text:
Block Island

During the winter months Block Island is the very picture of a sleepy, seaside New England town, with a local population of around 900 people. In summer, the island's population explodes to nearly 10,000 at any given time, and many thousands more on busy weekends or holidays.

Understand
New England has always been one of America's many summer destinations of choice. Every year couples and families flock to the coast looking for seafood, sun, and a strip of sandy beach to call their own. They stay in bed and breakfasts on Martha's Vineyard, rent houses in Cape Cod, and stretch out on Narragansett beaches. Block Island has become a new destination for those embarking on their annual summer exodus. Located off the coast of Rhode Island, Block Island has become one of the most appealing New England summer hotspots. This newfound popularity is due in large part to Block Island's easygoing, low-key atmosphere, which benefits from miles of beautiful beaches, numerous bars and restaurants, and consummate natural beauty.

By ferry

 * In summer there is also seasonal, passenger-only ferry service between Montauk, New York and Block Island.
 * In summer there is also seasonal, passenger-only ferry service between Montauk, New York and Block Island.
 * In summer there is also seasonal, passenger-only ferry service between Montauk, New York and Block Island.

By plane

 * Cape Air, 660 Barnstable Rd. Hyannis, Massachusetts, +1-866-228-1621. Provides seasonal service.
 * New England Airlines, 56 Airport Rd, Westerly, Rhode Island, +1-800-243-2460. Flights between Westerly and Block Island.

Get around
Most areas of Block Island are easily within walking distance of each other but there are plenty of other modes of transportation. If you prefer to travel by car you can flag down a taxi or rent one on the island. For a nominal charge, the visitor may bring a bicycle on ferries that serve the island. Bicycles and Mopeds are also available to rent and are so convenient that you may rent one as soon as you walk off the ferry. The "traditional" ferry from Point Judith, RI is the only ferry that takes cars. (For rates and schedule,Interstate Navigation.)

By taxi

 * Block Island Taxi, Phone: +1 401 466-2562
 * McAloon's Taxi, Phone: +1 401 741-1410
 * Mig's Rig, Phone: +1 401 480-0493

Bicycle moped and car rental services

 * Aldo's Mopeds and Bikes, Phone: +1 401 466-5018
 * Beach Rose Bicycles, Phone: +1 401 466-5925
 * Block Island Bike & Car Rental, Phone: +1 401 466-2297
 * Island Moped & Bike Rental, Phone: +1 401 466-2700
 * Moped Man Bike Rentals, Water St. Phone: +1 401 466-544

See
There are many different sights to see around the island during the summer. All you need is a gorgeous summer day and a pair of walking shoes in order to enjoy all of the sights that Block Island has to offer. Here is a list of some of the main attractions on the island:

Do
Although Block Island mainly consists of 17 miles (27 km) of beachy shore there is still plenty to do:

 * The Empire Theatre: The Empire theatre may be the best and worst place to see a movie, because it is one of the oldest in all of Rhode Island. The theatre is one screen and it shows two films a night, on days that it is raining it will show its “Rainy Day Matinee”. If you are going to the Empire Theatre for a strictly viewing experience than you are going for the wrong reasons. The Empire Theatre is like stepping into a movie theatre time machine, before there was stadium seating and massive screens. Instead the seats are on a flat surface and the screen rolls down over a stage right after the musical entertainment is over, which consists of man or woman playing the piano as viewers file in. Throughout the entire film you really get that “Old School” theatre feel as you watch. It is strongly recommended that you do get there early enough to get a good seat, because the viewing from some areas is pretty poor, but overall the experience is worth it, especially to true theatre buffs.
 * The Empire Theatre: The Empire theatre may be the best and worst place to see a movie, because it is one of the oldest in all of Rhode Island. The theatre is one screen and it shows two films a night, on days that it is raining it will show its “Rainy Day Matinee”. If you are going to the Empire Theatre for a strictly viewing experience than you are going for the wrong reasons. The Empire Theatre is like stepping into a movie theatre time machine, before there was stadium seating and massive screens. Instead the seats are on a flat surface and the screen rolls down over a stage right after the musical entertainment is over, which consists of man or woman playing the piano as viewers file in. Throughout the entire film you really get that “Old School” theatre feel as you watch. It is strongly recommended that you do get there early enough to get a good seat, because the viewing from some areas is pretty poor, but overall the experience is worth it, especially to true theatre buffs.
 * The Empire Theatre: The Empire theatre may be the best and worst place to see a movie, because it is one of the oldest in all of Rhode Island. The theatre is one screen and it shows two films a night, on days that it is raining it will show its “Rainy Day Matinee”. If you are going to the Empire Theatre for a strictly viewing experience than you are going for the wrong reasons. The Empire Theatre is like stepping into a movie theatre time machine, before there was stadium seating and massive screens. Instead the seats are on a flat surface and the screen rolls down over a stage right after the musical entertainment is over, which consists of man or woman playing the piano as viewers file in. Throughout the entire film you really get that “Old School” theatre feel as you watch. It is strongly recommended that you do get there early enough to get a good seat, because the viewing from some areas is pretty poor, but overall the experience is worth it, especially to true theatre buffs.
 * The Empire Theatre: The Empire theatre may be the best and worst place to see a movie, because it is one of the oldest in all of Rhode Island. The theatre is one screen and it shows two films a night, on days that it is raining it will show its “Rainy Day Matinee”. If you are going to the Empire Theatre for a strictly viewing experience than you are going for the wrong reasons. The Empire Theatre is like stepping into a movie theatre time machine, before there was stadium seating and massive screens. Instead the seats are on a flat surface and the screen rolls down over a stage right after the musical entertainment is over, which consists of man or woman playing the piano as viewers file in. Throughout the entire film you really get that “Old School” theatre feel as you watch. It is strongly recommended that you do get there early enough to get a good seat, because the viewing from some areas is pretty poor, but overall the experience is worth it, especially to true theatre buffs.
 * The Empire Theatre: The Empire theatre may be the best and worst place to see a movie, because it is one of the oldest in all of Rhode Island. The theatre is one screen and it shows two films a night, on days that it is raining it will show its “Rainy Day Matinee”. If you are going to the Empire Theatre for a strictly viewing experience than you are going for the wrong reasons. The Empire Theatre is like stepping into a movie theatre time machine, before there was stadium seating and massive screens. Instead the seats are on a flat surface and the screen rolls down over a stage right after the musical entertainment is over, which consists of man or woman playing the piano as viewers file in. Throughout the entire film you really get that “Old School” theatre feel as you watch. It is strongly recommended that you do get there early enough to get a good seat, because the viewing from some areas is pretty poor, but overall the experience is worth it, especially to true theatre buffs.
 * The Empire Theatre: The Empire theatre may be the best and worst place to see a movie, because it is one of the oldest in all of Rhode Island. The theatre is one screen and it shows two films a night, on days that it is raining it will show its “Rainy Day Matinee”. If you are going to the Empire Theatre for a strictly viewing experience than you are going for the wrong reasons. The Empire Theatre is like stepping into a movie theatre time machine, before there was stadium seating and massive screens. Instead the seats are on a flat surface and the screen rolls down over a stage right after the musical entertainment is over, which consists of man or woman playing the piano as viewers file in. Throughout the entire film you really get that “Old School” theatre feel as you watch. It is strongly recommended that you do get there early enough to get a good seat, because the viewing from some areas is pretty poor, but overall the experience is worth it, especially to true theatre buffs.
 * The Empire Theatre: The Empire theatre may be the best and worst place to see a movie, because it is one of the oldest in all of Rhode Island. The theatre is one screen and it shows two films a night, on days that it is raining it will show its “Rainy Day Matinee”. If you are going to the Empire Theatre for a strictly viewing experience than you are going for the wrong reasons. The Empire Theatre is like stepping into a movie theatre time machine, before there was stadium seating and massive screens. Instead the seats are on a flat surface and the screen rolls down over a stage right after the musical entertainment is over, which consists of man or woman playing the piano as viewers file in. Throughout the entire film you really get that “Old School” theatre feel as you watch. It is strongly recommended that you do get there early enough to get a good seat, because the viewing from some areas is pretty poor, but overall the experience is worth it, especially to true theatre buffs.
 * The Empire Theatre: The Empire theatre may be the best and worst place to see a movie, because it is one of the oldest in all of Rhode Island. The theatre is one screen and it shows two films a night, on days that it is raining it will show its “Rainy Day Matinee”. If you are going to the Empire Theatre for a strictly viewing experience than you are going for the wrong reasons. The Empire Theatre is like stepping into a movie theatre time machine, before there was stadium seating and massive screens. Instead the seats are on a flat surface and the screen rolls down over a stage right after the musical entertainment is over, which consists of man or woman playing the piano as viewers file in. Throughout the entire film you really get that “Old School” theatre feel as you watch. It is strongly recommended that you do get there early enough to get a good seat, because the viewing from some areas is pretty poor, but overall the experience is worth it, especially to true theatre buffs.
 * The Empire Theatre: The Empire theatre may be the best and worst place to see a movie, because it is one of the oldest in all of Rhode Island. The theatre is one screen and it shows two films a night, on days that it is raining it will show its “Rainy Day Matinee”. If you are going to the Empire Theatre for a strictly viewing experience than you are going for the wrong reasons. The Empire Theatre is like stepping into a movie theatre time machine, before there was stadium seating and massive screens. Instead the seats are on a flat surface and the screen rolls down over a stage right after the musical entertainment is over, which consists of man or woman playing the piano as viewers file in. Throughout the entire film you really get that “Old School” theatre feel as you watch. It is strongly recommended that you do get there early enough to get a good seat, because the viewing from some areas is pretty poor, but overall the experience is worth it, especially to true theatre buffs.
 * The Empire Theatre: The Empire theatre may be the best and worst place to see a movie, because it is one of the oldest in all of Rhode Island. The theatre is one screen and it shows two films a night, on days that it is raining it will show its “Rainy Day Matinee”. If you are going to the Empire Theatre for a strictly viewing experience than you are going for the wrong reasons. The Empire Theatre is like stepping into a movie theatre time machine, before there was stadium seating and massive screens. Instead the seats are on a flat surface and the screen rolls down over a stage right after the musical entertainment is over, which consists of man or woman playing the piano as viewers file in. Throughout the entire film you really get that “Old School” theatre feel as you watch. It is strongly recommended that you do get there early enough to get a good seat, because the viewing from some areas is pretty poor, but overall the experience is worth it, especially to true theatre buffs.

Buy
Block Island is filled with quaint little gift shops:

Sleep
Many Block Island homes are offered as weekly rentals during the summer months.

Post Office
32T Water Street, New Shoreham - +1 401-466-7733

Telephone
Landline telephone service is available along with decent reception of cellular phone/data service depending on your carrier. Verizon and Sprint tend to work slightly better than AT&T.

