Set within the coronary heart of Illinois, Bloomington is a welcoming group to flee from the hustle and bustle of massive metropolis Illinois life. There are a plethora of issues to do in Bloomington to maintain you, and the household entertained.
Highlights embody the McLean County Museum of Historical past, Miller Park Zoo, and the Bloomington Middle for the Performing Arts. Right here’s the last word record of the highest 20 issues to do in Bloomington, Illinois.
Bloomington, Illinois
20 Issues To Do In Bloomington
1- David Davis Mansion
David Davis Mansion is likely one of the most notable historic buildings in Bloomington and a State Historic Website.
This Victorian-style mansion covers three tales and was constructed within the early 1870’s.
The home turned well-known as a result of it as soon as belonged to Abraham Lincoln’s shut good friend David Davis, a U.S. Senator and a Supreme Court docket Choose.
You’ll be able to head to this historic mansion between Wednesday and Sunday.
On tour, you may see 35 rooms full of ornamental artwork and delightful antiques.
The home can be surrounded by Sarah’s Backyard, which is effectively value a go to.
David Davis Mansion is at 1000 Monroe Dr, Bloomington, IL 61701.
2- Grady’s Household Enjoyable Park
If you’re visiting Bloomington with your loved ones, you may’t miss Grady’s Household Enjoyable Park.
This enjoyable park is jam-packed with entertaining actions for all ages, even adults.
There are bumper boats, bumper carts, go-karts, mini-golf, big slides, and whirl rides.
There are a number of kiddie rides for individuals who are youthful (or shorter), together with an excellent enjoyable slide, a Ferris wheel, and a dragon wagon.
Grady’s Household Enjoyable Park is at 1501 Morrissey Dr, Bloomington, IL 61701.
3- Structure Path
The Structure Path connects Bloomington and the neighbouring city of Regular.
It’s a fantastic place to move to if you wish to spend a while outdoor working, strolling or strolling.
The Structure Path is a wonderful place to go, and with greater than 50 miles of trails, there’s loads of room to stretch your legs.
You’ll be able to uncover 32 trails, that are additionally partly linked to the Route 66 Path.
4- Ewing Manor Cultural Middle
The Ewing Manor Cultural Middle is on a 6.5-acre property, house to a historic manor, open-air theatre and immaculately stored gardens.
The manor hosts the Illinois Shakespeare Competition, one other of the perfect issues to do in Bloomington.
Tour the grounds of this Victorian-style manor home and faux you’re in an episode of Downton Abbey or Bridgerton.
You’ll really feel you’ve been transported to rural England and shall be shocked to find that the manor was solely constructed between 1928 and 1929.
Ewing Manor Cultural Middle is at 48 Sundown Rd, Bloomington, IL 61701.
5- Youngsters’s Discovery Museum
The Youngsters’s Discovery Museum is within the small city of Regular, which is adjoining to Bloomington and solely a brief automobile trip away.
This museum has one central mission, to offer stimulating studying by means of play.
There are three flooring of reveals to enterprise by means of and discover.
Be ready to spend at the very least an hour per ground as there are a lot of issues to do.
There’s something for each little one’s curiosity inside. Budding docs, musicians, scientists, and authors will discover one thing they love.
The really helpful age vary for this discovery centre is between 2 and 12. The children received’t cease speaking about this Bloomington exercise.
Youngsters’s Discovery Museum is at 101 E Beaufort St, Regular, IL 61761.
6- Prairie Aviation Museum
Calling all aviation lovers, this Bloomington attraction shall be up your avenue.
The Prairie Aviation Museum shows restored army and civilian plane and loads of them.
Wander across the museum and you might be sure to be taught one thing new.
There are a bunch of interactive reveals inside and an thrilling pilot simulator.
There are eight plane on show and three helicopters.
Examine whether or not the day you’re going is “Open Cockpit Day” as this is a wonderful expertise for teenagers or any aviation fan.
You’ll be able to see proper inside a army jet.
Take be aware that this aviation museum is closed between January and February.
Prairie Aviation Museum is at 2929 E Empire St, Bloomington, IL 61704.
