72 Hours in Southern Indiana

Published September 5th, 2024

Photography by Kate Robertson

There’s something about stumbling upon hidden gems that brings a real sense of what I call “explorer-satisfaction” to the soul. I discovered such satisfaction on my trip to Bloomington, Columbus and Nashville, all located about an hour south of Indiana’s state capital, Indianapolis. Each of these communities are home to an unexpected showcase of impressive arts and architecture and outdoor and culinary adventures.

Whether you’re on a road trip, or only have a long weekend to spare, with less than an hour’s travel time between each of these communities, here’s how to catch the highlights in 72 hours. 

Bloomington - The Cool College Town

Home to Indiana University, with an enrollment of 45,000 students in a city of only 80,000, as you can imagine, the energy in “BTown”, as the locals call it, is young and vibrant.

Established in 1820, today the university has a campus size of 1,953 acres. “They don’t tend to tear down buildings here, they renovate them,” says Brian Keith, our expert geology guide, as he steers us through nearly three centuries of styles, from Gothic to Romanesque Revival to Art Deco. The rule is that all buildings on the main campus must be at least in-part constructed with locally-quarried Indiana limestone, making the campus tour especially impressive.

On campus is the Eskenazi Museum of Art, designed by acclaimed architect I.M. Pei. With 45,000 objects in its collection, they’re not likely to run out of exhibits any time soon. I took a trip through time as I wandered through collections dating from antiquity and sub-saharan African, to paintings by famous artists like Picasso and contemporary works. 

The ancient art collection from the region surrounding the Mediterranean and the Near East is particularly impressive. The immaculate, nearly invisible reconstruction of artifacts dating from as far back as 30,000 BCE leaves me dreaming about being an artifact conservator in my next life. 

The Lilly Library, a special collections library known for having one of less than 100 original copies of Gutenberg’s New Testament, all of the Ian Fleming original manuscripts and a half million books in its collection is also housed here.

“It takes four of us to flip the page every couple of weeks,” says Katie Melsheimer, Reading Room Co-ordinator, as she points at the 66x99 centimetre meticulously detailed, hand-coloured illustrations in the double elephant folio of J.J. Audubon’s, Birds of America (1827-1838). 

The university draws residents from all over, and lunch is at Anyetsang’s Little Tibet on International Row, a street lined with restaurants serving up global cuisine. I savour my kham amdo thugpa (Tibetan stew) of daikon and other vegetables in a rich chicken broth with chewy hand-pulled noodles and an order of Tibetan momos (dumplings), my first-ever Tibetan meal.

Local vineyard Oliver Winery shares in Bloomington’s innovative enthusiasm. “If you’re a dry wine lover, keep an open mind,” says Bill Oliver, whose father started the winery 52 years ago. To appeal to the mid-western pallet, they make everything here, from dark, dry Chambourcin (which grapes especially like the local terroir), to light, fruit wines, like the bright Lavender-Cucumber Chill that I’m sipping.

Outdoor Lovers’ Paradise

Indiana is a mid-western state, so I’d expected flat fields for as far as the eye could see. So the 30-minute drive through rolling hills of verdant hardwood forests to Brown County State Park, just outside of Nashville, a small town with a main street lined with art galleries, trendy boutiques and antique stores, is a pleasant surprise. 

Indiana’s largest state park covering 16,000 acres, contains campgrounds, a lodge, over 29 kilometres of hiking trails and 113 kilometres of bridle trails. Park rangers lead regularly scheduled interpretive hikes.  

But I’m here to experience the mountain biking, and at the Pine Loop Trail parking lot I meet Kate and Danielle Nolan, owners of Brown County Bikes. Both professional mountain bike instructors, they teach a mini-skills clinic to build confidence and familiarize us with their bike rentals before the ride. There are nearly 48 kilometres of trails in the park, with a good mix of beginner to expert trails and 122 metres of elevation change up and around hills, through ravines and across streams.

