Due to its strategic position along Interstate 57 and Illinois Route 13, Marion now serves as the leading retail trade hub in Southern Illinois.
The Southern Illinois Miners baseball club and the Illinois Star Center shopping center are all fantastic spots in this city. Former mayor Robert L. Butler referred to it as the “Hub of the Universe.”
The Southern Illinois community of Marion offers various lodging options, dining, and retail establishments. A small town with a fantastic vibe. Several restaurants, little boutiques, and well-known performers pass through.
Planning a trip to Marion, IL? Here are some of the interesting places to visit. Let’s check them out
Things to Do in Marion, IL
1. Ray Fosse Park

Credit: RayFossePark / Facebook
After a long day of exploring the city, one of the most remarkable things to do is go to Ray Fosse Park for peace and a good time.
There is a public swimming pool at Ray Fosse Park for you to cool off. This enormous pool is one of the city’s most popular attractions and a terrific place to cool down in the summer.
The outdoor pool has a separate area for folks who want to relax and swim laps.
Swimming relay competitions can be held there with your friends.
This space is wide enough for groups of people to race each other.
Location: 500 E Deyoung St, Marion, IL 62959, United States
2. Marion Cultural And Civic Center

Credit: MarionCulturalAndCivicCenter / Facebook
For an inspiring show or a fun concert, stop by the Marion Cultural and Civic Center.
You can be sure that the 1,094-seat facility, operated by the city, has something to offer everyone because it has a history dating back to the vaudeville era.
Here, you may catch vintage movies frequently screened as part of the Classic Movie Series, as well as plays by the Paradise Alley Players and other local Marion community theater groups.
The venue holds over 300 different events each year. Get there early to see the lobby art display, showcasing regional artisans’ creations.
Location: 800 Tower Square Plaza, Marion, IL 62959, United States
3. Southern Illinois Raceway

Credit: SouthernIllinoisRaceway / Facebook
One of Marion’s top tourist destinations is this one. Discover Marion’s thrilling racing scene. The one-eighth-mile dirt track at Southern Illinois Raceway is excellent for watching racing.
If you love racing, you probably look forward to the next thrilling race with bated breath. To see the racers up close, purchase a pit pass.
You may get some practice laps for the important events before the starting pistol fires if you get to the track early enough.
It doesn’t matter if you go alone or with pals; it’s a fantastic hobby.
Location: 9000 Foyt Rd, Marion, IL 62959, United States
4. Tombstone Gun Range And Training Center

Credit: TombstoneGunRangeAndTrainingCenter / tombstonerange.com
The Tombstone Gun Range and Training Center offers a secure setting for shooters to hone their weapons skills.
It also provides training for people of different ability levels. Programs and classes can be tailored to your skill level.
The center’s mission is to successfully and securely instruct you on using a firearm for sport, personal defense, or your line of work in the military, law enforcement, or security.
You may pick up tips from the seasoned military, law enforcement, and civilian firearms experts at this range. Inside the field are toilets, a pro shop, and a classroom.
You can pay for a day pass or become a member to use the content.
Location: 12121 N Skyline Dr, Marion, IL 62959, United States
5. Tranquil Mandala Gardens

Credit: MandalaGardens / Facebook
Enter the serene Mandala Gardens like you would at a sacred site. There is an atmosphere of calmness and harmony.
Depending on your usage, you can choose whether it’s a farm, food market, park, or sanctuary. The serene mandala-inspired gardens have spiral, star, and medicine-wheel patterns.
You might also take in the elaborate stone carvings. Bring your kids to pet the goats, chickens, and ducks at the farm.
Additionally, you may unwind on the neighboring seats. Coming here in the summer to stock up on vegetables and herbs that have been left out to dry in the sun is a terrific idea.
Location: 1704 N State St, Marion, IL 62959, United States
6. HUB Recreation Center