7- Prairie Vista Golf Course
Whether or not you might be an previous hand at golf or wish to strive it for the primary time, go to the Prairie Vista Golf Course.
It is a significantly good golf course, which is immaculately maintained in a ravishing setting.
In addition to an 18-hole course, there’s a giant placing inexperienced, a driving vary, and a follow chipping inexperienced to brush up on all these golf expertise whereas on trip in Bloomington.
What’s higher is that Prairie Vista gives a kids-play-free occasion each day after 2 pm. It’s a enjoyable free exercise to get the youngsters all for a brand new sport.
Prairie Vista Golf Course is at 502 W Hamilton Rd, Bloomington, IL 61704.
8- Bloomington Ice Middle
If you wish to strive some enjoyable sports activities while in Bloomington, head to the ice centre.
On the Bloomington Ice Middle, there are a selection of actions to strive, together with open skating, hockey, determine skating, broomball, and curling.
The Bloomington Regular Sharks highschool staff play on the Bloomington Ice Middle, so take a look at a recreation when you’re on the town.
Bloomington Ice Middle is at 201 S Roosevelt Ave, Bloomington, IL 61701.
9- Downtown Bloomington Farmers’ Market
Who doesn’t love a great farmer’s market?
The Bloomington Farmers’ Market occurs every Saturday at Museum Sq. and is seasonal, so it’s solely operational between Might and October.
They’ve bought every thing you’d count on from a standard farmers market, meat, greens, flowers, crops, candy treats, and meals that’s able to eat.
This farmers market isn’t simply concerning the produce, it’s additionally concerning the group really feel and ambiance.
The introduction of stay music makes it a fantastic ambiance and the proper begin to any Saturday.
Bloomington Farmers’ Market is at 200 N Major St, Bloomington, IL 61701.
10- Miller Park Zoo
If you’re travelling to Bloomington with children, make sure you take them to Miller Park Zoo.
Animals you may count on to see embody snakes, seals, tortoises, cockatoos and the crimson wolf.
Along with your entry ticket, you may go to a free animal feeding, and for the little ones, there’s additionally a Junior Zookeeping program.
In order for you a novel expertise, teams can e-book in for a ‘Evening on the Zoo’ expertise.
Miller Park Zoo is at 1020 S Morris Ave, Bloomington, IL 61701.
11- McLean County Museum of Historical past
Visiting the McLean County Museum of Historical past is likely one of the finest issues to do in Bloomington.
The museum sits inside a ravishing Twentieth-century courthouse.
Contained in the museum are a bunch of rotating galleries and everlasting reveals with over 20,000 historic objects on show, together with native and nationwide uncommon books and historic paperwork.
If you wish to be taught extra about Abraham Lincoln’s time in Bloomington, take a look at this museum.
If you wish to be taught concerning the American Renaissance, a everlasting exhibit showcases the historical past of the Outdated Courthouse wherein the museum is located.
McLean County Museum of Historical past is at 200 N Major St, Bloomington, IL 61701.
12- third Sunday Market
You’ll be able to by no means have sufficient markets, proper? In addition to the weekly Bloomington farmers market, there’s additionally the third Sunday Market.
This market has been working since 1988.
It’s a half inside half outdoors market with greater than 450 sellers from 17 states. So, you’ll probably discover one thing that pursuits you.
There’s actually every thing, together with vintage furnishings, people artwork, classic garments, sports activities memorabilia and collectables.
You title it they’ve bought it.
Simply be ready to seek for your hidden treasures. However isn’t trying to find gems the perfect a part of a market?
The market is held between Might and October and is in style amongst many Midwestern collectors and vintage fanatics.
Don’t be shocked to seek out this place busy, as hundreds of individuals flock to the marketplace for the perfect bargains.
third Sunday Market is at 1106 Interstate Dr, Bloomington, IL 61705.
13- Tipton Park
If you’re on the lookout for a wonderful park to loosen up in, go to Tipton, a 50-acre park and wonderful out of doors area with loads of actions to maintain the entire household entertained.
There are basketball courts, a soccer discipline and a softball diamond, a tranquil nature space and a fishing lake.
Strolling trails wind all through the park, good for taking a stroll.
