College Visit Guides

Drive guide · 2 days, 2 campuses

Illinois State and Bradley in 2 Days: A Central Illinois College Road Trip

A parent-first plan for seeing Illinois State University in Normal and Bradley University in Peoria in two days: how each visit works, where to park, four hotels from budget to upscale, drive times across central Illinois, museums for siblings and seasonal weather, every fact sourced and checked Oct 29, 2026.

The tree-lined Quad at Illinois State University in late summer, with a wide lawn, walkways and a campus building beyond the trees
The Quad at Illinois State University, seen from in front of Hovey Hall (Aug 2024). Photo: Michaelkurek011 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Last checked Oct 29, 2026. Every fact comes from the pages listed in Sources at the bottom. Some hotel and tour links are affiliate links (disclosure).

The short version

Trip at a glance

Schools
Illinois State University (Normal, IL) · Bradley University (Peoria, IL)
Days
2 days: Illinois State on day 1, then about 50 minutes west to Peoria; Bradley on day 2. Arrive the evening before.
Fly into
Central Illinois Regional (BMI) in Bloomington, about 15 minutes from Uptown Normal with no traffic. Fly home from Peoria (PIA), about 14 minutes from Bradley's Visitor Center.
Best base
Night 1: Bloomington-Normal Marriott, about a 5-minute walk from Hovey Hall. Night 2: Peoria Marriott Pere Marquette downtown, about 4 minutes by car from Bradley.
Car or transit
Rent a car: the campuses are about 40 miles apart.
Registration
Book a Daily Campus Visit at Illinois State and a weekday or Saturday visit at Bradley online. Bradley doesn't take walk-ins on Saturdays.

1. Who this guide is for

This plan is for parents with a high schooler, and maybe younger siblings, who want to compare a large public university and a private university in one short trip: Illinois State University in Normal and Bradley University in Peoria, about 40 miles apart in central Illinois.

Illinois State's Office of Admissions is in 201 Hovey Hall in Normal, and Bradley visits start at the Bradley University Visitor Center, 830 N. Elmwood in Peoria.

Why this order

  • Day 1: Illinois State's Daily Campus Visit starts with a 30-minute admissions presentation, followed by a 90-minute student-led outdoor walking tour ; Illinois State says daily visits tour its Tree Campus USA quad.
  • Day 2: a Bradley weekday visit pairs a walking tour led by a current student with a short meeting with an admission counselor, and lasts about two hours.
  • Each stop has something for siblings: the Children's Discovery Museum is about a 5-minute walk from the Normal hotel, and the Peoria Riverfront Museum is about an 8-minute walk from the Peoria hotel.
Plan ahead: registration and timing
  • Illinois State: pick a date on the Daily Campus Visit calendar and register online.
  • Bradley: choose a weekday or Saturday visit on Bradley's sign-up calendar. Saturday visits are a group presentation and group tour with no private visits or faculty appointments, and many campus buildings are closed on weekends.
  • Bradley says faculty appointments on weekday visits need a week's notice.
Tour availability varies by season.
  • Illinois State Open Houses include a 60-minute main program, an academic and student services fair, and campus tours, including the Multicultural Center and Student Fitness Center; register from the Open House page.
  • Bradley lists visit days, transfer visit days and admitted student days with registration links on its visit page.

2. The suggested 2-day drive

  • Drive and walk times are no-traffic estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, using addresses geocoded with OpenStreetMap Nominatim. Leave extra time for weather and traffic.

Arrival evening: fly into Bloomington-Normal (BMI)

  1. Central Illinois Regional Airport (BMI) → Bloomington-Normal Marriott (201 Broadway Ave., Normal)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~15 min, 7.2 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving and walking
    Rental car
  • If you plan to fly home from Peoria (PIA), check one-way rental car options before you book.

Day 1: Illinois State University, then on to Peoria

  1. Bloomington-Normal Marriott → Hovey Hall

    Driving (no traffic)
    Leave the car at the hotel
    Driving and walking
    ~5 min walk, 0.2 mi

  2. Bloomington-Normal Marriott → Children's Discovery Museum (101 E. Beaufort St.)

    Driving (no traffic)
    Leave the car at the hotel
    Driving and walking
    ~5 min walk, 0.3 mi

  3. Bone Student Center lot, Normal → Bradley University Visitor Center (830 N. Elmwood Ave., Peoria)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~50 min, 39.6 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving and walking
    Rental car
  • Your Daily Campus Visit is a 30-minute admissions presentation and a 90-minute outdoor walking tour, so dress for the weather. Check your confirmation for where to meet.
  • If you'd rather drive to campus, Illinois State's directions use 397 W. Locust St., the entrance to the Bone Student Center visitor lot, as the destination.