Internet
There is Wi-Fi in many shops, cafes, hotels, inns, etc.

Stay safe
Block Island is by and large a very safe locale, but as with any place there are certain precautions you can and should take to stay out of harm's way. Far and away the most common causes of injury on Block Island are careless bicycle and moped riders. If you plan on renting bikes or mopeds, make sure that you wear your helmets, follow the rules of the road, and absolutely do not drink while operating them. Otherwise, just be aware that other vacationers might not follow these guidelines, and stay alert when on main roads. When on the beach it's wise to wear sunscreen and exercise care when swimming; Block Island's waters are usually calm, but riptides are not unheard of and swimmers have been known to come across the occasional jellyfish. The only real crime that takes places on the island almost always stems from tourists who have had a bit too much to drink: there are instances of drunk and disorderly conduct every week, accompanied by infrequent bar fights and some petty theft. Thankfully, this is restricted almost entirely to the late night bar scene and major holidays. As long you or your fellow vacationers don't get mixed up in any drunken shenanigans, there shouldn't be a problem.

Go next
There is a ferry service that leaves Block Island and goes to Point Judith every day of the week and throughout the year. There is also a ferry that travels to New London, Connecticut every Monday through Sunday but only operates between the dates July 1 and September 6. For more information see the get in section.

title: Block Island


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Bloemfontein

Bloemfontein (Fountain of flowers) is popularly and poetically known as "the city of roses", for its abundance of these flowers and the annual rose festival held there. The city hosts numerous museums, including the National Women's Monument, the Anglo-Boer War Museum, the National Museum, and the Oliewenhuis Art Museum.

Understand
Bloemfontein is the judicial capital of South Africa and the capital of the Free State Province.

Bloemfontein was founded in 1846 and now has a population of around half a million people.

J. R. R. Tolkien, author of The Lord of the Rings, was born in Bloemfontein in 1892. Despite Tolkien's fame, there is surprisingly little commemorating him in his city of birth.

In 1923, the African National Congress (ANC) political party was founded in Bloemfontein.

Today, Bloemfontein is a compact city surrounded by sprawling suburbs. It hosts sub-Saharan Africa's first digital planetarium, the Naval Hill Planetarium and Boyden Observatory, an astronomical research observatory erected by Harvard University.

The city centre is safe to walk around during the day, but many of the city's activities are focused on the Waterfront and Mimosa malls and on the large sporting complex. Second Avenue, north of the Waterfront mall, has the majority of the city's bars and restaurants.

By plane

See Air travel in South Africa for more information.

By train
Bloemfontein is a major rail junction in the middle of South Africa, however services have been reduced to trains from Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth and East London three times a week. Trains are run by Shosholo Zameyl.

By car
The N1, N6 and N8 national highways meet in Bloemfontein, making it easily reachable from any part of the country.

The N1 northbound from Bloemfontein towards Gauteng is a toll road.

Distances

 * Bloemfontein-Johannesburg: 398 km
 * Bloemfontein-Cape Town: 1004 km
 * Bloemfontein-Maseru: 137 km
 * Bloemfontein-Port Elizabeth: 677 km
 * Bloemfontein-Kimberley: 160 km

By bus
A number of bus services offer connections to major South African cities.

By car
As with most of South Africa, it is best to hire a car.

Do

 * Go to the Waterfront
 * Golf
 * Cricket:
 * Visit one of the numerous game reserves in the area and go sightseeing / hunting
 * Take a walk through the tree-lined President Brand Street and visit the various museums
 * Take a drive through the northern suburbs and see the lush gardens
 * Visit the City Zoo just behind the Waterfront shopping mall. This zoo is home to a stuffed Liger a cross between a lion and a tiger, that was bred at the zoo in the 1930s. This specimen holds the world record for being the largest ever living cat. And at 798 kg you can see why!

Buy
The ongoing expansion of the Waterfront mall means that Bloemfontein now has two branches of each of the standard South African chain stores (the other branches being in the Mimosa Mall 2 km up the road). There is a craft market near the Waterfront mall on the first Saturday of the month. Many shops close Saturday afternoons and all day Sunday.

Eat
People eat early in Bloemfontein - even by South African standards, if you arrive at a restaurant after 7:30PM, especially on a weeknight, you may get some funny looks from the staff, and rushed service as they try to get you out the door so they can lock up and go home.

Stay safe
Bloemfontein is much safer than most other cities. You can walk around downtown during the day time (although it will be eerily quiet after the shops close). The Waterfront and other shopping malls are safe and patrolled with 24-hour security, and 2nd Street (the main restaurant strip) is fine day and night. The dodgy areas to avoid if possible are near the train station and anywhere east of the railway lines (where the traditional townships are located).

Go next

 * Visit the beautiful Karoo Heartland town of Graaff-Reinet and the Mountain Zebra National Park in the south.
 * Heading east you will reach Thaba 'Nchu, 60 km outside Bloemfontein, which has a luxury hotel and casino complex as well as Maria Moroka Nature Reserve. 130 km from Bloemfontein is the pleasant town of Ladybrand close to Lesotho and its capital city of Maseru.
 * The N6 will take you to East London and the N1 will take you to Gauteng (which is a toll road) or Cape Town

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Bloemfontein


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Blois

Blois is a town in the Loir-et-Cher department of Centre-Val de Loire, almost equidistant between Tours and Orléans.

Get in
Blois is easily reached from Tours or Orléans by train. Tours and Orléans are both easy to reach from Paris with the TGV.

Get around
Local bus operator Azalys connects various points around Blois. Buses accept payment by cash, or by the Azalys rechargeable card or app. A one-hour ticket with cash costs €1.25 (Sep 2022).

Do
The view of the Loire from the place de chateau is just spectacular. From there you can see the two largest churches and a sea of houses in the color scheme of the region (bluish gray, brick and cream). As spectacular is the chateau itself.

Sleep
Hotel du Bellay has inexpensive, basic rooms and is close to the chateau.

TourHotel has budget accommodation with free Wi-Fi.

Go next

 * Amboise
 * Chambord
 * Cheverny
 * Orleans
 * Tours

title: Blois


text:
Blokhus

Blokhus is a city and popular beach in North Jutland.

Do

 * Blokhus Strand. The beach at Blokhus is very popular in the summer.
 * Blokhus Strand. The beach at Blokhus is very popular in the summer.

title: Blokhus


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Bloomington

There is more than one place called Bloomington:

United States of America

 * Bloomington (Illinois) — part of the "Twin Cities" of Bloomington-Normal in Illinois
 * Bloomington (Indiana) — a city in Indiana
 * Bloomington (Minnesota) — a city in Minnesota

title: Bloomington


text:
Bloomington (Indiana)

Bloomington is a city of 86,000 people (2019) in Southern Indiana. Bloomington is home to the flagship campus of Indiana University and the IU Hoosiers. As it is a much larger city than the county seats of nearby counties, it serves as the de facto employment, service, and shopping center for several adjacent counties.

Understand
Like most Indiana cities, Bloomington is arranged mostly on a rectangular grid. College Ave and Walnut St, a pair of one-way streets, form the main north-south thoroughfare through the central city, dividing the city into the east and west sides. The east side is centered around the main campus (Bloomington Campus) of Indiana University. The west side historically was the industrial part of town, with a number of factories churning out a variety of industrial products, from limestone blocks to elevators (Otis) to television sets (RCA).

While the university keeps growing, many of the industrial plants have now been closed, and the north-side railway running a few blocks west of Walnut St (Monon Railroad, later acquired by CSX) has been converted to a popular walking and bicycling trail (the B-Line Trail).

Bloomington is the county seat of Monroe County.

By plane

 * Indianapolis International Airport is the nearest commercial airport to Bloomington, located about 50 miles away. Scheduled bus service between the airport and Bloomington is provided by the Bloomington Shuttle Service. The shuttle vans or buses depart the airport's Ground Transportation Center every hour or every two hours (depending on the day of the week) from 6:40AM until 10:40PM. (The schedule may be reduced during the COVID pandemic, though). Tickets are priced at $29 one-way, as of 2021. The shuttles stop at the Indiana Memorial Union on the IU campus, as well as at a number of other locations on the IU campus and in the downtown area. The Miller Transportation (AKA Hoosier Ride) buses also sometimes (twice a day, as of 2021) stop at the Indianapolis Airport on their way between Indianapolis and Bloomington; their fare is $15 (plus a small booking fee), and they stop at the downtown bus station in Bloomington. Taxi fare from the airport to Bloomington is around $90.
 * Monroe County Airport 972 S Kirby Rd. +1 812-825-5406. All scheduled service to this airport, a few miles southwest of the city, stopped in the early 1990s; it is only used by general aviation.

By car

 * I-69 – Interstate 69 heads southwest through rural areas of forest and farmland to Evansville, and north through similar areas to Martinsville. Completed to Evansville in the early 2010s, and to Martinsville in 2021, this highway is new enough that it has comparatively few services; some exits have no nearby buildings at all, and you must follow signs for nearby fuel and food.
 * S.R. 37 – Before the extension of Interstate 69 to Martinsville, SR 37 was the main highway through Bloomington. North of Martinsville, SR 37 resumes and is under heavy construction to convert it to Interstate 69, with completion to Indianapolis planned for 2024. SR 37 still exists south of the city, going toward Bedford and eventually to the Ohio River town of Tell City.
 * S.R. 46 State Road 46 is a small two-lane road that goes east into Brown County, past Brown County State Park to Nashville, IN, and Columbus, IN.  To the west, it goes through Spencer to Terre Haute, IN.  It avoids downtown Bloomington via a four-lane bypass on the city's northern side.

By bus

 * Miller Trailways/Hoosier Ride. Twice-a-day bus service from Indianapolis (Greyhound Bus Station) and Evansville. The bus stops at the Bloomington Transit central station (3rd St and Walnut St), two blocks south of the Courthouse Square. One can purchase tickets at the Miller Trailways website; alternatively, if one also travels by Greyhound, one can purchase a single through ticket at the Greyhound website, with one of the coupons covering the Miller Trailways segment of the trip (typically, from Indianapolis to Bloomington).
 * Bloomington Shuttle Service, run by Go Express Travel. Multiple daily runs (every one or two hours, depending on the day of the week) between Bloomington and the Indianapolis airport (see above). This company also runs direct buses to the Chicago area on some weekends, for the convenience of IU students.

