What to do and see in Bloomington, Illinois (IL): The Best Budget-friendly Things to do

Come visit the BEER NUTS® Company Store at the BEER NUTS® plant location for product samples, a plant video tour, or to pick up some nuts and merchandise to take home with you, wherever that may be! Ever wonder what's behind the success of America's Favorite Nuts? It's a story that begins with a lot of the attention to freshness, quality and detail that started way back in 1937. That's when Arlo Shirk and his father Edward G. Shirk purchased a small confectionery store in downtown Bloomington, Illinois and with it, the recipe for a special glazed peanut.Called the Caramel Crisp Shop, the business sold glazed nuts, popcorn, peanut brittle, caramel apples, and orange drink. The ancestors of today's BEER NUTS Peanuts were known as "Redskins" because they were prepared with their red skins intact. In 1940, at age 22, Edward Shirk's son, Russell, returned to Bloomington following his brother’s untimely death, to help manage the Caramel Crisp Shop. A stickler for quality, Russell personally monitored how every item in the store was prepared and served.In the early 1950's, the Shirks occasionally packaged "Redskins" for the National Liquor Stores in Bloomington. The product sold well under the label "Shirk's Glazed Peanuts." It was this small start and the persistence of Eldredge C. Brewster, a local potato chip and food distributor and a customer and supplier of the Caramel Crisp Shop that got things going. Shirk and Brewster teamed up as manufacturer and distributor to see how the product would sell, the first target being taverns and bars in the nearby community and surrounding areas. It was then that the product was officially dubbed "BEER NUTS" Peanuts and the now well-known trademark was registered. While Shirk produced the product in the basement at a new Caramel Crisp Shop location during off hours, Brewster began achieving market penetration through his potato chip distribution in Central Illinois. In a matter of months the product was available in Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Louis, and Indianapolis. BEER NUTS, Inc. continues to use the same unique formula for its special niche of products as they did back in 1937. All BEER NUTS® products are produced at the single 100,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Bloomington, Illinois, under the direction of the Shirk Family. With the same family commitment to freshness and quality since 1937, the family takes pride in the fact that the BEER NUTS® trademark brings smiles and instant recognition in all 50 states and several countries around the world.

Miller Park Zoo offers many exhibits and Zookeeper interaction opportunities that are enjoyed by the whole family. Some highlights include: reindeer, Sumatran tiger, greater flamingos, river otters, red pandas, lemurs, Galapagos tortoise, bald eagles, Pallas' cat, snow leopards, gibbons, and red wolves. The Zoo features many large indoor and outdoor exhibits such as a Tropical America Rainforest, ZooLab, Katthoefer Animal Building, Wallaby WalkAbout, Children's Zoo, and Animals of Asia.

The McLean County Museum of History traces its roots back to 1892, the year the McLean County Historical Society was founded. It is a nationally accredited award winning museum with five permanent exhibit galleries and two rotating galleries. The Museum is located in the historic 1903 McLean County Courthouse that includes an architectural tour throughout the building. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for senior citizens, and FREE for children and students with I.D. This educational institution is dedicated to telling the rich story of McLean County through programs which serve people of all ages. The Museum preserves 19,000 objects, makes available more than 11,500 rare and hard to find reference books, manages 1,700 feet of historical papers and images in its archives. It also houses the new Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center and the McLean County Genealogical Society. Tuesdays are FREE days.

From May to October, thousands of Midwestern collectors clear their calendars to shop the 3rd Sunday Market, an event devoted exclusively to the finest in antiques, collectibles, crafts, and garden. A Bloomington tradition since 1988, the indoor/outdoor sale features more than 450 top dealers, representing 17 states. Whether you’re looking for the finest in antique furniture, americana, folk art, vintage advertising, sport memorabilia, or antique linens & clothing you’re likely to find it here.