bloomington is about 1 1/2 hours south of Indianapolis and a half-hour west of Nashville, Ind., Brown County’s arts and crafts center. For information, call the Visitors Bureau at 800-800-0037.