Get around

 * Bloomington Shuttle Service offers shuttles to four destination points in town, charters, limousines, and service to and from Indianapolis Airport.
 * Bloomington Transit is a full city-wide bus system with various routes to choose from. While serviceable, most buses only run every hour or half hour, and Saturday routes only run every hour.  Only the routes serving campus (Route 6 and Route 9) run on Sundays. The system's main hub is the downtown transit center, at 3rd and Walnut Sts.  Single-trip tickets cost $1, with a variety of discount passes available to those who need to use the system on ongoing basis. IU students and staff can ride the system for free with their ID cards.
 * Indiana University Campus Bus is a separate system from Bloomington Transit. To avoid confusion with the city bus system, instead of numbers, campus bus routes are identified by letters. While mostly of interest to students, the campus bus system is open to general public, and charges no fares.
 * Rural Transit operates several routes, on very limited schedule, to a number of locations just outside the city limits, as well as to the nearby towns of Ellettsville and Spencer (Owen County).
 * Electric scooter rental (from two companies, Bird and (Lime) is available, and pretty popular. The city has promulgated regulations in regard to their use.
 * Taxi. The city is served by taxis, although the fares are high at 50¢ per quarter-mile plus a $4 charge for being picked up. One local taxi company is Red Tire Taxi; there are others.

Parking
Parking near the university is regulated. A daily visitor parking pass may be purchased for $6 at the Biddle Hotel lobby of the Indiana Memorial Union (although this may only be purchased on the day of). This pass will allow visitors to park in many different lots & garages around the campus. Additionally, there are some metered parking spots on campus and some lots and garages on campus that are pay-parking (per half-hour). There are a few lots and garages that are free on Saturday & Sunday. For more detailed information, go to Indiana University Parking Operations: Visitor Permits

There are some street spots just off of the campus that either have 1 hour or 2 hour limits from 8AM-5PM (these tend to not be metered spots).

On-street parking throughout downtown is limited and, typically, metered. Visitors are advised to use parking garages instead.

By bicycle
Bloomington is a fairly bicycle-friendly city, with a network of bike trails and recommended bike routes. (See map). B-Line Trail is probably the most popular of them. The trail runs along the route of the now-dismantled railroad that used to separate the better-off east side of Bloomington from "the other [western] side of the tracks".

For spare parts and repairs, there are a number of bike shops in town, as well as the non-profit Bloomington Community Bike Project whose workshop you can use for DIY repairs.

Do
A large number of events open to general public (lectures, concerts, film showings) take place almost daily on the IU Bloomington campus, at least during the academic semesters. See the calendar of IU Bloomington events.

Another calendar of city events is maintained by the local public radio station, WFIU.

The Holiday World amusement park in Southwestern Indiana is a two-hour drive from Bloomington.

Buy
Shopping areas in the city include:
 * Kirkwood Avenue -- Kirkwood Avenue is the street leading from the Downtown Square to the Sample Gates, the main entrance into the Indiana University campus. It offers a couple of clothing shops, a souvenir shop as well as an Indiana University gift shop. It's usually packed with IU students, so take a stroll, find some grub, do some people watching, or some shopping.
 * College Mall -- Located on the east side of town, College Mall is a typical small town shopping mall. It's nice to spend a few hours in it at one a rainy day but don't expect too much. Anchor stores are Target and Macy's, with specialty stores such as Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Old Navy, Victoria's Secret, Wet Seal, and Yankee Candle.  Food options include a couple pizzerias, Auntie Anne's, Subway, and a food court.
 * The Westside -- Around the junction of Third Street with State Road 37: typical shopping centers (T.J.Max, Kohl's, Big Lots) with an assortment of restaurants.
 * Fountain Square Mall -- The Fountain Square Mall is an upscale mall situated downtown just across from the courthouse. It houses By Hand Gallery, a local artist's coop; a game store; toy store; vintage clothing; and the traditional expensive clothing shops. Across the street to Caveat Emptor as well, a must-see for used book enthusiasts. You can barely get through the aisles for the stacks of books. You can also take a break from shopping to get a relaxing massage at Massage on the Square located on the first floor of the mall.

Books and maps
Back in the early 1990s, Bloomington sported over 20 independent bookstores, and was sometimes described as a city with a largest number of bookstores per capita in the USA. Since then, most of them have gone out of business as Borders and Barnes and Noble arrived (the former of which having later succumbed to competition from the likes of Amazon.com; the latter is still there, in East 3rd St). Still, a few good independent book stores remain. Two of them ("Caveat Emptor" and "The Book Corner") can be seen on the east side of the Courthouse Square; another one ("Boxcar Books", a non-for-profit co-op) is in 6th St between Dunn and Grant.

See also the annual Community Book Fair under Events: October.

Groceries
Kroger is the main supermarket chain doing business in town; there is an Aldi and a Walmart on the west side as well.

Being a major university town, Bloomington has more "organic" and "international" grocery stores than anywhere else in southern Indiana. Bloomingfoods is a local food co-op, emphasizing organic products and featuring eat-in deli sections in its two locations around the city. Lucky's Market, a small national chain somewhat similar to Trader Joe or Whole Foods, has a store at W. Country Club Dr. and S. Walnut, on the south side of town. Fresh Thyme, with a location near College Mall and another one on the west side, is another similar chain.

There are several "ethnic" stores. World Foods Market (in 2nd St near Walnut St) is particularly strong on Middle Eastern products and wine. Tenth St Market & Deli, located near Eigenmann Hall, provides all kinds of imported groceries to international students living in the student housing in the area. Two "Asian" (Chinese / Korean) grocery stores can be found on the city's east side, in the general area of College Mall (Rongcheng at 10th and Bypass, and B-Town International Market near the east side Kroger).

April thru November, a lively farmers' market operates on Saturdays near the City Hall. A smaller market also runs at a nearby location on Tuesdays in June thru September.

Eat
Bloomington is known in the Midwest for its selection of world cuisine. Visit East 4th Street between Grant and Indiana Avenues for a huge selection of the best ethnic fare. There are some enduring classics and a small bit of turnover in this district. Formerly there was once even the Snow Lion, an excellent Tibetan restaurant owned by the Dalai Lama's brother! Don't be afraid to travel outside of downtown for great food, remember that University real estate doesn't come cheap, and some of the best new restaurants get their start in the suburbs before moving downtown.

Summer is a great time to avoid student crowds, but many restaurants often cut short their hours and even close-up 1–2 days a week, so call ahead from June–August if you don't want to risk a "Back Soon" sign. All Bloomington restaurants and bars are non-smoking.

 * Mother Bear's Pizza This place is ancient, a Bloomington tradition. BBQ Cheese pizza for one - Absolutely amazing. This, along with Nick's, is arguably the most famous and treasured restaurant in the city. Claims to have been voted "4th Best Pizza in the Country" a few years back.
 * Noodle's and Co. A chain that has opened in an old theater building. Serves Italian, Asian and American style noodle and pasta dishes.
 * Runcible Spoon A wonderfully comfortable restaurant, converted from a house complete with living room furniture and bookshelves. Delicious entrées all around, with great coffee brews, very veggie/vegan friendly, cheap wine, good selection of beers, and a good (but pricey) breakfast. Definitely come for the ambience and pretty alternative girls. Excellent food and coffee, but your coffee will be cold by the time your food gets there, as speedy service is not their forte.
 * Trojan Horse Excellent Greek & American food with the best atmosphere, and usually the best servers, in Bloomington. Tavern upstairs. (corner of Kirkwood & Walnut)
 * Village Deli The perfect American breakfast. Over-priced, as with all breakfast foods, but do not leave without ordering Paxton's Potatoes (not Take 2). The home fries will win you over here. Packed on the weekends, but generally a crowd pleaser.
 * Yogi's Best place to go if you're in a group of four or more. Largest beer selection in Bloomington.
 * Mother Bear's Pizza This place is ancient, a Bloomington tradition. BBQ Cheese pizza for one - Absolutely amazing. This, along with Nick's, is arguably the most famous and treasured restaurant in the city. Claims to have been voted "4th Best Pizza in the Country" a few years back.
 * Noodle's and Co. A chain that has opened in an old theater building. Serves Italian, Asian and American style noodle and pasta dishes.
 * Runcible Spoon A wonderfully comfortable restaurant, converted from a house complete with living room furniture and bookshelves. Delicious entrées all around, with great coffee brews, very veggie/vegan friendly, cheap wine, good selection of beers, and a good (but pricey) breakfast. Definitely come for the ambience and pretty alternative girls. Excellent food and coffee, but your coffee will be cold by the time your food gets there, as speedy service is not their forte.
 * Trojan Horse Excellent Greek & American food with the best atmosphere, and usually the best servers, in Bloomington. Tavern upstairs. (corner of Kirkwood & Walnut)
 * Village Deli The perfect American breakfast. Over-priced, as with all breakfast foods, but do not leave without ordering Paxton's Potatoes (not Take 2). The home fries will win you over here. Packed on the weekends, but generally a crowd pleaser.
 * Yogi's Best place to go if you're in a group of four or more. Largest beer selection in Bloomington.
 * Mother Bear's Pizza This place is ancient, a Bloomington tradition. BBQ Cheese pizza for one - Absolutely amazing. This, along with Nick's, is arguably the most famous and treasured restaurant in the city. Claims to have been voted "4th Best Pizza in the Country" a few years back.
 * Noodle's and Co. A chain that has opened in an old theater building. Serves Italian, Asian and American style noodle and pasta dishes.
 * Runcible Spoon A wonderfully comfortable restaurant, converted from a house complete with living room furniture and bookshelves. Delicious entrées all around, with great coffee brews, very veggie/vegan friendly, cheap wine, good selection of beers, and a good (but pricey) breakfast. Definitely come for the ambience and pretty alternative girls. Excellent food and coffee, but your coffee will be cold by the time your food gets there, as speedy service is not their forte.
 * Trojan Horse Excellent Greek & American food with the best atmosphere, and usually the best servers, in Bloomington. Tavern upstairs. (corner of Kirkwood & Walnut)
 * Village Deli The perfect American breakfast. Over-priced, as with all breakfast foods, but do not leave without ordering Paxton's Potatoes (not Take 2). The home fries will win you over here. Packed on the weekends, but generally a crowd pleaser.
 * Yogi's Best place to go if you're in a group of four or more. Largest beer selection in Bloomington.
 * Mother Bear's Pizza This place is ancient, a Bloomington tradition. BBQ Cheese pizza for one - Absolutely amazing. This, along with Nick's, is arguably the most famous and treasured restaurant in the city. Claims to have been voted "4th Best Pizza in the Country" a few years back.
 * Noodle's and Co. A chain that has opened in an old theater building. Serves Italian, Asian and American style noodle and pasta dishes.
 * Runcible Spoon A wonderfully comfortable restaurant, converted from a house complete with living room furniture and bookshelves. Delicious entrées all around, with great coffee brews, very veggie/vegan friendly, cheap wine, good selection of beers, and a good (but pricey) breakfast. Definitely come for the ambience and pretty alternative girls. Excellent food and coffee, but your coffee will be cold by the time your food gets there, as speedy service is not their forte.
 * Trojan Horse Excellent Greek & American food with the best atmosphere, and usually the best servers, in Bloomington. Tavern upstairs. (corner of Kirkwood & Walnut)
 * Village Deli The perfect American breakfast. Over-priced, as with all breakfast foods, but do not leave without ordering Paxton's Potatoes (not Take 2). The home fries will win you over here. Packed on the weekends, but generally a crowd pleaser.
 * Yogi's Best place to go if you're in a group of four or more. Largest beer selection in Bloomington.
 * Trojan Horse Excellent Greek & American food with the best atmosphere, and usually the best servers, in Bloomington. Tavern upstairs. (corner of Kirkwood & Walnut)
 * Village Deli The perfect American breakfast. Over-priced, as with all breakfast foods, but do not leave without ordering Paxton's Potatoes (not Take 2). The home fries will win you over here. Packed on the weekends, but generally a crowd pleaser.
 * Yogi's Best place to go if you're in a group of four or more. Largest beer selection in Bloomington.
 * Village Deli The perfect American breakfast. Over-priced, as with all breakfast foods, but do not leave without ordering Paxton's Potatoes (not Take 2). The home fries will win you over here. Packed on the weekends, but generally a crowd pleaser.
 * Yogi's Best place to go if you're in a group of four or more. Largest beer selection in Bloomington.
 * Village Deli The perfect American breakfast. Over-priced, as with all breakfast foods, but do not leave without ordering Paxton's Potatoes (not Take 2). The home fries will win you over here. Packed on the weekends, but generally a crowd pleaser.
 * Yogi's Best place to go if you're in a group of four or more. Largest beer selection in Bloomington.

