Things To Do
Tower Park
This is one of our favorite spots to explore in Peoria Heights! A small park about a block from our venue, its most prominent feature is the Tower. The 200-foot observation tower (accessible by elevator) gives you some breathtaking views of the Illinois River and the greater Peoria area! You can see the hill we live on in Washington if you look close enough!
Leaves 'n Beans Coffee
Our FAVORITE coffee shop in the Heights, LnB as we call it has pretty much any type of beverage you could ask for. From coffees and teas to lemonades and energy drinks, this would be our best recommendation for a breakfast drink (and some good food) for a morning excursion.
Grandview Drive
President Theodore Roosevelt called this 2.5 mile stretch a block away from our venue "The World's Most Beautiful Drive" when he visited Peoria in the early 1900s. On one side are stunning views of the Illinois River. On the other are beautiful houses and mansions that remind JD of the East Coast. A beautiful place to walk or drive, Grandview is one of the first places we visited after becoming "official" in 2021.
Washington Square
Come check out our hometown! We've lived in Washington since October of 2023 and we love it! Only about 15 mins from the Heights, this square with cute shops and restaurants (including a brand new one with a rooftop bar) is right in the heart of downtown! Check out Faire Coffee for a drink and a morning bite or Holland's Mercantile, an old-fashioned candy, soda fountain, and toy store!
Peoria RiverFront Market
Open Saturdays from 8-12, the Riverfront Market is an awesome farmers market just down the road in downtown Peoria. Whether you're looking for some fresh fruits and veggies, a sweet bakery treat, trinkets, soaps, or more, the Riverfront Market has a little bit of everything for you to enjoy!
W.E. Sullivan's Irish Pub and Fare
Our favorite restaurant in Peoria Heights, Sullivan's is just downright delicious. It's an Irish pub at heart, but has all kinds of options in a range of cuisines to choose from. Gab's go-to is the Ahi Umami Wrap while JD loves the Irish Nachos and 5 Grain Power Bowl! They usually have live music on the weekends too, if that's your jam!
Trefzger's Bakery
This bakery is literally right below our wedding venue and has been around for over 100 years (the building used to be an old bicycle factory). All of the desserts at our wedding will come from Trefzger's (and so will the delectable smells in the venue), but if you want to get a headstart when you get here or want more after the wedding's over, we can't recommend Trefzger's enough. Thumbprint cookies, cupcakes, cookie cakes... it's all great at Trefzger's!
The Shoppes at Grand Prairie
Want to get your shop on while you're in town? Grand Prairie is the place to go. Only about 15 minutes from the venue, it's got all the good anchor stores: Old Navy, Dick's, Marshall's, Home Goods, DSW, and more. Plus, there are a bunch of hotels to stay at and restaurants to check out!
The Twelve Bar Lounge
For a long time, this was the only rooftop bar between Chicago and St. Louis! It's a super cool vibe on a late spring/early summer night! If the weather isn't cooperating (it is Central Illinois after all), the indoor part of the bar is also great! They also have some snacks and small meals as well. We'd highly recommend checking this bar out if for nothing but the experience!
