Bloomington travel guide

Bloomington Tourism | Bloomington Guide

You're Going to Love Bloomington

With a population of 76.610, Bloomington is a must-see destination in Illinois, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Bloomington deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

Where to Eat in Bloomington

If you’re looking for affordable options, Biaggi's - Bloomington (1501 North Veterans Parkway) and DESTIHL-Normal (318 Towanda Ave) are great picks.

Most popular restaurants in Bloomington

American
Wonderful (52 reviews)
American
Wonderful (52 reviews)

When to visit Bloomington

Bloomington in November
Estimated hotel price
$104
1 night at 3-star hotel
Bloomington in November
Estimated hotel price
$104
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Bloomington in July, when the average temperature is 75.2 °F, and the highest can go up to 87.8 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 19.4 °F, with an average temperature of 26.6 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in May, when precipitation is around 3.9″. In contrast, February is usually the driest month of the year in Bloomington, with an average rainfall of 1.6″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Bloomington

Plane

When flying to Bloomington, you’ll arrive at Bloomington-Normal (BMI), which is located 7 km from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Bloomington include Air France, Aeromexico and Delta. The shortest domestic flight to Bloomington departs from Austin and takes around 5h 42m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Bloomington. The train station in Bloomington is called Bloomington Normal, and is located 2.9 km from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Bloomington is to pick up a car rental from Chicago, which is about 192 km from Bloomington. You’ll find branches of Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Kyte, among others, in Chicago.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Bloomington Normal - Greyhound Bus Station, located 0.7 km from downtown Bloomington. Bloomington Pilot Travel Center is also a commonly used station, and is 2.0 km from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Bloomington, you’ll arrive at Bloomington-Normal (BMI), which is located 7 km from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Bloomington include Air France, Aeromexico and Delta. The shortest domestic flight to Bloomington departs from Austin and takes around 5h 42m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Bloomington. The train station in Bloomington is called Bloomington Normal, and is located 2.9 km from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Bloomington is to pick up a car rental from Chicago, which is about 192 km from Bloomington. You’ll find branches of Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Kyte, among others, in Chicago.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Bloomington Normal - Greyhound Bus Station, located 0.7 km from downtown Bloomington. Bloomington Pilot Travel Center is also a commonly used station, and is 2.0 km from the city center.

Airports near Bloomington

Airlines serving Bloomington

Lufthansa
Good (4,615 reviews)
KLM
Good (848 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,450 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,599 reviews)
Air France
Good (974 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,931 reviews)
Emirates
Good (2,124 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,480 reviews)
Frontier
Okay (1,344 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (775 reviews)
Japan Airlines
Excellent (956 reviews)
Aeromexico
Good (815 reviews)
Copa Airlines
Good (769 reviews)
Qantas Airways
Good (538 reviews)
American Airlines
Good (5,776 reviews)
Virgin Atlantic
Good (515 reviews)
Air New Zealand
Excellent (307 reviews)
WestJet
Good (1,916 reviews)
Allegiant Air
Good (441 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in popular areas of Bloomington

Most booked hotels in Bloomington

Hampton Inn & Suites Bloomington-Normal
2 stars
Excellent (8.5, 575 reviews)
$131+
Hyatt Place Bloomington / Normal
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, 437 reviews)
$130+
DoubleTree by Hilton Bloomington
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, 203 reviews)
$164+
Eastland Suites Hotel & Conference Center
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, 454 reviews)
$101+
Best Western Plus Bloomington East Hotel
2 stars
Excellent (8, 650 reviews)
$105+
Country Inn & Suites Bloomington-Normal Airport
2 stars
Good (7.9, 1143 reviews)
$95+

Renting a car in Bloomington

Renting a car in Bloomington costs $67 per day, on average, or $134 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 11% cheaper than airport locations in Bloomington.

Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Bloomington (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. The most frequently booked car type in Bloomington is Mini (Chrysler Pacifica or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Premium rental cars (Nissan Maxima or similar) are, on average, 52% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Bloomington costs $67 per day, on average, or $134 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 11% cheaper than airport locations in Bloomington.

Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Bloomington (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. The most frequently booked car type in Bloomington is Mini (Chrysler Pacifica or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Premium rental cars (Nissan Maxima or similar) are, on average, 52% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.