50+ Things To Do Over Spring Break in Champaign-Urbana

Did fall break sneak up on you? Keep the family busy with 50+ things to do while Unit 4 and District 116 are on break

Fall break in Champaign-Urbana is right around the corner and you’re already thinking: what are we going to do?

Well, we have some info to help you put the pieces together. We’ve got 50+ ideas for things to do over fall break around Champaign-Urbana for your family.

The Champaign Unit 4 school district and Urbana District 116 are both holding a fall break in 2025 during the week of Oct. 13-17. (Champaign students are also out of school on Oct. 9-10 due to parent-teacher conferences.)

Here are our ideas to help you navigate fall break. We have included a variety of activities but always make sure to check our events calendar, which gets updated daily.

(This list is intended to help you discover some options when it comes to fall break in Champaign-Urbana. The status of these events can change at any time, so check with your destination before venturing out to be sure it’s open and to find out if reservations are needed.)

Visit a Champaign-Urbana area museum or nature center

Head over to Museum of the Grand Prairie at Lake of the Woods. Step back in time with a variety of exhibits and activities. FREE.

Visit the Anita Purves Nature Center. FREE. Go play on the playscape outside the nature center afterwards, or stroll through Busey Woods.

On the University of Illinois Campus, the Spurlock Museum takes you around the world with artifacts from every corner of the globe (closed Monday all day and Tuesday morning, but otherwise open). Krannert Art Museum is also open. It has everything from masters to modern. Both are FREE.

Pack a picnic on a nice day and drive out to Homer Lake, playing on the playscape and making the Interpretive Center part of your visit.

Venture a little further for museums like the Children’s Discovery Museum in Normal or the Children’s Museum of Illinois in Decatur.

Be active – the kids, the family, whoever needs it!

We have a whole list of ways to be active together with your family. Need to get started? Fall break is a great time to start new habits. The weather is pleasant and there’s lots to try.

The Urbana Indoor Aquatic Center is open Oct. 13-17 and has many public swim options from 1:30-5 p.m. during fall break week.

Head to the bowling center! Bowling is open at Old Orchard Lanes, as well as dining (pizza for the win). Arrowhead Lanes has indoor putt-putt golf, too.

Head out to the golf course or the driving range. Taking on nine holes at Lake of the Woods (or visiting after 2 p.m.) are two inexpensive ways to get out to the green together, as long as the fall weather cooperates, that is!

If you’re not already a member, snag guest passes for the Stephens Family YMCA. You can enjoy family swim time or family gym time. We also have the Martens Center in Champaign and the NEW Health and Wellness Center in Urbana with all kinds of great options at a very affordable day pass price.

Skating at Skateland and jumping at Elevate are options as well. Want to venture further? Drive to Iron Coyote in Bloomington-Normal.

Get outside and explore

Go out to a new park or a park you haven’t been to lately — we have a whole list of favorite parks and playgrounds you can try. The Hessel Park playground is always a great place to start. You could also try out Morrissey Park in Champaign or Blair Park and Meadowbrook Park in Urbana which are some of the more recently renovated playgrounds.

Make a day of it in Monticello: head out to Allerton Park and check out Nick’s Park playground.

Go to the library

So kids might want to take a break from learning, but libraries make learning FUN. Go check out some books at the library over fall break. You can get some books, movies and maybe even some fun other things, like games or puzzles, depending on the library. Try the Champaign Public Library, Urbana Free Library or Mahomet Public Library.

Try some of our favorite foods

If you’ve noticed, we have quite a few favorite foods around Champaign-Urbana. A round-up of all the Champaign-Urbana Food Favorites is available for quick reference. Pizza trail, barbecue and ice cream are just a few of note.

“Travel” to outer space

Check out some of the unique space activities we have in Central Illinois. Our local facilities, including Parkland’s Staerkel Planetarium, offer great opportunities.

Get crafty

Go to the I.D.E.A. Store and find some unique crafting supplies and ideas for an eco-friendly craft — on the cheap!

Go to campus

Fall is a great time to visit the University of Illinois campus, whether just for a new place for a scenic walk, to shop, or to enjoy some of the unique dining opportunities. Go bowling, play billiards and arcade games at the Rec Room inside the Illini Union. University of Illinois students are in session, so you’ll need to keep all eyes peeled for pedestrians.

Trek to the zoo

We have lots of zoos within a short drive (let’s say three hours or less) that we think your family will love — Miller Park Zoo and Peoria Zoo being the closer options and Lincoln Park Zoo, Brookfield Zoo, Indianapolis Zoo and Saint Louis Zoo being some others. (Scovill Zoo in Decatur closes for the regular season on Oct. 13 and has special Boo at the Zoo events beginning Oct. 16.)

Go out to eat on a budget

A few restaurants in town offer specials for kids on certain nights of the week. Check out our list of places where kids eat free (or cheaply). A bonus: Restaurants in C-U tend to be slightly less crowded on fall break, given some C-U residents are on vacation.

Take a day trip

We LOVE day trips, and have a whole list for you. See the big things in Casey, where the attractions are mainly outside. Go to Peoria and see Peoria Riverfront Museum. Make a date to head out to the museums and Lincoln sites in Springfield.

Find an event

We have so many events happening over fall break on our event calendar.

Are you at home for fall break? What are you doing with your family? We’d love to know! Tell us if we’ve missed your choices for fall break fun. Email editor@chambanamoms.com

50+ Things To Do Over Fall Break in Champaign-Urbana