“The faster I’m going the further ahead I look,” says Kate. She clarifies that this isn’t just to read the terrain, but also to steer clear of the venomous snakes found in the park, like the cottonmouth, or the timber rattlesnake that can reach up to 6 feet at maturity (yikes). 

Who doesn’t love a good dose of quirky, and 10 minutes from the park, down a dead-end road (their tagline is “One inconvenient location since 1851”) I get my fill at the Story Inn Restaurant and Still Tavern. 

“The resident ghost is the ‘blue lady’”, says proprietor Rich Hofstetter, as he walks us through the renovated rooms on the top floor of the general store. The blue lady was, supposedly, the wife of Dr. Story who founded the village, and apparently, there are hundreds of documentations of paranormal activities in the inn’s guestbooks.

Indiana’s oldest country inn, everything about this 19 century village makes me want to spend more time here–the underground tavern, the beautifully restored 114-year old barn, the accommodation and the gardens where they grow ingredients for their daily prix-fixe menu.

I’ve been on plenty of distillery tours, but Hard Truth Distilling Co. wins the bourbon-shot for uniqueness. With 325 wooded acres, there are a variety of tours, like the Get Lost tour I take, a spirit-tasting ATV adventure through the forest. Stops and tastings include at a moonshine cabin and adult swings at a lookout. 

“We found a still right here on the property. Moonshine, or unaged whiskey, was made under the moon,” says guide Kelsey. The needs for a moonshine distillery were specific: a creek to cool the vapors and the location had to be low-lying so they could stoke the fire in the morning and the mist would hide the smoke. At Hard Truth you can book a three-hour tour to make your own moonshine, just like the pioneers of the past.

Columbus - The Architecture Mecca

“Modernist architecture likes to show how things are put together”, says our guide as he talks about the slatted door in the First Christian Church where even the screw heads are lined up vertically. 

This art tour by the Visit Columbus Visitor Centre highlights works since the early 1940s by famous architects like Kevin Roche, Eero Saarinen and Pei, who shaped Columbus, a city of just over 50,000, into a virtual museum of modern architecture. An impressive assortment of contemporary public art is also strewn through the city, including works by Henry Moore, Chihuly and Tinguely.  

Another of America’s most important examples of Modernism is the 1957 Miller House and Garden. “The house is known for its conversation pit,” says guide Ben Wever. “They would change the cushions with the season which would change the whole feel.” The modernist aesthetic is incorporated in the open layout, flat roof and stone and glass walls. Clean-lined modern furnishings accented with colourful textiles are original from when the Millers, local industrialists, last lived here.

An ice cream stop is welcome anytime, but at Zaharakos, it’s not just about delicious ice cream, but as much about the history. Founded in 1900 and family-owned for over a century, the building was recently restored by a new owner using historic designer gems like two early 19th century Mexican onyx soda fountains, an Italian marble counter and a Tiffany-style lamp. 

My 72 hours in South Indiana has been a whirl-wind, with no shortage of things to do and see. Next time I’ll book a longer trip.

Where to Stay

Bloomington - Grant Street Inn - close to downtown and the university campus, this charming inn was rescued from demolition and restored beyond its original beauty. Stays include a delicious hot breakfast.

Columbus & Nashville- Indigo Columbus - within walking distance to the Fourth Street Entertainment District, the hotel has an on-site gallery showcasing regional artists. Look for Tripp, the cutest little dog you’ve ever seen, and the hotel’s pet ambassador, hanging out in the lobby.

Where to Eat

Bloomington - The Elm, modern, artfully-plated dishes made with local ingredients. 

Nashville - The Ferguson House Bistro & Bar - located in an 1873 boarding house, the Ferguson offers creative, international cuisine and Thursdays are Prime Rib night.

Columbus - Henry Social Club - sleek and stylish, the Henry serves up creative cocktails and gourmet dishes.

Kate Robertson

Kate has a passion for active travel and off-the-beaten path destinations. An award-winning writer, she writes for Canadian and US publications. At home in the Kootenay Mountains of British Columbia, Kate never runs out of fun things to do. Whether it’s hiking, biking or playing in the snow, home is the perfect place to dream up her next epic adventure.