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It's never too early to start planning for warm weather RV camping adventures. A place you'll want to add to your itinerary is Bloomington, Indiana, where outdoor attractions, historic sites and an exciting college town atmosphere mean you'll have plenty of places to play.

One of the best ways to get to know Bloomington is to pull into one of the area's excellent RV parks and then embrace nature. Bloomington RV campgrounds are in such beautiful settings as Lake Monroe, where tall, rocky bluffs ring Indiana's largest lake. Favorite ways RVers enjoy Lake Monroe include boating, fishing from the piers, hiking the woodland trails or swimming at one of the reservoir's two beaches.

Lake Monroe sits on the northern boundary of Hoosier National Forest, a two-hundred-thousand acre green space complete with hillside lookouts, scenic trails and an impressive collection of waterways. Nearly every kind of outdoor recreation can be enjoyed while you're here. Here's a tip for vacation photographers -- wildlife in this forest is abundant, so pack your favorite camera as you pack your motorhome.

Want to take your vacation adventures underground? Bluespring Caverns, just a short drive from Bloomington, offers RVers a trip along a mysterious subterranean river. Older kids will especially enjoy the underground snack bar and the amazing cave-dwelling creatures.

And what attracts RVers to Bloomington itself? Indiana University's Hoosiers lure loyal fans to baseball, basketball and football games, not to mention a whole host of other sporting events year-round. Imagine enjoying an RV vacation in a beautiful setting with the added bonus of first-rate collegiate sports nearby.

That's just the beginning of what you can do while in Bloomington. The BEAD (Bloomington Entertainment and Arts District) is a sixty block collection of restaurants, galleries and shopping venues sure to please everyone in your RV camping crew. Don't miss this pulsing heart in the city's center during your stay in Bloomington.

And you can't truly appreciate Bloomington without knowing a little about its history. The city features no less than thirteen walking tours that highlight vintage neighborhoods and structures. Start here to collect more information on the Showers Brothers Furniture Factory Tour, details on the Vinegar Hill Limestone District and other memorable treasures from Bloomington's fascinating past.

There you have them -- seven tips for an exciting Bloomington, Indiana RV camping vacation. Whether you're planning a long weekend of RV camping or hope to settle in for an extended stay, you won't run out of ways to play in and around Bloomington. Get ready to experience the beauty of nature, the energy of a great university and the wealth of visual history that keeps RV campers coming to Bloomington, Indiana.

Joe Laing is the Marketing Director for El Monte RV Rentals. You can see more great RV vacation ideas in their Monty's Musings RV Travel Blog and be sure to check out their RV Camping Pictures.

'Tis the season..for shrieks and spooks, ghosts and goblins... and candy, lots and lots of candy! We've compiled a handy list of all the fun Halloween related events happening in the Bloomington area throughout the month of October.

Pick your favorite Spooky B-town event and make your plans now!
Come on, you're not scared, are you? 

Haunted Houses: open throughout October

Baker's Junction Haunted Train
Fri. & Sat., 7-10 pm

Barn of Terror
Fri. & Sat., 8 pm - 12 am

Harrodsburg Haunted House
Fri. & Sat., 8 pm - 12 am

Family-Friendly Events

Great Glass Pumpkin Patch
Courthouse Square, Oct. 15, 10 am - 3pm

Little Monsters Gallery Art Show
Blueline Gallery, Oct. 16-31

Trick or Treat Trail
RCA Park, Oct. 22, 1-4 pm

Dennis James hosts Halloween
IU Auditorium, Oct. 27, 7:30 pm

Festival of Ghost Stories
Bryan Park, Oct. 28

Halloween at Lake Monroe
Paynetown Campground, Oct. 29

Safe Halloween
College Mall, Oct. 29, 6-8 pm

Skate & Scare
Frank Southern Ice Arena, Oct. 29, 7 - 9 pm

Spooky Paper-Making
Twisted Limb Paperworks, Oct. 30 & 31

Halloween Family Fun Fest
Mathers Museum, Oct. 31

Pumpkins!

