Indiana University fans gathered outdoors near a stadium, wearing red and white with IU logos, enjoying a game day or celebration, with some playing bean bag toss.

Your IU Football Weekend Starts Here

The local guide to staying, tailgating, eating and making the most of game day in Bloomington.

Whether you’re coming back to B-Town, visiting for the first time, or planning a weekend with your favorite Hoosiers, we’ve gathered everything you need in one place.

Brought to you by:

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Find the perfect Bloomington stay for gameday!

FIND A GAMEDAY RENTAL
FIND A GAMEDAY RENTAL

Looking for a Bloomington rental for the school year?

STUDENT HOUSING
STUDENT HOUSING

Locally owned and operated in Bloomington, Indiana

2026 IU Football Home Schedule

Plan your Bloomington weekends early—game-day rentals and parking can fill quickly.

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September 5th
North Texas @ IU
Kick-Off at Noon

September 12th
Howard
Kick-Off at Noon

September 19th
Western Kentucky
Kick-Off at 4:00 PM

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September 25th
Northwestern
Kick-Off at 8:00 PM

Logo of the Minnesota Timberwolves, an American professional basketball team, featuring a stylized wolf's head with a purple and black color scheme.

October 17th
Ohio State
Time TBA

High school football helmet logo with a red and black color scheme, featuring a stylized football helmet and a letter 'O' in the center.

October 31st
Minnesota
Time TBA

University of Minnesota logo with maroon and gold colors.

November 14th
USC
Time TBA

Stylized red and yellow university or college letters 'SC' with a shadow on a black background.

November 28th
Purdue
Time TBA

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Find Your Game-Day Home Base

Skip the hotel rooms. Stay together, tailgate together, and make the most of your Bloomington weekend. Whether you're bringing the whole family or your college crew, we've got the perfect home base for game day.

A black-and-white logo of a large dragon entwined around the words 'Game of Thrones' in a stylized font.

Wake up just minutes from Memorial Stadium and spend less time in traffic and more time enjoying the weekend. Walk to the stadium, grab dinner downtown, and come back to a comfortable home where everyone can stay together.

Featured Property

The Clubhouse

🏟️ Walk to the Stadiums

🚗 Private Parking

🛏️ Sleeps 6

🍻 Custom Bar

♨️ Private Hot Tub

Explore The Clubhouse →

Stay Close to the Action

A kitchen with a white marble round dining table set with white bowls and a white vase filled with red roses, surrounded by wooden chairs. The background features a red and white striped wall, a guest scoreboard, and a window with natural light.
Backyard patio with a hot tub, outdoor sofa with pillows, small coffee table, and string lights, attached to a yellow house with sliding glass doors and a window, under a clear blue sky.
A room decorated with sports memorabilia, featuring a large red scoreboard on a red and white striped wall. The room has a blue accent wall with framed posters and photos, a brick fireplace with candles on top, and a lounging area with a dark sofa, armchair, and a foosball table. There is a wooden floor and a bar counter with stools.
Aerial view of a city with labeled landmarks: Memorial Stadium, Assembly Hall, and a red location pin on a building. Residential houses, trees, and roads are visible, with greenery and a sky at sunset.
Black silhouette of a person skiing down the slope of a mountain with snow and pine trees in the background.

Hotels split everyone into separate rooms. Our homes keep everyone together—from morning coffee before kickoff to late-night conversations after the game.

Perfect for alumni reunions, family weekends, parents' weekends, bachelor parties and football trips with friends.

Featured Property

The Nancy

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Sleeps 10

♨️ Private Hot Tub

🔥 Outdoor Fireplace

🏡 Covered Patio

🚗 Easy Parking

🏈 Perfect for Large Groups

Explore The Nancy →

Bring the Whole Crew

An outdoor patio area with a large sectional sofa with beige cushions and colorful pillows, surrounded by green plants and flowers, with a brown wooden wall and a partially covered roof overhead.
A nighttime view of a modern house exterior with large windows illuminated by pink and purple lights. There is a hot tub surrounded by pink flowers in the foreground, and the house has a brick wall with a wooden patio area.
A modern dining room with a green wall, yellow chairs around a wooden table, two framed abstract art pieces on the wall, a decorative black vase on the table, and a stylish wall clock with orange and white design.
Living room with large windows showing a backyard, featuring colorful chairs, a sofa, a gold arc floor lamp, a coffee table with a glass top, and a side table with decorative items and books.
Logo of Sample Gates in Bloomington, IN over a Hoosier Home.

Game day doesn't end when the clock hits zero.

Relax in the hot tub, watch the late games, fire up the grill or challenge your friends in the game room before heading downtown for the evening.

