Home of MOE and summer camp. Go every year love this place so much…read more Scamp 2020 is gonna be amazing friends

I was with my good friend who frequents summercamp at this venue and so wanted to show it to me…read more The place was packed for the Luke Bryan concert but I have to say that we were able to keep our distance from others and thoroughly enjoy the concert. The place was great - parking lot well organized when parking, we had quite the distance to walk, but it was cool that there were port a potty's at the end of each row of cars. My only complaints would be that it was super easy to get beer and the lines moved fast - however, getting soda or lemonade was ridiculous - my friend was in line to get us some drinks for almost an hour. The other thing is getting out - there were a lot of people there and while they have guides at the end leading onto the road - it was move so much smoother if they had people at different points along the parking lot directing people in the attempts to leave.

This is a fun park and yesterday I walked there with someone else and we put grocery sack bags over…read morethere for people to use

We looked at this park for accessibility for mobility challenged people. Know before you go! Here…read moreis what we found: - There are no handicap accessible parking spots. - There is one wheelchair accessible restroom. - There is only street parking which is about 30 feet away from the attraction. - The terrain is wood chips and cement. - There are two ramps to get into the park but no play ramps. - There are no wheelchair accessible water fountains. - The accessible equipment is the water park and the ramps to get into the attraction. Nice park!!!

Matthiessen State Park is such a gem. The trails take you through gorgeous canyons, lush greenery,…read moreand peaceful streams that make you forget how close you are to the city. The waterfall views are the highlight and absolutely worth the hike in, especially when the sun hits the rocks and everything feels like a hidden escape. The trails are well marked and offer a good mix of easy walks and more adventurous climbs, so there is something for everyone. Even on a busier day you can still find quiet corners to enjoy the sound of the water and the view of the sandstone cliffs. If you enjoy hiking, photography, or just want a beautiful spot to reset in nature, this park is a must visit. Bring good shoes, some water, and be ready to take a ton of photos.

Matthiessen has a lot of really wonderful attributes. I'll get to those in a second…read more But first, we have some real nasty issues. 1. I have visited twice and the actual bathrooms are always locked, forcing everyone to use the disgusting porta-potties. The only running water is a strange foot-washing station near top of the stairs. What the hell is going on here? I get that the park is free, but can we charge everyone $1 so we have functional bathrooms and water refill stations? 2. A lot of the park infrastructure looks rough/dated. There are places where the only way across a body of water is to walk on some manmade cement platforms. Some of them have been toppled by the water (years ago?), making for a fairly treacherous journey if you choose to attempt it. I hate the disgusting metal gate between the upper and lower dells. It totally wrecks the natural beauty. Both times I've visted, there are so many areas of outright mud. Nothing wrong with that, but it seems there's been almost no attempt to improve the infrastructure of bridges and walkways where this is a recurring problem. My most recent visit was in mid-October, when the rain had turned a lot of Matthiessen into a waterlogged mess. You'll see some beautiful scenery and then be forced to navigate a giant mudfield to get to the next thing. Another issue is the generally terrible behavior of your fellow hikers. I saw so many people taking their shoes off and trying to scale slick sandstone canyon walls. I kept waiting for someone to fall off and die. If you go to Matthiessen - and I do think it's worth the trip even with the drawbacks, here are my key tips: 1. Waterproof boots are a must. Tennis shoes will suck. Crocs are insufficient. My kids' tennis shoes were basically murdered by their hike. 2. Bring good trekking poles (at least one per person). You will probably need something sturdy to lean on or probe the depths of water or mud. Each of us had one and I witnessed people without them struggling mightily. 3. Come with your own water and hand sanitizer. Even that will be insufficient to clean off the grime you encounter, but you should never count on those dumb restrooms being operational. 4. Expect that the canyon areas are *much cooler* than the trails above. That's great on a hot day, but could be an issue if you're hiking when it's cooler on the surface. 5. Leave your dumb dogs at home unless you want them drinking some of the foulest water in Illinois. 6. Be prepared to strip off your clothes for a head-to-toe refresh when you get back to the car. They will get gross. 7. If you go on a holiday weekend (I was there on Columbus Day), you may be stuck in the too-far overflow parking lot and have a ton of extra knuckleheads to deal with. 8. There are a lot of stairs. A lot. Take Advil beforehand if your knees are over 35 years old. I don't think it would be too hard to upgrade Matthiessen to become a crown jewel of the state park system. The natural beauty is there. But the human contribution really alls short.

Great park for kids of all ages! Splash pad in the summer is a great time as well!! The restrooms…read morewere very clean and I have no complaints!!

Great park for young kids. Gets busy during summer afternoons. There's a decently large playground…read morewith a padded ground, multiple tall slides, monkey bars. Next to the playground is a large splash pad with several shaded benches. Not much shade to be found elsewhere in the park. Small concession stand open when we went (June). Bathrooms at the entrance to the playground/splash pad. Several picnic tables on the other side of the parking lot that are partly shaded by trees.

I love Laura Bradley Park! It holds lots of fond memories for me. There's a playground in the top…read moreand bottom section of the park! Gotta love the dog park if you have doggos. Lots of little attractions to see like the Chinese bridge. Plenty of roadways in the parks for walking and bike riding. Great place to visit year round!

