Carbondale, Illinois is a small city of about 27,000 in southern Illinois about 14 miles east of the Mississippi river at roughly the southern edge of the plains, and the northern limit of the Shawnee hills. The surrounding area boasts some pleasant countryside, particularly in the Shawnee National Forest preserve.

The town itself serves as the site of the main campus of Southern Illinois University .

Getting Around

By bus
Saluki Express. +1 618 453-5749. The SIU Student Center operates a bus system with 9 regular routes operating whenever classes are in session. There is also late night service and a special intersession service. Tickets cost 75 cents for the general public, and passes are available starting at $13 per month. SIU students ride free.

By taxi
 • Yellow Cab, 215 S. Illinois Avenue at Walnut Street. +1 618 457-8121. The cab stand is only a block or two from the bars and restaurants of Illinois Avenue and downtown, but you could wind up waiting there for a while if all of the cabs are out.
 • Gold Ribbon Taxi, 825 N Washington St. +1 618 457-5400.

By car
Driving in Carbondale is pretty straight-forward, with only a couple of instances of one-way streets (Main St. West-bound, Walnut St. East-bound, Illinois Ave. North-bound, and University Ave. South-bound). The biggest hassle for drivers is the difficulty of parking anywhere near the SIU campus when classes are in session. Most spaces on campus require a special sticker which are available to older students or to staff or faculty. A few spaces are reserved strictly for visitors, however the best advice is probably not to bother, since there are ample parking spaces a few blocks away in town, and the walk is generally quite pleasant.

There are bicycle lanes on many of the bigger streets throughout town, and the smaller streets are generally quiet enough that even the least experienced urban cyclist should feel completely safe. The latter is especially true in the western (mostly faculty inhabited) parts of town.

If you feel like taking a longer ride there are ample opportunities around Carbondale, especially to the east and west. Try riding Grand Avenue toward Crabb-Orchard lake (take a little jog to the right at Giant City Road). Illinois Highway 13 leading west from Carbondale to the neighboring city of Murphysboro is surprisingly bicycle friendly: the shoulder is paved and the width of a full traffic lane. The whole trip center-to-center is about 7 miles, but with the growth of the incorporated parts of the two towns it's only about 1 mile between the two city limits.

Dining

 • Cristaudo's Murdale Shopping Center, 1807 W. Main Street. +1 618 457 4313. This little bakery offers a range of sandwiches, soups, and salads. The service is super-friendly, the ingredients are fresh, and the baking is top notch. It's a little off the beaten path if you are on foot, but do take the extra time if you have it. $3-7
 • Tres Hombres 119 N. Washington. +1 618 457 3308. 11am - 10pm (lounge open until 2am every night). Good Tex-Mex standards, including a vegetarian burrito. The lounge offers a bit more swank than the average collegiate joint. On weekends they feature live music, usually a local blues band. $12-18
 • China Express 901 S. Illinois Avenue. +1 618 549 3991. Good, cheap Chinese fast food, directly across from campus. They don't put MSG on the food, but do keep a jar on the counter if you happen to want it. $4-6.
 • Quatro's 218 W. Freeman (at University). +1 618 549 5326. Carbondale is a college town, and as you would imagine it has its share of pizzerias. Quatro's is a standout in part because of the unique quality of their pizza dough, which is made with brewers yeast -- legend has it that the yeast is obtained through some special deal with a St. Louis brewery. $4-12.
 • Pagliai's
 • Mississippi Flyway
 • Hunan
 • El Greco
 • Dar Salaam
 • Mugsy McQuire's
 • La Bamba's
 • Italian Village

Drink

 • Hangar 9, 511 S. Illinois Avenue (Just south of the train station), (+1) 618 549-0511. Open most evenings 6pm to 2am during University sessions. The Hangar has been presenting live music for the last ~9400 days (according to their website). Once known as a jam-band haven, the music calendar has become more eclectic since the early to mid 1990s, booking punk rock, ska, and other live acts. $1.50-$3.50 draft beer.
 • PK's, 308 S. Illinois Avenue, (+1) 618-529-1124. Open most evenings 6pm to 2am during University sessions. This is a real tavern for people (over 21) who like real taverns. The crowd is a mix of locals and students who are quickly on their way to becoming locals. Live music (usually blues, but sometimes  ) is programmed most evening weekends. $1.25 draft beer (Tuesday nights are $0.75 draft nights and Thursday is $1 day draft and rail.).
 • Mange 607 S. Illinois Avenue., +1 618 549 9161. Mange is a quiet little spot for a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, especially in the afternoon. Actually they seem to have about the best wine selection in town (read "any"). Meanwhile there is also a selection of 10 Micro-brewed and imported beers. $2 coffee $4-5 wine and beer.
 • Longbranch Coffee House, 100 E. Jackson. +1 618 529-4488. A great place to sit down with a big cup of coffee and a good book. They also offer a range of snacks and deserts, juices and smoothies.
 • Booby's
 • Boo Junior
 • Pinch Penny Pub
 • Carboz
 • Newell Coffee House
 • Callahan's 21 and over
 • Sidetracks
 • Stix
 • Gatsby's

Lodging

Most Carbondale hotels are on Main Street (Illinois Highway 13) at either the extreme East or West edges of town. This doesn't make for the easiest stumble home from say, South Illinois Avenue, but there's always the cab company.
 • Days Inn Carbondale, 801 E. Main St., (+1)618-457-3347 Comfortable and friendly, within a ten minutes of downtown walking, and twenty minutes of campus. The prices have lowered a bit recently thanks to competition from the Horizon across the street.
 • Horizon Inn, 800 E. Main St., (+1)618-529-1100. Comfortable and friendly, within a ten minutes of downtown walking, and twenty minutes of campus. Also houses Carbondale's first (and only) Indian restaurant.
 • Comfort Inn Carbondale Hotel 1415 E. Main St. (618) 549-4244. Just 3 miles from Southern Illinois University and walking distance from the city's best restaurants. If you are looking for an exciting nightlife, that is also just minutes by taxi from the hotel.
 • Sassafras Ridge Bed and Breakfast, 382 Fawn Trail., (+1)618-529-5261. A bit further out (5 Miles South of town/campus), but probably worth it for car-equipped travelers who are mainly visiting for the scenery.
 • Hampton Inn