Picture this: You’re a new student who has just arrived at the University. It’s a warm August afternoon, and you wonder what there is to do in the crown jewel of Central Illinois.
Aside from the multiple entertainment options scattered along Green Street and beyond, you can find an array of fun and free outdoor activities, perfect for when you need to reconnect with nature.
The keyword here is “free.” As any student can tell you, college isn’t exactly the time to splurge.
These different experiences are also accessible by bus and are free with your i-card.
One of the most well-known outdoor attractions on campus is the University of Illinois Arboretum, 160 acres of greenery located along Lincoln Avenue in Urbana.
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You can reach the Arboretum by hopping on the 12 Teal bus route, which will take you straight to the gardens, with the PAR/FAR towers looming on the horizon.
In its own way, the Arboretum is Champaign-Urbana’s response to Manhattan’s Central Park. The botanical gardens are the place to escape the noise of campus life and sit, read or stroll in nature.
It’s also home to Japan House, a facility known for its tea ceremonies. Some visitors, like Pam Brooks and Tom Dickens, a couple from Arizona, made a point to stroll around the famous Arboretum during their tour of the Midwest.
Brooks, a herbologist, highlighted the variety of plants and flowers featured in the gardens, as well as the size of the space.
“It’s really pretty,” Brooks said. “I like how they have a lot of labels, so I know the plants. It’s a nice place to walk and get a little exercise in the fresh air.”
If, when you visit the outdoors, you dread the return to your cinderblock dorm, there’s no need to worry. You can get involved at places like the University of Illinois Plant Biology Greenhouse and spend more time with nature.
Compared to the Arboretum, the greenhouse is a hidden green gem, shrouded among the ivy-covered red-brick and limestone campus buildings.
Heather Lash, Plant Biology Greenhouse coordinator, wants everyone to know what the conservatory has to offer.
“(The greenhouse) is utilized for University courses in several areas of study, for the public and students to enjoy as a peaceful sanctuary and to hopefully excite and inspire future plant scientists or enthusiasts,” Lash said. “Also, if you struggle with winter in C-U, walking through the conservatory is like a dose of medicine.”
With a main conservatory area and a few special plant collections, anyone can get lost in this green maze that brings the outdoors inside.
For Megan O’Sullivan, junior in LAS, her first interaction with the greenhouse was thanks to IB 271: Organismal Biology, a class that used the facility. Since then, she’s become an avid fan.
“I find it to be one of the more underrated spots on campus, so if I could tell students anything about the greenhouse, it would be to stop in some time,” O’Sullivan said. “I’ve gone back, both to show my friends and to study there in its relaxing atmosphere.”
Lastly, if you want to go on a small adventure, you can visit Urbana’s Market at the Square on Saturdays. The 13 Silver or 5 Green can take you straight to the Lincoln Square Mall parking lot, where dozens of local businesses sell everything from lemonade to handmade candles.
So, when you need a change of scenery and want to reconnect with nature, be sure to check these places out. Step out of the campus bubble for a little while — you never know what you might find.
