Lady luck is a flighty gal. So flighty, in fact, that some people will drive any number of miles to find her. Or try to.
This kind of thinking propelled me and two girlfriends, imbued with an insatiable need to lose money fast, to take to the road. We wanted to gamble and we wanted to get away. Las Vegas was too far and, frankly, Elgin, Aurora and Joliet were too close. Thirty minutes on a tollway does not a road trip make.
Par-A-Dice Casino in East Peoria, about 150 miles southwest of Chicago, seemed to offer what we were looking for.
Peoria, the state’s third largest city, is located along the Illinois River and offers a good variety of restaurants and hotels. You’ll find some pleasant diversions too: nature parks, riverboat rides, historic homes, museums. You won’t feel guilty if you take a pass and spend most of your time on the casino boat, but you’ll be happy there’s stuff to do should misfortune strike, starting with slot machines that reward the folks on either side of you and dealers who deal themselves a 21 with a 5 showing.
Not that I’m bitter. I’m just glad there were diversions.
The 3-year-old Par-A-Dice riverboat casino is just over the bridge from downtown Peoria. It’s a nice boat, best maintained where the gambling takes place. Of the ship’s four levels, 3 1/2 are devoted to gaming; an open-air rooftop deck offers a refuge for losers, if a fairly barren one. There are no lights and only a few chairs scattered about. At night, you can’t see each other, but you can gaze at the pretty view of downtown Peoria. It’ll compel you to linger just a little longer before the next roll of the dice. I figure the extra linger saved me $10 to $15.
Speaking of money, admission to Par-A-Dice is $7 on Saturdays ($4 the rest of the week) for a two-hour gaming session — but we were able to stay on as long as we liked, even on a busy Saturday night. This will vary depending on the size of the crowd (capacity is 1,600), so reservations are a good idea if you’ve driven all the way here to gamble.
The more than 1,000 slots — the most of any of Illinois’ riverboats — take up most of the real estate, with a good distribution of 25-cent, 50-cent and $1 machines, along with 39 roulette, craps and card tables, many with $5 minimums. During the peak Saturday night business, there was even a $3 blackjack table. Not that it did me any good, but I digress.
Non-smokers may resent the relatively small sections located on various areas on the boat; no deck is completely smoke-free.
Now, if you’re winning, you might want to hang around the gambling tables. Which is why we headed to Wildlife Prairie Park and Forest Park Nature Center. Both parks offered welcome breaths of fresh air from the trickle of tokens and the steady assault of tobacco.
Though these two spots are distinctive from one another, each delivers a serene and lovely glimpse of Illinois’ stunning prairie. The peaceful, picturesque parks are a refuge for many creatures, not the least of which are visitors who can reacquaint themselves with the wild, riveting landscape that once reigned in this state.
Animals and birds native to Illinois reside at the 2,000-acre Wildlife Prairie Park. Bobcats, timber wolves, cougar, bison, elk are just a few of the species given spacious homes in natural settings. There’s a songbird aviary too. Many of the animals we saw were a bit long in the tooth, and we liked the fact that they’re spending their golden years in a zoological answer to Sun City. The park is about a 10-minute drive from downtown Peoria, and the scenic drive that takes you there is an added bonus. So are the two gift shops.
A good place for reflection (such as why people gamble) can be found in Forest Park Nature Center in nearby Peoria Heights. Seven miles of hiking trails on 540 acres lead visitors through forests of oak and hickory and tall, graceful prairie plants. The beautifully tended trails afford fleeting glimpses of blue jays, cardinals and many more species — a refreshing wakeup call to urbanites who can be forgiven if they think the state bird is the pigeon.
Peoria’s downtown waterfront was sleeping when we dropped in on a Saturday afternoon. A music festival at Riverfront Park was limping along with more performers than audience. The streets were deserted, except for the occasional, almost surreal appearance of a brightly costumed square dancer, her skirt bobbing as she walked. (The Illinois annual convention for the National Square Dance Association was in town.)
It looks like the city is making an effort to revitalize its lovely riverfront, and during the work week it’s probably hopping. Because it wasn’t when we were there; we wandered over to the Illinois Antique Center, a three-story warehouse at the edge of downtown. There’s plenty to look at in the way of antiques and kitsch, with more than 270 vendors on two floors, as well as a few interesting art galleries and shops in the building next door. But eventually you’ll start wondering if your luck might be changing. Time to head back to the boat.
