Champaign travel guide
Champaign Tourism | Champaign Guide
You're Going to Love Champaign
With a population of 81,055, Champaign is a must-see destination in Illinois, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Champaign has to offer.
Where to Eat in Champaign
If you’re looking for affordable options, The Axe Bar (114 S Neil St) and Hamilton Walker's (201 N Neil St) are great picks.
When to visit Champaign
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Champaign in July, when the average temperature is 75.2 °F, and the highest can go up to 86 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 17.6 °F, with an average temperature of 26.6 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in May, when precipitation is around 4.2″. In contrast, February is usually the driest month of the year in Champaign, with an average rainfall of 2″.
How to Get to Champaign
Plane
When flying to Champaign, you’ll arrive at Champaign University-Willard (CMI), which is located 18 km from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Champaign include American Airlines, Qatar Airways and British Airways. The shortest domestic flight to Champaign departs from Charlotte and takes around 7h 12m.
Car
Another option to get to Champaign is to pick up a car rental from Chicago, which is about 193 km from Champaign. You’ll find branches of Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Turo, among others, in Chicago.
Airlines serving Champaign
Where to stay in Champaign
If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Candlewood Suites Champaign-Urbana Univ Area By IHG and Microtel Inn by Wyndham Champaign. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Champaign, with prices from $57 to $193 per night. Downtown is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Champaign are about 169% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.
Where to stay in popular areas of Champaign
Most booked hotels in Champaign
Renting a car in Champaign
Renting a car in Champaign costs $69 per day, on average, or $206 if you want to rent if for 3 days.
It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 18% cheaper than airport locations in Champaign.
Expect to pay $4.81 per gallon in Champaign (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $57.69 and $76.92. The most frequently booked car type in Champaign is Full-size (Chevrolet Tahoe or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate rental cars (Mazda Mazda5 or similar) are, on average, 46% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.
Best car rental deals in Champaign
Full-size
5 Adults, 2 Bags
$59/day
Intermediate SUV
5 Adults, 3 Bags
$60/day