Beautiful grounds, interesting history. Lovely trails we purchased a tour for 11$, totally worth…read moreit! The tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and offered plenty of time for questions! The gift shop is super cute as well. Highly recommend.

The staff was very friendly, professional. Young man who was…read morethe tour guide was refreshing. Quite knowledgeable of every aspect of Steele's history. Didnt sound like a script, was very clear and learned, spoke as if in a conversation at your home, but he knew dates, and details of the period of the Steele's legacy. Ive worked at museums all of my life and was quite impressed. We attended in the winter but will return when the weather is much warmer, so to enjoy the grounds.

I'll admit that I just saw the pin and figured I would check this out but as I do my research to…read morewrite the review, these aren't just pretty gates. The concept of a gateway to mark the entrance to the campus dates back to 1932 but they didn't actually get installed until 1987. And ever since, they are the most iconic spot on campus. IU grads know what I'm talking about. So I'll just respectfully stop here and tell you that if you're visiting or perhaps you're an alumni, get your selfie or portrait right here. Every IU graduate know of here. [Review 20571 overall - 108 in Indiana - 1552 of 2023.]

I don't get down to Bloomington nearly as often as I used to, though when I do I nearly always find…read moremyself near the area of the iconic Sample Gates. Sample Gates mark the entrance to Indiana University in Bloomington, an already beautiful campus. I spent one lovely semester here and I spent quite a bit of time here back in those days because even after I left I continued dating an IU student. The Sample Gates were donated by Edson Sample, who was named director of the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships while still an IU graduate student back in 1968. He obtained his M.S. in 1971. The gates are named for his parents, Louise Waite Sample and Kimsey Ownbey Sample Sr. Both were present at the dedication ceremony on June 13, 1987. He received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the School of Education in 2017; in 2020, Sample received one of IU's most prestigious honors--the Bicentennial Medal--in recognition of his service and longstanding support of the university. The gates are always open. They are constructed of Indiana Limestone. The two pillars are at the edge of Old Crescent - the historic site of IU's first campus buildings built between1884-1908. If you visit IU, you'll see Sample Gates. Still beautiful. Still iconic. And, I must say, super amazing at night with a light rain in the area.

I don't often review 'non restaurant' locations, but my experience at the Southwest branch of the…read moreBloomington library today left me needing to give rave reviews. It's been forever since I've been in one of the local libraries because I'm such a Kindle reader. But in order to use Libby, I needed to get a new library card and signed up online. The process was simple, and ultimately it led me to the point of needing to visit the Southwest Branch (close to my house) and show proof that I am indeed me, and that I live in Bloomington. A utility bill did the trick. First and foremost, it's a beautiful facility. I didn't spend much time there, and probably won't be there often simply because I'm a digital reader. BUT let me say I may use it as a quiet space and place to read. The woman at the desk (Cathy or Cathi sorry I can't remember) was amazing. She was super helpful, friendly, and not only made my card but laughed at one of my jokes. She went above and beyond to tell me about how to use the library, explain policies and pointed out both Libby and Hoopla. She was great. I used to work part time in a library, and hold them near and dear to my heart and she's exactly what I love about libraries in general. If you're on the south side of town, stop using the downtown branch and move your library activity to this location. They have a great facility, will take anything you reserve from other branches straight to the branch, and you can pick it up there. Kudos to our town for believing in the value of these types of spaces.

Awesome Library space, friendly staff. And there's a beautiful Labyrinth and sacred space to walk…read moreoutside.

Love Bloomington. Feels like an all American hometown. Easy shopping and walking. Food and drink…read moreplaces are everywhere and offer a wide variety. Clean, bright and friendly. Downtown is a real gem and you feel good just being there. People are friendly and quick to talk. Ample hotels at various price point ensure you will find something to fit your taste and budget.

I did enjoy my time in Bloomington - great pizza, fabulous coffee, the art museum at IU. I found…read moresome great beers along the way. Soma Coffee House (there are a few of them) is excellent. But wow, it seemed like I caught ever single red light in this city. And it's a big city - the fourth largest outside Indianapolis. Lots of crappy roads here too including one bump that was so hard, it knocked my coffee cup out of the cupholder. Yowza! I should have circled back to take a picture. Bloomington will be the birthplace of Captain Janeway (Star Trek) in a century or two. And for now, it's the home of Indiana University. Lots of crimson all around on the university students. Hoosiers, named after the Native American term for corn. Or so some would believe. Janko's Little Zagreb for a spendy steak. Aver's Pizza (there are at least two locations). The Sinkhole for craft beers. Enjoy yourself and keep an eye on your parking meter. They are everywhere! [Review 20643 overall - 153 in Indiana - 1624 of 2023.]

