Good morning-- my family and I will be making a trip to Bloomington, IN in mid October, staying at the Biddle Hotel on the IU campus. My husband will be busy with a conference during the day, and I will be entertaining our three children, ages 10, 7, and 4. We will be driving there, so I will have my car available. On my list so far are the Wonderlab Children's Museum in Bloomington and the zoo and children's museum in Indianapolis. Does anyone have any good recommendations? I'm looking for good, inexpensive, and kid-friendly restaurants, as well. Also, how walkable is downtown Bloomington? For instance, the Wonderlab museum is less than a mile from our hotel-- is this a safe and easy walk with children? Thanks in advance!
Things to see and do with kids in Bloomington, IN
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Anyone? Thanks.
Still nothing? Please?
Phoebe Bird: Hello my son is a IU graduate. Beautiful campus. He and is friends walked every where.
Why don't you talk to the people at IU that give campus tours surely they would be able to tell you about the walk to the Wonderlab museum from campus.
Enjoy your visit.
Sandy
Mother Bear's pizza, just across from the campus, is very, very good. It was recommended to us on this forum before we went for a campus visit. However, we were there during the summer, when there weren't very many students around. I'm sure it'll be much more crowded in October.
Have you done a search here? I don't know that you'd find a lot of recommendations for activities for your kids. But, if I recall correctly, there were other restaurant recommendations that might be good for you. I'll look for my thread and pull it up for you.
I was going to suggest Wonderlab, but you already have discovered it. Bloomington is an awesome place to walk around, although there is typical summer road construction that might block sidewalks.
The zoo in Indy is great, and if you walk down the river towards downtown you can find paddleboats for rent. It's about an hour's drive from Bloomington. The Children's museum is amazing too.
Mother Bear's pizza is the best around, no question. (My son has just graduated from IU and I will miss our frequent meals there!)
In October- trees will be very colorful and people from all around drive to Brown county- just one county east of B-ton. There are hiking trails, an inn that probably serves good food for kids, and all sorts of craft shops for you.
Thank you all. Yes-- I did a search before posting, and read all about Mother Bear's pizza. I've also got Nick's English Hut and the Artists Colony Inn in Nashville on my list. Are there any good breakfast places we shouldn't miss?
We went to the Indianapolis Zoo and the Children's Museum on a trip to Indianapolis a few years ago, and they ruined us for our local zoo and children's museum. We can't wait to go back!
I know it's been a month since you posted, but I just registered. You'll be staying in the heart of campus. Yes, it's safe for you and your kids to walk to WL, but the 4 yr might get tired. It will be gorgeous that time of year tho.
You cannot take children to Nick's. Best inexpensive breakfast is Village Deli on Kirkwood.
Nashville IN will be mobbed that time of year, less so during the week. I would skip it altogether. Bloomington, IU campus, and Indy offer plenty.
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is a MUST. The Indianapolis Zoo is also worth visiting. I would check out Brown County Park if the kids enjoy doing outdoor activities - maybe ride horses or hike?
here's a link
http://www.browncountystatepark.com/
Bloomington is very safe and so pretty in the Fall. The kids might want to bowl at IU's Union? Biggest University Union in the country - it is really nice!
As for food - IU/Bloomington has so many places to eat you will not have a problem! I LOVE Encore Cafe (cafeteria style, but gourmet-ish food).
Scotty's Brewhouse is a good place to eat, too (and kid friendly).
have fun!
Hi. I am a Bloomington mother of five. The walk to Wonderlab (a great place to take them) is a little long, but there are restaurants all along the route, so you could stop to eat halfway there. There is a place called Noodles that has pasta from all cuisines. The Laughing Planet is a funky wrap/burrito/mexican place that my kids like (they get the quesadilla). Both of those are on the way to Wonderlab. At that time of year Brown County State park will be gorgeous with the leaves turning. There are all sorts of hiking trails...all lengths and difficulties. Have fun!