Peoria (Illinois)

Situated on a river bluff with excellent natural resources and easy river access, the area has been settled since prehistory, with artifacts and burial mounds showing settlement as far back as 10,000 BC. Peoria was first settled by French explorers in 1680 and is one of the oldest continuously-occupied European settlements in what is now Illinois. Thanks to its position on the Illinois River, Peoria enjoyed comfortable growth from shipping business in the 1800s and early 1900s. Like Muncie in Indiana, it became known as an Average American Town, leading to the famous phrase used by Jack Benny as a radio punchline (and the Nixon administration for political spin) "Will it play in Peoria?"
Residents may rankle at the implied lack of sophistication in the phrase; right or wrong, they take fierce pride in what their city has to offer, and they see the only differences between their city and Chicago as being size and cost-of-living. Today, most of Peoria's economy revolves around Caterpillar, manufacturer of the iconic yellow construction equipment used worldwide, as well as business conventions and the large medical center. Illinois high school sports tournaments are also a major draw for visitors. Famous natives include Richard Pryor, for whom a street leading from town to the airport is named, and Betty Friedan, author of The Feminine Mystique.
The Peoria Area Convention and Visitors Bureau can help groups and individuals plan an itinerary in Peoria.

Climate

Peoria weather varies considerably throughout the seasons. Like much of the Midwest it has a humid continental climate, and consequently four distinct seasons. The cool and pleasant springs are followed by humid summer days, beautiful autumn vistas full of color along the bluffs, and cold winter days. Even on the nicest days it is usually wise to have a jacket available in case a storm or front suddenly comes through, and the weather suddenly changes. Though rare, tornadoes are a possibility outside of the winter months in Peoria. The occasional snow storm may cause traffic to bottleneck for several hours until the streets have been plowed.

By plane

Many visitors fly into Chicago or St. Louis and drive to Peoria. Each city is approximately 150 miles from Peoria and the drive takes 2½-3 hours, depending on traffic. Indianapolis is 200 miles away and takes 3½-4 hours to reach by car.

• General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International AirportProvides daily flights to several cities, including the hubs at Chicago O'Hare, Denver, Dallas/Fort Worth, Detroit, Atlanta, and Minneapolis, and more limited flights to leisure destinations including Las Vegas, Phoenix/Mesa, Orlando, and Tampa.

• Mt. Hawley AirportOn the north side of Peoria is a general aviation airport available for charter flights.

• Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-NormalAbout 50 miles from Peoria, is another nearby airport that might provide additional flights that can help you get to Peoria provided you are willing to drive the short trip to the city.

By car

I-74 is the main interstate that runs through the city. Peoria can also be approached from Interstate 55 (which connects Chicago and St. Louis) by taking a state highway such as IL 116 from Interstate 55 into Peoria, about 50 miles. This provides a somewhat more scenic trip through farming country and small towns.

By bus

• Greyhound

  phone: +1 309-672-9000
  address: 407 SW Adams St
  The largest motorcoach operator in the United States services Peoria at the downtown CitiLink location where local buses can also be picked up.

• Peoria Charter Coach

  phone: +1-800-448-0572
  address: 407 SW Adams St
  Specializes in bus service in the central Illinois area, and they also have regular service to and from Chicago, O'Hare Airport, Bloomington, Champaign, as well as other Midwest locations. In addition to servicing downtown Peoria the buses pickup/drop-off on the Bradley University campus.

By bus

is the city's mass-transit system, serving 23 routes in and around the city. Single ride fares are only $1, and an unlimited ride all-day pass, which can be purchased on a bus, is just $3. The main downtown bus station is at 407 SW Adams Street near the Civic Center and Dozer Park.

By car

Taxi service is available throughout the city; however, it is recommended you call for a taxi, as it is rare to find a taxi to hail outside the downtown or during odd hours. You can locate taxi companies online, in the phone book, or through your hotel's front desk.
While Peoria's downtown is very walkable and parts of the city are amid a New Urbanist revival, to get around outside the downtown most visitors will want a car. All major car rental companies have outlets in Peoria; most have outlets at the airport, in the downtown, and in various outlying commercial areas.

• Caterpillar Visitor's Center

  phone: +1 309 675-0606
  address: 110 SW Washington St
  Although its headquarters have left Peoria, "CAT" still has a huge workforce here spanning dozens of buildings all over town, and Peoria is a popular destination for fans of CAT machinery. They have a visitor's center with eight exhibit galleries and four theaters, and the tour starts by climbing into the bed of a two-and-a-half story mining truck for a virtual ride.

• Glen Oak Park

  address: 2218 North Prospect Road
  One of Peoria's oldest city parks, makes a nice all-day or half-day destination. In addition to traditional park activities (grassy and tree-shaded areas, picnic tables, playing fields, tennis courts), Glen Oak Park has an amphitheater used for outdoor concerts and is home to the Luthy Botanical Gardens, the Peoria PlayHouse Children's Museum, and the Peoria Zoo, .

