u/DanaKScully_FBI

If you’re coming to a game between 8/13 and 8/23, the Illinois State Fair is also happening not too far from the stadium. There are some pretty big concerts there like The Chicks, Shinedown, and Matchbox 20.

But also keep in mind that the hotels and Airbnbs will be booked out for the fair.

Don’t be afraid to book a hotel or Airbnb a little further out because it really only takes about 30 minutes to get from one side of Springfield to the other.

I definitely recommend bringing/renting a car if possible, but you can around with Uber/Lyft and the buses. Just make sure you check the routes. We are definitely not a good public transit city.

Must try foods:

Horseshoes / pony shoes:
Everyone recommends D’Arcy’s Pint but you really can’t go wrong with any of the local places. Corner Pub, Westwood Lodge, Barrelhead, Obed & Isaac’s, any of the ones with pub food.

A pony shoe is a half serving of the horseshoe. I always get a pony. My husband gets a horseshoe. It’s like a single burger vs a double.

The hamburger horseshoe is the classic but buffalo chicken is everyone’s favorite. Cook’s Spice Rack on south grand has a really good breakfast shoe.

Cozy Dog: the original corn dog on Route 66.

Mel-o-cream donuts.

Charlie Parker’s diner pancakes. They’re as big as the plate! (they have horseshoes too. Lol)

Grab a Java for coffee.

Other cool things to visit:

The state fair obviously. See the butter cow!

The Lincoln sites. Lincoln’s home is pretty cool. His tomb is also here and there’s a statue where you can rub his nose for luck. And the Lincoln presidential library and museum.

The old and new state capitols. (I actually work a couple of blocks from the capitol building. It’s really pretty.)

Elderberry and Plumb bookstore on 7th.

Knight’s Action park for mini golf, driving range, go carts, and water park. (Hella expensive but you’re on vacation! Lol)

Knight’s has a drive in movie theater too. If you buy tickets to the first showing, you can stay for the second movie. You can switch screens if you want. And you can bring in your own food.

If you play Pokemon go, there’s a group that meets at Washington park near the Carillon on the weekends. The stadium itself is a poke gym and there are two pokestops there. The gym was heavily contested during the first game so I know several people there were playing!

Clique is our local gay bar. I haven’t been in decades but I think it’s still a good spot.

I’m just so excited y’all are coming to my hometown. I went to the first game and the parking lot was filled with license plates from all over the country plus Ontario and BC!