20+ Unique Summer Day Trips from Champaign-Urbana

Hit the road with your kids this summer for more than 20 unique day trip ideas that are a short drive from Champaign-Urbana

This summer is going to have us making travel plans a little differently than other summers. Due to the stay-at-home order and gradual reopening during the coming months, some of our annual “go-to” options may not be available. If you’re thinking your family needs a change of scenery, perhaps a day trip — without the hassle or expense of finding a place to stay — will be a good place to start. In fact, 2020 may go down as the summer of day trips, in the absence of lengthier adventures.

We’ve made a list of our favorite low-commitment day trips that are also fairly easy on your budget. All suggestions are less than two hours away.

While this list is focused on summer day trips from Champaign-Urbana, many of these attractions are open year-round, perhaps with different hours and a different type of experience.

Something you’ll notice about this list: we’re NOT sending you to big cities like Chicago, Indianapolis and St. Louis, although you can certainly day trip to those. We have TONS of ideas for those three cities on our website, however we are unsure when our favorites will reopen.

(For future reference, a few of our favorites are the Children’s Museum in Indianapolis; the recently updated experience at the St. Louis Gateway Arch; and free museums in Chicago. They’re just not open at this time.)

Thank you to Empowered Learning for presenting this list. Parents are tasked with a tough job this summer — keeping their kids busy and active at home! Empowered Learning (formerly Illini Tutoring LLC) is partnering with parents this summer to help kids and teens stay engaged with learning. Students can enroll in Zoom tutoring programs and classes, filled with hands-on experiments and activities. In addition to one-on-one math and science tutoring programs, students can explore the science of cooking, natural history, neuroscience, and so much more! Empowered Learning’s instructional team helps students with diverse learning needs, with a special focus on helping students grow, learn, and become more independent during these challenging times. For more information, visit IlliniTutoring.com!

We’ve found fun, relatively low-cost attractions from Peoria to Springfield, Decatur to Bloomington-Normal, Effingham to Oglesby … and many places in between. These day trips do take you outside of Champaign-Urbana, and with the exception of a few places, outside of Champaign County.

Editor’s Note: We have curated this list with COVID-19 in mind but not all attractions are open at the time of publishing. We are hopeful these mostly fit into the category of reopening at some point during the summer season. 

Nature is calling

Family-friendly Hikes near Champaign-Urbana | Walk Your Way Through Champaign-Urbana | Parks Minus Playgrounds We Love Around Champaign-Urbana | Kicking Off the Fishing Season | Creek Stomping Your Way Through Champaign-Urbana | 6 Places to Explore Nature with Children Near Champaign-Urbana | Camping With Your Family Near Champaign-Urbana | Where to Rent Canoes, Kayaks and Boats Near Champaign-Urbana 

Allerton Park, Monticello: There’s plenty to do to fill a whole day (or half a day) at Allerton Park in Monticello. Get into the woods and feel your blood pressure decrease.

Clinton Lake: Here’s what you can do in Clinton Lake with your family.

Moraine View State Park: This is a popular spot to canoe and kayak and renting such gear is easy at Moraine View.

Lake Shelbyville: Believe it or not, there’s another lake with a beach in Central Illinois. And on Lake Shelbyville, boat rentals are super popular and doable; our story has lots of tips on how to rent a boat. A hidden gem of Lake Shelbyville: You can take a tour of the dam on summer weekends.

Kickapoo State Park, near Danville: At roughly 40 minutes away from Champaign-Urbana, it’s close enough to cut the trip short if gets too hot or rains, and not feel all that bad. Anything you want to do outdoors (in a day or a weekend) can be achieved within the park.

Middle Fork River Forest Preserve: Gaze at the stars and marvel. While this article highlights “day trips,” there’s no reason why some of them can’t be in the evening. In 2019 Middle Fork River Forest Preserve was recognized as an International Dark Sky Park, the first such designation in the state of Illinois. (Of course, there’s also hiking, boating and other fun to be had.)

Other nearby places to get your nature on: Starved Rock State Park (where winter fun includes bald eagle watching along the river, and a meal at the Root Beer Stand in Oglesby is required year-round) or neighboring Matthiessen State Park, and Turkey Run State Park in Indiana.

South of Champaign-Urbana 

Casey Big Things: The world’s largest crochet hook and knitting needles; the world’s largest mailbox; and the world’s largest wooden shoes … this place is truly unique. Best part? It’s easy on the wallet once you get there. Big things are open year round, although most are outside.

Sunflower Maze, near Paris: Although only open a few weeks a year, the Sunflower Maze is a must-do with the family. There are other fun things to do in Paris to round out the trip, including an accessible playground.

Amish Country: There’s so much to love about Amish Country. See horses and buggies, go shopping, and eat some great food. If you plan ahead, you can also arrange a formal tour or eat dinner in an Amish home. Drive through and see the animals at Aikman Wildlife Adventure.

Effingham: There’s no predominant reason to go to Effingham, but there are a surprising number of things to do (car museum? a mill? and more). And there’s a great place to eat, too.

Lincoln Log Cabin, Charleston: If you don’t get enough Lincoln in Springfield, or would rather skip the Springfield crowds, a lesser known — but no lesser experience — is to take the family to the Lincoln Log Cabin. Visit in the summer to get the full effect of interpreters.

Peoria area