Day 2: Bradley University, then fly home

  1. Peoria Marriott Pere Marquette (501 Main St.) → Bradley University Visitor Center

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~4 min, 1.6 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving and walking
    ~32 min walk, 1.5 mi

  2. Bradley Visitor Center → Peoria Riverfront Museum (222 SW Washington St.)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~5 min, 2.0 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving and walking
    Rental car

  3. Bradley Visitor Center → General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport (PIA)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~14 min, 5.9 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving and walking
    Rental car
  • Bradley's weekday visit is a student-led walking tour and a short meeting with an admission counselor, about two hours in all. Bradley encourages no more than four people per party when possible.
  • Driving back to BMI instead takes about 1 hr 2 min, 47.8 miles, with no traffic.

3. Campus by campus

The tree-lined Quad at Illinois State University in late summer, with a wide lawn, walkways and a campus building beyond the trees
The Quad at Illinois State University, seen from in front of Hovey Hall (Aug 2024). Photo: Michaelkurek011 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

Illinois State University (Normal, IL)

Where visits start
  • The Daily Campus Visit is a 30-minute presentation by an admissions counselor followed by a 90-minute student-led outdoor walking tour.
  • Individual meetings with an admissions counselor are available Monday through Friday.
  • Illinois State also offers Open Houses, transfer visits, academic department visits and group visits.
Visitor parking
  • Visitors can park in two pay lots for an hourly fee: the Bone Student Center Pay Lot (397 W. Locust St.) on the north side of campus and the first level of the South University Parking Garage (450 S. University St.) on the south side.
  • If you need a disability accommodation, contact the Office of Admissions at least two weeks ahead at (309) 438-2181 or Admissions@IllinoisState.edu.
Getting there
  • Hovey Hall is about a 5-minute walk from the Bloomington-Normal Marriott. The Bone Student Center lot is about 8 minutes by car from the Hampton Inn & Suites and about 12 minutes from the DoubleTree, with no traffic.
  • From I-55 or I-74, Illinois State's directions use the US-51 Business exit toward Bloomington-Normal, then Main Street, Willow Street and Normal Avenue to the Bone Student Center lot.
What to know
  • The Illinois State photo in this guide shows the Quad, which the university describes as part of a Tree Campus USA campus.
Contact
Illinois State Office of Admissions, 201 Hovey Hall, Normal, IL; (309) 438-2181; office hours 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Admissions@IllinoisState.edu.

Last checked Oct 29, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: Illinois State: Visit Illinois State · Illinois State: Driving directions · Illinois State: Visitor parking

Bradley Hall, a stone building with castle-style battlements and arched windows, on a winter day at Bradley University in Peoria
Bradley Hall at Bradley University in Peoria (Feb 2006). Photo: AscendedAnathema · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

Bradley University (Peoria, IL)

Where visits start
  • Visits start at the Bradley University Visitor Center, 830 N. Elmwood, Peoria. A weekday visit is a student-led walking tour plus a short meeting with an admission counselor, about two hours.
  • Saturday visits are a group presentation and walking group tour; walk-ins aren't available, and Bradley asks you to arrive on time.
  • Weekday visits can include a faculty appointment during the semester; Bradley asks for a week's notice.
Visitor parking
  • Bradley's main visitor lot is at the corner of Duryea Place and St. James Street. There are also marked visitor spaces on Tobias Lane, Clarissa Court and Haussler Lane, and on the main level of the Main Street Deck.
  • Parking questions go to Bradley Parking Operations at (309) 677-2227 or parking@bradley.edu.
Getting there
  • The Visitor Center is about 4 minutes by car from the Peoria Marriott Pere Marquette (about a 32-minute walk) and about 14 minutes by car from PIA, with no traffic.
What to know
  • The Bradley photo in this guide shows Bradley Hall.
  • Admitted students can come back for Bradley's admitted student days; see the visit page.
Contact
Bradley Campus Visit Coordinator: (309) 677-1000 or admissions@bradley.edu. Visitor Center: 830 N. Elmwood, Peoria, IL.

