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City in Illinois, United States
Photo: TastyPoutine, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Peoria is a city in Illinois and the county seat of Peoria County. It serves as a regional hub for the primarily rural and agricultural center of the state. Peoria is a small but diverse city of approximately 115,000 people that anchors a three-county metropolitan area of nearly 400,000.
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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.
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.
in Glen Oak Park
The gardens feature traditional ornamental collections and (increasingly) native plantings on five acres. During holiday seasons, the Gardens host special events.
in Glen Oak Park
in Glen Oak Park
Formerly 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.
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'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. Exhibits are well-curated. The museum is also a teaching institution, with its own classes and with sponsored activities in local schools. (For example, an 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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
Riverboat gambling just across the river in East Peoria.
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'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.
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.
Alexander Street Steakhouse
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.
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.
Upscale American menu with some excellent Creole and Cajun dishes, and a large selection of whiskey and other drinks.
A cafe with a distinctly bohemian feel and menu and often featuring live music. In the Contemporary Art Center building.
Rizzi's
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.
Gastropub with excellent menu including some unique items like deconstructed duck tamales, and plenty of beer.
For a great beer selection and lively conversation.
On the waterfront in the historic Peoria train station, Martini's features great drinks and live music on the weekends.
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.
Brewpub that always has some tasty seasonal offerings on tap.
Every room is a suite. Off of I-74.
Amid the renowned shopping, dining and entertainment centers of the Peoria RiverFront.
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.
A full-service hotel attached to the East Peoria casino.
Peoria's most famous hotel, in the middle of the downtown and serving as Peoria's premier hotel since 1927. It is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is linked to the Civic Center by a skyway. Pets welcome.
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.
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 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.
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.
By bus
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.
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Peoria · Regional · PIA
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