Bloomington and Normal are located in Illinois’ biggest county, McLean, which is about the size of Rhode Island. There are a lot of colleges here besides Illinois State University, including Illinois Wesleyan and Lincoln College.
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Downtown Normal is pretty much the main campus of Illinois State University and therefore tends to be full of students. Those preferring to be more among the locals should escape south to Bloomington.
One place that definitely does not live up to its name is the Ramada Inn Fundome (Veterans Parkway and route 9, Bloomington, 309-662-5311). It is neither a dome nor fun. The rooms are arranged cellblock style, overlooking an atrium with a pretty nice pool. There are also Ping-Pong tables, video games, and a tiny sauna. The miniature golf course is basically a maze with holes in the floor. It’s pretty hokey. Rooms range from $52-$77, with poolside double rooms being the most expensive. The restaurant is closed all afternoon so don’t show up between meals or you’ll be captive to the vending machines.
Not too far from the southern end of the trail is Miller Park (1020 S. Morris, Bloomington). It’s a good picnic oasis not too far off the I-55 exit at Market Street. It’s green and peaceful, though probably crowded in summer. Miller Pond is stocked with trout. There’s a small beach, and swimming and paddle boating are permitted.
If you take the deserted route 9 eastbound on your way home you can check out Moraine View state recreation area (309-724-8032) and the tiny town of LeRoy. It’s easy to miss the small sign directing visitors to the park. It’s an excellent place to stretch out the trip for a few more hours. It would be an especially gorgeous drive in the peak of autumn.
