Madeline & Alphonse
Things To Do
Uptown Cafe
Great for a classy dinner, but it's also our favorite brunch spot. Cajun-inspired cuisine. Accepts reservations for dinner and brunch.
Upland Brewing Co.
One of the best craft brewers in Indiana. Don't miss the sour beers. Huge outdoor patio with a brewpub menu.
The Chocolate Moose
Great local ice cream shop.
C3 Bar
Upscale cuisine and great cocktails. While outside of Downtown, it's worth the drive. Live Jazz on Thursdays. Reservation recommended.
The Owlery Restaurant
All vegan with the option to add dairy. Coconut Tofu, Poutine, Pierogi, and "Fish"-n-Chips. Laughing Planet Cafe is also all vegan, but this is the better spot. Around town, a vegan option is not uncommon because it's Bloomington, but do check ahead.
Lennie's Brewpub
Pubfare, pizza, and stromboli. Serving beer brewed nextdoor at Bloomington Brewing Company.
Feast
The wine selection! Bistro style dinner and brunch. Full bakery. Takes reservations.
Runcible Spoon
Cafe fare (sandwiches and salads) that serves breakfast all day. Coffee roasted onsite. Outdoor dining available, weather permitting.
Turkuaz Cafe
Unassuming little restaurant serving Turkish food. Very tasty and lots of veggie options. Do order coffee.
Nick's English Hut
The classic Hoosier college bar. Local brews, pizza, subs, and stromboli. An IU institution since 1927. Kitchen open late.
Big Woods Bloomington
The downtown location for Hard Truth Distilling Company, Indiana's largest craft distillery. This is an alternative way to sample some local spirits if you can't make it out to the main distillery.
Walk IU Campus
A walk around campus is always great. It's an easy walk from the downtown area down Kirkwood Avenue though beautiful Sample Gate. Don't miss Beck Chapel and the Student Union.
Visit and Shop the Square Downtown
Walk our lovely downtown centered by the Monroe County courthouse. This area has lots of local shops and restaurants. If you're on an art kick after Nashville, check out The Venue Art and Gifts and the By Hand Gallery.
Golf Bloomington, IN
Madeline's dad loved to golf. Weather permitting, play a round in his honor at the Pfau Course at IU, Eagle Point on Lake Monroe, or at Cascades where Jim was a member.
Leaf Peeping, Scenic Drives, and Hiking
Enjoy the Fall foliage on a drive or a hike in the parks around Bloomington. We are near Morgan-Monroe State Forest, Brown County State Park, and Yellowwood State Forest. The Charles C. Deam parking lot is a trailhead for a particularly pretty part of Hoosier National Forest, and Hickory Ridge Fire Tower is right at the parking lot. If you're looking for less strenuous hike, the Beanblossom Bottoms Nature Preserve is an easy two mile loop. By car, consider a drive to the Cedar Ford Covered Bridge, Griffy Lake Nature Preserve, Morgan-Monroe State Forest, Lake Monroe, and Maple Grove Road.
Hard Truth Distilling Company
Indiana's largest craft distillery (they also brew beer). If you can make it out to Nashville to the main brewery (30 minutes from downtown, which would be a beautiful drive in October), they have tastings, a full restaurant, and do 4 by 4 tours of the facility. Don't miss shopping in the local arts and crafts scene in downtown Nashville on your way back to B-town. Reservations recommended for tours. We also recommend calling ahead on the weekend for restaurant availability.
Visit Nashville
Nashville, IN, is the center of the Brown County Art Colony. We recommend perusing the shops downtown which feature local artists from this 110 year-old artist's community.
Eskenazi Museum of Art
Galleries are open Thursday-Friday 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m – 7 p.m., and Sunday noon – 5 p.m. Admission to the Eskenazi Museum of Art is always free.
Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center
Thubten Jigme Norbu the brother of the 14th Dalai Lama was a long time resident of Bloomington and founded the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center, which holds meditation and yoga. Call ahead. Depending on your route, you may pass their entrance on the way to the venue.