(CHAMPAIGN-URBANA, ILLINOIS) — We enjoyed a beautiful Labor Day weekend visiting new places, seeing amazing sights and experiencing wonderful things. The weather was absolutely perfect, so that was a huge plus!
The general area we visited is commonly referred to as Champaign-Urbana, the home of the University of Illinois. But in our journey, we adventured to nearby towns outside of city & county limits. There is some driving in between towns that would have to be done, but this is a great start to show what amazing things are happening in the area.
I am going to move in chronological order of what we did on our trip!
#1: Aikman Wildlife Adventure | Arcola, Illinois
This was easily one of the wildest things we’ve ever done as a family. Aikman Wildlife Adventure is home to 100+ large animals, many of which you can see up close and personal. When I say up close and personal, I mean that we had camels, zebras, bison, deer, horses and more eating right out of our hands. James Aikman, one of the owners, took us on a behind-the-scenes tour. We got to see all the animals Aikman takes care of. This includes lemurs, birds, foxes, hyenas and more. After getting to venture through the different buildings and exhibits, we hopped on a UTV and headed across the safari. Aikman is the only drive-thru safari in the state of Illinois. While you can drive your own car through the safari and not feed the animals, there are UTV tours where you feed them out of large buckets you hold! It was a really surreal experience, one we’ll never forget. We were chased by a camel named Fabio, I met a “zonkey” (zebra/donkey), and came face-to-face with a bison. Crazy! Amazing. Afterwards, we adventured through the rest of the grounds and visited the prehistoric museum and gift shop. Yes, there is a museum on-site with dinosaurs and other historic animals you might recognize! Aikman has one on-site rental property you can stay at, and hopefully more opening soon.
#2: Stay/hike at Allerton Park and Retreat Center | Monticello, Illinois
Owned and operated by the University of Illinois, Allerton Park & Retreat Center is open to the public for exploring the gardens which are absolutely stunning. You can also eat and drink at the cafe, plus there events at the Allerton Mansion like weddings. In our case, we were lucky enough to stay on-site at The Residence! It’s a renovated rental property right across from the visitor’s center and cafe. It has a full kitchen, bathroom/shower, living area, and 1 bedroom with 2 queen beds. It’s very spacious and the accommodations are nice! The Residence along with the gardens were the highlight of the visit for us. The relaxing walk we went on just keep going! Beautiful flowers line the bushes, statues stand overlooking different areas, and the way some of the trees are taken care of allows you to walk within them along the way. You can go from a paved walkway to walking within the trees in the blink of an eye.
#3: Eat/drink at 3Ravens Food & Spirits | Monticello, Illinois
My Irish roots were pleased to visit this Irish pub! Offering a mix of Irish and American fare, 3Ravens offers a nice bar area in its building’s room on the left, but then it opens up to a much larger room on the right that offers additional seating. I went with the fish and chips, Rachel ordered a chicken sandwich, and we got an appetizer of fried green beans! Bennett got the mac n cheese. Downtown Monticello seems like a great place to enjoy a Friday or Saturday evening! Outdoor seating is also available at 3Ravens and the nearby restaurants that line the block.
#4: Grab ice cream at The Main Scoop | Monticello, Illinois
We took a family walk from the Irish pub to the ice cream parlor. Two of my favorite things, if we’re being honest! Serving Capannari ice cream (which we love), there are plenty of delicious flavors to enjoy. I also just found out today that Capannari is now “Cap’s Ice Cream!” The store was very clean and modern, and in a nice location in downtown Monticello. A nice, spontaneous decision we made to stop by here, and one that was a great choice.
#5: Breakfast and coffee at Pekara Bakery and Bistro | Champaign, Illinois
Delicious breakfast, pastries and coffee await you at Pekara. We ordered crepes, a slice of quiche, coffees and got Bennett a macaron. Pekara does lunch and catering, so there are many ways you can enjoy! There’s both indoor and outdoor seating, and plenty of it!