Last checked Oct 29, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: Bradley: Saturday visits · Bradley: Visit (Visit Days and events) · Bradley: Campus parking

4. Where to stay: one night in Normal, one in Peoria

Price tiers (Budget, Mid-range, Upscale) follow each hotel's star class on Expedia. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Hotel · Our pickMid-range

Bloomington-Normal Marriott Hotel & Conference Center

201 Broadway Ave., Normal, IL 61761

Why here

  • In Uptown Normal, about a 5-minute walk from Hovey Hall and about 15 minutes by car from BMI.
  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 3.5-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists 228 rooms, a 2025 remodel, an indoor pool, the on-site Jesses Grille, self-parking for a fee and a minimum check-in age of 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateMid-range

Peoria Marriott Pere Marquette

501 Main St., Peoria, IL 61602

Why here

  • Our night-2 base: downtown Peoria, about 4 minutes by car from Bradley's Visitor Center and about an 8-minute walk from the Peoria Riverfront Museum.
  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 3.5-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists 288 rooms, the on-site Fox & Ford restaurant, self-parking for a fee and no pets. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateUpscale

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Bloomington

10 Brickyard Dr., Bloomington, IL 61701

Why here

  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 4-star property, so we place it in the Upscale tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
  • It's about 12 minutes by car from the Bone Student Center lot with no traffic.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists 197 rooms, an indoor pool, free self-parking, a free airport shuttle and a minimum check-in age of 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateBudget

Hampton Inn & Suites Bloomington-Normal

320 S. Towanda Ave., Normal, IL 61761

Why here

  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 2.5-star property, so we place it in the Budget tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
  • It's about 8 minutes by car from the Bone Student Center lot with no traffic.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists 128 rooms, a free breakfast buffet, free self-parking and an indoor pool. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Sleep in Uptown Normal the first night so you can walk to Hovey Hall in the morning, then drive to Peoria after your visit and spend night 2 downtown, a few minutes from Bradley and close to PIA.

5. Meals between tours

Hours change, so check before you go.

In Normal

The Bloomington-Normal Marriott's on-site Jesses Grille is listed on Expedia as an on-site restaurant.

In Peoria

The Peoria Marriott Pere Marquette's on-site Fox & Ford is listed on Expedia as an on-site restaurant.

6. Things for siblings along the route

With siblings

Children's Discovery Museum

101 E. Beaufort St., Normal, IL

About a 5-minute walk from the Bloomington-Normal Marriott. Paid admission covers all floors with same-day re-entry, children under 2 are free, and Mondays are for members only.

Official page →

With siblings

Peoria Riverfront Museum

222 SW Washington St., Peoria, IL

About an 8-minute walk from the Peoria Marriott Pere Marquette. Admission covers the exhibitions, galleries, daytime planetarium shows and parking in the museum's covered garage; admission is free every second Sunday.

Official page →

With siblings

A Redbirds or Braves game

Normal and Peoria, IL

Check the Illinois State and Bradley athletics calendars for a home game on your dates.

Official page →

7. Practical tips

Driving and parking

  • The Bone Student Center lot in Normal to Bradley's Visitor Center is about 39.6 miles and 50 minutes with no traffic, so plan the drive for after your Illinois State visit.
  • At Illinois State, the visitor pay lots charge by the hour. At Bradley, use the visitor lot at Duryea Place and St. James Street or a marked visitor space.

Flying in and out

  • Central Illinois Regional (BMI) is about 15 minutes from Uptown Normal, and Peoria (PIA) is about 14 minutes from Bradley, with no traffic, so you can fly home without backtracking.

Weather by season (1991–2020 NOAA normals: Peoria International Airport)

  • Spring: April averages about 64°F highs and 42°F lows, with about 4.0 inches of rain.
  • Summer: July averages about 86°F/66°F, with about 3.5 inches of rain, so bring water for the 90-minute outdoor tour at Illinois State.
  • Fall: October averages about 65°F/44°F, with about 3.2 inches of rain.
  • Winter: January averages about 34°F/18°F, with about 7.7 inches of snow.

Parent checklist

  • Book an Illinois State Daily Campus Visit for day 1 and a Bradley weekday or Saturday visit for day 2.
  • If your student wants a Bradley faculty meeting, request it when you register, at least a week ahead.
  • Book a rental car, and check one-way options if you'll fly home from PIA.
  • Book night 1 in Normal and night 2 in Peoria.
  • After each visit, take five minutes to jot down what stood out to your student.