Freeman Family Farms
Fri. 4 - 7 pm; Sat. 10 am - 8 pm; Sun. 12-5 pm

Oliver Winery
Mon. - Sat. 10 am - 6 pm; Sun. 12-6 pm

Musgrave Orchard
Wed. - Sun., 10:30 am - 6:30 pm

Great Bloomington Pumpkin Launch
Hilltop Garden & Nature Center, Nov. 5, 12-4 pm

Adults Only

Dark Carnival Film Festival
Buskirk-Chumley Theater, Oct. 21-23

Haunted Hoosier History Overnight
(Kids 12 and up welcome on the tour portion of the event only with a parent.)
Please RSVP by Oct. 7th.
Monroe Co. History Center, Oct. 22, 6 pm

Halloween Horror Burlesque
Jake's Nightclub, Oct. 29, 10 pm & 12 am

Rocky Horror Picture Show
Buskirk-Chumley Theater, Oct. 29, 7:30 & 11:30 pm

What a beautiful morning it is in Bloomington today! Looks like this week's weather is just perfect for playing a little hooky from work to meet a good friend for a round of golf out by Lake Monroe. If you're like the rest of us, we know you work hard and probably don't have as much time to spend having fun with your friends, so we're going to help you make it happen!

Between now and two o'clock this afternoon, you've got the chance to win a free round of golf at Eagle Pointe Golf Resort for you and a friend, plus $50 in gift cards to Talons Restaurant. Just leave us a comment and tell us why you or your friend deserve this B-town Break!

It's a wet and rainy day outside, but the sun will come back soon, and we've got the perfect way for you to enjoy a sunny afternoon in Bloomington! Located on the shores of beautiful Lake Monroe, Eagle Pointe Golf Resort offers a full range of resort amenities, including a championship golf course!

This week's lucky Winning Wednesday winner will receive a round of golf at Eagle Pointe, plus we'll also throw in a gift certificate for Talon's Restaurant to complete the experience! This is a great opportunity to spend the afternoon enjoying the outdoors in Bloomington (or a nice Father's Day gift). So, how do you get entered to win?

The topic today is outdoor recreation - leave us a comment and tell us about your favorite way to enjoy the great outdoors in and around Bloomington. You've got all day to get entered and our winner will be notified via email tomorrow morning. Good Luck!  

The bustling pace of the Indiana University campus has begun to slow and summer has arrived in Bloomington, bringing with it steamy temperatures and sticky humidity. 

So, how can you beat the summer heat? Here are a few great options for staying cool during your trip to Bloomington:

City of Bloomington Pool Facilities - 812-349-3781 
Bryan Park Pool, located on South Woodlawn Avenue, is open 3-7 pm Monday through Friday and 11 am to 7 pm on weekends until June 8, then daily throughout the summer from 11 am - 7 pm. The facility offers a zero-depth activity pool for small children, two waterslides and more!

Mills Pool, located on West 14th Street, is also open from 3-7 pm on weekdays and 11 am - 7 pm on weekends until June 8, then daily from 11 am - 7 pm. Features include a zero-depth activity pool for small children, water basketball, a waterslide and picnic area.

Indiana University Outdoor Pool - 812-855-9584
The IU Oudoor Pool is located on Fee Lane, just north of 17th Street. Open daily through Sept. 5 to both students and non-students alike, the IU Outdoor Pool features open swim times, lap swimming, volleyball and pool side relaxation. Discounted multi-day punch cards are available.

Karst Farm Park Splash Pad - 812-349-2800
Open daily through Sept. 12th, this Monroe County Parks facility is a great way to splash the day away! The facility is located west of Bloomington in Karst Farm Park and offers lots of fun water features on a concrete pad, rentable shade canopies and an adjacent picnic area with playscape.

