Possible Move to Peoria area - urban? (Chicago, Bloomington: car rental, rental)

[vacant510]

Hi!

So my husband and I might be transferred to Peoria for his job.. I have been doing a little research and I'm not too thrilled with moving to such a small town, we live in Dallas and I'm used to the fast paced lifestyle.. since Chicago is about 3 hours away, are there any neighboring cities to Peoria that are more urban? More shops/downtown areas/fast paced than Peoria? Would love to find a nice loft about 15-20 minutes away with more of a busy atmosphere.

Any info. will be greatly appreciated, thanks so much!

[Chicagoland60426]

Nope not really. Going three hours north, you reach Chicago and going three hours southwest, you reach St. Louis. So basically Peoria is a mid sized city located 3 hours between two large metro areas.

[Maintainschaos]

Compared to Dallas, Peoria is sleepy. It's the largest metro area in central Illinois, but there are about 3-4 areas of about the same size spread out. Basically, central Illinois would be a big city if all the smaller cities in the area weren't so dispersed. That being said, Peoria has just about every amenity one would want, and the area is getting nicer, I'd say.

[linicx]

The Peoria MSA is about 400,000. Illinois is a farming state. All of the towns in Central Illinois are surrounded by farms and ranches; so is Chicago and St. Louis. Peoria has everything from apples to a top rated zoological park including upscale dining and shopping, four country clubs, performing arts, symphony, furrier, culture, a very diverse religious community and a lot more. I suggest you read the local paper on-line and visit for a few days. Peora has a twice daily flight to/from Dallas. The local car rental is at the airport. Dallas is roughly 1000 miles from Peoria. .

The Peoria Journal Star is the largest local newspaper.

[Scio42]

Sorry, there are not any cities around Peoria that are more urban. In Illinois, outside of Chicagoland, Peoria, in my opinion, has the most of a "city" feel to it. The only other city close by that where you could live and still work in Peoria is Bloomington-Normal. However, B-N is 35 miles away, is smaller than the Peoria metro and has less of a city feel to it.

I wouldn't call Peoria a small town though. It's more of a small city. It's large enough that you can get everything you need and most things you want. Compared to Dallas, yes it will seem small and somewhat sleepy. There's not a large urban scene nor a million cultural & entertainment options staring you in the face.

However, if you're willing to turn over a few rocks, there are some surprising and interesting things to do here. For example, while Peoria does not have a major league baseball or NHL team, there are "A" & "AAA" minor league teams here with pretty good facilities. In you're into arts, no there's not a plethera of independent theaters to go to, but there is some community theater and a few larger off broadway productions pass through here in a year. Additionally, there are some lofts available in downtown Peoria over historic old brick storefronts and warehouses, several with really nice views of the river.

So, if you're adventurous and willing to turn over a few rocks (& make a few compromises) you can find enough satisfy your interests.