One of your best girlfriends is getting married, and the only way to properly celebrate the occasion is to throw her a fabulous bachelorette party. Bloomington is the perfect place to have the last fling before the ring — in fact, we've already planned the entire bach bash for you. All you need to do is clear the bride-to-be's schedule, round up the bridesmaids, pack your bags, grab a Future Mrs. sash & champagne flute, and hit the road!
Day One
4:00 PM: CHECK-IN
After you arrive in town, check in at your hotel or vacation rental. If you're staying with a smaller group, a standard hotel stay is a great option. If your group is large or you're looking to make the bride feel extra special, consider booking a hotel suite or a vacation rental.
Set down your bags, kick up your feet for a moment's rest, make a celebratory toast to honor the woman of the weekend, then begin getting ready for the night ahead.
Don't forget to take photos along the way — the bride-to-be will want to remember this weekend, and ensuring you document your trip will make her feel that much more loved. Go the extra mile and create a fun bachelorette party-themed hashtag to share with your photo dump on social — don't forget to include #VisitBTown so we can (virtually) be part of the "I Do" crew, too!
6:00 PM: DINNER & DRINKS
Bloomington's is known for its eclectic food scene, and there are several great restaurants for celebratory events. All of the following have fantastic shareables and drinks, as well as a vibrant, buzzing atmosphere that's perfect for bubbly conversation and a fun time.
Photo by Kalao Restaurant & Nightclub
- Kalao Restaurant & Nightclub // Kalao serves a wide-ranging menu of Latin American-style food, and their drink menu includes signature cocktails specifically for groups. They're a restaurant by-day that transforms into a club at night, and they even offer reservations & packages for bachelorette parties. If your group wants to keep things simple by enjoying dinner, drinks, and nightlife all at one place, Kalao is a great option.
- Social Cantina // Specializing in tacos & tequila, Social Cantina is one of the best options for dining with a group in Bloomington. Order a tray of nachos or the chips & salsa flight for the table to share, enjoy a taco or two of your choice, and don't miss out on their incredible margaritas — order a pitcher to split if everyone can agree on one flavor!
- SmokeWorks // If the bride-to-be is a whiskey gal, take your crew to SmokeWorks. In addition to their whiskey cocktails, boozy milkshakes, and menu of over 200 whiskeys, the restaurant specializes in southern-style barbecue platters. Keep it simple while trying a variety of things by ordering the appetizer and SmokeWorks samplers to share, as well as one of their seven whiskey flights.
- The Tap // Does the Miss-turning-Mrs. prefer beer to liquor? Head to The Tap! Offering over 400 bottled brews from around the world and 90 beers on tap, as well as a menu of elevated pub plates, The Tap is a great dinner destination ahead of a night out. They even host private events in their brewery, located in the lower level of the brew pub, if your group prefers a quieter, more private setting.
- The Village Pub // Offering gourmet pub plates, delicious cocktails, and live music, The Village Pub has a Gatsby-esque vibe that's unlike any other eatery in Bloomington. It's one of the most unique food & drink venues in town, and its speakeasy atmosphere will set the tone for a jazzy, sparkling night to remember.
9:00 PM: SLUMBER PARTY
Head back to your abode for the night to play some fun bachelorette party games, enjoy a few more drinks, and watch a wedding-related movie — Bridesmaids, The Proposal, Wedding Crashers, Father of the Bride — there are so many good ones to choose from! You've got a big day ahead of yourselves tomorrow, including a night on the town, so you don't want to celebrate too hard during your first night and be out of commission the following day.
Day Two
10:00 AM: BREAKFAST BUNCH
Start the day on a high note with a delicious breakfast at a local restaurant. Fuel up for the day's activities at one of these breakfast joints — there are several to pick from, and we think you should give the Future Mrs. full voting power in honor of her celebratory weekend!
12:00 PM: RAISE A GLASS
There are several ways you could spend the afternoon, depending on the season during your visit:
- Spring: Cocktails at Cardinal Spirits // With spring comes the return of patio season, and Cardinal Spirits has one of the best patios in town. Take a walk down the B-Line Trail to get to the craft distillery, then spend a few hours trying various cocktails and snacking on their delicious food. The Cheese + Charcuterie Board and OMG Fries are 100% necessary, and they're both great shareables for a group.
