About Bloomington

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Nestled in the rolling hills of southern Indiana, Bloomington is a best-loved city that boasts spectacular scenery, world-class educational institutions and unique shopping and dining experiences. Bloomington is one of the great places to live, work and play. Its unique character and friendly and safe environment are matched by few communities in the nation.

While you're in Bloomington be sure to experience the city's character and all its sights, sounds and tastes. From shopping and museums to biking and art exhibitions, the activities available for all to enjoy are endless.

Whether you're a new or longtime resident of the city or just visiting for business or recreation, Bloomington is a perfect location. If several sites look familiar to you, the movie Breaking Away was filmed here. Bloomington also is the setting for author Karen Kingsbury's "Firstborn" and "Redemption" series.

The City is dedicated to ensuring that Bloomington remains a charismatic, diverse community that has become a destination for many. By offering a vast array of opportunities in employment, education, arts and culture, the City is continually enhancing the quality of life for everyone.

For more about the history of Bloomington:

Table of Contents

An Overview

Location and Locale

Services

Culture

An Overview

Bloomington by the Numbers:

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Accolades:

Amenities

Bloomington Location and Locale

Highway Mileage:

Mileage from Bloomington to surround major cities:

Chicago Louisville Cincinnati St. Louis Indianapolis

234

106

155

227

50
Nashville Pittsburgh Detroit Minneapolis Atlanta

279

409

367

638

525

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Climate/Atmosphere:

Annual precipitation averages 44.2 inches, with 19 inches of snow. January temperatures average 30.4 degrees, with July temperatures averaging 76.2 degrees. Relative humidity is generally high throughout the year.

Month High (F)

Low (F)

Precip.

January

34

18

2.7 "

February

39

21

2.5 "

March

49

30

3.6 "

April

63

42

3.7 "

May

73

52

3.7 "

June

82

61

4.0 "

July

85

65

4.3 "

August

84

63

3.5 "

September

78

55

2.7 "

October

66

43

2.5 "

November

51

33

3.0 "

December

30

24

3.0 "

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Major Districts:

Economic Development

Historic

Other

Indiana University campus - IU's Website

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Services

Transportation:

Bus Services:

Bloomington Transit operates an extensive bus system, which includes BT Access, a transportation service for persons with disabilities.

IU Campus Bus System provides free service to students on the IU campus.

Rural Transit provides service for surrounding areas in Bloomington and Monroe County.

Alternative Transportation:

As part of its transportation planning initiatives and sustainable city initiatives, the City of Bloomington provides many alternative transportation options such as bike paths and bike lanes, trails, sidewalks and sidepaths. Learn more

Other:

Monroe County Airport

Indianapolis Airport Shuttle Service

Utilities:

Health & Social Services

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Culture

Recreation Activities in & around Bloomington:

Hiking- Bloomington boasts 29 trails stretching more that 30 miles in length including Bloomington Rail Trail, Clear Creek Trail, and B-Line Trail.

Swimming Pools - The City of Bloomington owns and operates Mills and Bryan Park Pools. In addition, Indiana University have both indoor and outdoor pool facilities available.

Tennis Courts - The City of Bloomington operates more than 20 tennis courts around Bloomington including Bryan Park, Sherwood Oaks Park, Thomson Community Park and West Ninth Street Park. The IU Tennis Center and IU Student Recreational Sports Center also have tennis courts available on campus.

Other activities include an Indoor Climbing Facility, Mountain Bike Park, Speedway Race Track, Eagle Watching at Lake Monroe, Spelunking, Observatory, Ice Skating, Camping, Boating and many more.

Learn more about City of Bloomington's Parks & Recreation Department

Art & Entertainment:

Bloomington boasts a vibrant arts and entertainment scene. Galleries and museums are located throughout the downtown, nestled amongst a rich blend of shops, eateries and other attractions. In a community that boasts well over 1,000 performances annually of opera, music, dance, theatre and spoken word, numerous major festivals and special events, and an ever-changing array of exhibits at more than two dozen museums and galleries, you'll never hear "There's nothing to do around here!" The sheer number of high-quality and affordable arts events and entertainment opportunities has made Bloomington an increasingly popular tourist destination for those who appreciate the energy of a thriving, artistic community.

Arts and entertainment opportunities include: Buskirk-Chumley Theater, Ryder Film Series, Lotus World Music and Arts Festival, Arts Fair on the Square, Bloomington Beer Festival, BubbleFest, Chocolate Festival, IU Sing, IU Auditorium, John Waldron Arts Center, WonderLab Museum of Science, Health & Techology, Monroe County History Center, Fourth Street Festival of the Arts and Fine Crafts, Arts Fair on the Square, A Fair of the Arts, PRIDE Film Festival, Bloomington Early Music Festival, Bloomington Playwrights Project, Ryder Film Series, IU Jacobs School of Music, IU Art Museum, SoFA Gallery, Kinsey Institute, Mathers Museum, Wylie House, IU Department of Theatre and Drama, Art Hospital, GalleryWalk, IU ArtsWeek, Rhinos Youth Media Center and All Ages Club and many, many more.

Learn More

Historic Sites:

T.C. Steele State Historic Site, Hinkle-Garton Farmstead Community Historic Site, Monroe County History Center, and 40 other sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places including the Buskirk-Chumley Theatre, City Hall, Wicks Building and Monroe County Courthouse.

Find Historic Sites

SISTER CITIES:

Other Helpful Links:

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Information in About Bloomington