Bloomington–Normal metropolitan area

城市概覽

The Bloomington-Normal area is in the heart of Central Illinois, approximately 125 miles southwest of Chicago, 155 miles northeast of St. Louis, and 64 miles northeast of Springfield, the State Capital. Bloomington is the County Seat of McLean County, the largest county in Illinois (approximately 762,240 acres). Interstates 39, 55 and 74 converge on Bloomington-Normal, as well as US Route 51, US Route 150 and State Route 9. Bloomington-Normal is also serviced by four major railroad lines and Amtrak, as well as air transportation at the Central Illinois Regional Airport, one of the fastest growing airports in the country, which services commuter, corporate, and private aircraft. The Twin Cities are located in one of the most productive agricultural areas in the nation, but the economy is diverse and well-balanced. In addition to the major manufacturers and industries, there are two universities, two hospitals, a convention center, two indoor malls, an outdoor outlet mall, and many banks and Savings & Loan Associations located in Bloomington-Normal. The metropolitan area continues to grow; in 2013, the city of Bloomington was the country's 11th-fastest growing city. New construction continues to enhance residential, industrial and commercial growth.

如何抵達

By plane The 1 Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal (BMI IATA) has daily arrivals from Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, and Dallas, along with 4-times-a-week service from Orlando and Denver. A smaller airport, Peoria International Airport (PIA IATA) is 45 minutes away and offers arrivals from additional cities. Parking is free at both airports.

By car Interstate highways 39, 55 and 74 converge on the south side of Bloomington and divide again on the north side of Normal. I-55 follows the historic route of Route 66 through central Illinois, except that Route 66 bypassed Bloomington-Normal on the east rather than on the west as the interstates do. Veterans Parkway, the east-side bypass (formerly called "Belt Line Road", was renamed in the 1980s), was the Route 66 route in the immediate pre-Interstate period. Earlier, 66 passed through downtown Bloomington and into residential Normal. The route given in the Route 66 page reflects this original alignment, known as "Business 66" after Veterans Parkway was built.

By train 2 Amtrak, 11 Uptown Circle (Uptown Station). Station hours 6:30AM-9:30PM daily, ticket counter closes at 9:15PM. You can easily take an Amtrak train from Chicago or St. Louis, with five daily departures. Track improvements are now being constructed to offer high-speed rail service from Bloomington-Normal on a planned eight trains a day in each direction. The Texas Eagle / Sunset Limited long-distance train provides daily service to Dallas and tri-weekly service to Los Angeles. The Bloomington-Normal rail station is near the Illinois State University campus in Normal, in a combined facility with Normal's city hall. It is the fourth busiest Amtrak station in the Midwestern United States behind Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Louis.

By bus Greyhound buses serve Bloomington-Normal from Indianapolis, Chicago, and St. Louis. Also a contractor for FlixBus. Peoria Charter runs buses to Bloomington-Normal from Chicago and Peor

當地交通

Connect Transit. Buses cover most of the community. Downtown Bloomington and Uptown Normal are well walkable, but most shopping, etc., is on the eastern side of the towns and is best reached by car or bus.

必看景點

1 Children's Discovery Museum, 101 E Beaufort St, ☏ +1 309 433-3444. Th F 9AM-8PM, Sa 9AM-5PM, Su 1-5PM. Full of hands-on exhibit for children. Features an agricultural exhibit, a clock tower and science exhibits. (updated Mar 2022) 2 David Davis Mansion, 1000 East Monroe Drive, ☏ +1 309 828-1084. W-Su 9AM-4PM. An elegant, ornate mansion that dates back to 1872. Suggested donation: adult $2/, child $1. 3 Downtown Bloomington, 106 W Monroe, ☏ +1 309 829-9599. The McLean County Courthouse, capped by a stately dome, serves as a landmark to identify the historic core of the city. Turn-of-the-20th-century buildings, many with interesting historical pasts, flank the courthouse square. A visitor can find museums, banks, a legal and governmental center, residential living, a large artists' community, plus an assortment of specialty retail businesses and supportive services in Downtown Bloomington. There is an abundance of restaurants and a lively night scene. (updated Mar 2022) 4 McLean County Museum of History, 200 North Main St (Bloomington), ☏ +1 309 827-0428. M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Tu 10AM-9PM, also Sep- May: Su 1-5PM. Allows one to see the customs and work practices of settlers to McLean county, along with exhibits featuring residents such as Abraham Lincoln and Adlai Stevenson. Adult $5, Senior $4, child or student free. 5 Miller Park Zoo, 1020 South Morris Ave (Bloomington), ☏ +1 309 434-2250, fax: +1 309-434-2823, [email protected]. Daily 9:30AM-4:30PM (closed Thanksgiving & Christmas). A pleasant place for a picnic and hosts a small but interesting zoo, with a good rain-forest exhibit. Adult $6.95, child 3-12 $4.95, senior 60+ $5.95, child under 3 free.

體驗活動

1 McLean County Fair, 1106 Interstate Dr, ☏ +1 309 663-6497. August 3-7th 2022. A large county fair hosted on the McLean County Fairgrounds west of Bloomington-Normal. $7 entre fee for adults. (updated Mar 2022) 2 Illinois Shakespeare Festival, 48 Sunset Rd, ☏ +1 309 438-2535. The well-reviewed Illinois Shakespeare Festival is associated with ISU and runs from late June until early August, with multiple performances of (usually) three of the Bard's plays. Performances are on the grounds of Ewing Manor in east Bloomington, and can include pre-show picnics on the lush grounds. $25 for single entry ticket. (updated Mar 2022) 3 Constitution Trail, 100 E Phoenix Avenue, ☏ +1 309-454-9540. Open daily from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset. The Bloomington-Normal Constitution Trail is one of Central Illinois' most unique parks. This 50+ mile jogging, walking, cycling and rollerblading trail has become a hit with the community and visitors alike. (updated Mar 2022) 4 Upper Limits Climbing Gym, 1304 W Washington St, ☏ +1 309 829-8255. M-F noon-10PM, Sa Su 10AM-6PM. Upper Limits has over 20,000 square feet of climbing area. Built in a set of old grain elevators, this is a great indoor climbing gym. The climbing includes: 65-ft-tall silo routes, a 30-ft main room with plenty of overhanging climbing (including the Wave Wall with at least three lead-only routes), slab routes, a climbing cave, training area, 110-ft outdoor routes, and an outdoor bouldering area. Route difficulties ranges from 5.5 to 5.13-, with boulder from V0 to V6+. $18 for a day pass. (updated Mar 2022) 5 Grossinger Motors Arena, 101 S Madison St, ☏ +1 309 434-2843. The Grossinger Motors Arena (formerly U.S. Cellular Coliseum) was opened in 2006 and features minor league indoor football (Bloomington Extreme & Bloomington Edge), basketball (