Meghan’s Guidebook
Food scene
This place is delicious. From the house, I like to ride my bike (it's about two miles). I usually get the pineapple fried rice.
Siam Terrace
212 W Main StThis place is delicious. From the house, I like to ride my bike (it's about two miles). I usually get the pineapple fried rice.
115 W Main St
115 West Main StreetThis is Crane Alley, which is an awesome place to get a drink and sit outside.
Best Mexican food in town. They have awesome margaritas and a beautiful outdoor patio. Inside seating is limited.
16 recommandé par les habitants
Huaraches Moroleon
805 Philo RdBest Mexican food in town. They have awesome margaritas and a beautiful outdoor patio. Inside seating is limited.
Jarling's Custard Cup
309 W Kirby AveChampaign-Urbana's favorite ice cream place
Sidney Dairy Barn
311 West Main StreetMY favorite little ice cream shop
Great bar. Dark inside, kind of gritty. They have darts and outside seating. There is usually a food truck across the street. You can sit on the roof if it's not too busy :)
20 recommandé par les habitants
Barrelhouse 34
34 E Main StGreat bar. Dark inside, kind of gritty. They have darts and outside seating. There is usually a food truck across the street. You can sit on the roof if it's not too busy :)
My favorite place for breakfast. Fantastic pancakes and coffee. It's just cozy. They also have really good milkshakes.
20 recommandé par les habitants
The Courier Cafe
111 N Race StMy favorite place for breakfast. Fantastic pancakes and coffee. It's just cozy. They also have really good milkshakes.
Best place to hang out with friends when it's warm. Food trucks (but I think they close up pretty early, maybe 7:30?). Kid and dog-friendly and large outdoor space. During Christmas, they have a German Christmas market.
19 recommandé par les habitants
Riggs Beer Company
1901 S High Cross RdBest place to hang out with friends when it's warm. Food trucks (but I think they close up pretty early, maybe 7:30?). Kid and dog-friendly and large outdoor space. During Christmas, they have a German Christmas market.
Outside
My favorite place to take a walk. There is a boardwalk through the woods, and some trails that lead off of it.
Busey Woods
My favorite place to take a walk. There is a boardwalk through the woods, and some trails that lead off of it.
Meadowbrook Park
2808 S Race StBig park with walking path
Hiking, boating, fishing. There are lots of different trails and things to do. The longest trail is 7 miles (Lake Mingo Trail). The sign says it takes 4 hours but it usually takes about 2. Look up the map on your phone before you go. There is poison ivy, so wear pants if you're sensitive.
7 recommandé par les habitants
Kennekuk County Park
22296 Henning RdHiking, boating, fishing. There are lots of different trails and things to do. The longest trail is 7 miles (Lake Mingo Trail). The sign says it takes 4 hours but it usually takes about 2. Look up the map on your phone before you go. There is poison ivy, so wear pants if you're sensitive.
Trail starting right outside the neighborhood. It's a great place to ride a bike or take a walk.
Kickapoo Rail Trail
Trail starting right outside the neighborhood. It's a great place to ride a bike or take a walk.
Closest state park. They have tubing, canoe, or kayak rentals for the river and the lake.
22 recommandé par les habitants
Aire de loisirs d'État de Kickapoo
39144 Kickapoo Park RdClosest state park. They have tubing, canoe, or kayak rentals for the river and the lake.
If you go to church
This is my church! They meet at the iHotel on Sundays and at the Venue (location in downtown Champaign) on Thursday nights. If you're looking for a big, Non-denominational church in town, this is a great one.
Other great churches that I know of are the Vineyard, which meets in Urbana, and Windsor Road in Champaign.
CU Church
107 S Webber StThis is my church! They meet at the iHotel on Sundays and at the Venue (location in downtown Champaign) on Thursday nights. If you're looking for a big, Non-denominational church in town, this is a great one.
Other great churches that I know of are the Vineyard, which meets in Urbana, and Windsor Road in Champaign.
The Vineyard Church
1500 North Lincoln AvenueMy best friend's parents go here and love it!
Windsor Road Christian Church
2501 Windsor RoadLots of my old students go here and they love it :)
Groceries
ALDI
605 N Dunlap AveYou can walk here from the house :)
Thrifty!
Salt & Light
1819 Philo RdGroceries AND Thrifting!
This place is so cheap and is a great place to get household supplies or books for cheap!
Habitat For Humanity of Champaign County
1914 Glenn Park DriveThis place is so cheap and is a great place to get household supplies or books for cheap!
Briellas Boutique Inc
503 South Dunlap AvenueBoujie thrifting
Things to do
Maybe I'm biased, but we have the best farmer's market ever. Most people take card. You can buy breakfast from food trucks, fresh fruit, veggies, baked goods and lots of cool hand-made things. Get a donut from the Pandemonium Donut truck.
12 recommandé par les habitants
Market at the Square
401 S Vine StMaybe I'm biased, but we have the best farmer's market ever. Most people take card. You can buy breakfast from food trucks, fresh fruit, veggies, baked goods and lots of cool hand-made things. Get a donut from the Pandemonium Donut truck.
Conseils aux voyageurs
Se déplacer dans les environs
Cars, Bikes, Busses
Urbana is super bike-friendly. We have VeoRide in town, which is a bike rental service. You can get the app to locate the closest bike, and then you pay through the app to rent the bike for as long as you need it.
Coutumes et culture
Water
We have fantastic drinking water in CU. Tap water is super safe and tastes awesome.
Phrases utiles
CU
CU stands for Champaign-Urbana. Because it's a twin city, lots of people call it CU or will say Champaign in reference to all of Champaign-Urbana, since Champaign is our county name.
Phrases utiles
ILL-INI
If someone shouts I-L-L, you respond I-N-I. The mascot for UIUC is the Fighting Illini.
À ne pas manquer
Urbana Sweet Corn Festival
This will shut down most of downtown Urbana. You gotta go eat some corn on the cob.
Coutumes et culture
You're safe here!
I've lived in Urbana my whole life and I love it here. It is safe and the people are kind. People who live outside of Urbana for some reason think our town isn't safe. We have a lot of diversity, which isn't the case in some of the farm towns that surround us. Use common sense, but also feel free to take a walk in the neighborhood at night! Make friends with the neighbors - they are GREAT.
Coutumes et culture
People say hi, even when they don't know you
This is far enough from Chicago that people often make some kind of verbal acknowledgment of you if they pass you in the street, even if they don't know you. It's normal here. Not as normal in other places I've been.