I haven't managed to make it to Riverside Iowa for Captain Kirk's birthplace but I'm here in…read moreBloomington and I got to visit this memorial to Captain Janeway's birthplace. Yes, the Star Trek: Voyager star was born (will be born?) on May 20, 2336. The monument is located not far from the courthouse square along a rail trail. It's not hard to find and if you're at all a Star Trek fan, make the effort. [Review 20565 overall - 102 in Indiana - 1546 of 2023.]

My nerdy Star Trek dreams come true. The future birthplace of one of the most popular characters in…read morethe Star Trek universe!

The Historical Covered Bridge was hard to find. There is NOT a lot of signage, so keep your eyes…read morepeeled. It is located just off Route 450. There is some parking there. The covered bridge is no longer in use. The local heathens have used paint to write graffiti all over the inside and on the 2 entrances of the bridge. Really defacing this beautiful old red covered bridge. I am on a mission to see the over 90 covered bridges in the State of Indiana and was very upset that the locals have done nothing to preserve or police the bridge area. The bridge is over a 120 yrs and the town has turned it's back to the history of the bridge...it is a crying shame.

One of the longest historic covered bridges in the state is to the southwest of Bedford near…read moreWilliams, IN. The road to the bridge is quite winding and though GPS tells you it is not far, that it measures a straight line, not the slow and actual mileage. So, be prepared for the trip to take a bit longer than you expect. Once you get close to the bridge, there is a small road that passes under the railroad trestle and leads south. There is another small road on the left that leads to the bridge which is quite visible by then. Parking is available at the base of the bridge which is closed off to vehicles. The bridge has been restored on the outside with fresh paint and a nice sign over the entry identifying it as Williams Bridge 1884 with an oddly listed occupancy limit. I didn't see any other information on site to share the history of the place. As mentioned in other reviews, the site is frequently falls prey to vandals who spray juvenile/stupid graffiti all over the blacktop approach and on the floor of the bridge. Seems a shame that this small town can't seem to figure out who is doing the damage and make them responsible for clean up costs. The bridge spans 402' and is a treasure that once lost, can't be replaced. I hope someone in the area can champion bringing the rest of the site up to the quality of the new look of the bridge itself. Review #2654

The Monroe County Courthouse sits on a grand square surrounded by thriving restaurants, bars and…read moreshops. There is an energy around the square that I have not seen at other county courthouses. The courthouse building, completed in 1907 is constructed of Indiana limestone (of course). There is a large copper dome on top and four large clocks around the tower. A limestone-carved Lady Liberty sits over the main entrance with a male figure sitting beside her. The building is National Registered as a Historic Place. The Courthouse is surrounded by memorials. The is a really nice Viet Nam memorial on the West side with beautifully cared for flowering plants. On the East side is a War Memorial commentating those who served in multiple wars back to the Spanish American War. Other memorials honor local public servants. This is very much a working Courthouse housing the Circuit Court. Residents can register to vote here. Landscaping is variable around the courthouse with parts needing care. Many of the statues and the exterior of the courthouse building are in need of cleaning.

Monroe County was formed by the Indiana General Assembly and Bloomington was selected as the county…read moreseat in 1818. A one-story two-room log cabin was the original. The second courthouse was built here between 1819-1826 and was two stories with brick and a stone foundation. It was expanded a couple of times but was eventually demolished for the construction of this new courthouse. The current stricture was build in 1908 and is in the Beaux Arts style. It is large, majestic and absolutely lovely. You'll want to try spotting the weather vane on the top of the dome which was saved from the original courthouse. The grounds of the courthouse have a number of memorials including a Civil War monument and a World War monument (because back then, there was only the one). There is metered street parking on all four sides of the courthouse and the square is surrounded by bars and restaurants and retail shopping. [Review 20563 overall - 101 in Indiana - 1544 of 2023.]

Local artist, Michael McAuley, created this bronze statue of local music legend, Hoagy Carmichael…read more Hoagy sits at his bronze piano just outside the IU Auditorium on the IU campus. The patio is surrounded by a lush serene garden. There is no parking close to the statue and you have to walk to see the statue. It took me some time to find, as it is tucked in near a wall just outside the doors of the Auditorium. I recommend visiting when classes are not in session. IU has a lot of interesting and beautiful art scattered around the campus.

Beautiful tribute to one of America's best composers. It captures his image well and it's so…read morerefreshing to see this be a fixture at IU, given his legacy and time there. I love that the pose is of him at work with "Stardust" at his fingertips, as he penned that just a few blocks away. It's easy for me to conjure up the image of what his style of work may have been like and I can totally hear the song in my head as I go by. I'm so happy that this tribute to him exists.