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.

When to visit Bloomington

Bloomington in March
Estimated hotel price
$95
1 night at 3-star hotel
Bloomington in March
Estimated hotel price
$95
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 4 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Bloomington include Korean Air, American Airlines and Qatar Airways. The shortest domestic flight to Bloomington departs from Orlando and takes around 5h.

Train

The train station in Bloomington is called Bloomington Normal, and is located 1.8 miles from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Bloomington is to pick up a car rental from Chicago, which is about 119 miles from Bloomington. You’ll find branches of Kyte and Routes Car & Truck Rentals, among others, in Chicago.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Bloomington Normal - Greyhound Bus Station, located 0.4 miles from downtown Bloomington. Bloomington Pilot Travel Center is also a commonly used station, and is 1.3 miles from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Bloomington, you’ll arrive at Bloomington-Normal (BMI), which is located 4 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Bloomington include Korean Air, American Airlines and Qatar Airways. The shortest domestic flight to Bloomington departs from Orlando and takes around 5h.

Train

The train station in Bloomington is called Bloomington Normal, and is located 1.8 miles from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Bloomington is to pick up a car rental from Chicago, which is about 119 miles from Bloomington. You’ll find branches of Kyte and Routes Car & Truck Rentals, among others, in Chicago.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Bloomington Normal - Greyhound Bus Station, located 0.4 miles from downtown Bloomington. Bloomington Pilot Travel Center is also a commonly used station, and is 1.3 miles from the city center.

Airports near Bloomington

Airlines serving Bloomington

Lufthansa
Good (4,666 reviews)
KLM
Good (849 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,541 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,618 reviews)
Air France
Good (983 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,962 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,120 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,467 reviews)
Frontier
Okay (1,352 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (773 reviews)
Japan Airlines
Excellent (965 reviews)
Aeromexico
Good (811 reviews)
Copa Airlines
Good (778 reviews)
Qantas Airways
Good (549 reviews)
American Airlines
Good (5,794 reviews)
Virgin Atlantic
Good (504 reviews)
WestJet
Good (1,928 reviews)
Allegiant Air
Good (438 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, 572 reviews)
$126+
Hyatt Place Bloomington / Normal
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, 439 reviews)
$130+
DoubleTree by Hilton Bloomington
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, 205 reviews)
$162+
Eastland Suites Hotel & Conference Center
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, 457 reviews)
$101+
Best Western Plus Bloomington East Hotel
2 stars
Excellent (8, 655 reviews)
$85+
Country Inn & Suites Bloomington-Normal Airport
2 stars
Good (7.9, 1126 reviews)
$100+

Renting a car in Bloomington

Renting a car in Bloomington costs $65 per day, on average, or $130 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 15% cheaper than airport locations in Bloomington.

Expect to pay $3.94 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 $47.24 and $62.99. 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 Economy rental cars (Chevrolet Spark or similar) are, on average, 48% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Bloomington costs $65 per day, on average, or $130 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 15% cheaper than airport locations in Bloomington.

Expect to pay $3.94 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 $47.24 and $62.99. 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 Economy rental cars (Chevrolet Spark or similar) are, on average, 48% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.