But first, a bite to eat.
Restaurants are important to gamblers. When the odds aren’t in your favor, it makes more sense to feed yourself than the slot machines. Peoria has dozens of restaurants, from the familiar chains (Red Lobster, Olive Garden, etc.) to home-grown dining establishments. Rizzi’s Italian Restaurant near our hotel was a winner: a cheerful, casual and charming spot that serves a large lineup of well-made Italian favorites in the $8 to $12 range. After dinner, wander next door to the elegant, chic Panache for a cup of robust cappuccino or a glass of champagne and some dessert.
If you don’t want to stray too far from a lucky streak, Par-A-Dice Pavilion has two restaurants. We took a pass on Broadway Buffet; the all-you-can-eat buffet was a predictable assortment of generic, cafeteria-style fare. The nicer Boulevard Grille, with entrees from $10 to $45, is a better — if slightly more expensive — bet. And don’t skip dessert; they have several kinds of pies and cakes, all homemade. The only catch: It seats only 80, so reservations are a must.
OK, dinner’s over. Time to go back to the boat. And, by Sunday, back home.
In the spirit of gamesmanship, it’s only fair to tell you how we did. Each of us brought about $120 to play with. (Hey, I never said we were big gamblers — just enthusiastic ones.) One person was down $60 (mostly on blackjack). Another lost $40 (mostly on blackjack). A third won $30 (you got it — mostly on blackjack). Winnings from the slots helped us recoup some of our losses.
But we’re the kind of gamblers who consider it lucky to have money left to take home. Plus, we had a great time.
Looking at it that way, everyone went home a winner.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Weekend expenses for one:
Lodging (2 nights,
3 sharing one room) ………. $60
Meals …………………… $75
Casino admission ………….. $7
Gas ……………………… $8
Park admission ……………. $5
Total ………………….. $155
(Excluding, of course, winnings — or losses)
IF YOU GO
GETTING THERE
Take Interstate Highway 55 south to Interstate Highway 74 west, which will take you to downtown Peoria. Getting out of Chicago is the biggest hurdle. We left downtown Chicago around 3:30 p.m. and rolled into our hotel at 7:30 p.m.
LODGING
Courtyard by Marriott, 4125 N. War Memorial Drive, Peoria; 309-686-1900. A comfortable 78-room hotel on the northwest side, next to the city’s biggest shopping center, Northwoods Mall. Breakfast, reasonably priced, is the only meal served. Beautifully maintained indoor pool and jacuzzi. Rates vary; we paid, with taxes, $90 for three. Getting to the hotel is the biggest challenge (we got lost twice); call for directions.
You can also stay near the casino boat. Par-A-Dice runs a sleek hotel (rates start at $75 for a double), but there’s no pool. A Hampton Inn (with a pool) is there too. Downtown Peoria also has several hotels.
DINING
Rizzi’s Italian Restaurant, 4613 N. Sheridan Rd., Peoria; 309-689-0025. (A downtown location is at 112 State St.; 309-673-2500.)
Panache, 4611 N. Sheridan Rd., Peoria; 309-589-1844. Live jazz is featured Tuesday and Thursday evenings and every third Saturday night.
Boulevard Grille in the Par-A-Dice Pavilion, 21 Blackjack Blvd., East Peoria; 800-727-2342. Reservations strongly recommended; for weekends, call a week in advance.
ACTIVITIES
Par-A-Dice Casino, 21 Blackjack Blvd., East Peoria; 800-727-2342. Admission: $4 per two-hour gaming session Sundays-Fridays; $7 Saturdays. Seniors get a $2 discount. Reservations recommended on Saturdays.
Wildlife Prairie Park, 3826 N. Taylor Rd., Peoria; 309-676-0998. Admission: $5 adults; senior citizens 60 and older, $4; children 4-12, $3; ages 3 and under, free. Open 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. daily through September (earlier closing hours in the fall; closed Dec. 14-March 13).
Forest Park Nature Center, 5809 Forest Park Drive, Peoria Heights; 309-686-3360. No admission charge, but some programs have a fee. A 3/4-mile path is wheelchair accessible.
Illinois Antiques Center, 308 S.W. Commercial, Peoria; 309-673-3354.
INFORMATION
Peoria Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, 800-747-0302. Or call the Riverfront Visitors Center, 309-672-2860.
