Go There: An Illini Guide to a Weekend in Champaign
Welcome to “Go There,” a Livability.com series about travel and how to maximize your time in some of our favorite cities. Today, we’re headed to Champaign, IL, a quintessential college town that isn’t short on things to do.
The metropolitan area of Champaign, IL, is many things: a hub of learning and research through the University of Illinois, a home base to tech startups and Fortune 500 companies, a center of agriculture and industry, the subject of two songs written by Bob Dylan, and perhaps most importantly, the capital city of sandwich empire Jimmy Johns.
Whether a recent college grad, a young family, or someone looking for a tight-knit community, love for Champaign is often generational, though much has changed over the years. Consider these current recommendations from a third-generation Illini, ever so true (so true).
Come for the guide to the city; stay for the Taylor Swift puns and accompanying tunes.
In This Article
Where to Stay
Playlist Track: Stay Stay Stay
You’d be hard pressed to find a more cost-effective place to stay than Champaign (unless you’re trying to lodge during Homecoming, Dad’s or Mom’s weekend). With numerous affordable hotels and Air BnB options for every preference, your dollar will stretch far. However, for a slightly more special lodging experience, visitors should check in at the iHotel and Illinois Conference Center or the Illini Union Hotel. Both owned and operated by the University, these hotels bookend the north and south ends of campus and offer unique amenities you can’t find anywhere else. Staying at the iHotel includes complimentary coworking space, shuttle service around the area and an in-house spa. At the Illini Union Hotel, in addition to its unbeatable location right on the Main Quad (and coveted free parking), the cost of your room includes discounts at the Union Starbucks, Quad Shop and bowling alley, as well as access to campus recreational facilities.
For a chance to experience turn-of-the-century Midwestern charm, the Champaign Garden Inn just might be the city’s best-kept secret. Located in the historic Sesquicentennial neighborhood, known as Champaign’s first true neighborhood and dates back to the city’s founding, this Queen Anne home boasts five bedrooms with private bathrooms, continental breakfast, and the owner’s two charming pups serving as mascots.
Coffee Spots
Playlist Track: Holy Ground(s)
A weekend in Champaign must begin with a good cup of coffee and a baked treat. Skip the Dunkin’ and Starbucks, and try one of the local spots beloved by students, faculty and townsfolk alike. Starting in Urbana, I would be remiss to not mention the one I lived across the street from for two years, Caffe Paradiso. This locally-owned, independent coffee shop opened in August of 1998 and has been holding down the east end of campus ever since. ‘Diso serves fresh pastries, bread, sandwiches and soup daily, in addition to Intelligentsia coffee and espresso. Patrons love the eclectic decor, cozy atmosphere and abundance of plant life, inside and out. If you need any further convincing to make a stop, maybe this particular patron will tip the scales!
You’ll find another beloved campus institution a few blocks west: Espresso Royale. This particular shop has been in town since 1987, boasting seven locations in the Champaign-Urbana area, on campus and beyond. The original location is across the street from the Krannert Performing Arts Center, making it a perfect spot for a pre or post-show coffee or tea. One of the best features of Espresso Royale is its seasonal drinks: current Spring offerings include a Bee Sting Latte made with honey and cayenne and a Matcha Lemonade. My go-to order on a crisp fall day is the Caramel Apple Cider, using the cider from Champagin’s own Curtis Apple Orchard. Pair with a fresh pastry from their Sunflour Bakehouse, and your morning is made.
For non-coffee drinkers or those who just love baked goods, check out Industrial Donut, Suzu’s Bakery and for gluten-free options, Reg Cakes Gluten Free Bakery.
Arts & Culture
Playlist Track: The Manuscript
Since your morning coffee run has already taken you to campus, take advantage of the offerings at your doorstep. You might not think of central Illinois as a bastion of fine arts, but think again. We’ve already mentioned the Krannert Center for Performing Arts, which operates under the College of Fine and Applied Arts at the University of Illinois. With five theaters, each designed with a particular performance style in mind, Krannert has hosted plays, concerts, musicals, and talks since 1969. With a level of the building dedicated to production studios — props, scenery, costumes — Krannert continues to produce homegrown excellence in its student craftsmen and artisans while the world’s talented come to perform there. Famed artists and groups such as Yo-Yo Ma, Pavarotti and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra have all graced the Krannert stage.
Next door to Krannert is the Spurlock Museum of World Cultures, part of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. It hosts nine permanent exhibits and is home to over 50,000 artifacts, as well as rotating curations highlighting cultures around the world and local to the University and Central Illinois. Current exhibits include “Latinx Congratulatory: 45 Years Celebrating the Culture and Pride of Our Latinx Students” and “The Black Joy Project.” Admission to the museum is free, and donations are encouraged if you are able. The Spurlock also offers a number of online exhibits, accessible to all.
