Post by exit237a on Oct 29, 2022 16:08:37 GMT -5
We plan to arrive to the Huff Hall area around 4-5pm so we have a couple hours to check out the area and have dinner before attending the 7pm match. I have two questions...
1) What do you recommend for parking in the Huff Hall area? We do a lot of walking, so are fine parking in a distant spot as long as it's a safe walk back to the car after the volleyball match. That said, I see that "E12" lot is next to Huff and www.parking.illinois.edu/visitors seems to indicate that a permit is not needed after 5pm, so maybe that THE spot?
2) Is there a casual/reasonably priced restaurant within walking distance to Huff that you recommend for our pre-match dinner? To the west I see that Meatheads, Baxter's American Grille and Everyday Kitchen get good ratings on Google, but we'd appreciate hearing recommendations from the locals. :-)
Thanks for any tips/suggestions!
Hey yodabadger! Safe travels down to Champaign on Thursday!
I think the most important detail for your trip that should impact your planning and timetable is whether you've got reserved seats or general admission tickets. If you've got general admission seats, you're probably going to want to enter Huff Hall right when the doors open at 6 PM because there are some obstructed view seats in GA that you'll want to avoid. Getting in when the doors open means you can head up and see which GA seats give good sightlines. If you've got reserved seats, you have a lot more time to eat and walk around before the 7 PM start time.
Here's what I'd recommend for someone coming into town for a weeknight walking-distance dinner and volleyball night:
Parking
I'd recommend the E3 parking lot directly adjacent to Main Library (on the west side of the building and at the following coordinates: 40.104656, -88.229976). Here's a link to it on Google Maps and it's marked with a red pin. Parking there is free after 5 PM, just avoid the few individual parking spaces marked with big blue signs that say permit parking only. *You can park in this lot before 5 PM, you'll just have to use the MobileMeter website or app to pay: Mobilemeter Information. This information is printed on a sign at the head of each parking space. If you have a smartphone, it isn't super complicated and you can visit the website without downloading the app, and you can also pay over the phone at 217-207-3033. If you arrive earlier than 5 PM and really don't want to deal with electronic payment, there are cash metered spaces along Sixth street that require payment until 6 PM. I've never felt unsafe walking around Huff Hall at night after volleyball games and I always park in the lot I'm recommending.
Dinner
Along with pointillinois , I'd recommend eating in our "Campustown" area around Green Street (between First Street and Wright Street), since it's an interesting/lively college-town flavor walk with tons of food options and good peoplewatching to boot. The three restaurants you referenced to the west are along Neil Street and that's kind of a busy road removed from campus with strip mall vibes along that stretch- not a particularly nice or scenic walk. If you park in the vicinity of Lot E3, you can walk north a few blocks and there are several restaurants to choose from.
EDIT: I removed the many specific restaurant suggestions and additional information/opinions from my original response and sent it to you in a DM to cut down on an otherwise really long public post : ).
