Hey there! Now that we know you are interested in visiting Springfield,
Illinois, we’re basically besties and besties don’t let besties travel
uneducated.
Meet your Springfield area Gen Z experts - mainly
based on the fact we’re Gen Z, but also pretty fun!
Our credentials:
- Kaitlin is our Digital Marketing Specialist who
handles all things social for Visit Springfield. Between keeping our socials
funky & fresh, and frequently heading out to the community to capture
content, Kaitlin has the 411 on everything Insta-worthy of doing.
- Hannah is on our sales team as an Account Executive, aka a master at showing people how great Springfield is and why they should want to host their convention here.
Between the two of us, we think Springfield is pretty
great and for various reasons. We teamed up to pick the best of the best in
Springfield and want to share our must visit spots for whatever it is you are
looking for!
Getting here and getting
around:
Sustainable Transportation
- Amtrak station
in the heart of downtown Springfield
- Springfield Mass
Transit - Use the go!SMTD app to purchase
passes, pay your fair, receive alerts and plan your trip! You can also purchase an unlimited
one-day or seven-day pass, depending on the length of your stay.
- Uber/Lyft
- Taxi service
- Downtown Springfield is highly walkable
Springfield Airport
- Getting to and from Springfield is easy at
the Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport with multiple daily flights to Chicago’s O’Hare
International Airport and Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport.
Springfield is also located along major
interstates and Historic Route 66, making it super easy to drive to and navigate the
city!
Speaking of Route 66
Route 66 Mural Trail & Wayside Exhibits- The mural trail is an IRL vibe check for anyone who's into travel, art and snapping the perfect pic for the 'gram! These iconic murals tell the tales of Illinois' Mother Road, one colorful wall at a time.
Where to nourish your bodies and souls:
Head West Sub Shop ($) – Quick,
affordable and delicious subs, salads, and soups– what more could you want? - Fun fact
- the bread at Head West is made from the same dough that Mel-O-Cream Donuts
uses, a Springfield favorite donut shop!
Finley’s
Tap House ($$)- Serves up fresh daily, hand-crafted food and some of the yummiest craft
cocktails.
Maldaner’s Restaurant ($$$) – Heirloom
vegetables, humanely raised meats and slow food all artistically prepared and
presented in the oldest continually operated restaurant in Springfield. - They even have their own rooftop garden, talk about a sustainable icon.
Curate ($$$)
–This tapas style restaurant offers small plates inspired by various ethnic
cuisines all meant for sampling, sharing and pairing with great wines. - Basically an indecisive groups match-made in heaven.
POV you searching “cute places to grab drinks with
friends":
- Speaking of Obed’s,
you will want to make sure you stop by their outdoor beer garden. It features
an outdoor bar, two bocce courts, bags, twinkling lights and an area for
kiddos. Even more importantly, dogs are not only allowed but encouraged in the
beer garden!
Time for a sweet treat:
Vextor Boba Tea Lounge – Pop in,
grab a delicious boba or milk tea, document it by taking a picture of your tea
in front of their flower wall, become obsessed, repeat until you leave!
Hae’s Bakery and Coffee Shoppe –
Sometimes you just need a cookie and one of our favorite spots to grab one is
Hae’s. Along with delicious coffee, grab and go food options, smoothies and
even plant-based Lotus energy drinks!
Focused on fitness?
Bungee Fitness – Dance, fly and
sweat your way through a one-of-a-kind workout! Being attached to a bungee cord
allows you to experience a high intensity class with low-impact on your body.
Trails and Parks – When you need
to unplug and touch some grass, Springfield has you covered on outdoor spaces with
several different parks and trails located throughout the city.
Who are we without caffeine?
Custom Cup – It LITERALLY doesn’t
get fresher than this. All coffee is roasted in-shop, in small batches, with
their favorite pour-over and drip brewing techniques.
Papo's Café - A locally owned and
operated café serving made-from-scratch breakfast, lunches, desserts and
hand-crafted coffee drinks. Perfect for those wanting goodies on the go, as
they have a drive-thru window!
- Plan your
visit on a weekend and try on of their famous giant cinnamon rolls!
Grab-a-Java
– 3 convenient drive-thru coffee shop locations, offering coffee, espresso,
chai, blended drinks and smoothies.
Voluntourism/Looking to cover your travel footprint?
The St. John’s Breadline is open
365 days a year and provides anywhere from 400 – 500 meals a day.
- For
information on volunteering options, please contact the Breadline Assistant at
217-528-6098 or email breadlineassistant@cc.dio.org. We recommend
reaching out sooner than later to ensure volunteer availability!
Head out to Lincoln Memorial
Garden and pop in the Nature Center to see how you can help out! Whether it
means picking up garbage, clearing the trails of sticks and debris, or breaking
low hanging branches – they would love the help.
- Added bonus–
The Garden sits right on Lake Springfield, talk about work with a view!
Still don’t trust us?
That's okay - we
accept you, trust issues and all. Check out our socials and website, and do a
little more digging for yourself!
Once you decide to visit (fingers crossed) don’t forget to
tag us in all of your #alwayslegendary Springfield experiences
@visitspringfield!
Where to crash?
You will want to check out our website’s hotel page to find the perfect place to stay for your getaway. Find all of our affordable and unique hotels here.