- Summer: Double-Decker Pontoon Party // The best way to spend a summer day in Bloomington with a group of friends is to rent a double-decker pontoon boat on Monroe Lake. Complete with a water slide, the bride and the rest of the party will have a blast cruising the lake, soaking up the sun, doing a little day drinking (be sure to stop by a Big Red Liquors for a styrofoam cooler & drinks, and hit a grocery store for chips & other snacks), and going for a float in the water.
- Fall: Wine Tasting at Oliver Winery // Fall is a beautiful time of year in Bloomington, and one of the prettiest places to visit is Oliver Winery. In addition to having beautiful grounds, the winery is home to some of the best wine in the nation. Enjoy wine flights, a picnic, a facility tour, and/or a guided tasting during your afternoon excursion.
- Winter: Brewery Crawl // If you're planning a winter visit, a great activity that will keep you out of the cold is a brewery crawl. Bloomington is home to five breweries that craft their own beer in-house, and they all offer delicious food to snack on as well.
4:00 PM: RE-ENERGIZE & GET READY
Head back to your hotel or rental to take a power nap, if needed, then get ready for a night of fine dining, dancing, and bar crawling. Make sure the girls bring their favorite party dresses or power suits, and don't forget to bring the bride's sash — having her wear it will increase the likelihood that she'll be treated to a few free drinks during your night out by kind bar-goers!
7:00 PM: DINNER DATE
In honor of such a special occasion, treat the bride-to-be to a fine dining experience. Getting dressed up is half the fun, and enjoying delectable cuisine & craft cocktails is the cherry on top! Bloomington is home to several fantastic upscale restaurants, which we've rounded up here. If your bridal crew is a larger group, make a reservation in advance of your trip to ensure the restaurant of your choice can accommodate you. Even if you're not a larger group, it doesn't hurt to make a reservation — after all, you want to make the bride's weekend as perfect and easy-going as possible!
9:00 PM: PAINT THE TOWN WHITE
Now it's time to hit the town! Bloomington's nightlife scene is pretty spectacular, and there are quite a few ways you can spend a night out:
- Classic Crawl // Bloomington is home to 20 bars in downtown alone, so the options are aplenty for a bar crawl. Be sure to hit Nick's for a game of Sink the Biz, The Cade for a spiked slushie, The Upstairs Pub for an AMF, and Bear's Place for a Hairy Bear — over several hours, of course!
- Dancing Queens // What's a better way to celebrate than dancing with friends? Head to The Back Door, Kalao, or The Root Cellar for a few drinks and a lot of dancing. If you head to The Back Door, you might even catch a drag show, which would be a fabulously fun addition to the bride's night. She might even get roped into the show if she's still wearing her sash, which would be an incredible memory!
Photo by @ktheadora on Instagram
- Girls Who Game // If the Miss-turning-Mrs. enjoys pinball, arcade games, and old school video games, a stop at The Cade is a must. The "barcade" is a full-service bar that also offers 18 stand-up cabinets and six game consoles, all free-to-play. The Cade even serves spiked slushies — what's better than sipping boozy slushies with the girls while playing Asteroids or Pac Man? If she's a pinball fanatic, make a stop at The Orbit Room as well — the underground bar houses pinball machines, too.
1:00 AM: LATE-NIGHT BITE
After a night of dancing, drinking, and gaming, you might be craving a midnight snack. Before you shepherd the ladies back to your lodging, grab a late-night bite to satisfy the drunchies. Check out one of the many food trucks lining downtown's streets until the wee hours of the morning — Doner Kebab, The Big Cheeze, and Pili's Party Taco are three local-favorites. If you're familiar with Bloomington's late-night scene, you've probably had Kilroy's Famous Stuffed Breadsticks, which are another fantastic option for the midnight munchies.
Photo by @chowinginchi on Instagram
If the group is craving sweets, head back to your hotel and order the Hot Box Special (13 cookies and four cartons of milk) from Baked! The local cookie shop sets itself apart by allowing its customers to make their own custom cookie creations, dough and all. Let the bride set her inner-child loose, giving her full creative control to make her perfect cookie concoction!
Day Three
11:00 AM: BUT FIRST, BRUNCH
Allow yourselves to sleep in a little after the late night out, then pack your bags, throw on your best sweatpants & sunglasses, and head out for one last meal with the bride tribe. Brunch in Bloomington is a must during any visit, and your bach bash is no exception — you can find a full list of B-Town's best brunch spots here. Order a round of mimosas for the table so you can raise a final glass to the bride-to-be, toasting the upcoming happiest day of her life.