Bar and pubs

 * Soma Cliquish hipster heaven, where anyone who's alternative, fashionably or otherwise, goes to be seen (everyone looks up at the door when it opens to see who's coming in). Don't forget to drop a few coins in the tip jar or be prepared for snide comments and dirty looks. Good coffee nonetheless.
 * Root Cellar Located in the basement of FARM, one of Bloomington's delicious downtown restaurants off Kirkwood avenue, the Root Cellar offers a selection of beer and whiskey (other beverages available at the posher bar upstairs). Eclectic vintage decor in a cave like setting make this a popular destination for Bloomington's hipsters, graduate students, and young professionals. Occasionally features music - check out Soul in the Hole (first Saturday of every month) for a great Motown dance party or New Wave Night (every 2nd & 4th Saturday) for wild dancing - 1980s style.
 * Soma Cliquish hipster heaven, where anyone who's alternative, fashionably or otherwise, goes to be seen (everyone looks up at the door when it opens to see who's coming in). Don't forget to drop a few coins in the tip jar or be prepared for snide comments and dirty looks. Good coffee nonetheless.
 * Root Cellar Located in the basement of FARM, one of Bloomington's delicious downtown restaurants off Kirkwood avenue, the Root Cellar offers a selection of beer and whiskey (other beverages available at the posher bar upstairs). Eclectic vintage decor in a cave like setting make this a popular destination for Bloomington's hipsters, graduate students, and young professionals. Occasionally features music - check out Soul in the Hole (first Saturday of every month) for a great Motown dance party or New Wave Night (every 2nd & 4th Saturday) for wild dancing - 1980s style.
 * Soma Cliquish hipster heaven, where anyone who's alternative, fashionably or otherwise, goes to be seen (everyone looks up at the door when it opens to see who's coming in). Don't forget to drop a few coins in the tip jar or be prepared for snide comments and dirty looks. Good coffee nonetheless.
 * Root Cellar Located in the basement of FARM, one of Bloomington's delicious downtown restaurants off Kirkwood avenue, the Root Cellar offers a selection of beer and whiskey (other beverages available at the posher bar upstairs). Eclectic vintage decor in a cave like setting make this a popular destination for Bloomington's hipsters, graduate students, and young professionals. Occasionally features music - check out Soul in the Hole (first Saturday of every month) for a great Motown dance party or New Wave Night (every 2nd & 4th Saturday) for wild dancing - 1980s style.
 * Soma Cliquish hipster heaven, where anyone who's alternative, fashionably or otherwise, goes to be seen (everyone looks up at the door when it opens to see who's coming in). Don't forget to drop a few coins in the tip jar or be prepared for snide comments and dirty looks. Good coffee nonetheless.
 * Root Cellar Located in the basement of FARM, one of Bloomington's delicious downtown restaurants off Kirkwood avenue, the Root Cellar offers a selection of beer and whiskey (other beverages available at the posher bar upstairs). Eclectic vintage decor in a cave like setting make this a popular destination for Bloomington's hipsters, graduate students, and young professionals. Occasionally features music - check out Soul in the Hole (first Saturday of every month) for a great Motown dance party or New Wave Night (every 2nd & 4th Saturday) for wild dancing - 1980s style.
 * Root Cellar Located in the basement of FARM, one of Bloomington's delicious downtown restaurants off Kirkwood avenue, the Root Cellar offers a selection of beer and whiskey (other beverages available at the posher bar upstairs). Eclectic vintage decor in a cave like setting make this a popular destination for Bloomington's hipsters, graduate students, and young professionals. Occasionally features music - check out Soul in the Hole (first Saturday of every month) for a great Motown dance party or New Wave Night (every 2nd & 4th Saturday) for wild dancing - 1980s style.

Sleep
A majority of Bloomington hotels are concentrated along the city's main north-south axis, Walnut and College Ave (aka Business Route 37, i.e. the highway from Indianapolis), between the downtown are and the city's northern edge, where the highway enters the city. The downtown ones are convenient for a traveler without a car, as they are walking distance to downtown attraction and the IU campus; those on the northern side may have better parking and better highway access.

Connect
Free Wi-Fi and public computers for residents and visitors are available in the Monroe County Public Library (Kirkwood Ave, between Grant and Lincoln St).

The main university library (10th St and Jordan Ave) also offers free temporary computer accounts to visitors; ask at the circulation desk.

Free WiFi is available at a number of locations around the city. Besides the public library and many IU buildings, it is available at the new central station of Bloomington Transit (at 3rd and Walnut), and at some large stores (such as Kroger, Lucky's, Fresh Thyme, or Kohl's).

By phone
Most telephone numbers in Bloomington consist of +1 812 plus a seven-digit number, but the entire 812 area is now served by an overlay complex of two area codes, with 930 being the second. A local or in-state telephone call now requires all 10 digits of the local number be dialed (omitting just the leading +1 from a local landline call).

Signage on many established businesses may still display the original seven-digit numbers; dial 812 before these if no area code is indicated.

Media
WFIU (an affiliate of the NPR) and WFHB are two radio stations with a significant amount of local content. There is also the student-operated WIUX.

There are two local newspapers, the Herald-Times and the student-run Indiana Daily Student.

title: Bloomington (Indiana)


text:
Bloomington (Minnesota)

Bloomington, Minnesota is a suburb of Minneapolis. It is near the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and home to the Mall of America, the United States' largest shopping mall. Bloomington has a population of 89,000 people (as of 2021).

Bloomington was established as a post–World War II housing boom suburb connected to Minneapolis's urban street grid, and is served by two major freeways: Interstate 35W and Interstate 494.

Get in
Bloomington is centrally located and convenient to many Twin Cities Metro area attractions. Bloomington is approximately 10 miles south of Minneapolis.

By plane
The Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport is near Bloomington and from there it is easy to get on a light rail train to take you into the city.

By car
Bloomington is intersected by two major interstates and a number of major highways. Interstate 35W runs north/south through the center of Bloomington. Interstate 494 runs east/west along Bloomington's northern edge, intersecting with Interstate 35W near the center of the city.

By public transit
There are no regional buses that have drop-off points in Bloomington. The nearest Greyhound bus terminal is in downtown Minneapolis (see Minneapolis). The bus terminal is at 950 Hawthorne Ave (at 10th St, one block west of Hennepin) in downtown Minneapolis and is 4-5 blocks away from the light rail station, which you can take into Bloomington. If you need to get into Bloomington from anywhere else in the Twin Cities metro area, you can generally take a local bus or light rail line. Metro Transit is the public transit authority for the entire Twin Cities area, including Minneapolis, St. Paul and Bloomington. Their website has a great and easy-to-use route finder.

Get around
Bloomington has abundant public transit options and it is well connected to Minneapolis and St. Paul and other cities in the Twin Cities metro area. The south end of the Metro Blue Line light rail ends in Bloomington at the Mall of America, giving easy access from Bloomington to Downtown Minneapolis for a sports game, shopping or night out on the town. There is an interchange with the Red Line, a bus rapid transit (BRT) line. Within the city of Bloomington, there are a plethora of bus lines to get you just about anywhere that you need to go.

Bloomington's uses the same public transit system as the rest of the Twin Cities Metro area, including Minneapolis and St. Paul. This integrated system is called Metro Transit. Metro Transit fares are valid for 2 1/2 hours of unlimited transfers from first use and are valid on all Metro Transit buses and light Rail (excluding the Northstar Light Rail Line which requires an additional fare.)

Adult fares as of 2022 are $2 non-rush hour/$2.50 rush hour ($2.50 for express buses during non-rush hours and $3.25 for express buses during rush hour.) Discounts apply for senior citizens and children, as well as disabled veterans and people with disabilities. Up to 3 children under the age of 5 ride for free with a paid adult fare.

Mall of America
The Mall of America has several good eating options inside from fast food to upscale restaurants.

Sleep

 * Try the new Water Park of America looked adjacent to the Mall of America. Hotel features indoor water slides soaring 90 feet above the Twin Cities' skyline.

title: Bloomington (Minnesota)


text:
Bloomington-Normal

Bloomington, pop. 77,000 (2010 census), is a city in the Midwestern state of Illinois in the United States of America, on the classic Route 66 highway across the country. With neighboring Normal, pop. 52,000 (2010 census), it forms a combined community of about 130,000 known locally as the Twin Cities. Illinois Wesleyan University is in Bloomington, and is not to be confused with Illinois State University in Normal.

Understand
The Bloomington-Normal area is in the heart of Central Illinois, approximately 125 miles southwest of Chicago, 155 miles northeast of St. Louis, and 64 miles northeast of Springfield, the State Capital. Bloomington is the County Seat of McLean County, the largest county in Illinois (approximately 762,240 acres). Interstates 39, 55 and 74 converge on Bloomington-Normal, as well as US Route 51 and State Route 9.

Bloomington-Normal is also serviced by four major railroad lines and Amtrak, as well as air transportation at the Central Illinois Regional Airport, one of the fastest growing airports in the country, which services commuter, corporate, and private aircraft.

