The Gathering Place
We are about seven minutes outside Monticello, on a quiet stretch of Bucks Pond Road. Easy to reach from anywhere in central Illinois, and easy to miss if your phone sends you the wrong way.
Watch for our long driveway, as there is no sign marking it.
Use Google Maps, not Apple Maps
Apple Maps has trouble locating the venue and has sent guests to the wrong place. Google Maps brings you right to the entrance. If you are riding with someone using an iPhone, it is worth checking which app they have open before you leave.
The Map
Monticello sits on I-72 between Champaign and Decatur, with Bloomington up to the northwest. From either direction on I-72, you want Exit 164. Whichever way you come, the last few miles are farm road.
Drive times are approximate and assume normal conditions. Add time for harvest season, when you may end up behind equipment on the county roads.
Driving Here
Tap any of the three to open turn by turn directions in Google Maps.
Champaign
About 25 miles, roughly 30 minutes
I-72 west toward Decatur, off at Exit 164, then a few minutes out to Bucks Pond Rd. The drive most of your guests will make.
Bloomington
About 45 miles, roughly 50 minutes
I-74 east toward Champaign, off at Farmer City, then about fifteen minutes south into Monticello. The prettiest of the three.
Decatur
About 25 miles, roughly 30 minutes
I-72 east, a straight shot, off at Exit 164. The simplest approach, and the one to give anyone nervous about driving.
When You Arrive
Where you park depends on the size of the event, so check which of these applies to yours before you pull in.
Weddings and larger events
Pull into the gravel or grass lots near the entrance and look for the parking attendant. Once parked, watch for the golf cart or ranger to give you a lift!
Please do not park on the grass around the building, as we have a sprinkler system to keep the lawn nice and green.
Small events and business meetings
For groups under thirty, start with the concrete lot next to the building. Fill that one first. Once it is full, everyone else goes in the gravel lot.
Limited Mobility Accessible Parking
We hold accessible spaces on the concrete near the entrance. Ask when you arrive, or have someone call ahead, and we will have one waiting.
Rides between the lot and the building
Transportation to and from the parking lot may be available depending on the event. It is not something we can promise for every date, so if someone in your party would need it, have the couple or the event host check with us ahead of time rather than counting on it that day.
Running late or turned around
Call us at (815) 200-8661 and we will talk you in. Cell service is solid at the venue and gets spottier along the river, so make the call before you lose bars.
1866 Bucks Pond Rd, Monticello, Illinois · (815) 200-8661 · thegatheringplaceil.com