I said to myself that if the Illinois Fighting Illini defeated the Nebraska Cornhuskers, I would…read morepurchase a ticket and make the drive from Chicago to watch them against the Michigan State Spartans. And what a college football game it was with the Fighting Illini defeating the Cornhuskers 31-24 in overtime, which ended up being my go ahead on purchasing a ticket. I walked to Memorial Stadium which sat no more than a mile away from my hotel, the Homewood Suites by Hilton Champaign-Urbana. I recommend Homewood Suites for hotel stay if you are visiting for any Fighting Illini sporting events because of its distance. As a die-hard Fighting Illini football fan along with it being my very first home game attended; it felt surreal walking through Grange Grove gate of Memorial Stadium and right by the statue of the Galloping Ghost! It will be a memory that I forever cherish! It was easy navigating around Memorial Stadium to locate my seat. I loved where it was located, even though it was hard at times to see over the standing fans most of the time. Off to the side, I did have a good visual of the video display when I could not see over standing fans. I always love that the video display shows the results of other games being played. Prior to heading out for the Fighting Illini football game I was tuned into the Colorado Buffaloes vs Utah Utes football game. And the video display gave me the chance to see the updated score of that game. The stadium atmosphere at Memorial Stadium was fantastic! It was much different attending rather than watching on television because I was able to chant either "I-L-L or I-N-I" and boo the opposing team which was Michigan State. And my seat was located near the end zone where the cannons were fired post the Fighting Illini entering the field, as well as after each scoring point. I never got the chance to see the Fighting Illini marching band perform until now. Their performance was a sight to see during half-time and it made the time go by faster. In between timeouts and play calling, there were acknowledgements of the accomplishments of student athletes and anyone part of the University of Illinois. Selfie cam kept everyone in attendance involved and tuned in to the video display. Seems like the best way to get captured is to wear something out of the normal, or simply just standing out maybe. I left within the final minutes of the fourth quarter, just to avoid the cluster of fans leaving after the game, plus I was hungry and cold. Since it was my first Fighting Illini game at Memorial Stadium I did not want to leave prematurely as I am known for, even with the Fighting Illini leading in points. After this game, I am very open to making my way down from Chicago, just to see my beloved Fighting Illini again at Memorial Stadium in Champaign being that this experience was enjoyable. ~ Good vibes coming your way ~ Thomas G

I spent a decade at U of I for my undergraduate degree and PhD. I went to one football game…read morebasically every year. Since I graduated I had not been back for a decade. I decided to take my dad back this year for his birthday. It was a lot of fun. There is nothing like the energy before a Big Ten football game. The tailgating, kids throwing footballs around, and the smells of food on the grill. We got tickets in the upper deck, I prefer this so you can see plays developing. The seats were great. The only downside is that there isn't a hand railing (no idea how they have gotten around this) so you have to be careful when you are carrying tons of food/drinks or if you are older. The Marching Illini do a fantastic job, the stadium is gorgeous, and it just took me back to my time at U of I a decade ago.

On my first visit to this ice arena, I was impressed given the age of the building. Unlike many of…read morethe newer ice arenas which resemble metal barns with domed celings from the outside, this place has the look of one of the many university buildings on the U of I campus where it is located. Once inside, you enter a large lobby area with benches and lockers. This is where the skaters hang out between events. It provides a warm place to stay out of the cold of the ice arena between events. For many ice arenas, this kind of place simply does not exist. Often the skaters hang out in dingy, meat-locker type settings when there's a competition. Here, the skaters could spread out their stuff, relax, read, play chess or get a snack. The concession stand is well-equipped with chips, popcorn, giant soft pretzels, cheesy nachos and hot dogs. They have a great selection and are reasonably priced too. However, the place can be overrun and with only one person typically staffing the counter, the line can be long. If they would get a second person during peak times, I think they would be able to get even more sales, since some people will not wait for that long to order something. As for the ice itself, it held up remarkably well for the Land of Lincoln speedskating tournament. The rink is nice and wide, which gives skaters a wide outer perimeter on turns when racing laps. The corridors around the rink are narrow, but not too crowded since most of the skaters stay in the lobby till their race is up. The viewing area seating is above, lined with rows of benches, where you can sit and look down on the ice. It is high up and provides a pretty unobstructed view of the rink, even from the back row. The design of this building really works well and it makes me wish more ice venues were built in a similar way.

For student admission is free , rental 2$. i have my skates with me. So all free. I love it. Place…read morefor joy for kids, adaults

Oh man if I lived here I'd be at the rose bowl every night. Musician owned, so there's great live…read moremusic here every night and the crowd appreciates it. This is a great venue for artists (although you have to do a lot of your own publicity to bring in an audience, and it's pass the tip jar, so a bit of a risk). Nice artist green room downstairs. Great selections of beer, including a variety of stouts and porters. Everything from 2% milk stout up to 9%! Great bartenders and they also have wine, mixed drinks, non alcoholic etc. Bring your own food! They have good quality merch, hats, shirts, hoodies.

Dropped in on a rainy Saturday afternoon to Jonny, the bartender, and had a great conversation…read morewith him and stuck around for a great blues band!

I remember when this place used to be called Huff Gym back in the 1970s. Guys would play basketball…read moreon Saturdays. Sometimes a friend and myself would workout in one of the old weight areas. Another friend would workout with other athletes. And he would play basketball afterwards to loosen up. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huff_Hall Above is a link to Huff Hall (that used to be called Huff Gym back during 1937 - 1992).

It's a cool theatre but no recliners just an fyi…read more People inside theatre were loud during movie of Micheal Jackson If you are ok with people interrupting the film then come to this cinema The only thing cool of this cinema is that they show and celebrate old films (85 to 33 year old films) and you can see them here. The drinks and snacks are good here too.

Had a good IMAX experience here. The seats were more of a…read morerocker type ( no recliners ) but comfy . Popcorn was VERY salty but good .

My husband and I came to Champaign for a wedding. Being an alum, my husband was excited to show me…read morethe University of Illinois campus. This was my first time visiting the University of Illinois in many years. He took me around to the Alma Mater Sculpture, the Illini Union, and then we walked around the quad outside of the Illini Union. It is a very nice campus. There were many students and we saw many prospective students going on tours. If you're visiting the Champaign/Urbana area, I recommend taking a scenic walk around the University of Illinois campus.

Terrible graduation parking experience, ZERO traffic control, 6 police officers in the stadium…read moreprotecting 4000 students and 30000 guests, a terrorists wet dream. It's like the school said: we're not getting anymore tuition, it's miller time, go home. What a joke.

Historic building has a nice cafe which served Starbucks as they have live music . The students…read moreare busy finishing up their studies it's a good place to relax and People watch

My husband, a University of Illinois alum, and I were in Champaign-Urbana for a wedding, and he…read morewanted to show me around the University of Illinois campus. The first place that he insisted on stopping at was the Illini Union. When we visited, this was a hub of activity. Illini Fest was going on this weekend. We went to the basement, which was home to several restaurants, a recreation center featuring a bowling alley, and a live band playing music. I really enjoyed seeing his old stomping grounds. If you're on the University of Illinois campus, I recommend going to the Illini Union.