The Twin Cities are located in one of the most productive agricultural areas in the nation, but the economy is diverse and well-balanced. In addition to the major manufacturers and industries, there are two universities, two hospitals, a convention center, two indoor malls, an outdoor outlet mall, and many banks and Savings & Loan Associations located in Bloomington-Normal. The metropolitan area continues to grow; in 2013, the city of Bloomington was the country's 11th-fastest growing city. New construction continues to enhance residential, industrial and commercial growth.

By plane
The  has daily arrivals from Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, and Dallas, along with 4-times-a-week service from Orlando and Denver. A smaller airport, Peoria International Airport is 45 minutes away and offers arrivals from additional cities. Parking is free at both airports.

By car
Interstate highways 39, 55 and 74 converge on the south side of Bloomington and divide again on the north side of Normal. I-55 follows the historic route of Route 66 through central Illinois, except that Route 66 bypassed Bloomington-Normal on the east rather than on the west as the interstates do. Veterans Parkway, the east-side bypass (formerly called "Belt Line Road", was renamed in the 1980s), was the Route 66 route in the immediate pre-Interstate period. Earlier, 66 passed through downtown Bloomington and into residential Normal. The route given in the Route 66 page reflects this original alignment, known as "Business 66" after Veterans Parkway was built.

By bus

 * Greyhound buses serve Bloomington-Normal from Indianapolis, Chicago, and St. Louis.
 * Peoria Charter runs buses to Bloomington-Normal from Chicago and Peoria.
 * Burlington Trailways serves Bloomington-Normal from Indianapolis to the east and as far west as Denver.
 * SHOW BUS connects Bloomington-Normal and outlying communities.

By bicycle

 * The Mackinaw Valley Trail links Peoria to Bloomington-Normal through Mackinaw.
 * Illinois' Route 66 Trail runs through Bloomington-Normal from the northeast to the southwest. McLean County's own local Route 66 trail has improved the alignment in preparation for the Illinois segment of U.S. Bicycle Route 66. Adventure Cycling's Bicycle Route 66 mostly follows the latter.

Get around

 * Connect Transit. Buses cover most of the community. Downtown Bloomington is well walkable, but most shopping, etc., is on the eastern side of the towns and is best reached by car or bus.

Buy
Downtown Bloomington has shops, including some that sell beads, crafts, used books, used clothes and other funky items. For more mainstream shopping, most of what you want can be found on the stores lining Veteran's Parkway.

Drink

Go next

 * Lake Bloomington and Evergreen Lake are two man-made lakes north of town that offer fishing, camping, and boating opportunities.
 * If you're doing the Route 66 tour northbound, the next significant bit of Americana is in the small town of Pontiac, which hosts the annual "Thresermen's Reunion" tractor pull event and is home to the Route 66 Association Hall of Fame & Museum and other similarly themed tourist attractions. Southbound, stop in McLean at the Dixie Truckers Home, a prototypical (and, according to some, the nation's first) truck stop.

title: Bloomington-Normal


text:
Bloomsburg

Bloomsburg is a town in Pennsylvania.

Understand
Calling itself "The only town in Pennsylvania”. Bloomsburg is small residential town with a large population of college students. Bloomsburg is filled with culture and personality. It is quiet during the week but can get very active on the weekend when the college students fill the streets. It is a very safe place to visit with small town attractions and large event like the Bloomsburg Fair, which in one year alone served 432,860 in a one week span.

Get in
Route 11 will get you straight into the town of Bloomsburg and Interstate 80 (exits 232 or 236) will take you two or three miles north of it. State Routes 487 and 42 provide north-south access. There is a small airport, the Bloomsburg Municipal Airport, in the southeastern part of the town.

Get around
There is no public transportation, but because the town is so small you will almost certainly not need it to get around. However, there is an Enterprise rent-a-car two miles east of Bloomsburg along Route 11. You might want to wear sneakers for the steep hills on the northern side of the town.

Do

 *  Haas Center on Bloomsburg University’s campus
 * Bloomsburg YMCA
 * Renaissance Jamboree - annually in April
 *  Can U Xcape - escape room located near town park.

Drink
There are many bars in Bloomsburg but will be filled with college students. There are bars at most of the major restaurants. There are also many bars such as Russell's Restaurant Inc Good Old Days Bennigan's Grill & Tavern Clancy's Harry's Grill Black Beard's Cove Romig's Cafe Rick's Rusty Rudder Terrapin Cantina.

Sleep
There are beautiful small bed and breakfast place to stay, such as:
 * College Hill Bed and Breakfast

There is a Hampton Inn 2 miles (3km) north of Bloomsburg on Route 487.

title: Bloomsburg


text:
Bloubergstrand

Bloubergstrand is a coastal town in the Western Cape just north of Cape Town. It attracts large numbers of visitors especially kitesurf enthusiasts. The beach at Bloubergstrand is a popular location for a classic view of Table Mountain across the bay and is one of the world's top kitesurf destinations.

Understand
The name Bloubergstrand literally means "blue mountain beach" in Afrikaans, and is derived from Blaauwberg (231 metres (758 ft)), a nearby hill.

Bloubergstrand is mainly a residential area. Robben Island is located 6.9 km (4.3 mi) west of the coast of Bloubergstrand.

Do
The Bloubergstrand area falls within a marine nature reserve and the extraction of species such as Cape rock lobster and abalone is prohibited. A licence is required in order to catch previously well-known local varieties of galjoen and Hottentot. In season southern right whales, occasionally killer whales, humpback dolphins, Haviside's dolphin and Cape fur seals are commonly seen in the bay. The great white shark is also known to live off the coast.

Bloubergstrand has a long white sand beach on the Atlantic Ocean, with a few rocky outcrops where black mussels are found. The water is cold due to the Benguela current but the beach is popular with kitesurfers and windsurfers. The bay on the west side of Bloubergstrand, known as 'Big Bay' has become a very popular windsurfing and kitesurfing spot due to the constant trade winds bringing a 1–3 m surf for a majority of the year.

Big Bay beach is also well known for the ease with which white mussels (a species of the genus Donax) can be extracted from the sand by a process locally known as 'jiving'.

Eat
Seafood is popular in the area, and includes the local white mussels.

title: Bloubergstrand


text:
Blowing Rock

Blowing Rock is a village located in the North Carolina Mountains.

Understand
Locals are not impressed by Prada or Kate Spade bags. That’s not to say they’re judging, and most of them can hang with the high-falutin’ style, but it is just not necessary for a walk down Main Street or a drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway. To assimilate yourself, be approachable and friendly – sit down next to the man at the bar with calloused hands. He probably knows the best place to go and walk your dog. Speak to the woman in line in front of you at the grocery store; she might know the best place in town to get a chocolate-infused filet mignon.

With a population that jumps from 1,500 year-round to 8,000 in the summertime, people are used to making new friends. The beauty of Blowing Rock is the dichotomy between the elegant and the down-home. The affluent traveler may find pleasure in the abundance of fine dining and shopping the area has to offer, but walk just fifteen steps and they’ll find the opposite end of the spectrum – quintessential, good, honest, down home, small town charm. They can find it everywhere - from the wait staff and diners at the fifteen table “everything” restaurant on Main Street, to the hikers en route the trail to Little Lost Cove.

If you’re looking for a seedy underbelly, you’re going to have to look pretty hard. Downtown Blowing Rock is about as “Norman Rockwell quaint” as it gets. Children are free to roam in a safe and clean park, while their mothers can shop for antiques and designer clothes, and their fathers can sneak off to Kilwin’s Ice Cream Parlor for a free sample of fudge. A military band plays after the downtown Fourth of July parade every year. Winterfest in January brings ice-carvers and dog-sledders. Mitford Days in September celebrates Blowing Rock’s inspiration for Jan Karon’s book series. Year-round, a bubble machine from the Martin House pours soapy goodness into the air, surrounding you as you stroll. Knight’s on Main has fried oysters every Friday (just try and fight the locals for a table). Canyons Restaurant even heats their building with recycled fryer oil, for crying out loud! This is clean livin’.

While perusing Southern Living Magazine, you’ve probably seen some of the estates in the affluent Mayview neighborhood. The neighboring college, Appalachian State University, has been listed consistently among the top 15 "Southern Regional Universities" since the magazine first published in 1986.

Get in
Blowing Rock is best accessed from Charlotte and Atlanta by U.S. Highway 421.

Get around
While there are many opportunities for hiking in the surrounding mountains, one of the best is local: the Glen Burney Trail. This trail is about 500 ft (150 m) off of Main Street, and is easily accessible. Drivers should turn on to Laurel Lane, and then left after 500 ft into a parking lot on the left, labeled the Annie L. Cannon Memorial Gardens. The trail begins at the end of the parking lot.

The trail goes about 1½ miles down into a gorge, complete with views of several waterfalls.

It's common to assume that this is an easy trail because it's so accessible. This is a moderately strenuous trail, and hikers should be wary of dangers. Hikers should stay on the trail. Even on the trail, large sections are often slippery from wet leaves (especially during the fall of the year, if there's been plenty of rain) or dry leaves, which can be tricky, especially because hikers don't expect it. Attempting to cross waterfalls is potentially life-threatening, and should never be attempted. Hikers should also realize that cell phone service (in event of emergency) is spotty in the gorge.

But despite these warnings, this is a good trail, enjoyable, and do-able for most healthy adults.

See
Natural beauty and tireless planning for small town elegance.
 * The Mariam & Robert Hayes Performing Arts Center provides all sorts of live stage productions, from bluegrass shows to symphonies and to professional productions of plays and musicals.
 * Farthing Auditorium, at nearby Appalachian State University in Boone, hosts a wide variety of events, like The Vagina Monologues. Their Appalachian Summer Festival brings to town acts such as Emmylou Harris, Jo Dee Messina, and Russian ballet companies.
 * Merlefest celebrates the incredible guitar and banjo picking of Doc and Merle Watson.
 * The Appalachian Roots Revival features all sorts of Americana, bluegrass, and “newgrass” bands.
 * Want to join an informal jam session? Well, “git your gitar” and head on over to the Todd General Store, where the local musicians and townsfolk gather for good music, flat footin’ and food.
 * The Scots keep their traditions alive each July by hosting The Highland Games at Grandfather Mountain. With live Celtic music, little girls dancing, and big men throwing logs, it’s all kinds of fun - and a true learning experience, too.
 * Cone Manor. Crafts, information, and easy trails. The 3 mile jaunt to the lookout tower doesn't take much time and is worth the walk. Signed as a "Craft Center."

Do
Nature abounds in Blowing Rock and the surrounding area.

