Things to Do in Champaign | Wedding Guest Guide
I have created this handy link/list to send to their out-of-town guests with ideas of things to do in the Champaign-Urbana area. With the help of Visit Champaign County, I compiled a list of some of our family’s favorite activities. There’s so much to do, see, and learn here!
Curtis Orchard is fun for the whole family in the late summer & fall months. We like to go and pick out pumpkins, apples, decorative gourds and you MUST try the apple donuts! They also have a cafe and a gift shop in addition to all the outdoor activities.
Alto Vineyards is a fun, outdoor activity with wine tastings during the week and live music often on weekends. It’s bring your own food, and buy your drinks at the venue. There is also a small indoor area where you select your wines and can do a little shopping.
Visit the UI campus — take a walk on the Quad, visit the Alma Mater, visit the statues of Red Grange and Dick Butkus, take in the hustle and bustle of Green Street
A wedding inside the main event venue area of the Orpheum Children’s Science Museum
Orpheum Children’s Science Museum (pictured above) is both an event venue AND a children’s museum with lots of cool stuff for kiddos to do, including an outdoor area with a butterfly garden and a dino dig.
Art Mart is a foodie’s dream stop! This place has kitchen knickknacks, cookbooks, toys, specialty ingredients you can’t find anywhere else, gelato, desserts, bakery items, a grab ‘n’ go lunch cooler, a coffee bar, and a wine bar. It is my favorite place to shop for those people who are hard to shop for — I can always find something!
Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery… I haven’t actually been to Prairie Fruits before, but I have heard so many great things! I am a farm girl at heart, so I really need to get myself out there. There are goats, self-guided tours, fruit picking, and hosted dinners (check the schedule for dates).
Williams Staerkel Planetarium is another place that I’ve always wanted to visit. I think it will have to go on our summer bucket list this year! There are shows most Friday and Saturday evenings. Be sure to check the schedule. Pricing is $6 or less per person per show.
Double exposure photo by Kristin Darling on the steps of the outdoor amphitheater at Krannert
Krannert Center for the Performing Arts is always bustling with activities from ballets to opera to musical acts to art events and more! Or stop in just for lunch at the cafe there with large windows overlooking part of campus.
Canopy Club hosts small, local musical acts to large nationally known acts — you never know what you’re gonna get! They also host open mics, game nights, DJs, and more.
Virginia Theater also hosts many large national talents as well as youth theater, movies, ballet, and smaller acts. Or just stop by to get your photo with the Roger Ebert statue out front. Thumbs up!
City Center is a great way to see both original music and cover bands. They also host lots of things like charity events and after parties. Coming up in 2020 are Buckcherry and the Cadillac Three, just to name a couple!
Riggs Beer Company is a local microbrewery in southeast Urbana, that has indoor seating, and a family-friendly outdoor area with picnic tables, a playground, cornhole games, and they let you bring in your own food! There are often food trucks on site on the weekends too, so you can purchase something and bring it in. My favorite is their Hefeweizen!
Bridesmaids pose near the Japan House in Urbana, which stretches into the Arboretum with running trails and lots of photo opportunities.
The Japan House/Arboretum/Idea Garden is an area just on the edge of campus that is a great place to run or walk, get some fresh air, and learn about plants and traditions. It’s a popular student, resident, and visitor destination, and also a busy place on weekends with wedding parties and photographers!
Meadowbrook Park is just a couple miles away from the Arboretum and boasts a huge wooden playground, a long running/walking trail, open fields, prairie grass, a garden, and a community garden.
Ten Thousand Villages is your one-stop shopping spot for fair-trade goods and gifts from around the world. There are beautiful hand-crafted items from clothing to jewelry to housewares and lots more. If you’re looking for a unique gift and a way to support the global economy, Ten Thousand Villages is your place!
Walnut Street Tea Company - It’s no secret that I love tea and so Walnut Street Tea Co. is one of my most favorite shops in Champaign! They have tea accessories like mugs, teapots and tea strainers, but they also have the largest selection of loose leaf teas that you’ll find just about anywhere in the midwest. And if bagged teas are your bag, then you’ll find those there too, along with treats like biscotti and assorted chocolates and candies.
Escape rooms are quickly become a favorite pastime in this area, in fact I’m doing one with some friends for my birthday this year! There are 2 businesses in CU that do escape rooms with lots of different themes and difficulty levels.
Old Orchard Lanes is fun for the whole family, but don’t just go to bowl… they also have some of the best pizza in all of Champaign-Urbana! There is a small arcade section, and next door is also a 2-course mini golf place. Our family loves to bowl, mini golf, and eat pizza, so Old Orchard is a frequent stop for us!
Swim at the pool! There are a few options when it comes to swimming in CU: Urbana Indoor Aquatic Center (for the colder months!), Crystal Lake Aquatic Center, Sholem Aquatic Center
And last but not least, one of the BEST things to do in Champaign isn’t even really in Champaign, though it’s a part of the University of Illinois — Allerton Park in Monticello! This huge nature preserve is a massive piece of land full of hiking trails, art installations, statues, photo ops, lodging, a cafe, and a lot more. Definitely check it out if you’re looking for a place to burn off the delicious wedding food the day after.
This post will be updated with new information periodically.