How to Plan a Couples Day Date to Bloomington, IL
Bloomington-Normal is a quiet town with loads of local shopping, unique restaurants, and lots of history to go around! We took a quick day trip to Bloomington for a relaxing Saturday with plenty of culture and good eats to enjoy. Check out how we spent our day:
Breakfast at Egg Republic
At our first stop, we popped into Egg Republic for a light breakfast and mimosas. With farmhouse chic vibes, this breakfast certainly felt upscale before we’d even tried the food. They offer mimosa flights as well if you can’t choose just one of their flavors—our favorite was the Lavender Mimosa! There are intimate seating options, as well as a patio (the dining room is a little loud), and a bar. Lots of great menu options, including an açaí bowl—our favorite!
Washington Street Mansions
As we were heading toward Main Street, we drove down Washington street which was lined with beautiful historic mansions. We didn’t do this personally, but we thought this could be a great place to take a walk with a morning coffee, admiring the architecture of the ornate homes. To get a closer look at these homes, we’d recommend parking at the school (1201 E Washington St, Bloomington, IL 61701) and walking east!
Main Street Shopping
When we originally planned this trip, we had a few different stores we knew we wanted to see, but we had no idea they would all be on the same street! The Main Street shopping strip is FULL of artsy shops, everything from records, to crystals, to fair trade, to thrift… we had a blast. And to make things even better, we learned that Bloomington has a farmers market on Saturday mornings (open until noon) in the summer as well on that same street. Check out some of the shops we stopped into on Main:
Uptown Circle
After Main Street, we headed over to the Uptown Circle in the heart of Bloomington. This strip is filled with shops, restaurants, and bars, along with a beautiful round-a-bout park in the middle of the square with small waterfalls and artificial streams you can walk in with your shoes off in the summer time. They also have benches around the park you can sit at to enjoy the bustling city atmosphere. Check out some of these places in Uptown:
Lunch at Medici
Around lunchtime, we tried out Medici—a beautiful restaurant on the Uptown Strip in a historic, well-kept building. Inside, you’ll find an interesting, preserved tree appearing to grow in the middle of dining room. There’s a bridge on the upper level that leads to more gorgeous dining space, and the food (selection ranging from seafood to wraps and sandwiches) is elegant, well-presented, and fresh. We grabbed a small entree to share to tide us over until dinner.
Normal Theater
Once we finished exploring Uptown, we settled in for our movie reservation at the Normal Theater—a historically preserved theater that plays old time movies, open to the public. Tickets are inexpensive, and the staff is kind and helpful! We saw “James Bond: From Russia With Love” and had a wonderful time! The theater was a bit cold (even in the summer) so be sure to bring a sweatshirt along.
Drinks at White Oak Brewing
After the movie, we tried out White Oak Brewing (at the suggestion of our friends)—a small, locally owned brewery with indoor and outdoor seating. The bartenders are cool, and our favorite brew was “Charming AF”.
Dinner at Anju Above
Talk about options! Anju Above is a cozy restaurant on the second floor of one of Bloomington’s old downtown buildings. The menu includes everything from sushi and poke bowls to pizza—an interesting combo, but perfect for the picky eater as well as the seafood connoisseur. We ordered a poke bowl, as well as a pizza, and an appetizer of a pretzel roll with cheese. We’ll definitely be back!