#6: Hike with goats at Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery | Champaign, Illinois
This was one of those moments we realized that Bennett is a super lucky kid. Before the age of 3, the boy has gone on two goat hikes! First was a few years ago in Galena, Illinois for my dad’s birthday weekend getaway. The second time, here in Champaign at Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery. He enjoyed it much more this time, as he was able to run alongside the goats and pet them. There’s nothing like hiking with goats. It’s such a surreal experience. One that connects you with nature and allows you to learn about agriculture and what it takes to care for goats. We went on a roughly 1.5 mile hike. It was with a guided group on a Saturday morning. There were three stretches where they let people (whoever wants to) run with the goats on a straightaway path. Bennett chose to run every time. Which means his “old” man (me) had to as well! Afterwards we were treated to a platter of goat cheese, crackers, fruits and vegetables. Delicious. Make sure to visit the farm store and/or cafe before you leave to take some with you on the road! They also have barbecue sauce.
#7: Lunch at Black Dog Smoke & Ale House | Champaign, Illinois
In searching online for the link to share with you all, I came across a recent article saying Black Dog was indefinitely closed due to a fire from one of its smokers! Hope they’ll open up back soon, as we had a fantastic time. Here’s the article if you want to read. It had been a few years since I had Black Dog. When I ordered it – I got it delivered to my hotel because I was in town as a fill-in TV anchor for WCIA News that Saturday evening. The Pandemic and ordering food to-go was still very “in” at the time as well, if I’m remembering correctly. The food was great then, and it was fantastic now! I went with the baby back ribs, green beans and double-baked potato casserole. I made sure to get the Texas BBQ sauce with it (by the way, sauce costs extra here. 75 cents). The potato casserole was OK, I wouldn’t order it again. The atmosphere was awesome! It was like you were in a train station, kind of. To further prove my point – a train passed us by while we sat and ate our food! We could look out our windows and probably 25-50 yards away was a train rolling down the tracks. Bennett loved it.
#8: Coffee at Mad Goat Coffee | Champaign, Illinois
This was the easiest traveling period for us during the weekend. Mad Goat is literally right behind/beside Black Dog. We just walked on over and ordered our frappuccinos! I got the peppermint mocha. Yes, to you it may be pumpkin spice latte season. To me, it’s peppermint year-round, 365. We enjoyed our drinks and the vibes were good. A nice way to slow down the day before heading to our next spot.
#9: Stay at the Hotel Royer | Urbana, Illinois
Recently reopened and reimagined as a Hilton Tapestry Collection hotel, Hotel Royer was a magical stay. The building is beautiful, the rooms are spacious, clean and comfortable, and the Writer’s Room and hotel bar are both gorgeous places to spend time. There’s a lot of history in this building, and I’m happy my family was able to experience the next phase of the hotel’s historic journey. Comfortable beds, a spacious suite and a very nice bathroom were highlights of the room. There’s a very nice workout room, as well!
#10: Breakfast or brunch at Maple & Yolk | Urbana, Illinois
Delicious breakfast awaits you at Maple & Yolk. This was one of those “what breakfast places are nearby?” situations, and Maple & Yolk is what we chose. And I’m very happy we went with it. Nutella Biscoff pancakes. What else do I need to say? Literally one of the best breakfast dishes I’ve ever tasted. Topped with bananas as well. So good. We also split a breakfast burrito served with fresh fruit. Bennett enjoyed some pancakes and sausage. Mattie enjoys any food we offer her, she’s the biggest foodie in the family!
#11: Explore Curtis Orchard & Pumpkin Patch | Champaign, Illinois
What a great way to end the trip. A perfect weather day at a family farm, full of an apple orchard, activities for the kids, a cafe, and so much more. We loved riding the tractor and learning the history about Curtis Orchard and the family. Bennett got to ride the ponies, which he adored. We walked through a field of zinnias, which you can pick and take home with you. We picked apples, ate lunch in the Flying Monkey Cafe, walked around the country store where I bought Bennett a stuffed black cat. Debbie and the owners at Curtis Orchard were so kind and welcoming to us, making sure we had the best visit possible to a very special place. There’s so much to do for very reasonable prices, it’s a perfect fall activity!
I was happy to be able to experience more of what Champaign-Urbana has to offer. It was my pleasure to work alongside Experience Champaign-Urbana and all of these great businesses mentioned above.
Drop a comment on this post or send me an email on other recommendations you have in the area!
Matt Sheehan Official 