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• Take a tour of CU’s parks

Looking for a place to escape the continually present noise of construction on campus and relax? Want to find a place to exercise outside where you won’t have to breathe in car emissions and fear for your life as you cross the street? CU is home to over 60 parks where one can partake in a pickup game of soccer, a leisurely walk or a picnic. buzz has compiled a list of some of these parks that are worth checking out.

Champaign Parks:

Centennial Park – Located on the west of end of Champaign, about four and half miles away from the Quad, Centennial is the perfect park for the sports fanatic. With a total of four baseball fields, a lighted basketball court, six soccer fields, eight lighted tennis and two volleyball courts, along with an outdoor pool, waterslides and an extensive network of trails all located on a whopping 134 acres, the options available to physically exert yourself abound.

Dodds Park – Home to the “Tribute to Olympic Athletes” monument, the 110 acres that makes up Dodds Park is a great place to enjoy the outdoors. Why not pay tribute to the nearly 30 athletes commemorated on the monument by playing on one of the 14 soccer fields, 7 ball fields or taking a jog on one of the trials.

Heritage Park – High intensity exercise not your thing? Head out to Heritage Park and enjoy the relaxing atmosphere. Offering areas for fishing and trail walking, along with picnic areas, Heritage Park is a great place to spend a leisurely day.

Washington – Looking to go to a park but don’t want to go to go too far? Washington Park offers public grills, picnic areas and a soccer field and volleyball courts, all located on Campus on the corner of Daniel Street and Second Street.

Urbana Parks:

Blair Park – Located a mere 1.5 miles away from Campus, Blair Park is perfect for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of campus life but are restricted by transportation. The park offers picnic areas, gardens and flowers, along with Urbana’s only lighted tennis court, ball fields and shuffleboard.

Carle Park – Finally, horticulture enthusiasts get a break. Carle Park is home to more than 50 trees that are part of the Hickman Tree Walk. Even better, the park is less than a mile away from the Quad.

Crestview Park – Didn’t have enough money to splurge on a vacation to Japan? Crestview Park offers an Asian-style garden created in honor of the Tokyo Koishikawa Rotary Club. The Park also offers paths, picnic areas, playgrounds and volleyball courts.

Meadowbrook Park – Enjoy a blast from the past with a visit to Medowbrook, located in South Urbana along Windsor Road and Race Street. The park features farmstead, herb gardens, organic garden plots, and three-mile hard surface trails. The park is also home to the Champaign county Audubon Society’s 80 acres of recreated historic Illinois Tallgrass prairie.

Day Trips:

Allerton Park – Located about 25 miles west of Campus just outside Monticello, the 1500 acres that makes up Allerton boasts formal gardens with over 100 sculptures and garden ornaments, a Georgian-style mansion and 14 miles of trails. It’s is a great place to spend the day relaxing and just enjoy being a part of nature.

Kickapoo Park – Located a little less than 30 miles east of Urbana near Danville, Kickapoo’s 2,842 acres of land boasts, 22 deep water ponds for boating, trout fishing, canoeing and even scuba diving. There are also sites for camping, trails for jogging, and a plethora of wildlife for the nature enthusiasts.