Bloomington is a very walkable city, and our two conference hotels the Biddle Hotel and the Graduate Hotel are in prime position for walking or several public transportation options! The two hotel options highlighted are only .6 miles apart, about a 10-15 minute walk that includes portions of our scenic campus. The map to the right shows the walking distance between the Graduate Hotel and IU Cinema, with a stop at the Biddle Hotel. Zooming in shows a variety of resturants and shops which we will get to in some of the other pages in Conference Information. Continue reading below to learn about the several transportation options available to Bloomingtonians (and temporary Bloomingtonians!).
Transportation Options
Bikes – Bloomington is a bike-friendly city (unsurprising as it is home of the famous annual Little 500 bike race). Many streets have bike lanes and there are fantastic rides for road bikers. The Graduate Hotel has a few loaner bikes, but you’ll need to bring your own in most cases. You can learn more about where to bike in the city’s Biking in Bloomington page (though we no longer have a bike share program) and plan your longer ride using a map from the Bloomington Bicycle Club. You should be warned that Bloomington and Indiana University is built along a series of hills, which may prove difficult for unprepared riders!
Electric scooters – The city also has lots of electric scooters to rent per ride like many larger urban areas. The familiar names of Lime, Bird, and Veo operate in Bloomington. Use their respective apps to unlock your 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, especially while school is in session in the middle of September. You can 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.
Written by Rebecca Baumann, Erika Dowell, Isabel Planton, Ursula Romero, Lilly Library