The 10 Best Budget-friendly Things to do in Bloomington, Indiana (IN)

Center of many activities in Bloomington - arts, music, sports and events.

"Customized Birding Tours & Kayak Trips" South-central Indiana is full of natural beauty, and IndiGo Birding Nature Tours, LLC, gives you a chance to experience and appreciate it to the fullest. Guide David Rupp works ahead of time to design a tour (by foot, vehicle, or kayak) that incorporates your interests, schedule, and physical abilities. David's knowledge of the local birds, natural history, and stories of the land complement his friendly, laid back approach that keeps his guests' interests first. Popular destinations for these customized tours include Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area, Yellowwood State Forest and other places in Brown County, and Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge. Like IndiGo Birding Nature Tours on Facebook to find out what's happening now!

Born as a garage startup, our all ages, family-friendly brewery taproom is located in beautiful downtown Bloomington. Passionate about our craft, we work and play by our guiding principles to redefine the brewery experience and positively impact our community. Featuring local ciders, a seasonally rotating wine list and, launching late July 2020 - King Dough Slice Shop - 20" NY style pies & individual slices and flavorful appetizers! Effective June 2020 our facility is no longer dog friendly. The patio remains dog-friendly.

Monroe Lake is part of the Indiana State Parks system. It covers 23,952-acres, including a 10,750-acre lake (the largest in Indiana and known for bass fishing) with both open and no-wake areas. The property includes 9 State Recreation Areas (Paynetown, Fairfax, Cutright, Moore's Creek, Salt Creek, Pinegrove, Allen's Creek, Crooked Creek, and Cartop) and 3 Wildlife Resting Areas (Stillwater-Northfork, Middlefork, and Southfork). Facilities vary at each location. The two most-developed sites are Paynetown SRA (campground, swimming beach, marina, general store, activity center, and other amenities) and Fairfax SRA (hotel resort, restaurants, marina, swimming beach, and other amenities). There is a seasonal entrance fee to enter Paynetown and Fairfax ($5/vehicle for Indiana residents, $7/vehicle for out-of-state residents). Refer to our website or call the Property Office for specifics about amenities available at each of the 9 SRAs. Hunting is allowed in all non-developed areas of the property, with special restrictions in the Wildlife Resting Areas. Call the Property Office for information about hunter access.

The Buskirk-Chumley Theater is owned by the City of Bloomington and operated by BCT Management, Inc., a private non-profit organization. The mission of BCT Management, Inc. is to develop the Buskirk-Chumley Theater as a high quality and widely accessible community resource and performance venue, operated in a fiscally responsible manner. Support from the City of Bloomington, Indiana University, the Indiana Arts Commission, our many corporate sponsors and community donors helps maintain this historic community resource and bring a wide diversity of programming to the stage each year. Sign up for our newsletter to keep up to date on all BCT events: https://bctboxoffice.org/newsletter/ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! @buskirkchumley

During COVID-19, we are following guidelines set by state and county health officials. Please see our blog for the latest news about our current offerings. Our wine experience is one of Indiana's best. In 2017, Travel + Leisure rated Oliver Winery a top 25 winery to visit in the U.S. We are Indiana’s oldest winery and one of the largest wineries in the U.S., with an award-winning winemaking team and distribution in 27 states. You’ll find an extensive but approachable wine list at the winery’s beautiful Tasting Room on Interstate 69. Taste an estate-bottled vintage from Oliver’s 54-acre Creekbend Vineyard, sample our latest Pilot Project Experimental wine or our semi-sweet Cherry Moscato, or sip a dry Oliver Cabernet Sauvignon or Sauvignon Blanc. Oliver Winery also offers special events spaces for personal or corporate celebrations, from rehearsal dinners to holiday parties. Check our website for the reserved experiences and details on current offerings.

Since its establishment in 1941, the Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art at Indiana University, has grown from a small university teaching collection into one of the foremost university art museums in the country. Today, the Eskenazi Museum of Art's internationally acclaimed collection, ranging from ancient gold jewelry and African masks to paintings by Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso, includes over 45,000 objects representing nearly every art-producing culture throughout history.

The WonderLab Museum of Science, Health & Technology is an award-winning science museum and popular destination for family fun! The museum offers two floors of exciting hands-on experiences for visitors of all ages! These include a two-story grapevine climbing maze, close encounters with live animals, the Bubble-Airium, and a special area with science adventures for very young children. WonderLab is an accessible facility. Amenities include a gift store, vending/snack area, and outdoor garden. WonderLab is located on the B-Line Trail in the heart of the Bloomington entertainment and arts district (BEAD). See WonderLab’s website for special programs and events, discount admission opportunities, special exhibitions, private party rentals, high visitation alerts, and more.