Recreation

With miles of trails, an expanding zoo, two state parks, numerous private clubs, nearly 80 golf courses, the largest park district in the state, and, of course, the beautiful Illinois River, there’s no shortage of recreational activities in central Illinois.

OUR BELOVED RIVER

Boaters and river lovers have an amazing resource in the area—the Illinois River, of course! The Peoria RiverFront attracts visitors year-round for its unique waterfront entertainment and arts activities—see page 6—and area marinas are well-equipped for all of your needs. After a day of boating or water sports—or just plain relaxing—finish your day off with a cozy waterfront meal!

The Midwest’s only authentic paddle wheeler, the Spirit of Peoria riverboat offers sightseeing and dinner cruises throughout the year. Experience the rich history of the Illinois River Valley on a two-day excursion to Starved Rock State Park, featuring world-class entertainment, gourmet dinner and an overnight stay at the scenic Starved Rock Lodge.

PEORIA PARK DISTRICT

The first park district in the state—and the largest, with land holdings of about 9,000 acres—the Peoria Park District sponsors classes, festivals, workshops and events year-round, providing activities and recreation for all ages. A national leader in terms of open space per resident, the District has received the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration’s National Gold Medal Award three times and is one of four finalists in the 2008 competition. It was also one of the first park districts in the state to be accredited as a Distinguished Park District.

The new Africa! exhibit at the Peoria Zoo will educate all age groups about the importance of preserving wildlife. On safari, you’ll visit:

• A Zambezi River Village to explore artifacts of the hunting and farming tribes of eastern and central Africa.
• Savanna Grassland/Treetop Village to view giraffes from treetop observation areas and watch rhinos roam the flatlands.
• Forest Lands to observe species like mandrill baboons, colobus monkeys and red river hogs.

The Peoria Zoo at Glen Oak Park can trace its beginnings to the late 1800s, when a herd of elk was donated to the park district, and over the years, it has continued to expand its footprint in the community. From sea lions to Siberian tigers, the Zoo is home to nearly 100 species of animals from around the globe. Its current $32 million expansion project will triple the zoo’s size and provide natural habitats for an expanded number of species. The new Africa! exhibit is scheduled to open this year.

Comprised of more than 500 acres of dedicated Illinois State Nature Preserve, Forest Park Nature Center is a favorite of outdoor enthusiasts and serves as a gateway to local natural areas. Along with a natural history museum, a viewing room for birdwatchers, and the Trailhead Nature Store, there are seven miles of hiking trails, from rigorous uphill courses to flatter, less strenuous paths. Open year-round, the center offers field trips, tours, classes, concerts and other unique activities to the public.

Luthy Botanical Garden is a must for plant lovers, encompassing five acres of beautiful landscapes in the heart of Peoria. Offering a relaxing escape from the rush of modern life, the garden is a center for cultural and artistic events, such as June’s Rhapsody in Bloom Arts Festival. Visitors love to browse the different garden areas, like the award-winning Rose Garden, that surround the 2,500-square-foot conservatory, which houses an extensive collection of lush rainforest plants and seasonal floral displays.

Other amenities include an indoor ice center with two full-size rinks, home rink of Peoria’s Olympian Matt Savoie; an outdoor amphitheater; two marinas on the river; the state’s largest bicycle safety facility; numerous tennis courts, soccer and baseball fields and nearly 71 miles of hiking trails; and the RiverPlex Recreation and Wellness Center, which includes an indoor family aquatic center.

OUR STATE PARKS

Established in 1978, Wildlife Prairie State Park is a 2,000-acre zoological park located just outside of Peoria that is home to animals indigenous to Illinois, including wolves, bison, waterfowl, black bears, elk, cougars, otters and more. Imagine life in the early 1800s at its pioneer homestead, an experience complete with farm animals, a one-room schoolhouse and log cabin. Walking trails, flora exhibits, a butterfly garden, miniature train rides and a restored prairie hold hidden treasures. The park is available for overnight stays with a host of unique accommodations, from renovated railway cabooses and permanent teepees to cabins and cottages by the lake.

Founded by the late Bill and Hazel Rutherford in 1978, Wildlife Prairie State Park marks its 30th anniversary in 2008. A 30th Anniversary Celebration was held at the Peoria Civic Center in April to mark the occasion and raise additional funds for the park’s continued operation. Jeff Corwin of Animal Planet was the keynote speaker.