8. Student-athlete recruiting visits

For families whose student hopes to play a college sport. Rules below are the NCAA's; each school's links were checked Oct 26, 2026.

Coaches arrange the recruiting part of a visit, not the admissions office. The tour sign-ups in this guide are for the regular family visit. An official (school-paid) visit is offered by the school, and contact with coaches follows NCAA rules that vary by division, sport and grade level.

Start with your sport's questionnaire, then email the coaches. The NCAA suggests emailing coaches with your achievements, highlight videos and interest in their program, including your name, position, NCAA ID and graduation year.

2 Division I

NCAA basics for parents

  • Unofficial visit: any campus visit you or your family pay for. You can take as many as you like; in Divisions I and II each one has to come after the first permissible date for your sport.
  • Official visit: a visit paid for by the school. Each school can offer your student only one. Before a Division I official visit, your student must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center, be on the school's institutional request list, and the school must have their high school transcripts.
  • Division I (Illinois State University and Bradley University): on an official visit the school can pay for travel for the student and up to two family members, lodging, up to three meals a day for the student and up to four family members, and up to $60 a person in entertainment, including five home-game tickets. On an unofficial visit there are no free meals, but the school can give up to three home-game tickets. Division I uses recruiting calendars with contact, evaluation, quiet and dead periods; in a dead period, no in-person contact and no visits.
  • Rules change. Confirm with the coach, or check the NCAA's recruiting page and recruiting calendars, before you plan dates.

Planning around the season

  • Check each school's athletics schedule (linked above) before you pick dates, so a coach meeting doesn't land on a road trip or game day for your sport.
  • Our recommendation, not a school rule: ask the coach whether they can line up an admissions session or tour around your meeting. If not, book the regular family tour yourself through the official sign-up links in this guide, and leave time between the two.

Student-athlete sources

All checked Oct 26, 2026.

  1. NCAA, 2026-27 Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete (pp. 3, 21–25)
  2. NCAA.org: NCAA Recruiting
  3. NCAA: Division I and II Recruiting Calendars and Guides
  4. NCAA Directory: Illinois State University
  5. Illinois State University Athletics (official site)
  6. Illinois State University Athletics: Staff Directory
  7. Illinois State University Athletics: schedule of events
  8. NCAA Directory: Bradley University
  9. Bradley University Athletics (official site)
  10. Bradley University Athletics: Staff Directory
  11. Bradley University Athletics: schedule of events

Trip planner

Plan this trip

Add your dates and how you're getting there, and we'll pull this guide into one plan: tour sign-up links, the hotel base, parking or airport notes, the route and meals.

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Sources

All checked Oct 29, 2026. Tour schedules change constantly, so always confirm on each school's official sign-up page. Photo credits are under each photo and on our About page.

  1. Illinois State University: Visit Illinois State
  2. Illinois State Admissions: Daily Campus Visit (official sign-up)
  3. Illinois State: Driving directions
  4. Illinois State Maps: Driving and directions
  5. Illinois State Parking: Visitor, metered and pay lots
  6. Illinois State Admissions: Contact us
  7. Illinois State: Open House
  8. Bradley University: Visit
  9. Bradley Admissions: Weekday visits (official sign-up)
  10. Bradley Admissions: Saturday visits (official sign-up)
  11. Bradley University: Campus parking
  12. Children's Discovery Museum (Normal): Visit
  13. Peoria Riverfront Museum: Plan your visit
  14. Expedia listing: Bloomington-Normal Marriott Hotel & Conference Center (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-29) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Bloomington-Hotels-Bloomington-Normal-Marriott-Hotel-Conference-Center.h2882022.Hotel-Information)
  15. Expedia listing: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Bloomington (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-29) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Bloomington-Hotels-DoubleTree-By-Hilton-Hotel-Bloomington.h40402.Hotel-Information)
  16. Expedia listing: Hampton Inn & Suites Bloomington - Normal (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-29) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Bloomington-Hotels-Hampton-Inn-Suites-Bloomington-Normal.h1507207.Hotel-Information)
  17. Expedia listing: Peoria Marriott Pere Marquette (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-29) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Peoria-Hotels-Peoria-Marriott-Pere-Marquette.h20026.Hotel-Information)
  18. OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap), driving profile
  19. OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap), foot profile
  20. OpenStreetMap Nominatim geocoder
  21. NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 Monthly Normals, Peoria International Airport, IL (USW00014842)
  22. Illinois State Redbirds Athletics: Calendar
  23. Bradley Braves Athletics: Calendar