Washington (Illinois)

Washington is a city in Western Illinois, just east of Peoria and the Illinois River. It was founded in 1825. Washington is home to around 17,000 people (2016).

By bus
The city of Peoria's CityLink bus system makes a stop at Sunnyland Plaza, in the Sunnyland area of Washington.

By plane
Just west of Washington, the city of Peoria is home to a regional airport that receives flights from around the country.

By car
U.S Route 24 passes on the outskirts of Washington.

By train
Amtrak has a station in Bloomington-Normal, about 50 minutes southeast of Washington.

Do
While there is not a ton of things to do in Washington, there is still a decent amount. If you're in the mood for a movie, check out Carmike Sunnyland Cinema 10. They almost always have all recently released movies showing.

Plaza Lanes is a good place for bowling. You can reserve lanes online if you want to make sure that you're able to bowl when you want to. The owners of Plaza Lanes are also working on moving away from only bowling and expanding the place into a full-blown "family center." Plaza Lanes also has a bar and grill.

A great place to get some exercise is Farmdale Reservoir, maintained by the US Army Corps of Engineers. There is about 20 miles of trails here some (or all) of which are good for hiking, biking, horseback-riding, and cross-country skiing (seasonal).

You can also be active outside by making use of the Washington Recreational Trail. This walking, jogging, and biking path runs for about 3-4 miles from N. Cummings Lane to N. Main Street.

Golfers will be glad to know that Washington is home to three golf courses. These are Hillcrest Golf Center Inc. (located on Washington Road; also has a small miniature golf course), Quail Meadows Golf Course and Driving Range (located on Centennial Drive; includes a pro shop and indoor golf course), and Pine Lakes Golf Club ( located south of Washington on Schuck Road).

Buy
The Washington Downtown Historic Square is home to about 30 specialty shops. These include an old-fashioned candy store, a sporting goods store, various places offering collectibles, an antique place, and a furniture shop.

Cherry Tree Shopping Center is an important shopping facility in the city. It is home to a Kroger's, K-Mart, Hallmark Store, a beauty salon, and more.

Between Washington and Sunnyland, there is quite a few chain stores that have recently been built. The most popular is definitely the Wal-Mart Supercenter. In the adjacent lots there is a Menard's, as well as a small shopping center housing, among other things, a GameStop.

Lindy's Downtown Market is the only privately-owned grocery store in Washington. Special treats that are available there are Jones' brand sodas and Fannie Mae candy.