Jubilee College State Park offers 3,200 acres of massive hardwood forests and bedrock exposures of slate, limestone, coal and sandstone. The park offers fishing, winter sports like snowmobiling and cross-country skiing, 25 miles of horseback riding trails, year-round camping and 1,400 acres of land for hunting. Each year the park hosts the Olde English Fair, an annual Renaissance festival featuring authentically costumed participants and displays and activities from medieval Europe, including knights jousting on horseback.

PRIVATE CLUBS

The area’s oldest and most distinguished private club, the Country Club of Peoria, overlooks what Teddy Roosevelt called the “world’s most beautiful drive”—an Illinois River bluff setting on Grand View Drive. Exquisite dining and golf on the club’s historic course are enhanced by breathtaking views of the Illinois River Valley.

Peoria’s Mount Hawley Country Club is another great choice, with a golf course, tennis courts and swimming pools in a naturally wooded setting. In Bloomington-Normal, similar options can be found at the Bloomington Country Club, Lakeside Country Club and Crestwicke Country Club. Nearby Pekin also boasts a Country Club featuring a newly renovated clubhouse and pool.

Founded in 1894, Peoria’s Creve Coeur Club is part of a worldwide network of more than 250 clubs available on a reciprocal basis to members. Open for lunch daily, the club hosts after-hours and dinner parties throughout the year. Its annual Washington Day Banquet draws prestigious speakers—presidential hopeful and U.S. Senator John McCain delivered the keynote address in 2007. Past speakers have included a former President, Speaker of the House, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Cabinet secretaries.

Boating is the prime attraction at the Illinois Valley Yacht Club, also known as the IVY Club, which celebrated its centennial anniversary last year. The club offers public sailing and boat safety classes for all ages as well as an exclusive marina and pool right on the Illinois River.

ON THE GREEN

Central Illinois boasts nearly 80 public and private courses to challenge beginners and pros alike. The Peoria Park District maintains five courses and offers lessons for all ages and skill levels through its Golf Learning Center & Academy, a premier indoor/outdoor practice facility with an indoor putting green, nine-hole pitch and putt course and heated hitting stations on its driving range.

WeaverRidge Golf Club is Peoria’s premier championship golf course, ranking second in the state and No. 37 overall on Golf Digest’s 100 Greatest Public Courses. Its 18 holes offer a scenic view of rolling hills, forested valleys, winding creeks and towering oaks. The course has a unique Learning Center and Driving Range, where you can work on your sand and short game at the chipping and putting green or drive on the seven target greens ranging from 80 to 250 yards from the tee. The club also offers the assistance of a PGA teaching and coaching professional. After you play a round, relax in the course’s elegant clubhouse and restaurant.

The Coyote Creek Golf Club in nearby Bartonville is a public access course with a country club atmosphere. Designed by the late Bruce Borland—who grew up in the area before rising to national prominence—Coyote Creek features 18 holes and 6,700 yards of natural glory, with 10 acres of lakes and dramatic elevation changes.

Quail Meadows’ 18-hole, par-72 championship golf course in Washington offers PGA golf instruction and a grass tee driving range, along with banquet facilities accommodating up to 250 people. East Peoria’s Fon du Lac Golf Course, with nine holes and a par-27, is home of the annual Just For Kids Golf Tournament.

JEWELS OF NATURE

Just an hour south of Peoria lies the Emiquon Preserve, one of the largest floodplain restoration projects ever undertaken in this country, and a paradise for nature lovers. The Nature Conservancy, in partnership with local communities, universities, government agencies and others, is working to restore the project’s 7,100 acres to its earlier ecological state.

Today, the site is home to hundreds of native plant and animal species, and water has returned to formerly drained floodplain lake basins. April saw the opening of The University of Illinois at Springfield’s Emiquon Field Station, a state-of-the-art research facility that will allow students and faculty to work side-by-side with conservation scientists to document change, study restoration and teach others about nature.

The Nature Conservancy also operates a floodplain restoration project at Spunky Bottoms, 50 miles south of Emiquon.

Paralleling its namesake, the Illinois River Road National Scenic Byway is an award-winning collection of gorgeous scenery, cultural and historical landmarks and archeological opportunities. A circular route of 291 miles, the Byway is one of just 126 in the country, enhancing the experience of nature and providing unique recreational and educational experiences for visitors and residents alike. With the growing popularity of eco-tourism, the River Road also serves as an economic development tool for the towns along its path.

