Champaign, Illinois

Champaign, Illinois is home to a number of attractions, such as home to the University of Illinois, Krannert Art Museum, the Memorial Stadium, and Hardy's Reindeer Ranch and Corn maze. If you are contemplating travel to Champaign, you will be pleased to know that the city has a diverse variety of restaurants, as well as lodging options that run the gamut from budget to luxury. When you plan your Champaign travel, keep in mind that the Indianapolis Airport is the closest airport to Champaign Illinois. However, it is also accessible through Chicago O'Hare Airport and Chicago Midway Airport.

Family Travel to Champaign

Champaign, Illinois offers some exciting options for family travel. For example, kids and kids at heart will love visiting the Curtis Orchard, which is an 1870s Centennial Farm. You can pick apples and peaches, take a pony or farm wagon ride, or enjoy free concerts and other forms of entertainment. Pumpkin picking begins in September. There is also a corn maze, a petting zoo, a giant inflatable slide and an inflatable obstacle course.

In case you don't find enough small animals to pet at the Curtis Orchard, pay a visit to the Prairie Farm. This replica of a turn-of-the-century farm features, cows, pigs, goats, sheep horses, chicken and geese. The farm also features a variety of special programs for kids, who may well believe that the farm visits are the best part of their travel to Champaign.

When you tire of looking at animals, or if the weather is unsuitable for outdoor activity, take your family to the Orpheum Children's Science Museum, which features a variety of fun and exciting exhibits. Here are just a few of them:

Waterworks: Kids can measure sand, learn about ground water pollution and discover how rivers flow.

Ghost Images: You can adjust light levels on each side of the exhibit in order to see how two people sitting on opposite sides of a one-way mirror appear to merge into a single person with features of both people.

Giant Lever: Take a walk on the 14' foot lever arm that is marked with different body weights. When you reach your weight, the lever arm will be level and you will have balanced the 300 pounds of lead at the end of the lever. The less you weigh, the further you have to walk.

Zoetropes: At this exhibit, you can spin a cylinder and look through the slits. You will see how still pictures that are drawn on the inside create a "moving" image. You will learn about the earliest form of animation and how it demonstrates persistence of vision: the mind's eye retains an image for about 1/16th of a second and makes it seem as if the still pictures are moving.

Champaign Tour Highlights

The following "must see" attractions should be added to your Champaign travel itinerary:

The Olympic Tribute: The Tribute to Olympic Athletes in Champaign, Illinois rises from a prairie landscape that is transformed by playing fields, gardens, and a community college campus. It was built in honor of the Champaign County residents who were participants in the Olympic Games.

Champaign Count Historical Museum: Continue your Champaign tour at this fantastic historical museum, where you will find unique remnants from Champaign's history. Be sure to check out the 1919 Popcorn Truck!

When you visit Illinois, remember that Chicago and Springfield are not the only places of interest. A Champaign tour can provide fun, education and excitement for the entire family!