Not sure where to go in Bloomington to see the total solar eclipse? Here are some ideas

It's almost the big day: Beginning at approximately 3:04 p.m. the Bloomington area will experience more than 4 minutes of total darkness during the solar eclipse. If you haven't decided where to go, here's a list of some locations where people are welcome to witness the eclipse.

A few words of advice: Get there early!

Where to watch the total solar eclipse in Bloomington on April 8

Eclipsed at Trinity Reformed Church, 2401 S. Endwright Road, near Karst Farm Park. Parking is $10 per vehicle, cash or card. Walkers and bicyclists are welcome, free of charge. The church property will be open 10 a.m. to sunset on April 8, with food trucks (Pili's Party Taco and Little Bowl Thai), live music, eclipse glasses for sale, and public restrooms. Family-friendly activities will include a treasure-planet Easter egg hunt at 10:30 a.m. with more than 1,000 prize-filled eggs. Respectful silence will be observed for the 15 minutes leading up to totality at 3:04 p.m. Eclipse glasses will be available for purchase.

Indiana Forest Alliance event at the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center and Kumbum Chamste Ling Monastery will begin at 11 a.m. April 8 with a medicine Buddah Puja, a special awareness ceremony and ritual, followed by viewing of the eclipse, solemn observance of nature and guided hikes to take in the special interactions of nature during a solar eclipse. Eclipse viewing glasses will be provided.

Sherwood Oaks Christian Church welcomes the public to enjoy its 44 acres of green space and parking to view the solar eclipse on April 8. The church is at 2700 E. Rogers Road, Bloomington. The campus has plenty of green space, parking for 900 vehicles and will be open from noon to 4 p.m. People can enjoy the disc golf range as well as the enclosed playground. Outdoor restroom facilities will be provided. Donations will be accepted and will benefit Habitat for Humanity. NOTE: No parking the night before, no RVs. Also, no food or other activities are planned and the church building will be closed.

Starlite Drive-In Theater, 7640 S. Old Ind. 37. Gates open at 10 a.m. for free public viewing of the eclipse. There are no reservations; it's first-come, first-enter. Concessions will be open with a limited menu of drinks, popcorn and candy. Bring cornhole boards, Frisbees, footballs, etc., to keep yourself entertained. No eclipse glasses will be provided; bring your own. Regular policies and rules apply: Friendly pets on leash are allowed. No fireworks, grills, alcohol. No overnight camping. For more, call 812-824-2277.

At WonderLab Museum: 2-4 p.m. April 8, WonderLab: Total Solar Eclipse Street Party, at 308 W. Fourth St. People of all ages can prepare and practice with WonderLab's solar viewing tools starting at 2 p.m. The eclipse begins at 3:04 p.m. Activities will wrap up at 4 p.m. Note: The WonderLab building will be closed; activities happen in the street.

Total Eclipse of the Yarn, 2-4 p.m. April 8 at Rebel Purl Yarn Shop, 303 S. Hickory Drive. Tickets at rebelpurl.com are $50 and allow people to watch the eclipse while crafting in the yarn shop, includes a seat, eclipse glasses and a hank of the exclusive colorway, available only for this event. There will be a table outside with some snacks and a movie to watch afterward that features an eclipse in case people want to hang out a little bit to avoid traffic.

Total Eclipse at the Patch, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at Fowler Pumpkin Patch, 5060 N. Greene County Line Road. The pumpkin patch will not have any artificial lights to allow better viewing of the eclipse. Before the eclipse, there will be live music, food trucks and a variety of outdoor games for all ages. Camping options for Sunday and/or Monday are available. Eclipse glasses will be distributed to the first 300 people. Bring blankets or lawn chairs. Space is limited; go online to https://tinyurl.com/mrp4hmx3 to secure tickets, ranging from $10-$150.

"Best solar eclipse spot in Monroe County," at St. John the Apostle Catholic church, 4607 W. Ind. 46 in Ellettsville. The pinpoint of the total solar eclipse will be at the tree lines at St. John the Apostle. Church youth are selling parking spaces at the church area on top of the hill. Parking spaces are $50, cash or check. The purchase also includes access to bathroom facilities. People can picnic and the youth are selling food, a limited number of solar glasses and T-shirts. Day of the eclipse it's first-come, first-served but you can call ahead to reserve a spot at 812-876-1974.

A view from Lake Monroe's Paynetown State Recreation Area, 4850 S. Ind. 446. 9 a.m.-9 p.m. While Monday’s activities are open to both campers and the public, parking spots are expected to fill early in the day. Due to anticipated heavy traffic to the recreation area, attending Monday events is recommended only if you have campsite reservations for the prior evening. Activities will include a 9 a.m. pinhole camera build, eclipse "play" stations open 1:55-2:55 p.m. allowing people to cast images of the partial eclipse on the ground; and a campfire 7:30-9 p.m.

Events later on the day of the total solar eclipse

If you decide to stay in Bloomington a little while longer — whether its traffic delays or you're a Bloomington area resident looking for something else to do on Monday — here are a few suggestions:

"2001: A Space Odyssey," 7:30-9:59 p.m. at John Waldron Arts Center, 122 S. Walnut St. Have your mind blown after the eclipse by watching Stanley Kubrick’s sci-fi masterpiece "2001: A Space Odyssey." Advance tickets are $8, $12 at the door. For more or tickets, go to https://tinyurl.com/33jbwyy2 on Constellation Stage & Screen's website.

"The Planets: An HD Odyssey," 8 p.m. at Indiana University Auditorium. See the IU Jacobs School of Music Concert Orchestra performance with Jeffery Meyer, conducting, and Mae Jemison as special guest narrator. For more information or tickets ($10-$30 from TicketMaster), go to www.iuauditorium.com, call 812-855-1103 or stop by the box office at 1211 E. Seventh St.

Ladies First, an all-female a cappella group at Indiana University, will perform 8-10 p.m. Monday at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, 114 E. Kirkwood Ave. Tickets are $10-$19 and can be purchased at the theater box office. The group, singing renditions of classic and popular music, has released seven albums; the latest is "In Full Bloom." For more info and tickets, go to buskirkchumley.org.

Contact Carol Kugler at ckugler@heraldt.com

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Where to watch the solar eclipse in Bloomington, Indiana