• Luthy Botanical GardensThe Gardens feature traditional ornamental collections and (increasingly) native plantings on five acres. During holiday seasons, the Gardens host special events.

• Peoria PlayHouse Children's Museum

  phone: +1 309-323-6900

• Peoria ZooFormerly known as the Glen Oak Zoo after the park in which it's located, the Peoria Zoo has habitats for large animals such as zebras and rhinoceroses, an enclosure for wallabies and emus that visitors can walk through, and some more exotic critters such as takins. There is also an excellent collection of smaller animals, including meerkats, a variety of smaller monkeys, and capybaras.

Grandview Drive and Park

phone: +1 309 682 6684

address: 3210 Grandview Drive

For more spectacular river views take a drive along Grandview Drive and visit Grandview Park. This road, which can be accessed from the top or bottom, features some of Peoria's grandest homes and a variety of truly spectacular views of the river. The best river views have pull-offs and small parking lots so you can take pictures and take your time viewing the scenery. The Park District maintains the overlooks as well as a park at the bottom of the drive.

Peoria Riverfront Museum

phone: +1 309-686-7000

address: 222 SW Washington St

Peoria's regional museum, with emphasis on art and science, with rotating galleries that change every few months. The regional folk art collection is particularly nice. Riverfront Museum is a Smithsonian Member Institution with reciprocal admission discounts or waivers for members of other Member Institutions. Recent visiting exhibits have included the pottery of Picasso and a large Ansel Adams exhibit. Exhibits are well-curated. The museum is also a teaching institution, with its own classes and with sponsored activities in local schools. (For example, the Ansel Adams exhibit had an ancillary exhibit of high school photography in the style of Ansel Adams.) Daily Planetarium shows (not included in general admission). Gift shop.

Tower Park

phone: +1 309-682-8732

address: 1222 E. Kingman ((off 4901 N. Prospect & Glen Ave.)

In Peoria Heights is a popular attraction with a water tower you can ascend 200 feet and see panoramic views up to 20 miles in clear weather. The river valley is quite lovely. The tower is open from the end of April through October (weather permitting).

Wheels O' Time

phone: +1 309-243-9020

address: 1710 W Woodside Drive, Dunlap, IL 61525

A quirky local museum, is definitely worth a visit. It's in the far north of the city and features a variety of things have to do with wheels and gears antique cars, clocks, carnival machines, old washing machines, farm equipment, a train, and more. Most are old-fashioned or antique. It's seriously wacky and seriously enjoyable -- the mechanical "barbershop quartet" in which all of the figures bear faces of former United States Presidents is worth the price of admission all by itself. Open May to October, noon-5PM.

• Forest Park Nature Center

  phone: +1 309-686-3360
  address: 5809 North Forest Park Drive
  Natural beauty can be found along the trails of the Forest Park Nature Center, a native river bluff forest with hiking and an interpretive center (and shop). Admission is free. Be forewarned: the trails are not flat. This is the hilliest hiking you'll find in the Peoria area! The shorter trails are very popular with families. The center is also an excellent place to spot butterflies and native birds, including bald eagles, which winter along the Illinois River.

• Glen Oak Park Amphitheatre

  phone: +1 309-682-6684
  address: 2218 North Prospect Road
  Inside Glen Oak Park (see the listing above), the amphitheatre is used for outdoor concerts, movies, and private events. Free Municipal Band concerts are held each Sunday at 7PM during the summer, movie nights begin at 8PM (50 cent admission), and the venue may also be rented for private events. The amphitheatre seats 500 people, plus many more on the lawn. Check the website for the schedule of events.

• Par-a-dice Casino

  address: 21 Blackjack Blvd
  Riverboat gambling just across the river in East Peoria.

• Peoria Chiefs

  phone: +1 309-680-4000
  address: Dozer Park, 730 SW Jefferson Street
  Peoria's Class A minor league baseball team is affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals, and the Chiefs play 70 home games between the beginning of April and the end of August. Tickets can easily be bought online or at the box office on game days. Game times vary, but most weekday and Saturday games start at 6:30PM or 7PM with Sunday games at 2PM.

• Peoria Rivermen

  phone: +1 309-676-1040
  address: 201 SW Jefferson St
  Peoria's professional hockey team plays 28 home games between October and the beginning of April. Tickets can easily be bought online or at the box office on game days. Game times are 7:15PM for Friday and Saturday games with Sunday games at 3:05PM.

• The Spirit of Peoria Riverboat

  phone: +1 309-637-8000
  address: 100 Water St
  Cruise the Illinois River on the 160 foot long Spirit of Peoria paddlewheel riverboat, which offers local sightseeing cruises and trips along the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers. Regular tours go to Starved Rock State Park, St. Louis, and Hannibal, Missouri. There are also themed and holiday cruises, as well as dinner and music cruises.

