There are plenty things to do in Bloomington/Normal these days but by far, the greatest buzz has to be about all the Uptown Normal development. For the past few years we have all witnessed the transformation of the downtown next to the Illinois State University Campus to the ISU next to Uptown! The area has grown from just servicing a specific group of people to having something for everyone to enjoy not just on the weekends, but daily.
Regardless of your opinions over the funding and politics associated with this massive development, I think that the community can feel proud of supporting and enjoying the opportunities available. Whether you are a biker, jogger, walker or arrive by vehicle, it is nice to be able to just sit down and relax in the middle of “Uptown Circle”. Right here in the middle of it all, you can then try to determine what you would like to do and where you would like to go. You have a lot of options to consider but certainly you won’t have far to go because everything is predominantly in a two block area.
Do you have children? Well children and grownups alike would love to experience the Children Discovery Museum and loose themselves in all the programs, exciting exhibitions and interactive games. http://www.childrensdiscoverymuseum.net/ . Maybe I will see you there.
Do you enjoy a great movie? Visit the Historic Normal Theatre http://www.normaltheater.com/ to catch a classic movie before or after dining and shopping. If you are hungry for a meal, dessert or snack – well some of my favorites are the original calzones from D.P. Dough http://dpdoughonline.com/, ice cream from Emack & Bolio’s http://www.emackandbolios.com/, and java from the Coffee Hound http://www.coffeehound.net/index.php?link=home.
If you are looking to be relaxed and pampered, then treat yourself to a full body massage from Green Leaf Massage http://www.greenleafmassage.net/ or settle into an overnight luxurious stay at the only 4 star hotel in Central Illinois, the Marriott Hotel and Conference Center!
Throughout the year, there are all sorts of community events going on. Don’t miss out on all the outdoor attractions like the Sugar Creek Arts Festival, Sweetcorn Blues Festival, Trailside Farmer’s Market, Halloween Treat Feast and the Holiday Open House to name a few.
With the leadership of the Town of Normal city council and the Economic Development Council http://www.bnbiz.org/building/uptown_normal.php , Uptown Normal is a happening place to be not only for the neighboring students of ISU but for visitors and the entire community!
