Indiana

Indiana, Our Indiana, Indiana, we’re all for you! ~Indiana University’s fight song

I moved to Indiana in August 2000. I moved into my graduate school apartment in Bloomington, Indiana, on a hot summer day. My apartment had only window units for air conditioning on the third floor of a 60s-era building. The building was made of cinderblocks painted white and was outdated well before the 1980’s. (I would later learn that the building was to be demolished in two years.) As a new student, I attended Indiana University (IU) new-student orientation and learned the IU fight song. It was rather catchy.

Other things that were burned into my mind from my first impressions of Indiana include the size of the squirrels. They looked like cats! Very large. Tim, my darling husband from Indiana, says it was the corn.

“Corn-fed squirrels are bigger!” he quipped.

Honestly, I didn’t know what Indiana would be like. Tim’s family was from there. I got the idea that it was flat and full of corn: no mountains and no vegetation other than corn for miles in every direction.

I was slightly misinformed.

Bloomington

Bloomington: Indiana University was my first “boots-on-the-ground” experience, so to speak. I lived there for 10 months during the first year of my graduate program. The students with whom I worked were excited to share their own “top 10” lists of things to do.

Since my last visit to Bloomington was a while ago, I double checked before writing to see if some of my favorite places are still active. Fortunately, my favorite non-university adventure is still vibrant. Visiting Oliver Winery & Vineyards for wine tastings and a picnic was a refreshing way to spend a few hours on a sunny, Indiana afternoon. I remember the scenery as calm and romantic, with vineyards surrounding the stucco tasting-room.

Their website still brags of beautiful gardens and rolling hills. They recommend calling ahead for reservations now if you want to have patio seating on a Friday night. It’s good to see a great place from 25 years ago doing well! (I used to like the Riesling). 

Bloomington is a large university town. There are shops, restaurants, and cafes available to pick up a quick bite or linger over a pint during the “Big Game” at a pub. The college scene, located on Kirkwood Avenue, is vibrant any time of year. 

I remember getting ice cream on the go, a variety of cuisines, from burgers to Greek food, and finding many shops selling “Crimson and Cream” gear. There were also tasty treats and meals downtown, which was only a short drive away. I didn’t like to spend money on parking or gas, so I tended to stay close to campus and walk everywhere that I could. 

I camped with friends from church one weekend in the Hoosier National Forest . We apparently didn’t time it well, since it was October and the bathhouses were locked. I wasn’t much of a camper back then, but I remember that the park was clean and the air was crisp! Now I camp and would gladly go back to give it a fair review. Regardless, the fall colors in Hoosier National Forest can rival those of the northeast, but with less light pollution at night.

Indianapolis Bucket List

In my second year at Indiana University, I lived closer to Indianapolis. I have mentioned in other articles that I am not a “city” person. However, if I had to pick a city to live in, it would be Indianapolis. It was clean, easy to navigate, and it never felt like the endless pavement and steel of large metropolises.  (Did I say clean?)

When I have said how much I liked Indianapolis, people often asked first about the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS).

“Have you seen a race?” they ask.

Not in person. I was a poor grad student. However, if you are into racing, Indianapolis is considered the Mecca of the racing world. Every Memorial Day weekend the IMS hosts the Indy 500. If you are into racing, check their calendar for a variety of events and dates.

I did go to the other venue people asked me about: Lucas Oil Stadium, where the Indianapolis Colts play. Again, poor grad student, so I went to see an IU– Penn State game using my student admissions pass. The stadium was enormous! The only stadium I have been in that is larger is the Super Dome in New Orleans. It was so impressive and overwhelming, I was happy to find my seat and just stay put until the end of the game.

My parents and I sat in the IU student section. But since we're from Pennsylvania, we cheered for Penn State. It’s a fun memory, though I don’t necessarily advocate cheering for the other team from the student section. Disclaimer: this was the fall of 2001. The only thing people were divided over at this time was their favorite football teams, so the students around us thought we were very funny. Also, IU had a stinky football team in 2001. This was well before Kurt Cignetti’s 2025 team (which I do cheer for loudly now!)

I have not spent much time in Indianapolis since having children, but I remember friends raving about the Indianapolis Zoo . The website boasts about having hundreds of species on exhibit. In 2025 they added 5 Aldabra (not Algebra) Tortoises that are as old as 100 years now! Another highlight is the black mamba snake. (I’ll take the tortoises, thanks!) Since we will be moving closer to Indiana soon, I think I’ll put the Zoo on my “must see” list.

Foodie Heaven

Finally, the food. When I lived near Indianapolis, a fancy dinner was at Olive Garden. When Tim proposed, we went to a fancy dinner to celebrate. They were well known for their martinis. I had no idea that Indianapolis had such a great food scene.  Then again, I didn’t know what a food scene was. (The part of a movie where they have dinner?)

Indianapolis does have many cuisines to choose from. When researching this article, YAT’S  caught my eye because I only know of one place where this term is acceptable: Louisiana. Indeed, it serves Creole and Cajun food. You should check their website for more information, but as someone who loves food from New Orleans, this will be on my list the next time we drive through Indy.

The other restaurant that caught my eye is Workingman’s Friend. One of our boys says he judges a restaurant by the burger. Well, here you go, son, because Workingman’s Friend has consistently won the “best burger in Indiana” from Food & Wine Magazine. One thing, though: it will be a few years before Sonny can check out this burger, since it is only for 21 and over. I did not find a website, and the information I found on Google Maps says it is only open for lunch. You’ll need to consult Yelp or Google reviews for more information.

Road Trips

South of Indianapolis and east of Bloomington, you can find beautiful Brown County State Park. Brown County was the hilliest part of Indiana I toured. It reminded me more of the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains than of most of the rest of Indiana. In the fall, I was mentally transported to Virginia, where the colors and the rolling hills welcome the cool, crisp air. I forgot I was in a flat state known for its corn.

We went to the little town there: Nashville, Indiana. While it is a bit of a tourist trap, it is quaint and full of shops to fill your souvenir–buying desires or get a head start on your Christmas shopping! I remember several art galleries. Surely the galleries have different artists in them by now, but I checked to see if there is still an art scene. It looks like it is still vibrant!

Brown County is a great place to go for a peaceful drive in the fall or to go hiking most of the year (as long as it isn’t icy or too cold for you). The outdoor options are many. We had limited time since I had to get back to studying. However, I would love to go back and do more hiking or horseback riding to explore a bit more.

Tim is from northern Indiana. Sadly, he moved away before he really understood the beauty and opportunities he could enjoy as a Hoosier. We have gone back to see some extended family in Hamilton, which is in the Northeast corner near the Ohio and Michigan state lines. As a small regional resort town, you too can enjoy the lake there or one of many lakes in northern Indiana. Summer comes a bit late, but July 4 is delightful. Tim remembers lying on the family boat staring into the sky as the fireworks exploded overhead. The colors were vibrant against the black sky.

Now there is a bit more light pollution at night, and probably more restrictions on how late you can be on the lake.  But there are other more rural lakes that might make for a more isolated experience.

Future Adventures

When I go back to Indiana for longer than a weekend to visit our family, I want to check out the sand dunes. Adventures await on the southern tip of Lake Michigan where there lies three parks: Indiana Dunes National Park, Indiana Dunes State Park and Indiana Dunes National Park Mount Baldy . I have been told they are fun to explore and quite impressive, especially since they seem out of place in a state known for growing corn.