Lifestyle Advantage

Arts

Be dazzled by one of the unforgettable performances at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts or Braden Auditorium at Illinois State University. The arts and theatre scene in Bloomington- Normal is inspiring, creative and cutting edge. The original American Passion Play is one of the oldest in the United States! Enjoy a performance of Shakespeare under the stars in the outdoor amphitheater at Ewing Cultural Center. Don’t forget to stop in one of our local artist galleries featuring original work or enjoy an exhibit at the McLean County Arts Center.

History

Preserve the past and observe the present! Bloomington-Normal is filled with culturally significant history. The scope of museums and history in BN is richly diverse. Get your kicks on historic Route 66 at our new visitor center in the McLean County Museum of History or enjoy amazing hands on fun at the Children’s Discovery Museum. The Town of Normal will be celebrating 150 years in 2015 with activities running March - September, you can visit Normal.org for more details! The elegant 36-room David Davis Mansion offers tours and insight on the history of Abraham Lincoln. Also, if you are interested in aviation, stop by our Prairie Aviation Museum which highlights a Bell Sea Cobra and a Huey Helicopter.

Agriculture

Bloomington-Normal is rich in agritourism! Downtown Bloomington is proud to host seasonal Farmers’ Markets throughout the year. Epiphany Farms, one of the area’s most unique dining experiences, gives tours along with hands on education of the farm to fork process. They provide the advantage of enjoying locally grown farm products served at their restaurants in Bloomington. Agritourism is also represented at White Oak Vineyards. Here they educate visitors on the process of making wine followed by a personalized tasting experience. Rader Family Farms represents recreation and event agritourism in our area. They use their farmland for festivals, corn mazes, children’s activities and hay rides.  All of these events draw in thousands of visitors annually

Outdoors

Explore the great outdoors!  Bloomington- Normal offers many ways to stay active. Enjoy a bicycle ride or walk on the Constitution Trail, hiking or canoeing at Evergreen Lake or a unique activity like water sliding at Anderson Park & Aquatic Center.

Dining

Whether you are looking for a unique place to dine with friends, family or colleagues, you are sure to find it in one of Bloomington-Normal’s more than 200 restaurants. Feast on signature items such as fresh Italian bread at Avanti’s Italian Restaurant or the steaks at Alexander’s Steak House. Also, check out one of our local diners, dives, and drive-in’s. New this year, Epiphany Farms Enterprise will entice you with their locally grown farm products. Don’t forget to try a delectable cheesecake from Sugar Mama Bakery or Sweet Temptations.

Shop

With its masterful blend of historic architecture, contemporary shops and residences, the Downtown Bloomington square invites visitors to explore! A day Downtown should include some pampering at one of the spas, a delicious meal, a visit to an art gallery or museum, some first-class entertainment and, if you can keep on going, a visit to one of the lively night spots. There is something for everyone!

The Downtown Bloomington Association is proud to serve the downtown community by providing activities such as the nationally recognized Farmers’ Market, as well as a variety of exciting events that occur on the First Friday evening of every month. Those events include winter’s Tour de Chocolat’, spring’s Tour de Metro and Area Artist Showcase, autumn’s Around the Corner Art Walk and winter’s Once Upon a Holiday weekend, featuring Live Holiday Window Vignettes. Plan YOUR down time today!

Now is the time to visit Uptown Normal! It is easy to spend an entire day discovering the district’s three-story Children’s Discovery Museum and Discover More! Store,  Historic Normal Theater, Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, first-class restaurants and thriving nightlife.  Plenty of parking and the roundabout makes visiting Uptown Normal by car a breeze. Uptown Normal is also easily accessible by bicycle via Bloomington- Normal's  multipurpose Constitution Trail, or by train thanks to Normal's brand new multimodal transportation center, Uptown Station. Uptown Normal invites you to visit old favorites and discover new ones today! 

Our malls, unique boutiques, Uptown Normal and Downtown Bloomington offer shopping options, ease and affordability! Whether it’s a high-end designer, a locally made product or that special antique you are searching for, Bloomington-Normal offers a variety of shops for your retail pleasure.

Health Care

Since 1880, OSF St. Joseph Medical Center has provided comprehensive health care services to the Bloomington-Normal community. The medical center is a 149-licensed bed, not for profit, acute care, and Level II Trauma Center facility, fully accredited by the Joint Commission located at 2200 E. Washington Street, Bloomington, Illinois. OSF St. Joseph is part of the OSF Healthcare System. In the spirit of Christ and the example of Francis of Assisi, the Mission of OSF HealthCare is to serve persons with the greatest care and love in a community that celebrates the Gift of Life. In 2014, the American Nurses Credentialing Center once again designated OSF St. Joseph Medical Center a Magnet hospital. We offer a full range of outpatient and rehabilitative services; occupational medicine and health services; cardiac surgery and rehabilitation; wellness, prevention, and diagnostic services; and PromptCare sites for the treatment of minor illnesses and injuries. OSF St. Joseph is currently under construction to build McLean County's first Hybrid Operating Room. It is expected to be completed in late summer of 2016.

A program offered by OSF Weight Management and created by HMR® Weight Management Services (HMR) has been named the No. 2 Best Weight-Loss Diet in U.S. News & World Reports' Best Diets of 2015. Becker's Hospital Review along with Axial Exchange recognized OSF St. Joseph Medical Center as a hospital with top patient engagement in 2014. OSF St. Joseph was listed as the 35th best orthopedic hospital in Illinois by the U.S. News & World Reports: America's Best Hospitals list for 2013-2014. Prior, OSF St. Joseph was listed in 2009-2010 and again in 2011-2012. Kevin Schoeplein, OSF HealthCare CEO, was named to Becker's Hospital Review 2013 edition of "300 Hospital and Health System Leaders to Know. Also in 2013, Becker's Hospital Review published its list, "100 Integrated Health Systems to Know," and OSF HealthCare is among them for the second year in a row. For more information about OSF St. Joseph Medical Center, please visit: www.osfstjoseph.org.

Advocate BroMenn Medical Center, a 221-bed hospital located in Bloomington-Normal, has been serving and caring for the people of central Illinois for nearly 120 years. The health care leader in McLean County, BroMenn Medical Center is part of Advocate Health Care, a Truven Health Analytics Top U.S. health care system for quality and clinical performance and the largest provider of health care services in Illinois.

Advocate BroMenn Medical Center is renowned for its neuro, cardiac, orthopedic and women's services, and is also a teaching facility, offering residency programs in Neurosurgery, Neurology, Family Practice and Clinical Pastoral Education. The facility has won several awards for clinical quality, especially in the areas of heart and stroke care. BroMenn Medical Center also has several active partnerships with other organizations, including a community cancer center, an Advanced MRI site, a sleep disorders center, an addiction recovery unit, and an assisted living facility. For more information about Advocate BroMenn Medical Center, visit advocatehealth.com/bromenn.