Washington, Illinois travel guide: things to do, food & where to stay

Overview

Washington is a city in Western Illinois, just east of Peoria and the Illinois River. It was founded in 1825. Washington is home to around 17,000 people (2016).

4 places to eat · 3 places to stay

Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage

Plan your trip

Best time to visit & weather

Most comfortable: Apr–Oct. Summer highs reach about 86°F; winter lows dip to about 18°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: May and Apr. (climate data from nearby Peoria)

Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).

Getting there

From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
PIA General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport, Peoria — 15 mi away. Directions
BMI Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal, Bloomington/Normal — 30 mi away. Directions
MDW Chicago Midway International Airport, Chicago — 114 mi away (major hub). Directions

The city of Peoria's CityLink bus system makes a stop at Sunnyland Plaza, in the Sunnyland area of Washington.

Full “Get in” guide ↓

Budget & where to stay

No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.

Food for you

Cuisine (tap to filter)

What to ask about, for your diet

Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder

Get in

By bus

The city of Peoria's CityLink bus system makes a stop at Sunnyland Plaza, in the Sunnyland area of Washington.

By plane

Just west of Washington, the city of Peoria is home to a regional airport that receives flights from around the country.

By car

U.S Route 24 passes on the outskirts of Washington.

By train

Amtrak has a station in Bloomington-Normal, about 50 minutes southeast of Washington.

Do

While there is not a ton of things to do in Washington, there is still a decent amount. If you're in the mood for a movie, check out Carmike Sunnyland Cinema 10. They almost always have all recently released movies showing.

Plaza Lanes is a good place for bowling. You can reserve lanes online if you want to make sure that you're able to bowl when you want to. The owners of Plaza Lanes are also working on moving away from only bowling and expanding the place into a full-blown "family center." Plaza Lanes also has a bar and grill.

A great place to get some exercise is Farmdale Reservoir, maintained by the US Army Corps of Engineers. There is about 20 miles of trails here some (or all) of which are good for hiking, biking, horseback-riding, and cross-country skiing (seasonal).

You can also be active outside by making use of the Washington Recreational Trail. This walking, jogging, and biking path runs for about 3-4 miles from N. Cummings Lane to N. Main Street.

Golfers will be glad to know that Washington is home to three golf courses. These are Hillcrest Golf Center Inc. (located on Washington Road; also has a small miniature golf course), Quail Meadows Golf Course and Driving Range (located on Centennial Drive; includes a pro shop and indoor golf course), and Pine Lakes Golf Club ( located south of Washington on Schuck Road).

Buy

The Washington Downtown Historic Square is home to about 30 specialty shops. These include an old-fashioned candy store, a sporting goods store, various places offering collectibles, an antique place, and a furniture shop.

Cherry Tree Shopping Center is an important shopping facility in the city. It is home to a Kroger's, K-Mart, Hallmark Store, a beauty salon, and more.

Between Washington and Sunnyland, there is quite a few chain stores that have recently been built. The most popular is definitely the Wal-Mart Supercenter. In the adjacent lots there is a Menard's, as well as a small shopping center housing, among other things, a GameStop.

Lindy's Downtown Market is the only privately-owned grocery store in Washington. Special treats that are available there are Jones' brand sodas and Fannie Mae candy.