• Wildlife Prairie Park

  phone: +1 309-676-0998
  Just west of Peoria, offers a spectacular natural prairie park with massive wildlife enclosures. The park houses buffalo, elk, wolves, a bear, and many smaller prairie animals. It has an interpretive center for the wildlife park, a small zoo-like building featuring snakes and amphibians, an old-fashioned general store-type gift shop, hiking, fishing, overnight lodging in cabins or decommissioned cabooses, an extremely popular train that tours the park, and a frontier farmstead with animals, gardens, a cabin, and a one-room schoolhouse. Interpreters are available throughout the park. Admission is $9 per adult, $6 for children 4-12 (free for 3 and under) (an additional $1 off per person from November to March), which is steep for Peoria but the park is definitely worth it. Visiting on $2 Tuesday cuts the cost quite a bit.

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Peoria's Riverfront has undergone massive revitalization and features a variety of local and independent retailers in a pleasant, walkable riverfront setting. Free parking is available along the riverfront. The outdoor Riverfront Market, every Saturday from June to September, is a combination farmers' market and local art market.
Peoria has an unusual number of working local artists (including sculptor Preston Jackson), many of whom are showcased at the Peoria Art Guild's gallery and store. Peoria hosts a large art fair every year, the Fine Art Fair, a national juried fair held in late September.

• For local shopping flavor, Peoria Heights, a small village enclosed by Peoria but politically distinct, has a quaint main street with a large variety of locally-owned shops, including art galleries, gift stores, bakeries, restaurants, coffee shops, and various services.
• Sheridan Village, in the center of town, houses a Bergner's department store and several other minor retailers. Sheridan Village was the nation's first "mall-style" shopping center featuring a variety of stores situated around a parking lot to provide a less formal, less time-intensive shopping experience than venturing downtown to the major department stores. The test was successful and the model spread across the United States.

There are two main malls in the Peoria regional area. These are frequently referred to as the "old mall" and "new mall" by locals.

• Northwoods Mall

  phone: +1 309 688-0443
  Established in 1973, it is Peoria's only enclosed mall. Many other retail establishments are within the vicinity, including Target, Cub Foods, Bob Evans, Barnes and Noble, and many hotels.

• The Shoppes at Grand Prairie

  phone: +1-309-692-3672
  address: 5201 West War Memorial Dr.
  Anchor stores include Dick's Sporting Goods, Bergner's, H&M, Marshalls, and DSW along with approximately 30 other store. Dining includes the Flat Top Grille and Osaka Hibachi and Sushi Bar, but TGI Fridays, Longhorn Steakhouse, Starbucks, Buffalo Wild Wings, Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que, and Steak'n Shake are all in the immediate area. The AMC Grand Prairie 18 movie theater is also in the same mall area.

• Junction City

  address: 5901 N Prospect Rd
  Junction City has about 40 stores, restaurants, and businesses that provide a more quiet and quiet environment in which to shop. Most of the stores and restaurants are owned by local retailers who provide a personal touch to your shopping experience.

• Alexander's Famous Steakhouse

  phone: +1 309-688-0404
  address: 100 Alexander Avenue
  An amazing steakhouse where you pick out your own steak from the fridge, and then you can either grill it yourself or let one of their chefs cook it how you like.

• Connected

  phone: +1 309-686-5925
  Upscale Italian/American menu with an extensive wine list and great cocktails. If you don't have a reservation, arrive early and grab a seat at the bar.

• Hearth

  phone: +1 309-686-0234
  address: 4604 N Prospect Rd
  Upscale American menu with some excellent Creole and Cajun dishes, and a large selection of whiskey and other drinks.

• Peoria Hofbrau

  phone: +1 309-686-9739
  address: 2210 N.E. Jefferson
  This homey German restaurant located in an industrial part of town has an extensive beer list. The Hofbrau Red Ale is particularly outstanding. Everything except the saurerkraut is made from scratch in the restaurant.

• Rhythm Kitchen Music Cafe

  phone: +1 309-676-9668
  address: 305 S.W. Water Street
  A cafe with a distinctly bohemian feel and menu and often featuring live music. In the Contemporary Art Center building.

• Rizzi's Italian Restaurant

  phone: +1 309-689-0025
  address: 4613 N Sheridan Road
  Very well-known family owned, operated, and liked Italian restaurant. They also serve wine, and have a catering service. Note that this is now their only location.

• Table 19

  phone: +1 309-680-2349
  Very good American fare with local ingredients and seasonal produce, as well as decent classic cocktails.