 * Caving, climbing, hiking, fly-fishing, or waterfall hunting
 * Hebron Rock Colony: This virtual staircase of huge boulders with fresh mountain water streaming down will earn your Uncle Frank bragging rights for his “rugged, mountain adventure.” But don’t worry, your grandmother can reach the summit without breaking a sweat.
 * Mile-high swinging bridge of Grandfather Mountain - you can drive into it.
 * Profile Trail: It will save you some money, get you in shape, and turn your idea of typical mountain climate inside out.  For the price of a hiking permit, you can hike up Grandfather from the very bottom, hitting crazy rainstorms and beautiful warm mossy nooks.
 * If you're brave, you can reach the top of McRae Peak trail via the wooden ladders, built across sheer faces of the solid rock!
 * Go jump off of a waterfall’s edge at either Trashcan Falls, or the Snake Pit (aptly named).
 * To find easier access waterfalls, stay on the safe side and hike the Glen Burney trail, or walk the (mostly) paved lane to the crashing Linville Falls.
 * You want something even easier? Take a short jaunt around picturesque Bass Lake to enjoy the scenery and meet some of Blowing Rock’s finest folks getting their daily exercise.
 * At Fairy Hill, you can dig under the rocks in the streambed to pull up some genuine   mountain crystals. Ask one of the locals to direct you.
 * Westglow Spa: Travel & Leisure magazine named Westglow Spa in Blowing Rock one of its Top Ten Spa Destinations in the world.

Eat
And ask around about the chocolate-infused filet mignon.
 * The famous Best Cellar has a rock room in the cellar where you can enjoy a private party.
 * Or you can go nosh on the prosciutto-wrapped, honey-drizzled figs at Bistro Roca.
 * Good luck hunting for the strategically placed hideaway called the Village Café – some call it the best brunch in the world, but it's nearly impossible to get a reservation.

You don’t have to go for broke to get a good eating experience, either. Main Street in the morning smells delicious. Seriously – just follow the aroma of freshly-brewed java and steaming croissants to find the best coffee shops in town.

Drink
You don’t have to hunt long to find a great cocktail or a fine glass of wine. Blowing Rock isn’t full of goody-two shoeses (sic), it’s just packaged that way. The fabulous Chamber of Commerce brings great wine every spring during the Blue Ridge Wine Festival. And it's a challenge to find a night when one of the bars in Blowing Rock is not packed with locals and tourists, inhibitionless and dancing to a great (or not so great) band. Stone masons chatting with attorneys. Old ladies with their glass of white zin hitting on the boys from the ski patrol. It is quite a sight. Walk into the lounge at Twigs any Saturday night to join the fun and meet some real characters. If you’re feeling really froggy, hit Tijuana Fats and party with the college kids from Appalachian State. No guarantee where you’ll wake up, though.

Go next

 * Boone
 * Hickory

title: Blowing Rock


text:
Blue Ash

Blue Ash is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, and part of the Greater Cincinnati area.

By plane
The nearest major airport is Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, about a half hour away by car. For business and general aviation travelers, and for people taking Ultimate Air Shuttle, Lunken Airport is another option, as it also serves Cincinnati and is only 20 minutes away.

Dayton International Airport can be a good alternative, being about an hour away.

By bus
The city is served by Cincinnati's METRO bus service, operated by the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA). In particular, the 3X (and to a lesser extent the 3) route is a good connection, going from Downtown Cincinnati to Blue Ash with only one stop in the middle. A less convenient connection can be made using the 4 bus to University of Cincinnati Blue Ash.

By car
From Interstate I-71 northbound, take Exit 14 towards Blue Ash Rd/Kenwood Rd to OH-126 (West). At the end of the exit ramp, turn left on OH-126 (West) and keep right. Then turn left onto Towne Square Ave and turn right onto Blue Ash Rd.

From Interstate I-71 southbound, take Exit 14 towards Blue Ash Rd/Kenwood Rd to OH-126 (West). At the end of the exit ramp, keep right on OH-126 (West). Then turn left onto Towne Square Ave and turn right onto Blue Ash Rd.

From Interstate I-75 northbound, take Exit 10A to merge onto OH-126 E. Then take the exit towards Blue Ash Rd/Kenwood Rd.

Get around
Like many other suburbs in the United States, Blue Ash is best navigated by car, with many streets and avenue all around. Since OH-126 and I-71 have multiple exits across Blue Ash, it might be useful as a shortcut to the city streets.

Go next

 * Cincinnati
 * Mason
 * Montgomery

title: Blue Ash


text:
Blue Bay

Blue Bay is a town in the island country of Mauritius.

Understand
Mauritius features a relatively undeveloped area south of the island, with nice wild landscape. The area around Blue Bay has great beaches and crystal-clear waters, unlike the beachless majority of the south coast, thankfully limiting hotel construction for the most part. Three huge luxury hotels have been built on the former sugar estate of Bel Ombre. This was followed in 2006 by the opening of another big luxury hotel in the nearby hamlet of St Felix, all of which will of course contribute to the area's economy, but, many fear, will also mean Mauritius’ most unspoiled corner will gradually become more and more like the rest of the island. For now though, the area is the most ‘Mauritian’ in the country, and the drive along the coastal road from Souillac to Le Morne really shouldn't be missed. Other highlights include the typically sleepy town of Mahébourg, the nature reserve Île aux Aigrettes and imposing Lion Mountain, which dominates the region.

The Blue Bay marine park is framed on one side by Le Shandrani Hotel, Blue Lagoon Hotel and the runway of our international airport Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport. On top of the marine park is 'Ile des Deux Cocos', an islet within the lagoon, of 4.22 hectares. An important and unique network of coral reefs protect this part of the island from the ocean's waves.

Get around
Once you are in Blue Bay residential area, you can easily walk from your hotels or villas to the beach since the area is small and with little development.

Do
For those who want to be involved in recreational activities there is a large range of land and water sports available including, tennis, table tennis, volleyball, windsurfing, kayaking, pedaloes, snorkelling and mini sailboats. Deep sea fishing and diving can also be organised.

In addition, there exist a wide spectrum of sailing activities and you can organize trips to the outlying islets by catamarans and speedboats cruise. For example, visit to Ile Aigrettes, a 5 hectare islet which consists of an old calcareous coral reef partially overlain by sand and soil deposits. It is an internationally important site as it was declared a nature reserve in 1965. Many of the plants found there grow nowhere else in the world.

Buy
Shopping in Mauritius is more than just an interesting experience. It is a journey in time and space of the civilisation and cultures that have come across its history. The sculptures and drums of Africans origin, colourful sarees or tailor-made suit, is a proof of this diversity. Traditional Mauritian Arts and Crafts products and the best-branded luxury goods can be found in a number of shopping centres/arcades in all the towns and beach resorts. There are also a number of duty-free shops, which offers very attractive prices. Last but not least are the traditional and colourful markets where you can really experience the Mauritian way of life and practice the national sport, bargaining !

Eat
Mauritius is a paradise for the senses, not only for the eyes with its beautiful landscape, but also for the palate. Gastronomes will find a variety of flavours and aromas inherited from the different migrations through its history in Blue Bay. Culinary traditions from France, India, China and Africa, the best-known and appreciated cuisines in the world, have been passed on through generations. The story of a Mauritian starting the day with a continental breakfast, followed by an Indian lunch and finishing off with a Chinese dinner is a common cliché.

Go next

 * Mahebourg

title: Blue Bay


text:
Blue Bell

Blue Bell is in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. This article also covers the neighboring community of Plymouth Meeting.

Get in
Taking PA-73 or route 202 will take you to Blue Bell. It is located mainly between the intersection of the two main roads.

By bus
Although it is rare to see the Septa bus run around Blue Bell area it is accessible. Although cars are the main source of transportation the bus is an affordable and easy transportation method that can be accessed for about $2 a ride during any time of the week. Route 98 will go through Norristown passing by Blue Bell all the way to Willow grove. The bus typically comes by every 30 minutes and if you plan on travelling to local cities it is a great way to get around, it is a nice place to visit.

By train
There is no train station in Blue Bell but SEPTA runs trains to stations within 5-15 minutes walk or drive. Neighboring Ambler, Fort Washington, and even Norristown have stations on the network. You can either take the Manayunk/Norristown Line train to Norristown or the Lansdale/Doylestown Lime to Ambler or Fort Washington. The train within every 30 minutes. It costs around $4 and is faster and more comfortable than the bus. You can park for only a dollar in most train stations.

The nearest Amtrak station is in downtown Philadelphia.

By car

 * Enterprise Rent a Car at 1521 Narcissa Road has compact cars at around $40/day and minivans for about a $100/day.

See

 * Wentz Run Park - The most visited park in town is next to the Blue Bell Police Department. It is a public family-orientated park which offers many special events and activities. It has a concession stand, gazebo, 4 tennis courts, 2 full court basketball courts, sand volleyball court, 2 soccer fields, 3 baseball fields, and playgrounds which are offered for ages 3-12.

Buy

 * Village Square Shopping Center is one of the few shopping centers in Blue Bell.

Learn

 * Wings Field is a general aviation airport located in Blue Bell.

Eat

 * Blue Bell Diner is the main diner up in Blue Bell. Open 24/7. Their breakfast and soups are quite extraordinary and cheap. They also have delectable milkshakes and desserts to finish it off.
 * Pudges. Located in the heart of Blue Bell, this place is known especially for their famous hoagies and steaks which are very large and delicious.
 * Reeds Restaurant/Nightclub offers a variety of entertainment and delicacies. There are nightly food specials and drink specials. Live DJ and entertainment.

title: Blue Bell


text:
Blue Creek

Blue Creek is a village in the Toledo region of southern Belize, popular for its namesake creek and Rainforest Preserve, and for Hokeb Ha Cave.

Understand
The village was founded by Kek'chi and Mopan Maya families from San Antonio and Aguacate, is now also home to a number of Mennonite families.

The Blue Creek 200-acre rainforest preserve is a 15-minute hike along a trail leading to the IZE Research Centre and a deep pool of clear water perfect for swimming (the parking lot and trail is on the right just before the village bridge). The jungle sports bromeliads, orchids, cohune palms, and heliconias, and many medicinal plants, is a birdwatcher's paradise - with hundreds of species of birds - and the roar of the howler monkeys can be heard nearby.

Further upstream is the Hokeb Ha Cave, with its large entrance carved from the summit of a hill where the Creek gurgles up from underground. Many Late Classic Maya ceramics have been found inside the cave, as well as an altar, and archaeologists believe the cave was used specifically for ceremonial purposes. The limestone caves are full of pristine crystal-clear mineral pools and lagoons, with a water temperature of a constant. Cave swimming trips are a popular activity (for safety, you must be accompanied by a guide and local guides can be hired in the village or at the Research Station). With life jackets and headlights you swim into the cave to visit one or more waterfalls, and view the impressive stalactites and stalagmites.

Permits and fees
Visitors wanting to use the Research Centre facilities and dock are asked to pay a small fee. The Hokeb Ha Cave is managed by the Blue Creek Tourism Association in conjunction with the Department of Archaeology, and an entrance fee of BZ$5 applies.

