Bloomington-Normal Area Convention & Visitors BureauBN Life
7 Ideas for a BN Staycation
You don’t need to hop on a plane or stay in a fancy resort to have a great vacation. Staycations are as popular as ever, with more families choosing to take their time off at home and avoid the hassle and cost of a traditional vacation. Here are our tips for a fun and frugal staycation in BN.
1. Visit a museum
Have an interest in history, Abraham Lincoln or Route 66? BN has the museum for you. The McLean County Museum of History, Prairie Aviation Museum, David Davis Mansion, Children’s Discovery Museum and many more are waiting to be explored.
2. Try a restaurant you’ve never been to
Everyone has their own favorite cuisine, but we recommend traveling out of your comfort zone and trying something you’ve never tried before. BN has great choices in American, Asian, Indian, Mediterranean, Mexican and Italian. Here are some of the winners from the Pantagraph’s Readers’ Choice Awards:
Best BBQ: Famous Dave’s Bar-B-Que
Best Chinese: Mandarin Garden House
Best Fine Dining: Epiphany Farms
Best Indian: Puran Indian Restaurant
Best Italian: Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano
Best Sushi: Anju Above
Best Pizza: Flingers Pizza Pub
3. Shop ‘til you drop
You’re probably familiar with the major department stores we have here, but dozens of shops and boutiques line the streets of Downtown Bloomington and Uptown Normal, including antiques, books and clothing.
4. Go to an art gallery
Most of the art galleries in town are within walking distance from each other in Downtown Bloomington. You can take our self-guided art gallery tour by downloading the map here: https://www.visitbn.org/visit/8517/art-gallery-studio-tour/
5. Read a book
We admit, there’s nothing like reading a book on the beach, smelling the salt from the sea and feeling the cool ocean breeze. But, if you can’t be at the ocean, your living room couch is the next best option. The Bloomington and Normal Public Libraries are great places to spend your spring break stocking up on all the books on your reading list.
6. See a show
Check the event calendars at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts, Grossinger Motors Arena or the Castle Theater; they’re always hosting a concert, comedian or Broadway show.
7. Ride the trail
March weather can be a bit finnicky, but if the weather is nice, grab your bike and head to the Constitution Trail. Another alternative is BN’s bike share program, Bike Share 309. It has nine stations around town, including Uptown Normal and Museum Square.