Located along the River Road in nearby Lewistown, Dickson Mounds Museum, with its accompanying acres of upland forest and prairie, is a designated national historic site, housing one of the finest on-site archeological museums in the country. Nearby, the restored Banner Marsh Fish and Wildlife Area boasts over 200 individual water bodies on 4,363 acres and serves as a major holding area for migrating waterfowl.

With a mission to ensure the protection and restoration of biologically diverse habitats and ecosystems through volunteer stewardship, Peoria Wilds has restored several local areas, including Detweiller Park, Forest Park South, Singing Woods Nature Preserve and Camp Wokanda. This grassroots organization utilizes hundreds of volunteers in removing woody brush, monitoring vegetation and butterflies, collecting and sowing seeds, educating the public, researching local pre-settlement conditions and performing prescribed burns.

MILES AND MILES OF TRAILS

Hop on a bike and enjoy breathtaking scenery and a mix of terrain in central Illinois. Our unique system of trails links schools, recreation facilities and scenic natural areas throughout the region. The Pimiteoui Trail runs from downtown on the riverfront to the historic Springdale Cemetery, and the Rock Island Trail runs 25 miles from Peoria to the community of Toulon.

Access the trails on Peoria’s riverfront, at Detweiller Marina, lower Glen Oak Park or in Alta at the Rock Island Trail. Bike rentals are available at the RiverPlex. Get even more of the great outdoors by making it a weekend trip and staying at one of the hub towns along the path!

The Old Galena Trail, which stretches 150 miles from Peoria to the northern border of Illinois at Galena, offers an alternative for those who prefer a road trip by car. The ancient treasure hunt reopened last spring as the first interpretive trail in Illinois. Hidden tourism destinations such as Underground Railroad stops, Indian burial grounds and historical landmarks create central Illinois’ own “Route 66.”

The Spoon River Valley Scenic Drive is another unique area event which takes place each fall, just as the leaves are changing colors. It takes place throughout many of the historic towns and villages of Fulton County and includes a wide variety of food, antiques and crafts.

HEALTH & FITNESS CLUBS

Fitness buffs will enjoy the Peoria area’s many health clubs, both public and private. Among public facilities, the RiverPlex Recreation and Wellness Center offers downtown dwellers, workers and visitors a riverfront option, while East Peoria’s EastSide Centre and the Peoria YMCA are other popular choices.

Among private facilities, the Clubs at River City, Gold’s Gym and Landmark Racquet & Health Club are two popular choices, providing equipment and weight rooms, swimming, indoor courts, leagues and youth fitness. And there are many more from which to choose!

EAST SIDE PLAY

On the other side of the river, East Peoria’s Fon du Lac Park District covers more than 1,100 acres across 25 parks and two golf courses. One of its unique offerings is the Fon du Lac Farm Park Museum and Petting Zoo, a quaint recreation of a 1920s farm that gives children a glimpse of what farm life was once like. Horseshoe and shuffleboard courts, ball fields, sledding hills, picnic areas and trails are also available.

The Park District also maintains the River Trail of Illinois as part of East Peoria’s Riverfront Greenway project, which encompasses facilities like Spindler Marina and Campground, Cooper Park and Bennett’s Terraqueous Gardens, a small nature preserve. The trail includes traditional miles for running, biking and skating and boasts a distinctive boardwalk where visitors can view rare species in a river bluff wetland environment.

EastSide Centre is one of the Midwest’s premier athletic facilities, hosting local, regional and national tournaments in softball, baseball, volleyball, soccer and track. The 100-acre complex is equipped with four soccer fields; ten baseball diamonds; an indoor fitness center with basketball and volleyball courts, running track and pro shop; an all-purpose stadium with an all-weather track; and Splashdown, a unique three-acre water park.

Located in nearby Pekin, Dirksen Park is a 459-acre site comprised of oak-hickory forest and open shrubland with an extensive hiking/biking trail running through it. Its sister park, McNaughton Park, features 850 acres of natural habitat, along with ponds, trails, picnic shelters, a dog training site and a horse riding ranch which offers riding lessons and guided trail rides. Both parks are part of the Illinois Land and Water Reserve Program, designed to protect and improve woodland habitats using restoration management techniques. PP