Beautiful park near Bradley University. Plenty of walking areas, not really many trails, more of an…read moreopen set up. This park has a lot to offer, including a Frisbee golf course, two fenced in dog parks, sand volleyball, picnic areas and tennis courts. Plenty of free parking in multiple lots throughout the park. The dog parks include a smaller, more secluded dog park on the top and a large dog park on the bottom, separated into small and large breed fenced areas. The dog parks are often packed with wagging tails on the weekends. No fee and doggie bags are provided by the people. Each season brings something gorgeous to view in nature's little hideaway.

Good park that's one of the best things about Bloomington. It of course has a zoo, the most notable…read morething about it. Miller Park is also a place for other recreational activities such as shooting hoops and walking. Has a playground to entertain young children. There's also a lake that has a cool bridge that makes for classic scenery. An interesting history about it. It's the largest park in the city to be sure. The park is best known for the zoo. Actually it has an interesting history itself. The zoo has its own business page on Yelp. As for the rest of the park, there's other stuff worth exploring. There's a pretty big lake. Go take a walk across the stone bridge. The park also has a mini golf course and softball fields among other things. Also check out a preserved steam locomotive. There's also a pavilion for those wanting to have a picnic. Has lots of activities throughout the year including festivals and fireworks. It's located east of Morris Avenue and south of Wood Street. They also have entertainment such as outdoor theater.

Great place to walk or relax. Has a splash pool for kids, a pavilion for events, paddle boating on…read morea lake, a stocked lake for fishing, trails to walk around, picnic areas, a gazebo, a baseball field, a monument to war veterans, a monument to firefighters, lots of open fields both in the sun, and shade, and easy access to downtown Bloomington. We went to the zoo, and then we spent two hours just exploring.

Trail biked - I started at the east end in Bureau. The parking lot there has bathrooms and…read moretrashcans, and plenty of parking. I biked east to just north of I80 and back. Bike used - Specialized Sirrus hybrid. Bike style requirements - hybrid to mountain bike mostly. Fat tires will thrive back here. Road bikes will not survive many portions of this trail. I was leery to ride my hybrid in some sections near Tiskilwa because of the mid-sized gravel in spots. Other areas between I80 and Wyanet require grassy biking and non-descript trail riding. The trail composition varies between dirt and minced limestone mostly. There are some portions of asphalt, although those covered by limestone. Some areas are nicer than others. It's more favorable if the trail is mowed, as the trail rut can be swallowed by tall reeds of grass. There are area's where you're biking through short bursts of just grass. My hybrid held up like a champ, but there were spots where I was leery. This is a path where you'll need to keep both hands on the grips. The trail follows a series of water canals that serve as nice scenery. Every so often you'll come across a lock, which are numbered, giving you an idea of how many away you are from your starting point. Bridges span the locks every so often. A river also carves the trail in many areas, offering some nice views. As for wildlife, I spotted several turtles in canals and one trailside (almost accidentally biked over him). I also saw a pair of deer and a ton of colorful birds (red, yellow, blue, orange, black, white, gray, brown). The Orioles were a rare treat. A pair of eagles sat atop dead tree's west of Wyanet. Benches and amenities are seldom. Bridges span the lock areas which offer nice water drains to view and areas to sit on the edge for a break. During my two hour ride I saw a dozen other bikers, and this was on a 75 degree, cloudless Saturday in mid-June. Suffice it to say, there aren't many folks out here unless you count the occasional fisherman. Other nuances, the trail offers a nice split of shade and sun, but more on the sunny side. I saw one parking lot with trail signs in my stretch. Cheers.

The Hennepin Canal was constructed in 1892, the first boat went through in 1907, and the canal…read moreclosed to boat traffic in 1951. Today the Hennepin Canal serves as a state park. On travels between Wisconsin and central Illinois, we often stop and stretch our legs on the portion near Bureau Junction. There is a bench, restrooms (only open seasonally) and the sound of the water rushing under the bridge is relaxing. The trails have seen better days but are conducive to activities such as picnicking, hiking, horseback riding, bicycling, and snowmobiling. People often fish in the canal as well.

This RV park doesn't have it all, but what it has is fantastic…read more Just spent the weekend at buddy sites 11/11A. Full hookups and the sites are roomy. Very clean and perfectly maintained shower house and laundry facilities. 1st class host(s) that escort you to your site and welcome you with a warm smile. The best part is that it's so peaceful and the small lake is very nice. I highly recommend it.

Booked online a few hours before our arrival. The pictures looked nice and inviting. Didn't…read moredisappoint. What a nice welcome upon arrival. I think an owner, wife greeted us. Explained the rules. After that another camp worker, sweet friendly woman escorted us to our spot. I had ordered fire wood online but, when she was bringing us to our site, there was "extra" from the previous campers. Long day of driving ended with a nice relaxing late afternoon/evening. P.S. bonus-nice little gated, Clean dog run. Thank you so much for everything. What a great night. Dogs got exercise, bon fire, cold peanut butter stout. Cheers until next time. I'll be back!!

Review Visit: October 11th, 2014…read more Rollingbrook Park is just many one of many parks in the Bloomington-Normal area. My dad and I came here during a day of exploring and was greeted with a nice park. It has your typical playground and spacious grounds. But this one has a pretty nice tennis court. So if you get the urge to play, there is a place to play in Blo-No area. I really don't remember much about this park aside from the cool tennis courts. Definitely one to check out if you are park exploring!

Large playground with many disabled friendly pieces of equipment. There are trees very close so…read morethere's shade over some part all the time. There are also nine pickleball courts and three tennis courts