Where to stay in Peoria
Courtyard by Marriott Peoria Downtown
533 Main St, IL, 61202
Just steps from the riverfront, this well-situated hotel puts you within striking distance of the Civic Center and both the business and entertainment districts. It’s a modern hotel with sizeable rooms, an indoor pool and a fitness center. A skywalk connects you to its sister hotel, the Marriott Pere Marquette.
Grandstay Hotel & Suites Peoria
9106 N Lindbergh Dr, IL, 61615
Offering standard queen rooms, but also jacuzzi suites with extra rooms, a kitchen and a fireplace, the Grandstay is perfect for short and long stays in the city. Breakfasts are complimentary, there’s an indoor heated pool and you’re close to both Route 6 and Route 40 in the north of the city.
Cornerstone Inn
101 Washington Square, Washington, IL, 61571
East of Peoria, Washington is a charming town with a perfect square full of interesting independent stores. Stay right at its heart when you reserve at the Cornerstone Inn, set inside a restored bank building dating from the 1870s. There’s an excellent restaurant on-site too.
Best restaurants in Peoria
Two25
225 NE Adams St, IL, 61202
Inside the heralded Mark Twain Hotel is a restaurant to match. Steaks are at the forefront of the menu, with juicy New York strip and ribeyes, as well as a bone-in veal chop. Pizza and pasta are all handled well, while those who like it hot can savor the wasabi peanut-crusted sea bass for mains.
Sugar Wood-Fired Bistro
826 SW Adams St, IL, 61202
Head to the Warehouse District for food served piping hot from the wood-fired ovens. As you’d expect, gourmet pizzas are the centerpiece and classic options are accompanied on the menu by a tempting smokey pork chipotle offering. Wings and meat loaf also get the wood-fired treatment – comfort food at its finest.
Rhythm Kitchen Music Cafe
305 Southwest Water Street, IL, 61202
Southern and Caribbean flavors spice up the menu at this waterfront favorite, nestled in Downtown Peoria. Dive into shrimp creole, crawfish etouffee and jerk chicken, all while soaking in the lively atmosphere. A blackened grouper sandwich is a fabulous lunch choice.
What to do in Peoria
Peoria Zoo
2320 N Prospect Rd, IL, 61303
With numerous presentations, camps and even overnight stay options, this zoo puts conservation and education at the heart of what it does. The star exhibit is Africa, with a unique boardwalk that circles the African grasslands, which see animals include giraffes, rhinos, lions and mandrills roaming the landscape.
Forest Park Nature Center
5809 N Forest Park Dr, Peoria Heights, IL, 61616
Covering some 540 acres north of Downtown, Forest Park Nature Center is a wonderful place to relax and experience the flora and fauna of Central Illinois. There are seven miles of hiking trails, day camps for kids and a bird-watching station within the park grounds to discover.
Wildlife Prairie Park
3826 N Taylor Rd, Hanna City, IL, 61536
Drive 10 miles west of Peoria for this vast zoological park, sprawled over a staggering 2,000 acres. There’s a wide variety of animals living here, including many rescues among the 60 species. There’s also a butterfly habitat, disc golf course, fishing, kayaking and mountain bike trails.
