Dan Caron
MBA Student
Coming to Kelley for my MBA, I knew a lot of my time would be spent in a classroom; however, sometimes you just need to get away from schoolwork. Although I’d already checked Assembly Hall off my bucket list, I didn’t know much about what else Bloomington offered. Were there any good hiking trails? Were there any good breweries or wineries? Luckily, I’ve discovered there are quite a few great spots just a few minutes from campus!
Brown County State Park
Brown County State Park is a must-see when you visit Bloomington, especially when the leaves change in the fall. Only a 30-minute drive from Bloomington in the small town of Nashville, IN, Brown County State Park is a great way to spend a weekday afternoon. There are plenty of great hiking trails and mountain biking trails. While it took me a fair amount of time to accept there was a Nashville outside of Tennessee, this very quickly became one of my favorite spots around Bloomington.
Griffy Lake
While Griffy Lake receives less publicity than Brown County State Park, it’s a lovely natural space only two miles away from the Kelley School of Business. Griffy Lake offers a great opportunity to get out into nature. Given its proximity to campus, I thought this would be a well-known destination, but even amongst my fellow MBA students, it flies way under the radar. If you like to hike and or you just need to get your mind off school for a bit, this is a place you need to check out!
Oliver Winery
Less interested in hiking and more interested in tasting the local red? Oliver Winery has you covered! Travel and Leisure ranked Oliver Winery at #22 on their list of top wineries in the United States. For $5 you can taste eight of their wines, and afterward, you can sit out on the patio to enjoy some great company. I took advantage of the patio with some fellow MBAs during Parent’s Weekend in November 2017.
Monroe Lake
Roughly ten miles southeast of Bloomington, Monroe Lake gives you the opportunity to do anything from swimming, to boating, to camping.
Next time you find yourself in Bloomington, be sure to keep some time open in your schedule to visit these great spots. They are destinations all full-time Kelley MBAs should check out before they graduate!