While incredibly convenient and easily accessible from where I55 somehow runs parallel or is fused with I74, you’ll be turning into this particular parking lot within a minute from exiting the main turnpike. Here on US Highway 150, which is one of the main road coursing through Bloomington, the home of Illinois State University Cardinals, you won’t be terribly impressed by coming into this town / city from this particular vantage point. Beyond the gas stations, Pilot Travel Center included, and fast food restaurants, you’ll be surrounded by less than desirable residential digs. As for the lot itself, once you head behind this Pilot Travel Center, you’ll discover a massive, wide-open dirt and gravel area where there’s some 80 different spots to choose from, but the lay of the land is a bit rough with no sense of order, as rigs are parked in every particular direction. There is parking in the ‘lot’ as well as on the side road for as far as the eye can see. So, if this place is all jammed up when you get here, there’s more space in the general vicinity, but if the shady nature of this place is of concern to you (and trust me, you would be justified in thinking this) then just head on over to the nearby Walmart parking lot. Should you decide to park at this Pilot Travel Center for the night, I recommend the southernmost periphery as it will be the most protected and offers less noise.
As for the surroundings, should you need to stock up on anything for your trip, just due west of here is that Walmart Supercenter previously mentioned that is fairly massive and should have almost anything you need, otherwise up and down Highway 150, which is also known as Locust Street as you head further west, there’s on Aldi’s on the other side of I55 / I74 as well as a Family Dollar due east of this Pilot Travel Center as well as some local markets like Red& Blue Grocery, Lupita’s Hispanic Shop and One Stop Market. Apart from the barrage of flea-bitten hotels and motels in this vicinity, you’ll also encounter no shortage of fast-food joints like McDonald’s, KFC, Arby’s, Wendy’s, Culver’s and Taco Bell. If you don’t mind a short 20-minute drive you can indulge on either Portillo’s for its awesome cake shake, crinkle cut fries and Italian beef + Italian sausage sandwich or Giardano’s for its famed deep dish Chicago pizza.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you are traveling with your four-legged friends entowe and looking for a spot to take them for a walk, check out either nearby White Oak Park or O’Neil Park, both of which are just due north of here and also feature small ponds; (2) Should you like to grab a slice of history while in town, check out David Davis Mansion, which is a refurbished Victorian mansion that also has some pretty nice grounds to go for a decent walk; and (3) Further afield, if you want to experience some really great nature, head north where you will discover Comlara Park, about 20 – 25 minutes north of where you’re standing and you’ll discover an amazing lake with tons of wonderful fish just begging to be lured in.
While scoring criteria may vary from one person to the next, here are the 5 most important criteria that informed my rating of this overnight location: convenience (EZ on- and off-access), safety & security, quality (of facilities), peace & quiet and amenities (either on-site or nearby). Here’s how I ranked this particular overnight spot:
Convenience: 4
Safety & Security: 1
Quality: 1
Peace & Quiet: 3
Amenities: 2
Overall, I scored this location a 2.
Happy Overnighting!
