What to do and see in Normal, United States: The Best Places and Tips

November 2, 2017 Roger Rusk

Normal is a town in McLean County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town's population was 52,497. Normal is the smaller of two principal municipalities of the Bloomington–Normal metropolitan area, and Illinois' seventh most populous community outside the Chicago metropolitan area. Normal's mayor is Chris Koos.
Restaurants in Normal

1. Children's Discovery Museum

101 E Beaufort St, Bloomington-Normal, IL 61761-3026 +1 309-433-3444
Excellent
74%
Good
19%
Satisfactory
6%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 133 reviews

Children's Discovery Museum

Reviewed By DaleSStrassheim - Hudson, Illinois

What a treasure to have a facility like this in Central Illinois. The facility is outstanding and state of the art, but more importantly, they know how to grab the interest and creativity of young children and give them a terrific chance to explore and learn.

2. David Davis Mansion State Historic Site

1000 Monroe Dr, Bloomington-Normal, IL 61701-3333 +1 309-828-1084
Excellent
69%
Good
28%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 153 reviews

David Davis Mansion State Historic Site

Reviewed By Big_bro_1_usa - Chicago, Illinois

A true treasure of the state! Great docent (Cecilia), she was kind, patient and accommodating. We never felt rushed and learned a lot about the owner of the mansion and the history of the place . beautiful house and grounds as well as the outlying structures around the mansion. You tour 3 levels and will be impressed at the accomodations. They really did a great job of restoring this mansion to it’s former glory. It’s one of the best mansion tours in Illinois. A must see if you are in the area and love history and the area’s connection to Abraham Lincoln. We gave a donation as well as purchased a lot of items from the gifts shop to help the foundation that maintains the mansion. They even have a garden that has some of the ORIGINAL plants on it. That’s amazing! You’re talking about plants that have been around since the 1870s!

3. Miller Park Zoo

1020 S Morris Ave, Miller Park, Bloomington-Normal, IL 61701-6307 +1 309-434-2250
Excellent
49%
Good
37%
Satisfactory
11%
Poor
2%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 227 reviews

Miller Park Zoo

Reviewed By Darla F - Litchfield, Illinois

seems to me they have alot of endangered animals there to see. enjoyed it alot, worth the money to go. took about an hour and a half. get up close to the animalls

4. Rader Family Farms

1238 Ropp Rd, Bloomington-Normal, IL 61761-9364 +1 309-275-8765
Excellent
78%
Good
16%
Satisfactory
4%
Poor
0%
Terrible
2%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 42 reviews

Rader Family Farms

Reviewed By Fldachick

We love Radar Farms. My kids are 7 and 12 and still love it like they did when they were younger! They had even more fun this year than last, with the addition of a fun volleyball game where the kids hit big bouncy balls over hay bales. They didn't get rid of any of the old favorites either. This is the place my kids beg for each Fall!

5. Constitution Trail

Bloomington-Normal, IL
Excellent
73%
Good
25%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 75 reviews

Constitution Trail

Reviewed By fhv_58 - Mt. Carroll

I loved the constitution while I lived in Bloomington. It weaves all over Bloomington/Normal. It makes things much more accessible on bike, walking, roller blades, etc.. it was nice because so many college students used it to get to campus. It leads right into uptown normal, isu's campus, downtown Bloomington, etc..really wherever you want to go. I definitely recommend getting a map of the trail. There are fix-it stations with tools at different spots throughout the trail if something goes wrong.

6. Destihl Brewery

1200 Greenbriar Dr, Bloomington-Normal, IL 61761-6459
Excellent
62%
Good
29%
Satisfactory
9%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 31 reviews

Destihl Brewery

Located off N. Veteran's Parkway and just minutes away from Interstate 55 (Exit 167) & Historic U.S. Route 66 is The Beer Hall at DESTIHL Brewery.This 6,700-sq. ft. facility within our production brewery complex features an exclusive menu of bold flavored, American-inspired pub fare that pair well with our Beer Hall-exclusive bottles and draft releases of pilot, experimental & barrel-aged beers.

Reviewed By RICHARD S - Normal, Illinois

I have wanted to visit the Destihl Brewery bu put it off until some from fiends from Texas suggested we go there. None of us wanted a big burger with heavy fries. The menu is clean and straight forward we each ordered a different item...MoreThank you for your honest feedback (and give our thanks to your Texas friends!) We are continuously working on added items to our menu, so perhaps the next time you dine with us we will have additional options for you to enjoy.

7. McLean County Museum of History

200 N Main St, Bloomington-Normal, IL 61701-3912 +1 309-827-0428
Excellent
75%
Good
20%
Satisfactory
5%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 67 reviews

McLean County Museum of History

The McLean County Museum of History traces its roots back to 1892, the year the McLean County Historical Society was founded. It is a nationally accredited award winning museum with five permanent exhibit galleries and two rotating galleries. The Museum is located in the historic 1903 McLean County Courthouse that includes an architectural tour throughout the building. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for senior citizens, and FREE for children and students with I.D. This educational institution is dedicated to telling the rich story of McLean County through programs which serve people of all ages. The Museum preserves 19,000 objects, makes available more than 11,500 rare and hard to find reference books, manages 1,700 feet of historical papers and images in its archives. It also houses the new Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center and the McLean County Genealogical Society. Tuesdays are FREE days.

Reviewed By laurelboo - Tipp City, Ohio

This museum is a must. The free visitors center is there and the museum is very much worth the small fee they charged us. We were there three hours...and I think we could have stayed all day! Lots of hands on exhibits. Lots of fun...MoreWe are pleased you enjoyed your time with us. Your admission supports the work we do as a nonprofit museum, so thank you for the kind words and helpful review. Come see us again when new exhibits open in 2018!

8. Ropp Jersey Cheese Farm

2676 Ropp Rd, Bloomington-Normal, IL 61761-9323 +1 309-452-3641
Excellent
58%
Good
39%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 33 reviews

Ropp Jersey Cheese Farm

Reviewed By Mrs R - Augusta Ga

We love to stop at this country location, to find an extensive collection of flavorful cheeses. You can even have a mini tour of the facility, and you can watch cheese being processed and packaged. It is super to see a local farm that I went by almost daily when I was growing up, become a successful specialty business and tourist attraction.

9. Prairie Aviation Museum

2929 E Empire St, Bloomington-Normal, IL 61704-5452 +1 309-663-7632
Excellent
57%
Good
28%
Satisfactory
13%
Poor
2%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 38 reviews

Prairie Aviation Museum

Reviewed By bethhage - Santa Clara, California

Airplane fanatics and air museum newbies will enjoy their collection.
This is a volunteer operated museum on the main airport property and it's great for weekend visit to Bloomington.
Kids will love it and the docents are friendly and knowledgable.
If you love planes you should stop in.

10. Stave Wine Bar & Market

111 W North St, Bloomington-Normal, IL 61761-2531 +1 309-319-2139
Excellent
82%
Good
15%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
3%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 26 reviews

Stave Wine Bar & Market

Reviewed By juniebjones - portland

What a gem in Uptown Normal. It's not a large establishment which makes it seem more intimate. The atmosphere is very conducive to gathering with friends. The wine section was quite good and they also offered a good selection of beers. The meat and cheese selections were varied and also very good. They offered gluten free crackers for the non- bread members of our group. Very friendly and accommodating staff. Highly recommend!

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