Credit: TheHUBMarion / thehubmarion.com
By offering fantastic and innovative activities and services that result in measurable and life-changing benefits in the lives of the individuals we serve, HUB Recreation Center hopes to become a leader in the health and wellness industry.
Its staff, infrastructure, programs, and services aim to develop a welcoming neighborhood culture of fitness, fun, and education.
Here, fun and good health converge! It has gyms, swimming pools, sports fields, and a track where you may work out.
Whether searching for a lazy river or a kiddie pool, this location provides something for everyone. You can purchase a one-day visitor pass or become a member to use these amenities.
Location: 917 W Main St, Marion, IL 62959, United States
7. Antique Hunting at Antique Mall

Credit: WarehouseAntiqueMall / Facebook
Going on an antique hunt is one of the cheapest things to do in Marion if you consider taking a trip there.
The average booth size at the Warehouse Antique Mall is 11,000 square feet. In Marion, this sizable mall has no shortage of unique vintage goods.
They have everything from elegant bar carts and sturdy shelving to vintage children’s toys dating back a century. Before making a purchase, check out as many merchants as you can.
Location: 503 N Madison St, Marion, IL 62959, United States
8. AMC Classic Illinois Centre 8

Credit: AMCCentreTheater / Facebook
The AMC Classic Illinois Centre 8 has the newest titles available for moviegoers to view.
Watching the newest blockbuster movies at this charming movie theater is one of the most well-liked things in Marion at night.
There is nothing better than watching a movie while enjoying drinks and popcorn.
Watch a movie in the RealD 3D theater at this theater for a more immersive experience. It is a terrific venue to see 3D movies, even if you aren’t a huge movie fan.
Additionally, the building offers a private cinema where you and your significant other may enjoy a personal movie experience.
Location: 3107 Civic Cir Blvd, Marion, IL 62959, United States
9. McKinney’s Western Store

Credit: McKinney’sWesternStoreLLC / Facebook
Do you like the Wild West? At Marion’s store, you can get whatever you want to indulge your inner cowboy. McKinney’s Western Store has served Southern Illinois since the 1960s.
Rick and Kim assumed control of the McKinney family business in 1993. The shop provides the neighborhood with the top brands and a selection of Western apparel and gear. The McKinney family likes to ride horses and hang out together.
McKinney’s Western Store offers hats, boots, tack, and feed in addition to western clothing and accessories.
The people of McKinney will be knowledgeable, considerate, and helpful. Find something for yourself or someone in your life who loves the West.
Location: 802 Halfway Rd, Marion, IL 62959, United States
10. Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge

Credit: CrabOrchardNationalWildlifeRefuge / Facebook
Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge is a relaxing place. The tourism hub is a great location to begin five miles west of Marion.
A map of the 44,000-acre preserve is available at the center. Families get a great chance to get out and see the area’s natural splendor.
A 9-mile self-guided driving tour of the land will allow you to see wild deer, turkeys, bobcats, and migratory birds.
Catching a line from a lake’s shore may also catch catfish. You may take a break from the city’s bustle if you’d like by packing a picnic.
Location: 8588 IL-148, Marion, IL 62959, United States
11. Williamson County Historical Society

Credit: WilliamsonCountyHistoricalCommissionCemeteryRestorationVolunteers / Facebook
The Williamson County Historical Society is housed in a significant brick structure from 1913. This 1913 building, situated at 105 S. Van Buren Street and a half-block away from the Williamson County Courthouse, performed two functions. It served as the sheriff’s home and the jail for his family.
The males are housed in four enormous cell blocks, while the females are housed in smaller ones. In the past, the bargain included the sheriff’s wife cooking for the prisoners.
The Williamson County Historical Society agreed to use the structure as a museum after the new jail’s 1972 completion.
It has been a treasure trove from its inception, housing several priceless family treasures and intriguing artifacts dating back to the county’s creation in 1839 in its collection. At the museum, antiques and records from bygone eras are shown.
Among the 17 rooms packed with exhibits are a vintage classroom and several displays of antique clothing, equipment, toys, and military uniforms.
Location: 611 W Main St, Franklin, TN 37064, United States
12. Marion Carnegie Library