If you’re craving one last museum stop, head towards downtown Champaign and visit the Champaign County History Museum at the Historic Cattle Bank. Committed to preserving and interpreting local history, the 20,000 artifact collection displays the reality of living in the greater Champaign area. Exhibits include displays of local artists and their subjects, both past and present, life in Champaign during major wars, and various topics relating to the University. The museum also hosts trivia, talks and guided walking tours of the historic buildings downtown.
The historic Virginia Theatre is one of the crowning jewels of the arts scene in Champaign. Having opened in 1921 for silent films and vaudeville, the Virginia Theatre now shows all manner of performances, from ballet and plays, panels and comedians, contemporary and past films, and the lauded Ebertfest: Roger Ebert’s Film Festival. Founded by and named for Urbana native and University of Illinois alumnus Roger Ebert in 1999, Ebertfest celebrated 25 years of existence in April of 2024. The late Roger Ebert, famous film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times, known for his clear and accessible manner of review, sought to highlight films he felt did not receive their fair due upon first release. While the festival itself does not give awards or have representatives from E! News on the carpet, you may have the chance to see the likes of Tilda Swinton, Ava DuVernay, Rufus Sewell and more Hollywood greats during the post-film Q&As.
Lunch & Dinner & Drinks
Playlist Track: Message in a Bottle
Downtown Champaign has experienced something of a renaissance in recent years, and contains plenty of options for lunch or dinner.
Can you think of many things that might unite Champaign, Illinois, and Los Angeles, California? If you can’t, try Nando Milano Trattoria, a traditional Italian restaurant only found in Champaign and Manhattan Beach. The handcrafted menu features fresh pasta, breads and desserts — all made in-house — and a robust wine list. But if a more casual, hole-in-the-wall experience is what you’re after, just around the corner you will find Farren’s Pub and Eatery. There are no reservations at this classic burger and beer joint, but you won’t be disappointed in the quality of the food or the variety of the drinks. With house-made dressings, fresh meat from the local butcher and a wide selection of local beers, Farrens occupies the niche for the quality local dive.
Across the street from Farren’s, you’ll find (one of) the locations of The Blind Pig, with 27 taps. The other three locations in the downtown area host the brewery itself, a beer garden and a brewpub. Alumni with a penchant for hops should try the U of IPA. If beer isn’t your thing, and you’ve got a few hours to spare, just outside of town you’ll find Champaign’s only winery, Alto Vineyard. You can enjoy Illinois-made wines and snacks or shop for other local products and gifts. If you’re in the market for it, Alto is also one of the area’s top wedding venues!
24 Hours in Champaign
If all the recommendations and options overwhelm you, we get it. You can’t possibly take in all the good stuff in one weekend! Here’s a quick and fool-proof day of fun.
Morning: A to-go coffee and pastry from Caffe Paradiso, then a leisurely stroll through campus, especially the English Building, for all you tortured poets.
Noon: Lunch and shopping downtown, culminating in a stop at indie bookstore/cafe/bar The Literary.
Afternoon: An early dinner and wine at The Bread Company, a Swiss and European family-owned restaurant steps from Krannert in Urbana.
Evening: Ice cream from Jarling’s Custard Cup while watching a countryside sunset at the Round Barns.
And to Relive Your College Days
It may be that your weekend in Champaign is more about reliving the glory days than looking for hidden gems. If that is the case, here is a sample itinerary.
Obviously, if it’s a Saturday in the school year, you must begin with Block. For the unfamiliar, Block is something like the University of Illinois’ students’ version of tailgating, except there isn’t always a game on that weekend. Originating from the tradition of fraternities and sororities sitting together in the “Block I” student section at Illinois football games, as the Illini wins grew fewer and fewer, the Greeks chose to forget the football and keep the fun. Today, Block means putting on some orange and blue and having your own celebration. This begins at 10 in the morning, of course, save for the one day a year it actually begins at 6 am. Nobody knows why.
You can make a crawl out of Block. I’d start with Joe’s, get a lunchbox (an unholy combination of orange juice, beer and amaretto), a burger and mac n cheese bites, and then be on your merry way to the Red Lion. When you think it’s time to go, it actually just means one thing: it’s time for Kam’s. Kam’s means one thing: Blue Guys. And Blue Guys only mean one thing: regrets. Once you’ve lost and retrieved your phone twice from the bar, it’s probably time to begin the journey home. But first, you must place your order at one of the following establishments: Fat Sandwich, Chopstix or Burrito King. Cap off the weekend of reliving your college days with a greasy breakfast at Merry Ann’s.
Do you have a place in mind that we should visit next? Let us know!
