Why head outdoors in Central Illinois? There’s far more than corn in this neck of the woods. Picture rolling forested acres, rivers, lakes and pristine prairie, as well as exquisitely landscaped gardens. Tranquil country retreats and hip urban green space await groups in this affordable and naturally beautiful region.
Springfield
The state capitol is a leader in parkland.
“For a city of our size, we have a vast amount of green space,” says Paula Antonacci, client service specialist at the Springfield CVB. “Between the Springfield Park District and Lincoln Memorial Garden, we have lots of opportunities for groups to explore nature.”
The Springfield Park District comprises 2,500 acres, including 13 miles of bike trails and four golf courses. One of its newest additions, Erin’s Pavilion in Southwinds Park, opened in 2010. The 15,000-square-foot, LEED Platinum-accredited building—along with the entire 80-acre park—is fully accessible to those with disabilities. There is an adjoining terrace, and the eight-acre Great Lawn is nearby.
Lincoln Memorial Garden, nestled along the shore of Lake Springfield, was designed to depict the botanical landscapes the 16th president would have encountered during his time living in Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky. The 100-acre woodland and prairie garden is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It features six miles of trails dotted with benches bearing Lincoln quotations.
Another Lake Springfield institution, Springfield Municipal Opera (The Muni), performs musicals in a splendid outdoor amphitheater perfect for large groups. There are both reserved seats and lawn seating capable of hosting several thousand. The CVB has facilitated special events involving dress rehearsal for a show followed by a tented reception. The Muni, as it’s known locally, is active June through August.
The 366-acre Illinois State Fairgrounds presents an array of covered and open outdoor spaces suitable for large events. Covered spaces range from a 261,000-square-foot multipurpose arena capable of seating more than 10,000 to the colorful, 1,462-square-foot Garden Pavilion. Uncovered space includes several sizeable parking lots and the 250,000-square-foot grassy infield of the one-mile track.
For alfresco dining and wine-tasting, there are two wineries and a farm just outside of town.
Danenberger Family Vineyards in New Berlin offers bocce ball courts, terraces, a fireside gazebo and a four-season outdoor tasting room. Fraase Farm, also in New Berlin, can host groups as large as 250 for gourmet farm-to-table meals in a country garden setting.
Hill Prairie Winery in Oakford offers outdoor seating for 350 and a pavilion capable of hosting 300.
The Springfield CVB specializes in offering concierge, one-on-one service to planners. Customized outdoor group experiences are not a problem.
“We don’t like to say no,” explains Antonacci. “Just because it’s never been done doesn’t mean we can’t invent it and create it as a team. I don’t think you’re going to find that in larger cities.”
Champaign-Urbana
Rural forest retreats and urban campus green space make for difficult choices in Champaign County and its vicinity.
“Not everybody knows Central Illinois as a hub for outdoor culture,” says Leah Longueville, director of sales at Visit Champaign County. “Some people think of it as just cornfields. Champaign County is home to five forest preserves. You have hiking trails, you have a natural playscape perfect for families. You have paddleboating.”
The Champaign and Urbana park districts offer outdoor teambuilding opportunities such as paddleboat rental and walking and jogging paths lined with public art. In Urbana’s Crystal Lake Park, the lakehouse and its patio can seat 100.
Nearby in Piatt County, Allerton Park and Retreat Center is a shoe-in for groups that love the outdoors. Completed in 1900, the mansion and grounds were later donated to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). The property and its surrounding park are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There are 1,500 acres of forest and prairie, formal sculpture gardens and 14 miles of hiking trails. The Georgian-style mansion’s gracious indoor meeting space can seat 120, and an adjacent 4-H camp provides ropes courses and other outdoor teambuilding challenges.
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“Stunning is an understatement,” says Longueville of Allerton. “You’re tucked a little off the beaten path, surrounded by acres of natural lands. It’s a great place for retreats.”
Groups seeking serene, natural space in which to meet will also appreciate the Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve in Mahomet. The 900-acre preserve features forested, rolling terrain along the Sangamon River. Groups can visit the Museum of the Grand Prairie, rent boats or climb the six-story HI-Tower Bell Carillon. Open-air shelters can host events as large as 200.
