We may or may not live with one of the biggest Stranger Things fans… Well, she probably isn’t the BIGGEST fan, but our daughter is obsessed and almost all conversation these days revolves around something related to Stranger Things. As a family, we do love the show and are sad it’ll be coming to an end after the next season, but it’s been a fun ride! So fun, that we’ve sought out experiences to check out… So when I found out that a hotel just south of Indy had a Stranger Things Suite you could book, we added it to our summer bucket list without telling our kids!
The Graduate in Bloomington Indiana is where you’ll find this suite. Set just off the campus of Indiana University, the Graduate is a boutique hotel that doesn’t miss many details. The décor throughout has a basketball and chair theme (Duh, Bobby Knight!) even with basketballs used as chandeliers and designed into the carpet. The hotel is beautiful. It feels like you’ve stepped into a gorgeous, somewhat vintage, fraternity house and you feel comfortable immediately.
But that’s not why we came…
There were hints even in the lobby…
“Mom, why is there a picture of Starcourt Mall?!”
This is why we came…
While looking for Stranger Things experiences, I came upon this unique suite. With season 4, volume 2 coming out July 1st, I had hoped to get there prior, but we ended up being able to book the following weekend which worked out since the suite doesn’t have a modern TV. It is a bit pricey, but honestly, it’s a unique experience and it’s technically two rooms.
Walking up to the room all things look normal…
The rooms surrounding are regular rooms…
But then you notice a couple signs and a rainbow on the doors… and you know you’ve “entered Hawkins.”
One side of the room is styled as Joyce’s eighties living room and the other, the Wheeler’s basement. It’s pretty spot on or at least feels that way. Walking around, you’ll find LOADS of details from all 4 seasons. You walk in under the ambiance of Christmas lights strung throughout one side. There’s a sofa covered in knitted/crocheted blankets and backed up to the iconic painted alphabet. If you watch the show, you know.
All around this side of the suite you’ll find details like no other. Will’s drawing of the mind flayer, a milk carton with Will on it, the burnt out phone, a headset just like Max’s… It’s all there. I’m sure we even missed some details, but our daughter was pretty psyched and was 100% surprised and confused when we walked in.
OUR FAVORITE STRANGER THINGS MERCH HERE
On the other side of the room, you’ll find a pretty spot-on remake of the Wheeler’s Basement complete with a Dungeons and Dragons game as well as many other games and puzzles… The table with 4 mismatched chairs, Eleven’s little blanket fort, and Gremiln figurines will take you back in time.
This summer feels like it’s been the summer of Stranger Things and I’m not sure that’s a bad thing. There’s something to be said for the “freedom” of our childhoods and that’s fairly lost these days. Maybe that’s why kids are loving it so much? The parents are mostly MIA? Mr & Mrs Wheeler? Where are you?
But seriously, this was such a fun thing to do! We completely surprised our daughter with the visit and you can see that below… to say she was surprised was an understatement!
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