Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoosiers!

Welcome to Bloomington, Indiana! There is quite a bit to do both in town and in the surrounding area. We recommend strolling around campus to see the stunning buildings or popping into some of the shops on the Square.

Some of Blake and Larissa's favorite places in Bloomington include:

Bars/Restaurants:

- Big Woods - this is a brewery with food and drinks. There's also a location in Nashville, IN that their main distillery and restaurant set back in the forest.

- The Tap - huuuuge tap list with something for everyone. If you go here, you can't go wrong with the tap fries!

- Upland - Bloomington's premier brewery with great beer and great food. The Cerbin kids have spent many an afternoon on the outdoor patio here.

- Aver's Pizza - this is one of the staple pizza places in Btown (Pizza X and Mother Bear's are also popular and delicious) and the go-to for Larissa and Blake. Definitely try their specialty pizzas; the Cream and Crimson is where it's at!

Janko's Little Zagreb - this is a special occasion place with insanely good steaks.

Dats - something a little more casual, this spot is Cajun inspired food and a *staple* of college life at IU.

Cardinal Spirits - Larissa's favorite bar in town. Come here for incredible cocktails and good food.

The Bishop - this was a favorite bar for Blake and Larissa to hit up after dinner.

Nick's English Hut - playing "Sink the Biz" here is a right of passage for all IU alumni. A typical college bar, make sure you get Biz fries with your pitchers when you're playing.

Coffee!!!:

Soma - one of Larissa's favorites. You can't go wrong with a latte or drip coffee here.

Hopscotch - Blake's number 1 coffee spot in Btown. If you're on the Square, go to their downtown location and snag a Thai Iced Coffee (or whatever your heart desires!)

Crumble - another great spot with tasty seasonal lattes and baked goods.

Breakfast/Brunch:

Uptown - this is another upscale Bloomington classic for brunch! Try the eggs benedict or the creme brulee french toast!

Runcible - sitting in an old house-turned-restaurant, Runcible is the typical student hangout for breakfast. This is an iconic representation of the quirky options that gives Btown its charm.

Bloomington Bagel Company - bagels, bagels, bagels!!! BBC has amazing bagels and you can make your own bagel sandwich with any schmear and topping you can think of.

For our outdoor inclined guests, we recommend exploring Brown County State Park (there's also a beautiful drivable loop in addition to activities like hiking, caneoing, and horseback riding), Yellowwood State Forest, or Beanblossom Bottoms Nature Preserve (Larissa's favorite; this one has a raised boardwalk that takes you through a marsh and forest).

Nashville, IN is about 30 minutes from Bloomington and is a very cute, rustic town that has some fun shops and great restaurants. This makes a great day trip, especially as a stop before or after checking out Brown County State Park. Bird's Nest Cafe is Blake's favorite for brunch!

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