Credit: MarionCarnegieLibrary / Facebook
The Marion Carnegie Library is presently located in the former “Grandma Cline” residence. In 1915, the structure was built thanks to an $18,000 donation from the Carnegie Foundation.
Clifford Shopbell, an architect from Evansville, Indiana, designed the structure, and Robert Sparks, a builder from Marion, Indiana, constructed it.
It opened on February 29, 1916, with 680 borrowers and 1,162 books. The library’s collection now numbers more than 118,000 items.
Customers can borrow various items from the library, including books, magazines, DVDs, CDs, educational packages, and digital content.
If the item you’re looking for is not accessible, you may also request something from one of the other libraries in its network.
Location: 206 S Market St, Marion, IL 62959, United States
13. Rent One Park

Credit: RentOnePark / Facebook
Rent One Park is a stadium that debuted in Marion, Illinois, in 2007. The Frontier League’s Southern Illinois Miners, a minor league team, called it home starting in 2007.
This stadium has a contemporary, non-traditional look in contrast to the traditional red brick and green-painted steel of other ballparks in the United States.
One of the distinctive features of the new stadium is the roof, which slopes downward toward the field. Fans may be able to catch players’ foul balls that roll back down the area as a consequence.
Among the more than 3,400 regular armchair seats at the ballpark, it’s not unusual to discover a giant chair behind home plate.
There may be more than 2,000 spectators in the grassy area outside the outfield and along the left-field line.
The complex’s amenities include team stores, an outdoor plaza, home and visitor clubhouses, a maintenance facility, and administrative offices.
At the southwest corner of the park, on the left-field side, is The Fun Zone, a kids’ play area with four inflatable games. You may play basketball, skeeball, baseball, and Wiffle ball, among other ball games.
Location: 1000 Miners’ Drive, Marion, IL 62959, United States
14. Kokopelli Golf Club
Kokopelli Golf Club has a long history of bringing Southern Illinois and golf together. Construction to bring elite golf to Southern Illinois started in 1996 under the leadership of more than 20 local businesspeople.
Renowned golf architect Steve Smyers designed this extensive course, and Golf Week Magazine named it one of the best places in America.
This course will keep you engaged, whether you are a beginner or a seasoned player. The best aspects of Kokopelli’s lengthy history with the thrill of a new age are being brought together by the company’s new leadership.
Kokopelli includes an eight-acre practice area, a fleet of GPS golf carts with Bluetooth and radio capabilities, and an all-inclusive pro shop with professional golf instruction for your convenience.
Anyone who chooses to participate has the option of joining and sponsoring. A pass-through bar, updated amenities, and recently remodeled event rooms are now available for rent in Kokopelli’s revamped event area.
It also has The Turn, a restaurant, and a club where visitors may unwind and enjoy all night long. With its wide selection of bourbons, regional wine, and mouthwatering meal specials, there’s no reason to go elsewhere.
Location: 1527 Champions Dr, Marion, IL 62959, United States
15. Pyramid Park

Credit: PyramidPark / Facebook
Pyramid Park is a well-liked neighborhood park because of its vast grounds and excellent amenities.
This Marion neighborhood park has some of the most excellent fields, playgrounds, and picnic areas in the whole city.
This 33-acre park is home to the challenging, professionally constructed 18-hole Pharaoh’s Way Disc Golf Course.
Additionally, there is a skate park right in the middle. Additionally, there are two baseball diamonds and a ton of parking spaces.
Spend some time at the park and take in the sunset. You can appreciate the sky’s magnificent orange hue from this park.
Location: 1421 Pharaoh’s Way, Marion, IL 62959, United States
Conclusion
If you’re considering a vacation to this city, you’re in for a great time because a ton of entertainment is waiting for you there.
No matter your age, you’ll like the city’s attractions a lot. Explore all of this city’s beautiful places and attractions using this page as your helpful guide.