From Wikitravel

Bloomington, pop. 64,808 (2000 census), is a city in the Midwest state of Illinois in the United States of America, on the classic Route 66 highway across the country. With neighboring Normal (pop. 45,386 2000 census), it forms a combined community of over 110,000 known locally as the Twin Cities. Illinois Wesleyan University is in Bloomington, and is not to be confused with Illinois State University in Normal.

The community is located in the heart of Central Illinois, approximately 125 miles southwest of Chicago, 155 miles northeast of St. Louis, and 64 miles northeast of Springfield, the State Capital. Bloomington is the County Seat of McLean County, the largest county in Illinois (approximately 762,240 acres). Interstates 39, 55 and 74 converge on Bloomington-Normal, as well as US Route 51 and State Route 9.

Bloomington-Normal is also serviced by four major railroad lines and Amtrak, as well as air transportation at the Central Illinois Regional Airport, one of the fastest growing airports in the country, which services commuter, corporate, and private aircraft.

The Twin Cities are located in one of the most productive agricultural areas in the nation, but the economy is diverse and well-balanced. In addition to the major manufacturers and industries, there are two universities, three hospitals, a convention center, two indoor malls, an outdoor outlet mall, and many banks and Savings & Loan Associations located in Bloomington-Normal. The City of Bloomington is one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in Illinois with an estimated 20.25% increase in population between 1986 and 1995. New construction continues to enhance residential, industrial and commercial growth.

Contents 1 Get in 1.1 By plane 1.2 By car 1.3 By Train 2 Get around 3 See 4 Do 5 Learn 6 Buy 7 Eat 8 Drink 9 Sleep 10 Get out

Get in

By plane

The Bloomington airport (3-letter code BMI) has commuter airline service from Chicago, St. Louis and beyond.

By car

Interstate highways 39, 55 and 74 converge on the south side of Bloomington and divide again on the north side of Normal. I-55 follows the historic route of Route 66 through central Illinois, except that Route 66 bypassed Bloomington-Normal on the east rather than on the west as the interstates do. Veterans Parkway, the east-side bypass (formerly called "Belt Line Road", was renamed in the 1980's), was the Route 66 route in the immediate pre-Interstate period. Earlier, 66 passed through downtown Bloomington and into residential Normal. The route given in the Route 66 page reflects this original alignment, known as "Business 66" after Veterans Parkway was built.

By Train

You can easily take a train from Chicago.

Get around

There is a bus system that covers most of the community. Downtown Bloomington is well walkable, but most shopping, etc., is on the eastern side of the towns and is best reached by car or bus.

See

• Miller Park, on the south side of town, is a pleasant place for a picnic and hosts a small but interesting zoo, with a good rain-forest exhibit (fee).

Do

• Bloomington is the county seat of McLean County, the largest and most prosperous county in downstate Illinois farming territory, and as such hosts the McLean County Fair, a particularly durable example of the county-fair genre. Fairgrounds are on the east side of town near the airport. Vast quantities of livestock on display, if you're into that sort of thing, with other Midwestern things to see/do/eat. Check locally for dates, typically in early August.
• Most of Normal's activities revolve around Illinois State University in one way or another. See the link below for current information on what's happening at the university.
• Central Illinois is not usually thought of as much of a place for hiking, to put it mildly, but a very pleasant and popular parkway for walking, biking and blading, the Constitution Trail, follows the former route of the Illinois Central Railroad north from the ISU campus in Normal to the outskirts of town.
• Bloomington is home to one of the nation's best indoor climbing gyms, Upper Limits. Upper Limits has over 20,000 square feet of climbing area. Built in a set of old grain elevators, this is a great indoor climbing gym. The climbing includes: 65' tall silo routes, a 30' main room with plenty of overhanging climbing (including the Wave Wall with at least three lead-only routes), slab routes, a climbing cave, training area, 110' outdoor routes, and an outdoor bouldering area. Route difficulties ranges from 5.5 to 5.13-, with boulder from V0 to V6+.

Learn

• Illinois State University, [1]. The town of Normal grew up around this school, long a teachers college and formerly known as "Illinois State Normal University" (a "normal" school being one dedicated to educating teachers). It expanded enormously in the 1960s and is now a major university, at least in size. The basketball program is strong, although most other sports are at the 1-AA ("sub-major") level. Admission is relatively easy to achieve.
• Illinois Wesleyan University, [2]. Considerably smaller and more selective than its neighbor, with strong liberal-arts programs. Illinois Wesleyan often appears on lists of the nation's best "regional" small colleges.

Buy

Eat

• Lancaster's, 513 N. Main St. (Bloomington), +1 309 827-3333, [3]. Standard (if eclectic) American cuisine. Dinner M-Sa starting at 5PM (reservations advised).
• Lucca Grill, 116 E. Market St. (Bloomington), +1 309 828-7521. Italian; a long-time community standard. Call for hours.

Drink

Sleep

• Comfort Inn Bloomington Hotel, 50 Brock Dr. Phone: (309) 828-6000 Fax: (309) 829-4325. [4] Located at exit #160A of Interstate Highways 55 and 74. Also at this exit are a multitude of restaurants: fast food, not so fast food, and some 24-hour food. Walk to McDonalds or Cracker Barrel, or drive merely minutes to other popular eateries.
• Econo Lodge Bloomington Hotel, 403 Brock Dr. Phone: (309) 829-3100 Fax: (309) 827-4716. [5] Real value and convenience for both business and leisure travelers. Secure Online Reservations.
• Hawthorn Suites Bloomington, One Lyon Court Phone: (309) 829-8111. [6] Guest amenities include a complimentary hot breakfast buffet each morning and an evening reception each Wednesday. Each guest room includes a queen size bed(s), microwave, refrigerator and wet bar or full kitchen, 25" television, hairdryer, iron, ironing board and a full size sofa sleeper, plus complimentary high-speed Internet access. For enjoyment, our indoor swimming pool and patio area as well as our exercise facility are available for all guests.
• Quality Inn & Suites Bloomington Hotel, 401 Brock Dr. Phone: (309) 829-7602 Fax: (309) 827-4716. [7] Located on the East side of the intersection of Illinois Highway 9 and Interstate 74 and 55 on the West side of the city. Full service restaurants and shopping are in the immediate area. Truck and bus parking is available.

Get out

• Lake Bloomington and Evergreen Lake are two man-made lakes north of town that offer fishing, camping, and boating opportunities.
• If you're doing the Route 66 tour northbound, the next significant bit of Americana is in the small town of Pontiac, which hosts a large summertime "tractor pull." Southbound, stop in McLean at the Dixie Truckers Home, a prototypical (and, according to some, the nation's first) truck stop.

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