Featured Property

The Varsity Club

🏀 IU-Inspired Design

🍺 Entertainment Spaces

🏟️ Walk to the Stadiums

🛏️ Sleeps 8

♨️ Private Hot Tub

🏈 Built for Football Weekends

Explore The Varsity Club →

Keep the Tailgate Going

Aerial view of a large empty football stadium with a football field, surrounded by parking lots, a university campus, and green trees under a partly cloudy sky.
A metal bowl filled with ice and several cans of Indiana Hoosier beer, placed on a wooden table.
A hotel room with two beds, each with white linens and red blankets, dark wood headboards, plaid pillows, and bedside tables. The room has light-colored walls, a window with blinds, framed pictures above the beds, and a basketball hoop mounted on the wall.
A red and white striped garage with a basketball hoop on the wall, set against a background of houses and a colorful sunset sky
VIEW SHORT TERM RENTALS
VIEW SHORT TERM RENTALS

Parking & Tailgating

Map of Memorial Stadium parking with color-coded parking lots, walkable properties, and nearby streets in Bloomington, Indiana.

Buy Parking Before Game Day

IU football parking generally requires an advance parking pass. Popular weekends can sell out, so make this one of the first things you reserve after securing your tickets and lodging.

View Official IU Parking Information →

Tailgate Like a Local

Popular tailgating areas surround Memorial Stadium and the grass fields south of 17th Street. Space becomes limited quickly, especially for major conference games.

Bloomington traffic changes considerably on football weekends. Give yourself extra time, expect delays near the stadium, and plan to arrive well before kickoff.

What to Bring:

  • A folding table and chairs

  • A portable phone charger

  • Trash bags

  • Layers for changing Indiana weather

  • Plenty of water

  • Your parking pass and game tickets downloaded in advance

True Rentals Tip: Decide who is responsible for parking, food and cleanup before game day. Your tailgate will be much more fun when nobody is trying to coordinate everything from the car.

Black and white illustration of sample gates in Bloomington, IN over an inviting Hoosier home.
A group of Indiana Hoosiers fans enjoying a tailgate party outdoors. They are sitting at a table under a red and white Hoosiers canopy, with food and drinks. In the background, more fans are gathered, some preparing food at a grill, all wearing red and white attire, with green trees and sunlight.

Eat & Drink Like a Local

Sink the Biz at Nick's English Hut

The Bloomington tradition everyone should experience.

No trip to Bloomington is complete without stopping at Nick's. Order a drink, gather your friends, and try your luck at Sink the Biz—the iconic table game that's been part of IU culture for decades. Even if you're just watching, it's one of the most fun game-day atmospheres in town.

Don't miss: Sink the Biz • Stromboli • Patio on football weekends

📍 423 E Kirkwood Ave

Wings at BuffaLouie's

The post-game classic.

Ask almost any IU alum where to grab wings, and BuffaLouie's will be near the top of the list. It's casual, lively, and exactly what you want after spending the afternoon at Memorial Stadium.

Order: Famous Buffalo Wings • Cheese Fries • Burgers

📍 114 S Indiana Ave

Mother Bear's Pizza

A Bloomington institution.

Whether you're feeding a big group back at your rental or grabbing dinner after the game, Mother Bear's is a must. It's been serving Bloomington for decades and is one of those places alumni come back to every visit.

Order: House Special Pizza • Breadsticks

📍 Original Campus Location

Upland Brewing Co.

Local beer, outdoor patio, and a relaxed atmosphere.

One of Bloomington's best places to unwind after the game. Upland offers a great selection of Indiana-brewed beers, plenty of outdoor seating, and food that's perfect for groups.

Bonus: The patio is doggo friendly!

Try: Dragonfly IPA • Seasonal beers • Pretzel & Beer Cheese

📍 350 W 11th St

Brunch at Uptown Café

The perfect way to wrap up the weekend.

Before heading home, grab brunch at Uptown Café. It's a Bloomington favorite known for Cajun-inspired dishes, great coffee, and one of the best brunch menus in town.

Bonus: Super family friendly!

Order: Eggs Benedict • The Best Waffle EVER • Espresso Martinis

📍 102 E Kirkwood Ave

Whether you're grabbing breakfast before kickoff, celebrating a Hoosier win, or looking for a late-night bite after the game, these are the Bloomington favorites we find ourselves recommending again and again.

📍 Explore our favorite local spots on Google Maps →

Person pouring beer from a pitcher into a glass in a bar or pub setting. The pitcher has a logo that reads 'Nick's Since 1927 Sink It. Drink It.' A Mason jar-style glass is placed inside the pitcher. There are newspapers on the table and a sign that reads 'Nick's English Hut Sink the Biz.'
Buffalo chicken wings coated in orange sauce served in a paper liner with blue Buffalo Wild Wings branding.
Sign for Mother Bears Pizza featuring a cartoon bear in a red dress holding a pizza, with the text 'Welcome to Mother Bears Pizza' and 'Swipe to be seated'.
Fried chicken sandwich with coleslaw, pickles, and a toasted bun, served with French fries, lemon wedge, and a glass of Upland Brewing Co. beer.
A breakfast table with a glass of mimosa, a bowl of oranges, a plate of French toast with blueberries, and a cup of coffee.