31+ Unique Day Trips from Champaign-Urbana

Hit the road with your kids any time school is out for more than 31 unique day trip ideas that are a short drive from Champaign-Urbana

We love adventures with our families! Load up the kids for a day trip and make some fun memories as a family — no overnight stay required.

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 — is a good place to start. 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.

Chambanamoms thanks Town of Normal Children’s Discovery Museum for presenting this list.

The mission of the Children’s Discovery Museum is to inspire the love of learning through the power of play. Its mission is accomplished by providing hands-on exhibits, classes, and programs that actively engage the visitor in experiences that stimulate imagination, curiosity, and wonder.

For more information: Website, Facebook or Instagram

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. (For reference, a few of our favorites are the Children’s Museum in Indianapolis; the St. Louis Gateway Arch experience; and free museums in Chicago.)

Planning a day trip

Plan ahead. Usually day trips are a pretty low-commitment endeavor. But especially if museums or zoos are involved, you are going to want to at minimum visit the website ahead of time to see if you need reservations to enter.

These attractions are open year-round; we will have a list just for summer featuring some warm-weather day trips coming in the spring!

Drive times are based on starting in the heart of Champaign-Urbana.

Nature is calling

Allerton Park, Monticello – 30 minutes

There’s plenty to do to fill a whole day (or half a day) at Allerton Park in Monticello. Its gardens transport you to a place where your imagination can run wild with your kids and feel like you’re living in a storybook.

Middle Fork River Forest Preserve – 40 minutes

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 and other outdoor-related activities to enjoy.)

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. You can even go horseback riding at Turkey Run!

South of Champaign-Urbana

Casey Big Things – 1 hour 20 minutes

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.

Amish Country – 45 minutes

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. Visit a peach orchard near Sullivan. Dine at Yoder’s Kitchen, one of our destination restaurants.

Effingham – 1 hour 15 minutes

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 great places to eat, too. Firefly Grill is our fave, especially if you’re looking for something nice, another one of our destination restaurants.

Lincoln Log Cabin, Charleston – 1 hour

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.

Bloomington-Normal area

Children’s Discovery Museum, Normal – 1 hour

When you are looking for high-quality indoor fun, regardless of the time of year, the Children’s Discovery Museum in Bloomington-Normal is a popular day trip destination for Champaign-Urbana families — and while it’s great for the littles, even the big kids will have a good time here.

Miller Park Zoo, Bloomington – 50 minutes

Whether you want to walk among the wallabies or hear a tiger roar up close and personal, you can surprise the kids with a day at the zoo. A great option for younger kids; don’t miss the otter feeding. Zoo is open year-round!

Imagination Grove at Sugar Grove Nature Center – 1 hour

Near Bloomington-Normal, this is a creek stomping, mud-pie-making paradise for kids. Enjoy this nature playscape, complete with ladders to climb trees and treehouses and see what critters you can find in the creek. Lots of wildflowers and nice trails to hike. Closed in December and January.

Climbing Trees at Imagination Grove — Climb trees at Imagination Grove.

Places to eat in Bloomington-Normal

We have a long list of places to eat in Bloomington-Normal, but Ancho and Agave (another destination restaurant) is near the top of the list. There are also a number of stellar breweries in the area, including an old favorite, Destihl. Get the list of all of our favorite breweries here. Theo’s Microcreamery is another favorite stop.

Decatur area

Scovill Zoo – 50 minutes

This zoo has a train and is located next to the museum listed below. Looking for a budget-friendly outing? Visit Scovill Zoo on Mondays during April and Thursdays all summer, when admission is free. Zoo closes from mid-October until early April, typically.

Children’s Museum of Illinois – 50 minutes

Toddlers, in particular, will love this place. There are so many different exhibits on the different floors of the museum. Don’t miss the plane upstairs!

Peoria area

Wildlife Prairie Park, near Peoria – 1 hour 30 minutes

You’ll see things at Wildlife Prairie Park that you’ll likely not see anywhere else in central Illinois. While not a zoo, there’s a lot of wildlife here. Get info on Facebook.

Peoria Zoo – 1 hour 30 minutes

There are several highlights and reasons to make a stop at the medium-sized zoo but we’ll just pick out one: the giraffes.

Peoria Playhouse Children’s Museum – 1 hour 30 minutes

The museum shares a parking lot with the zoo in Glen Oak Park, also near the (free) Luthy Botanical Garden. The sand play area is a favorite.

Peoria Riverfront Museum – 1 hour 20 minutes

It has a five-story screen theater that plays a variety of 2D, 3D and educational movies. Yeah, we thought that might get your attention.

Caterpillar Visitors Center – 1 hour 15 minutes

If you have kids who love trucks and BIG things, plan a visit to the Caterpillar Visitors Center in Peoria. Climb on trucks and learn all about these big machines, up close.

Bass Pro Shops

Seriously, it is a destination. Enjoy live fish swimming around, tons of things to see and you can even go bowling right at the store.

Places to eat in Peoria

Some ideas on places to eat in Peoria include the Blue Duck BBQ, One World Cafe (try the Elvis Waffle!), Cyd’s in the Park and ice cream at Twistee Treat (probably open seasonally, we’re not sure).

Springfield area

Various Lincoln sites – 1 hour 20 minutes

We’ve curated a list of Springfield sites to see, which are mostly targeted for school-age kids.

Illinois State Fair – 1 hour 20 minutes

Our fair expert gives you the low-down on the Illinois State Fair, which happens annually in early-to-mid August. Families love to make a day trip but be prepared to bring the cash and meet the crowds head-on.

Knights Action Park – 1 hour 20 minutes

Where else can you find go-karts, batting cages, a wave pool, lazy river, several large water play areas for the smaller set, miniature golf and a driving range, a Ferris wheel and some very serious waterslides? And where else can you find this all close enough that you can drive there, spend the day AND drive back all in one day? (Note: Only the driving range is open all winter. Availability of other features varies in spring and fall.)

Scheels – 1 hour 20 minutes

This “store” is up the street from Knights Action Park. Just trust us. There’s more than enough to do here.

Scheel's Springfield Illinois — The Ferris wheel is one of the main attractions at Scheels in Springfield.

Illinois State Museum – 1 hour 20 minutes

Admission for children, seniors, veterans, and members is always free. The Illinois State Museum includes a children’s Play Museum as well as natural history and cultural history exhibits, both permanent and rotating.

Kidzeum of Health and Science – 1 hour 20 minutes

Another museum, lots of kid-friendly things to do.

Henson Robinso n Zoo – 1 hour 20 minutes

A small zoo featuring animals like sloths, poison dart frogs, a bobcat, black bears and a wolverine. Open through November (weekends) but closed for winter.

Western Indiana

Terre Haute Children’s Museum – 1 hour 30 minutes

This manageably-sized museum has a focus on science and technology, with an entertaining Pollination Station. Be sure to buy some Square Donuts (yes really! “where it all began”) for the drive home.

Turkey Run State Park – 1 hour 15 minutes

You might hear a lot of Champaign-Urbana families buzzing about a day trip to Turkey Run. This outdoor escape isn’t all that far away and if you’re going to make one nature getaway this year, Turkey Run might be the leading contender.

If you love sports

Danville Dans baseball – 30 minutes

Real college baseball players competing in the Prospect League, with wooden bats in a classic baseball environment that’s easy on the budget. Just 30 minutes away. Games from late May to early August.