Downtown Normal, Illinois

Hotels

Hotel Tips

Always announce during booking if the trip is for a special event, anniversary or reunion. Group rates can be pre-negotiated and you may qualify for a lower cost and better upgrades for your stay. If you are the one setting up the event, always work directly with the front desk manager to make sure the best service is offered to your party.

Always tip staff when you feel the service was great and don't forget the housekeeping staff which you may never see. You should tip every day if you are staying multiple days as the staff may rotate out and miss the bounty at the end.

Always find a reason to email the front desk manager in hotels that you plan to visit again. Tell them what they did right and express your plans to stay again and ask what opportunities there might be for frequent discounts or upgrades on your next visits. If you become friends with the manager, you just might get the friends and family rate some day.

Things To Do

Normal is a great place to rent a bike and take it for a ride around downtown. There are many bike shops that sell bike and accessories as well as provide service and tuning on your ride. Don't forget your helmet and other protective gear such as reflective gear, headlight and horn.

Normal brings the farming community under one marketplace to offer an assortment of locally grown fruit and vegetables. Traditionally, markets are restricted to anything grown so you can expect to see natural whole foods that are sure to please those working on their plant-based diets!

Normal has a great collection of barber shops to choose from if you want to take a little off the top, get a clean shave or to trim your moustache or beard. Take a moment to consider buying some styling gel, beard oil or wax and always tip well.

Why Do You Love Downtown?

Deborah
Jacksonville is utterly charming! I love browsing Terra Firma and Pickety Place, eating delicious Umi Sushi, and sitting under the amazing wisteria in the Bella Union garden. I always go to the library in that sweet little building, where Lauren the librarian knows me by name (and recommends good books). The Good Bean people are awfully nice, and even the clerks at Umpqua Bank are especially kind and friendly. Best little downtown ever!

Dorothy Wilson
Unique shopping-love the atmosphere

Kathleen Gerds
Looking forward to Ashland downtown. Theater and shopping here we come.

Tammy Cooper
Downtowns are so cute and has a very relaxed inviting vibe that puts a smile on my face. In addition, downtown was so clean. It was fun visiting the unique shops and boutiques and everyone was very friendly. Our stroll around Lithia Park was beautiful and so peaceful. It truly is a gem. Lastly, we ate at 4 or 5 different restaurants that had great food and great service.

Snow Charpentier
It's grown and changed so much since I moved away for a few years and came back. Great to see a lot of smaller businesses expanding and hoping to contribute to the growth of downtown Medford.

(View All States)