Glen Oak Park & Peoria Zoo

Designed by the legendary gardener Oscar F. Dubuis and dedicated in 1896, Glen Oak Park is the focal point of northeastern Peoria and home to the Peoria Park District headquarters. Today, the park hosts daily visitors to its Peoria Zoo, Luthy Botanical Garden and various special events. Visitors can take advantage of the hiking/biking trail, fishing lagoon, fitness trail, picnic shelters, amphitheatre, lighted tennis and shuffleboard courts and several playgrounds.

Glen Oak Park is host to several historic landmarks, including Historic Landmarks: Stine Fort and Cannon, Glen Oak Pavilion, Iron Suspension Bridge, Kinsey Memorial, Kinsey Sundial, LeTourneau Statue, Old Settler’s Monument, Pergola, Robert Ingersoll Statue, Small Animal House, Triebel Lions.

The zoo is equipped with an African exhibit, reptile and primate house, aquatic conservation center, animal adventure center, education room, over 250 animals, numerous exhibits and in-house and outreach programming.

The 5-acre Luthy Botanical Garden contains numerous theme gardens (viburnum collection, rose garden, herb garden, Ernest Wilson garden, children’s garden, wildlife garden), a gift shop and a conservatory.

The Glen Oak Lagoon is a 3-acre spring feed pond and the entire shoreline accessible to anglers with a paved surface. The pond is home to largemouth bass, bluegill, red ear sunfish, bullhead catfish, channel fish, and carp. The site is stocked monthly during the urban fishing season.