The UIUC campus represents a wealth of outdoor event opportunities. The university’s arboretum covers 160 acres of the south campus with ornamental gardens, orchards and natural forest habitats that serve as a botanical laboratory for research as well as public green space and outdoor event area. Other outdoor spaces available for rental on campus include several grassy quads and the terrace and forecourt of Foellinger Auditorium. Neutral Cycle, located on the UIUC campus, rents bikes by the hour, day or week for those who wish to explore on two wheels.
Peoria
In Peoria, a well-developed riverfront and emerging new sports make for a unique outdoor scene.
“One of the things that’s really attractive for us in Peoria is that we’re situated along the Illinois River,” says Cory Hatfield, director of sales at the Peoria Area CVB. “The Riverfront District is one of our most popular areas for meetings and conventions.”
Several of Peoria’s largest meeting hotels and most popular attractions are located on the water, and some offer outdoor event space along the river. For instance, Embassy Suites by Hilton East Peoria Riverfront Hotel & Conference Center has a riverfront patio that works as a stunning reception space. Peoria Riverfront Museum offers outdoor event space including a sculpture garden and plaza.
Riverfront park space available for event rental includes the Gateway Building, Marshall Plaza, Festival Park and the performance space CEFCU Center Stage. The scenic space offers views of the river as it widens into Peoria Lake as well as the ironclad Murray Baker Bridge.
Sports are a great excuse to get outside. Groups can rent a luxury suite to watch the Peoria Chiefs play baseball at riverfront Dozer Park. The stadium seats 7,500.
Peoria also offers unique opportunities to try out edgy new sports such as FootGolf, a hybrid of soccer and golf, and disc golf, a Frisbee-like game rapidly gaining in popularity. There are 14 disc golf courses in the city, which hosts the largest tournament for the sport in the U.S. FootGolf involves trying get a soccer ball into a buried drum with the fewest number of kicks. Peoria offers one nine-hole FootGolf course. Planners can book a disc golf or FootGolf outing through the CVB.
For a truly unique sporting experience, groups of five can book an aerial bowfishing excursion with Peoria Carp Hunters. From a boat christened the Carpocalypse, participants will shoot carp with bows and arrows as the fish leap out of the Illinois River, disturbed by the sound of the motor.
“We had a group of pediatric cardiologists book that activity, and they rebooked for the following year because they had such a great time,” says Hatfield regarding the bowfishing. “You can’t do that in just any city.”
Bloomington-Normal
Baseball and tigers and Shakespeare, oh my! The twin college towns of Bloomington-Normal serve up a colorful variety of outdoor activities and off-site venues.
Ewing Cultural Center comprises a historic Channel-Normal style manor surrounded by breathtaking formal gardens and adjoined by an open-air auditorium. The Bloomington property is owned by Illinois State University. Its 430-seat outdoor theater, home to the annual Illinois Shakespeare Festival, is available for rental, as are several garden spaces.
“Miller Park is one of Bloomington’s most popular attractions,” says Matt Hoffman, sports marketing manager at the Bloomington-Normal Area CVB. “Our zoo has a surprisingly large collection of animals for a city of our size.”
Miller Park Zoo boasts a Sumatran tiger, a sun bear, snow leopards, red wolves and harbor seals, to name just a few of its residents. Groups can go paddleboating, rent out the zoo or gather in the bandstand or pavilion.
The parks districts also own six public courses within Bloomington-Normal city limits. One of its marquee courses is the Den at Fox Creek. The highly rated facility is an Arnold Palmer-signature course. Den at Fox Creek welcomes group outings.
The Normal CornBelters play Frontier League baseball at The Corn Crib. The 4,000-seat stadium offers private suites and lawn seating for an additional 3,000.
Alfresco dining options include Medici, in Normal, which offers fresh, seasonal fare in the bustling, modern uptown district. Its second-floor banquet room with rooftop patio can seat 175 for private dining.