• The 50s Diner

  phone: +1 309-692-6300
  address: 4700 N. University Street, #60 (in the Metro Centre Shopping Center)
  A 50s-style diner that serves the elusive Green River soda is a local favorite. Open for breakfast, as well as lunch and dinner.

• Thyme Kitchen and Craft Beer

  phone: +1 309-713-2619
  address: 736 SW Washington St
  Gastropub with excellent menu including some unique items like deconstructed duck tamales, and plenty of beer.

The highest concentration of drinking establishments is in downtown Peoria, in the few blocks surrounding Main and Jefferson. If you're looking for more of a young club scene, the scene is constantly changing. Taking a stroll down Main Street (downtown) will get you to most popular Peoria bars.

• Kelleher's Irish Pub & Eatery

  phone: +1 309-673-6000
  address: 619 Southwest Water Street
  For the best beer selection in town and lively conversation.

• Martini's On Water Street

  phone: +1-309-655-5003
  address: 212 SW Water Street
  On the waterfront in the historic Peoria train station, Martini's features great drinks and live music on the weekends.

• Obed & Isaac's Microbrewery and Eatery

  phone: +1 309-306-0190
  address: 321 NE Madison Ace
  Charming brewpub built inside an old church. The bar is right in the middle of the floor, so you can feel like you're in the middle of the action, or grab a table where you can more easily take in the lofty ceiling and stained glass windows.

• Rhodell Brewery

  address: 100 Walnut St #111
  Brewpub that always has some tasty seasonal offerings on tap.

Outside of the downtown area, there are a few other worthy establishments.

• For great German food and beer, check out the Hofbrau House, just a bit north of downtown.
• If you're looking for cheap beer on the North Side, check out the Recovery Room on Pioneer Parkway and Knoxville. Great regulars, good conversation, cheap beer and the jukebox is always on.

• Comfort Suites

  address: 1812 W. War Memorial Dr
  Every room is a suite. Off of I-74.

• Embassy Suites by Hilton East Peoria Riverfront Hotel

  phone: +1 309 694-0200
  address: 100 Conference Center Drive
  Amid the renowned shopping, dining and entertainment centers of the Peoria RiverFront.

• Mark Twain Hotel

  phone: +1 309-676-3600
  address: 225 NE Adams St
  Independent hotel on the periphery of the downtown (near the expressway). It is a smaller, "hipper" hotel than the Pere Marquette. Although the building is older, this adds to its charm more than it detracts; the lobby, full of wood and leather, feels more like a cozy den than a hotel lobby, while rooms have brick walls inside for a nice change from the normal drab hotel decor. Pets are welcome.

• Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino

  address: 21 Blackjack Blvd
  A full-service hotel attached to the East Peoria casino.

• Pere Marquette

  phone: +1 309-637-6500
  address: 501 Main St
  Peoria's most famous hotel, in the middle of the downtown and serving as Peoria's premier hotel since 1927. Quality had fallen off in recent years, but the hotel has undergone a massive renovation. It is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is linked to the Civic Center by a skyway. Pets welcome.

• Ackerman Family Farms is open in the late summer and fall. Make your way through the corn maze, take a hay ride, see the farm animals and all of the pumpkins and fall foliage. Located about 10 miles from downtown Peoria at 27158 US Highway 150 Morton, IL 61550. Phone: 1+ 309-266-7459
• Illinois River Road National Scenic Byway is located on both sides of the Illinois River between Ottawa, Illinois and Havana, Illinois. There are 80 different points of interest along the route which runs through Peoria, and there are many activities to be enjoyed including geocaching, bird watching, hiking, fishing, and more. The headquarters is at 613 W. Marquette Street, Ottawa, IL 61350, and it is a National Scenic Byway. Phone 1+ 815-433-5830
• Jubilee College State Park has walking, hiking, and equestrian trails, camping, picnicking, and more for outdoor enthusiasts. Located about 20 miles northwest of downtown Peoria at 13921 W. Route 150 Brimfield IL 61517. Phone: 1+ 309-446-3758
• Sail Peoria offers sailboat cruises and sailing lessons along the Illinois Rivers. Located at 701 Mariners Way, East Peoria, IL 61611. Phone 1+ 309-620-4461
• Snowman's Reindeer Farm Pet, feed, learn about, and photograph Santa's reindeer. Located about 30 miles southwest of Peoria at 25599 E. Middle Lake Road, Canton, IL 61520. Phone 1+ 309-647-0569
• The Cookery is the place to hone your cooking skills in one of their culinary classes or just to enjoy a catered dinner. Located about 10 miles east of Peoria at 2029 S Main St / Morton, IL 61550. Phone +1 309-263-6020
• Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area is hunting, fishing, hiking, picnicking, and camping and more are available at this 2900 acre park. Located about 25 miles northeast of downtown along the Illinois River on State Route 26, Low Point IL 61545. Phone 1+ 309-246-8351