Get in
Head north-west out of PG Town on the Southern Highway, and then at "Dump" junction (where the paved highway turns right and north) carry straight over and onto the unpaved road leading to the Maya villages. At Mafredi Village turn left and continue along this road into the village of Blue Creek. You will find a parking lot on the right-hand side immediately before the low concrete bridge spanning the Creek.

The Dolores village bus (Ack's Bus) leaves from Jose Maria Nunez Street in PG Town at mid-day and stops at Blue Creek Village.

Get around
The jungle trail starts just beyond the parking lot, and a 15-20 minute hike along a well-marked path will bring you to the IZE Research Station.

The trail continues past the Research Station heading towards Hokeb Ha Cave: follow the trail, and bear towards a stream on your left until you come to a dry creek bed filled with white stones. Cross over the dry creek, and continue heading upstream using the creek as a guide. At this stage the trail isn't always obvious, but you'll be hiking along the base of increasingly steep cliffs, and you'll shortly see a 10-foot waterfall and then the main cave entrance comes in to view.

See

 * Hundreds of species of birds
 * Rainforest medicinal plants
 * Dozens of reptiles, amphibians and mammals
 * Spectacular limestone caves

Do

 * Jungle hiking - hire a local guide from the village, or ask Ignacio Coc - the Research Centre manager - if he can arrange a guide for you. They will take you on the steep trails in the rainforest preserve, showing you the local fauna and flora - particularly the jungle medicinal plants.
 * Cave swimming - the cave runs 5 miles, with several waterfalls of 20 feet or more, and cave swimming trips usually go as far as the first or second waterfall. Once past the entrance of the cave you'll lose all natural light, revealing the sparkle of the mica-studded stalactites and stalagmites. You must hire a guide to go cave swimming - they are familiar with weather patterns and can assess whether the water levels are likely to change rapidly.
 * Dry caving - there are other caves at Blue Creek which can be explored with a guide
 * Swimming - the Research Centre dock juts out over a beautiful pool of deep water, perfect for swimming at almost any time of the year. There is also a pool of water close to the Cave entrance, but this may not be suitable for swimming after heavy rainfall.

Buy
Similar to Lubaantun, you will find many ladies at the parking lot selling baskets and embroidery (as well as a few Guatemalan made items).

Eat
You may be able to arrange for lunch at the Research Station, or can buy snacks from the village shop.

Drink
Soft drinks are available from the Research Station, or from the village shop.

Sleep
IZE's research station has several rustic cabins, with meals provided at the main lodge/research station building.

The Maya Homestay Network operates in Aguacate Village, 5 miles beyond Blue Creek Village.

Go next
The Dolores village bus passes through Blue Creek very early each morning. If you are visiting Blue Creek for the day, you will need to either hitch a lift or charter a vehicle to take you back to Mafredi to catch Bol's Bus at around 4:30PM on its journey to PG, or back out to the Southern Highway to catch a James Line Bus back to PG.

title: Blue Creek


text:
Blue Diamond

Blue Diamond is a city in Southern Nevada.

Understand
It has a population of about 300. The local joke is that they are outnumbered by the local burros. Please note that while the burros do look cute, it is illegal to feed them.

Do
Mountain climbing.

title: Blue Diamond


text:
Blue Earth

Blue Earth is a city in Faribault County. Situated in the corn belt, Blue Earth is a small community with a population of under 4,000 residents and home to the 56 ft tall statue of the Jolly Green Giant.

title: Blue Earth


text:
Bluefield

There is more than one place called Bluefield:

 * The adjacent Appalachian Bluefields:
 * Bluefield (West Virginia) - A town in West Virginia.
 * Bluefield (Virginia) - A town in Virginia.

title: Bluefield


text:
Bluefield (West Virginia)

Bluefield is a city of 9,800 people (as of 2018) in Mercer County, West Virginia. Along with Bluefield, Virginia, it forms the micropolitan area of the Bluefields.

Nestled at the foot of the 3,400-foot East River Mountain, Bluefield is the most elevated town in West Virginia, at 2,655 feet above sea level. The town is sometimes called "Summit City", because of its high altitude, and "Nature's Air-Conditioned City" for its pleasant summer temperatures. Since 1941, the Chamber of Commerce's "Lemonade Lassies" have passed out free lemonade on days when the temperature exceeds. The airport thermometer is used to determine this, which is at the highest point in Bluefield. It can often exceed 90° in downtown Bluefield during the summer.

The area was first settled in the 1780s and incorporated in 1889. Named for the blue chicory fields in the area, Bluefield was a booming Norfolk and Western Railroad hub for the coal industry until the decline of coal in the 1960s. Today the city has an air of faded 1950s glory; some of the lovely homes have seen better days, the downtown is largely deserted, and passenger railways have given way to freight cars. The city is beginning to embark on an aggressive revitalization scheme, by restoring old buildings, attracting specialty shops and restaurants back to downtown, and focusing on tourism as a promising source of revenue. The town still retains its small-town Appalachian charm, with friendly people, beautiful scenery, and very low housing costs.

One of the best-known local residents is John Forbes Nash, winner of the 1994 Nobel Prize in economics and the subject of the 2001 film A Beautiful Mind. The town has yet to capitalize on this connection, however, so if you're a big fan of the man or the movie, you won't find a lot of related activities or sights in the area. Nash's boyhood home is undergoing renovation, and will likely be a listed historic site in the near future.

By car
Bluefield is just off I-77, between Beckley in the north and Wytheville, Virginia, in the south. Most people will use exit 1, although if you're travelling south to Bluefield, you may see a sign recommending that you get off at exit 9; this, however, is only a needless detour through Princeton. At Bluefield, I-77 becomes the West Virginia Turnpike; if you continue north from Bluefield, you'll encounter toll booths.

The other main roads that pass through the town are US-19, from Abingdon, Virginia in the southwest to Beckley in the north; US-52, from Williamson in the northwest to Wytheville, Virginia, in the south; and US-460, from Grundy, Virginia in the west to Blacksburg, Virginia, in the east.

Get around
Bring your car! The area is rather mountainous, so if you stray from the main highways, you'll probably end up in some hilly terrain. It can be treacherous, especially in winter; but the upside, of course, is that the scenery is often spectacular.

There are also several streets in town that are very steep (Jefferson and S Mercer being good examples); traversing them in warm weather is nail-biting enough, but when the streets are covered with snow or ice, you definitely don't want to attempt it without four-wheel drive.

 * Bluefield Area Transit, 1642 Bluefield Ave, or . Buses run Monday through Friday, with limited weekend service to Athens; closed on holidays. Services Mercer and McDowell Counties with routes into Bluefield, Princeton and Welch. Fares $1–2, or $20–25 for a monthly pass.

See

 * Downtown Bluefield, with its architecture dating from the 1920s. There are self-guided walking tours available.
 * First Fridays, Chicory Square. Live entertainment and food on the first Friday of each month.

 * The East River Mountain Overlook, at the top of the mountain along Route 598 (off Route 460), . Gives visitors a 3,500-foot-high view of the Bluefields and East River Mountain. Observation deck, hiking trails, picnic shelters, tables and grills.
 * The National Coal Heritage Area encompasses 11 counties in southern West Virginia, and aims to preserve, protect, and interpret lands, structures, and communities associated with the coal mining heritage of the state. Bluefield is the southern terminus of the Coal Heritage Trail, a 97-mile scenic drive that passes mine-owners' mansions, miners' homes, company stores, coal tipples and state parks, before ending at the Exhibition Coal Mine in Beckley.
 * The National Coal Heritage Area encompasses 11 counties in southern West Virginia, and aims to preserve, protect, and interpret lands, structures, and communities associated with the coal mining heritage of the state. Bluefield is the southern terminus of the Coal Heritage Trail, a 97-mile scenic drive that passes mine-owners' mansions, miners' homes, company stores, coal tipples and state parks, before ending at the Exhibition Coal Mine in Beckley.

Do

 * If you just want a relaxing family afternoon by a gentle stream, haul your picnic basket out to the Bluefield City Park, 1750 Stadium Dr, . Picnic area with 4 pavilions, grills, playground, softball fields, football stadium, youth center with recreational equipment, tennis courts and gymnasium with indoor goals.
 * Greater Bluefield Community Center, 703 College Ave, . Swimming pool, basketball, racquetball, gymnastics, aerobics, swimming and lifesaving classes, weight room and Nautilus. Day passes $6.
 * If you just want a relaxing family afternoon by a gentle stream, haul your picnic basket out to the Bluefield City Park, 1750 Stadium Dr, . Picnic area with 4 pavilions, grills, playground, softball fields, football stadium, youth center with recreational equipment, tennis courts and gymnasium with indoor goals.
 * Greater Bluefield Community Center, 703 College Ave, . Swimming pool, basketball, racquetball, gymnastics, aerobics, swimming and lifesaving classes, weight room and Nautilus. Day passes $6.

Events
Bluefield holds several festivals during the year:
 * Holiday of Lights Festival, Bluefield City Park. Held yearly from Thanksgiving through the first full week in January. Open 6PM-10PM weekdays, 6PM-11PM weekends. Admission is free but donations are gratefully accepted. The city park is festooned with Christmas lights, displays and scenes, which can be viewed from the warmth of your car as you drive along the marked trail.
 * Holiday of Lights Festival, Bluefield City Park. Held yearly from Thanksgiving through the first full week in January. Open 6PM-10PM weekdays, 6PM-11PM weekends. Admission is free but donations are gratefully accepted. The city park is festooned with Christmas lights, displays and scenes, which can be viewed from the warmth of your car as you drive along the marked trail.

Also of note is one of the most passionate high school sports rivalries in the country:

Learn
The city newspaper is the Bluefield Daily Telegraph.

Eat
Bluefield isn't quite a culinary drawcard these days; if you like fast food, you're in luck, but otherwise there aren't a whole lot of options.

Drink

 * Kelsey's at the Quality Inn Hotel and Conference Center, 3350 Big Laurel Hwy, +1 304 325-6170. Pub food, drinks and a large dance floor.
 * Kelsey's at the Quality Inn Hotel and Conference Center, 3350 Big Laurel Hwy, +1 304 325-6170. Pub food, drinks and a large dance floor.

