The two suggested hotels, the Biddle Hotel and the Graduate Hotel, are in prime position for walking around Bloomington. These hotels are only .6 miles apart, about a 10-15 minute walk that includes portions of the campus.
Traversing Bloomington
Transportation options
Bikes
Bloomington is a bike-friendly city, and many streets have bike lanes. The Graduate Hotel has a few loaner bikes, but you’ll need to bring your own in most cases. Learn more about where to bike in the city’s Biking in Bloomington page.
Electric scooters
The city also has lots of electric scooters, including Lime, Bird, and Veo, to rent per ride like many larger urban areas. Use their respective apps to unlock a ride and go. These services generally run cheaper than car rideshare programs. Please remember to be safe while operating them, and don’t forget to wear a helmet.
Ridesharing
Both Uber and Lyft operate in Bloomington as well. Use their respective apps to get a ride.
Parking
Parking in Bloomington can be tricky. See city parking options on the Bloomington parking website. Most in-town on-street parking is metered. There are three downtown parking garages which are a bit cheaper than metered parking. On campus you’ll also have to pay for parking in most cases. If you find yourself in need of metered parking on campus or throughout Bloomington, downloading the ParkMobile app will help or be required depending on where you are. More information, including the location of pay lots and parking on campus for disabled visitors, is available on the IU Parking website.