Lake Monroe - 812-837-9546
For the ultimate in summer fun, head for Indiana's largest lake - over 10,700 acres of water await you at Lake Monroe! The lake has two on-site boat rental facilities and unlimited opportunities for fun in the sun including boating, fishing and swimming and even a nature center.

So head for Bloomington to splash into summer... 
and don't forget your swim suit!

This year will mark the 43rd year for Bloomington's other bicycle tradition, the annual Hilly Hundred Bicycle Tour. The event is based out of Ellettsville, Indiana, just a few minutes to the west of downtown Bloomington, but leads the approximately 5,000 pariticpants on a beautiful scenic tour of south central Indiana's rolling hills. Traversing some of the most beautiful back roads in the Midwest, the Hilly Hundred offers bicyclists a chance to enjoy the beautiful fall weather, one another's company and a challenging ride.

This year's Hilly Hundred will be held October 8-10. If you're planning on participating, have a wonderful visit to the Bloomington area and enjoy the ride! If you're not planning to participate, why not? Here's some footage from a previous HIlly Hundred, just to get  you in the right mood:

It's hot out there . . . and it seems like we've developed a pattern in south central Indiana of steamy days capped off by rainy, stormy afternoons or evenings.  So, what can you do to beat the heat in Bloomington?

Start with the basic essentials for surviving the heat.

• Hit the pool!
  Choose from Bryan Park Pool, Mills Pool (both great for kids) and the IU Outdoor Pool (did you know they have wireless?). Karst Farm Park now has a zero-depth Splash Pad for all ages and abilities!
  
• Make a break for the lake!
  Lake Monroe is Indiana's largest and boat rentals are readily available at Fourwinds Resort & Marina on the west side of the lake and Lake Monroe Boat Rental on the east side of the lake. Swimming beaches are located at Paynetown SRA, Fairfax SRA and Hardin Ridge Recreation Area. Riddle Point Park at Lake Lemon also features a beach area.
   
• Do something indoors!
  Here are a few of my favorite activiites for those rainy days, or days that are just too hot to leave the air conditioning!

Grab the family and head for WonderLab, where kids of all ages can enjoy learning more about science (and climbing the two-story tall grapevine).

Explore the works of masters at the IU Art Museum. From Picasso to Monet to ancient Greece, you'll be fascinated by these creations

Take a class - check out what's being offered by the Ivy Tech John Waldron Arts Center or Bloomington Parks and Recreation.

Learn about cultures from around the world at the Mathers Museum.

These are just a few of my favorites, but the possibilities are endless! Explore visitbloomington.com for even more great ideas to keep you busy, and cool, this summer!

June is Limestone Month, and that means lots of great exhibits, events and activities throughout Monroe and Lawrence Counties. Log on to www.limestonemonth.com for a complete calendar of things happening this month.  

Last year, as part of the first ever Limestone Month, I was lucky enough to go on a tour of an active limestone quarry operated by the Elliott Stome Company in northern Lawrence County, courtesy of Elite Tours. It was an incredible experience. 

A family-owned business, the Elliott Stone Company quarries limestone in a large underground cavern rather than the more traditional quarrying technique of blasting a large hole in the ground.

The stone is quarried by large, specially designed saws that cut horizontally into the cavern walls. Bags inflated with air are then used to break the stone from the wall.

The equivalent of three stories of stone can be quarried underground without disrupting wildlife and vegetation on the surface.

Here's a link to a good article about x-country skiing in B-town:

http://www.myinstride.com/stories/2010/02/07/isf.nw-585208.sto

There is never a bad time to go to Oliver Winery but it is exceptionally beautiful in the fall.  One of the largest wineries in the Eastern United States, thousands of visitors annually flock to the winery for free tasting, winemaking tours, to stroll through their beautiful gardens and enjoy a picnic by their pond.  The winery is completely kid friendly and easy to get to just off of state road 37 about 5 miles north of Bloomington.  For more information - www.oliverwinery.com.