Meeting in Illinois may be more affordable than you think.
Planners searching for affordable destinations to host their meetings or events should check out these five Illinois cities. These communities offer amenities that rival those of bigger cities, but they pride themselves on providing features that meeting planners care about, such as free parking, affordable dining, unique attractions and hotels in a variety of price points.
Joliet
A classic Rust Belt town on Route 66, Joliet capitalizes on its history to attract visitors from around the world. The Joliet Area Historical Museum and Route 66 Welcome Center are a great first stop for visitors to learn more about the city’s history.
Unique venues include Old Joliet Prison Historic Site, which is one of the oldest prisons in Illinois, and Rialto Square Theatre, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2026.
The 200-room Harrah’s Joliet is the largest hotel in the area. Its 6,000-square-foot ballroom can host up to 280 attendees. Hollywood Casino Joliet features 100 rooms and 8,500 square feet of flexible event space that can accommodate up to 1,000 people.
The Clarion Hotel & Convention Center Joliet is close to Chicagoland Speedway, NASCAR Racing Experience and Route 66 Raceway and is only 2 miles from the casinos. It has 94 guest rooms and 14,153 square feet of event space.
Rock Run Convention Center offers 13,000 square feet of meeting space for events of up to 800. The historic Jacob Henry Mansion can host up to 300 guests in its ballroom or 150 for a plated dinner.
For team building, The Forge: Lemont Quarries Adventure Park, about 30 minutes from Joliet, has ropes courses, zip lines, rock climbing, kayaking, canoeing and paddleboard excursions. It also has a live music venue and a restaurant on the water.
Schaumburg
Schaumburg is a village of 77,000 people. It was built around what was once the largest mall in America, Woodfield Mall. The village sits on the northwest edge of Chicago O’Hare International Airport, offering small town charm with all the benefits of the big city.
The Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel is the largest event space in the village, with 500 guest rooms and 160,000 square feet of event space that includes a 27,500-square-foot ballroom that can seat 1,960 for a banquet. The Renaissance is close to completing a $30 million renovation that includes new carpet, upgraded audiovisual and a 900-car parking garage, which will attach to a brand-new restaurant entertainment complex, Andretti Indoor Karting & Games.
Across the street, Topgolf Schaumburg is another fun off-site venue for groups that involves food, drinks and team building. Golf lovers will also want to visit the PGA Tour Superstore, X-Golf Schaumburg, which has indoor golf simulators, or play a round of golf at one of several area golf courses.
Hyatt Regency Schaumburg offers 468 guest rooms and 29,500 square feet of meeting space, while the Chicago Marriott Schaumburg has 398 rooms and 25,000 square feet of meeting space.
In total, Schaumburg has 294 restaurants, 31 hotels and 4,877 sleeping rooms.
New attractions in the village include Wondra, a nature-inspired light world at Woodfield Mall. Altitude Trampoline Park and Cube Challenges each offer team-building opportunities for groups of all ages. Cube Challenges operates like an escape room, with 20 different rooms where groups must complete physical, mental and agility challenges.
Peoria
Peoria is in the heart of Illinois, about two and a half hours from Chicago and St. Louis and three hours from Indianapolis by car, making it a convenient location for meeting attendees who want to drive to an event. Peoria International Airport offers direct flights from 13 cities.
Peoria is divided into separate districts. The RiverFront District is downtown along the Illinois River, with James W. Baldwin Festival Park and CEFCU Center Stage at The Landing offering live music throughout the summer. Groups can rent these spaces for larger events.
The Warehouse District offers local shopping, restaurants and bars. Both districts are within walking distance of the Peoria Civic Center, which is the largest meeting venue in the city with 110,000 square feet of exhibit halls, a grand ballroom, 2,200-seat theater and 12,000-seat arena.
The 402-room Peoria Marriott Pere Marquette, which was built in 1926, is connected to the Peoria Civic Center and has over 18,000 square feet of event space. The Embassy Suites in East Peoria has a 35,000-square-foot conference center and beautiful views of the Illinois River.
In their free time, attendees can visit the Peoria Riverfront Museum, which is a blend of art, science and history, or explore the Caterpillar Visitors Center & Museum next door, which has interactive exhibits, including massive Caterpillar equipment. Both facilities rent space for meetings or events.
The Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino is on a riverboat docked on the Illinois River. It is next door to a 202-room hotel. Wildlife Prairie Park offers team-building opportunities and space for corporate retreats. Lodging includes train cabooses, cabins, stables and grain bins.
Skokie
Skokie is one of the first suburbs visitors hit when leaving Chicago on Interstate 94. The destination is popular with people who want to include the big city as part of their itinerary but want to be in a more affordable location with plenty of hotels and meeting venues.
About 75% of Skokie’s meeting business is drive-in — people who appreciate being close to Chicago but want to take advantage of free parking and Skokie’s proximity to the Chicago transit system. Skokie is known for its premier shopping center, Westfield Old Orchard, which features 150 retailers. The shopping center is across from the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Chicago-North Shore Conference Center, which has 369 guest rooms and 21,131 square feet of meeting space. Its rooftop ballroom features panoramic views of the Chicago skyline and the North Shore.
The North Shore Center for the Performing Arts can host 250 for a banquet and 800 theater style. The Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center, which is a major attraction in the area, also offers spaces for meetings or events, including Rowe Hall, an auditorium that can host 200 for a plated dinner, and classroom spaces for breakout sessions. The museum is currently closed for renovations but is scheduled to partially reopen in the first half of 2026 and will celebrate its grand reopening next summer.
The Holiday Inn & Suites Chicago North Shore in Skokie has 250 guest rooms and 15,000 square feet of event space that can host over 1,000 attendees.
visitchicagonorthshore.com/skokie
Collinsville
Collinsville sits in the Mississippi River Basin area with scenic bluffs and rich soil perfect for growing horseradish. The city is known as the “Horseradish Capital of the World” because it produces up to 80% of the world’s horseradish. Route 66 is the city’s main attraction, along with a 170-foot-tall water tower shaped like a catsup bottle, and — like other communities along the Mother Road — Collinsville is gearing up for the highway’s centennial in 2026. Several new murals were installed, and there are many new photo opportunities along the route where visitors can take selfies.
Collinsville sits across the Mississippi River from St. Louis. Meeting groups like to host conferences in the area because hotel rates are cheaper than in the big city, and parking is free.
The Gateway Convention Center in Collinsville is just 10 minutes from downtown St. Louis and offers nearly 50,000 square feet of flexible event space that can serve as one large expo hall or be divided into smaller spaces for banquets, general sessions and breakout sessions. There are seven hotels surrounding the convention center and a water park next door.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville also offers meeting spaces, beautiful gardens and public art.
Park North Golf Club in Edwardsville, which opened this year, can host events with on-site catering, a full bar and an array of golf entertainment activities.
Willoughby Heritage Farm and Conservation Reserve is a city-owned farm and park that offers meeting and event space in historic barns.