For the youngsters, there’s a superb playground and a water play space, ultimate for splashing round in throughout summer time.
Tipton Park is at 2201 Stone Mountain Blvd, Bloomington, IL 61704.
14- Illinois Shakespeare Competition
Who doesn’t love a little bit of Shakespeare?
The Illinois Shakespeare Competition first began in 1978, and also you’ll be capable of catch it on the Ewing Theatre in Bloomington.
This competition begins from June to mid-August.
You’ll be able to count on to see all of the traditional Shakespeare performs carried out to impeccable requirements.
Watch a play or two and totally immerse your self in Seventeenth-century English literature.
The grounds of the Ewing Manor present an genuine setting for Shakespeare readings.
Illinois Shakespeare Competition is at 48 Sundown Rd, Bloomington, IL 61701.
15- Walter Bittner Park
That is one other of Bloomington’s good free parks in case you are on the lookout for some out of doors area to get pleasure from.
Walter Bittner was the previous Mayor of Bloomington and advocated strongly for parks and leisure services.
Contained in the park is a jungle fitness center for teenagers, a small basketball court docket and gazebos, which are sometimes used for household picnics and celebrations.
Walter Bittner Park is at 3807 Rave Rd, Bloomington, IL 61704.
16- Beer Nuts Tour
When you like nuts, don’t miss a visit to Beer Nuts, which began out as a confectionary store within the Nineteen Thirties and shortly developed its signature beer nuts.
These redskin nuts are referred to as a go-to snack in Bloomington and nationwide.
Regardless of the title, these nuts don’t have any beer in them, so anybody may give them a strive.
Try Beer Nuts through a tour and pattern among the firm’s associated snacks, equivalent to chocolate-covered nuts, glazed peanuts, almonds and cashews.
Beer Nuts is at 103 N Robinson St, Bloomington, IL 61701.
17- Evergreen Memorial Cemetery
Visiting a cemetery while on trip doesn’t sound attractive, however there are some attention-grabbing issues to see within the Evergreen Memorial Cemetery.
The grave of Dorothy Gage, the title of the character from L. Frank Baum’s The Great Wizard of Oz is in Evergreen Cemetery.
There’s a tree carving of Dorothy, Toto, and the Yellow Brick Street close to the grave as effectively.
Wander alongside the traces of previous headstones, pay your respects to among the service women and men, and see if you happen to can spot any extra well-known names.
Evergreen Memorial Cemetery is at 302 E Miller St, Bloomington, IL 61701.
18- The Citadel Theatre
Head across the nook from the McLean County Museum of Historical past and also you’ll discover The Citadel Theatre.
For night leisure, take a look at what’s on stage because the theatre hosts a wide range of native and newly rising nationwide musicians.
There’s something for each music style, from indie rock to traditional nation music.
Quite a few stand-up comedy acts additionally carry out on the theatre.
The Citadel Theatre is at 209 E Washington St #1, Bloomington, IL 61701.
19- Bloomington Middle for the Performing Arts
The Bloomington Middle for the Performing Arts (BCPA) is a cultural hub in Bloomington’s downtown space.
This performing arts area has been an area for native artists and award-winning nationally acclaimed performances.
The 1200-seat auditorium has hosted friends who’ve watched Broadway exhibits, vacation performances, and Summer season Solstice Live shows.
Bloomington Middle for the Performing Arts is at 600 N East St, Bloomington, IL 61701.
20- Iron Coyote Problem Park
There’s plenty of enjoyable available on the Iron Coyote Problem Park, an journey park providing 20,000 sq ft of area for climbing and difficult your self.
It’s a mixture of enjoyable and health.
There are excessive ropes, climbing partitions, and a 60 ft zip line.
Wind your approach by means of impediment programs or strive your hand on the American Ninja Warrior course.
It is a nice household trip exercise as there’s something for everybody.
If you’re travelling to Bloomington with work colleagues, why not have a team-building day at Iron Coyote Problem Park?
There shall be sweat, laughter, and plenty of enjoyable!
Iron Coyote Problem Park is at 4113 Oakland Ave, Bloomington, IL 61704.