Go next

 * Bramwell is about 15 minutes northwest on US-52. It was once home to millionaires and is now home to Pinnacle Rock State Park.
 * Princeton is about 10 minutes northeast on US-460. It's the county seat, and a good access point for Pipestem State Park and the Bluestone National Scenic River.
 * Tazewell, Virginia is about 30 minutes southwest on US-19.
 * Welch is about 1 hour northwest on US-52. It's a traditional mining town in the heart of coal country, although the decline of the industry has hit the town hard.
 * Wytheville, Virginia is about 45 minutes south on I-77.
 * Beckley is about 1 hour north on I-77. Winterplace Ski Resort, in nearby Flat Top, offers skiing, snow tubing and snowboarding trails.
 * Blacksburg, Virginia is a little over 1 hour east on US-460. It's home to the Virginia Tech Hokies.
 * Abingdon, Virginia is about 1½ hours southwest on I-77 / I-81, or a bit under 2 hours if you follow US-19. A charming town popular for its well-known Barter Theatre.
 * Grundy, Virginia is about 1½ hours west on US-460.
 * Williamson is about 2.5 hours west on US-52. Birthplace of the Hatfield-McCoy feud.

title: Bluefield (West Virginia)


text:
Bluefields

Bluefields is a city on the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua.

Understand
Bluefields is the capital of the Southern Autonomous Region on the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua. The people have a combined heritage of being escaped/freed slaves, part of indigenous groups, descendants of Spanish settlers, and/or mix of any of these groups. This creates a very diverse and vibrant community. The language most spoken is a Creole of English. Most people speak Spanish as a 2nd or 3rd language after Creole and/or an indigenous language. All in all there are 6 different ethnicities that can be found throughout the region: Black/Creole, Mestizo, Miskito, Rama, Suma, Garifuna. For some reason, basketball is really popular around here and numerous jerseys of NBA teams of varying quality and authenticity are sold here.

By plane

 * Limited baggage, so travel light and take essentials in hand bags or pockets.

By bus
From Managua direct to Bluefields about 7 hours on a road completed in 2019. Taxi from the bus station (3km west of the town) into Bluefields centre.

By boat
There is a boat leaving San Juan Del Norte every Wednesday at 8AM to Bluefields. Do check at the pier as the schedule is liable to change on a moment's notice. It is the same Boat which goes to the Big Corn Island and Little Corn Island. There are pangas from Bluefields to and from: Rama, San Juan de Nicaragua (del Norte), Pearl Lagoon, Haulover, Kukra River, Tasbapouni, La Cruz de Rio Grande, Karawala, Sandy Bay and El Bluff

By taxi
C$14 (córdobas) per person (in 2020) anywhere you go, sharing a cab. However coming from the airport or bus station with a lot of luggage they will charge you C$20.

Do

 * Enjoy a Tona Cerveza at the balcony of the Cima club while you watch the rain slam the street in July.
 * Bluefields has a great local sports culture. Ask if there is anything going on in the Stadium and you may get a chance to see an electrically charged event of local athletic talent. The most popular sports locally are Baseball, Basketball and Soccer in decreasing order of popularity.
 * Palo de Mayo, a month long festival culminating during the 3rd week of May that showcases the mix of English and creole cultures.
 * Visit the museum of Caribbean history of culture (admission is free but they encourage you to donate)

Buy

 * Basketball jerseys.

Eat

 * Rondon - a coconut stew made with coconut milk yuca, plantains and lobster, fish, beef, or chicken.
 * Vigorón - a mid-morning snack made with yuca, chicharones (fried pork skin) or flores (fried pork meat with chicharón) and cabbage salad (cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, vinegar, salt & pepper).
 * Frito - an evening meal made with tajada (fried green plantain), stewed chicken or pork, and cabbage salad.
 * Order the Camarones cocktail at the Bella Vista restaurant on the water.

Stay safe
When traveling at night always take a taxi, especially around "Four Brothers". After 8PM it is recommended you take a taxi. After 10PM, always taxi. Do not carry more money than necessary. Do not flash expensive items (such as cameras) around. Use common sense. Don't go into small alleys. Wear lifejacket when using pangas.

Go next

 * Little Corn Island - (either by boat or by plane)
 * San Juan del Norte - (by boat, once weekly, schedule liable to change)
 * Pearl Lagoon - (by boat, at least once daily)

title: Bluefields


text:
Bluegrass Region

The Bluegrass Region is perhaps Kentucky's most famous region, if not its most visited. This bucolic region is named for the coveted grass that suburban homeowners slave to get to grow on their lawns throughout the country. Though native to Eurasia, Kentucky bluegrass has become associated with the state, and it helps sustain the major local industry—Kentucky horse farms.

This page covers only the region defined by the state's tourism agency as the "Bluegrass Region". The geographic region known as the "Bluegrass" also includes part or all of the Kentucky Derby Region and the Northern Ohio River Region, plus one county that the state places in its Kentucky Appalachians tourism region. Local definitions of the "Bluegrass" vary, but all extend beyond the area of the tourism region.

Cities

 * — Kentucky's small state capital
 * — known for its arts and crafts scene, and home to Berea College
 * — Horse Capital of the World
 * — home of Eastern Kentucky University
 * — Horse Capital of the World
 * — home of Eastern Kentucky University
 * — home of Eastern Kentucky University
 * — home of Eastern Kentucky University
 * — home of Eastern Kentucky University
 * — home of Eastern Kentucky University

Other destinations

 * Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill
 * Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill

By plane
Visitors have the option of flying directly into the smaller Blue Grass Airport, in Lexington, or flying into larger airports further away. Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport  and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport   are both about 1.5 hours away from Lexington, but are served by more airlines than Blue Grass Airport.

By car
Travellers can access the Bluegrass Region via one of the two major interstates that arc around the northern and eastern sides of Lexington. I-64 runs from east to west, connecting Lexington with the largest city in Kentucky, Louisville, to the west. I-75 runs north-south, connecting Lexington with Cincinnati and Knoxville respectively. The two interstates meet in Lexington, running together for several miles in the northeast quadrant of the city.

By train
There are no passenger rail lines in the Bluegrass Region. Amtrak has routes that serve Eastern, Western, and Northern Kentucky as well as Cincinnati, and has bus service from Chicago to Loiusville.

By bus
Long-distance bus company Greyhound serves both Lexington and Frankfort.

 * Greyhound stations:

Get around
A car is a necessity to get around the area. The Bluegrass region is a large area, with public transportation only existing in the largest towns in the region, and even then limited to busses and by-appointment-only taxis.

Old Kentucky
Drive to Harrodsburg and Danville, 32 miles southwest of Lexington, to see some of the oldest buildings in the State. Take Versailles Road, out of Lexington, then take the Bluegrass Parkway to US-127, to Harrodsburg. This path will take you by the Castle on Versailles Road, and through Central Kentucky's scenic farmland.

 * Harrodsburg is Kentucky's oldest city and contains a reconstruction of Fort Harrod, the first permanent settlement in the state of Kentucky. Re-enactors are present on a seasonal basis.
 * Just outside of Harrodsburg, Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill is America's largest restored Shaker community, with 34 carefully restored buildings and 3,000 acres of preserved farmland. Shaker Village features a restaurant and lodging onsite, guided tours, and seasonal activities and re-enactors.
 * About 20 minutes from Harrodsburg, Danville's Constitution Square contains recreations of buildings from the 1700s and was the site where Kentucky's first Constitution was signed. The buildings are open year round for self-guided viewing, and guided tours are available by appointment.

From Danville, Lexington Road will connect you with US-27, which will return you to Lexington.

Visit small towns
The Bluegrass Region is home to many small towns, each with their own reason to visit.
 * Danville, 35 miles southwest of Lexington, is the "City of Firsts", and the "Birthplace of the Bluegrass" since the first Constitutional Convention in the West was held at Constitution Square in 1792 and Kentucky's first Constitution was signed there.
 * Frankfort, Kentucky's capital city, is 25 miles northwest of Lexington.
 * Midway is a quaint and colorful railroad town halfway between Lexington and Frankfort; stop for a bite to eat and explore the antique and boutique shops downtown.
 * Harrodsburg, 32 miles southwest of Lexington, is Kentucky's oldest city.
 * Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, 30 miles southwest of Lexington, is America's largest restored Shaker community, with 34 carefully restored buildings and 3,000 acres of preserved farmland.

Eat
Kentucky cuisine to look for includes the Hot Brown, an open-faced sandwich of turkey, bacon, and cheese sauce; burgoo, a traditional game stew with as many variations as there are people who make it; beer cheese, a spicy spread of cheddar cheese and beer; benedictine spread made from cucumber and cream cheese; and bourbon balls, a chocolate and bourbon truffle with pecans.

Note that smoking is banned in restaurants, bars, and many public buildings.

In town
Lexington is home to an astonishing number of independently owned restaurants at all price levels. The city's college town atmosphere and affluent lifestyle contribute to this relatively small metropolitan area's great culinary offerings. Chain restaurants, typical in most American cities and towns, can be found here, as well as a great number of privately owned and operated establishments. Lexington has an amazing variety of regional and ethnic foods. Almost any taste can be fulfilled, from Home Cookin' to Fine Dining and from Cajun to Vietnamese.

Frankfort has a wide variety of restaurants to choose from while visiting.

In town
Lexington is a large college town, so there are many bars and nightclubs catering to all crowds. Frankfort and Richmond have their own smaller bar scenes.

The Bourbon Trail
Bourbon distilleries are plentiful in the area, due to the particular geology of the region that make this distinctively Kentuckian liquor possible. Many distilleries operate tours where you can learn about the processes of mashing, distilling, and aging, and often sample the product. Traveling between the distilleries is called "Taking the Bourbon Trail." Souvenir T-Shirts and Bourbon Trail "passports" are available. Each distillery has their own souvenirs available for purchase, ranging from shot glasses to Bourbon Balls.

Five distilleries are within 30 miles of Lexington.

A little farther afield:

Breweries
In addition to the Bourbon Trail, Lexington has two Breweries. Alltech's Lexington Brewery and Distilling Company, previously mentioned, and

Wineries
Many Kentucky Wineries produce award winning wine. The winery business is growing, with several new vineyards starting up in the Bluegrass Region.

Go next

 * Daniel Boone Country, The region directly to the east and south, has some of the most beautiful scenery and breathtaking rock formations in the state. Kentuckians visit the area during all seasons to enjoy camping, rock climbing, hiking, and watersports.
 * Kentucky Derby Region, the region to west features the cities of Louisville and Bardstown
 * Southern Lakes, the region to the south has many recreational lakes including Lake Cumberland.  One of the largest man made lakes east of the Mississippi River.

title: Bluegrass Region


text:
Blue Hill

There's more than one place called Blue Hill or Blue Hills:

South Africa

 * Blue Hills - a suburb of Johannesburg, in the province of Gauteng

Turks and Caicos Islands

 * Blue Hills - on the island of Providenciales

United States of America

 * Blue Hill (Maine) - a town in Hancock County (Maine), in the Down East region of Maine
 * Blue Hill (Nebraska) - a city in Webster County, in the South Central Nebraska region of Nebraska
 * Blue Hill Township - in Sherburne County, in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota

title: Blue Hill