Discover Coal Valley through several distinct themes: wildlife at Niabi Zoo, municipal parks with their own amenities, the restored Coal Valley jail, and CribFest. When planning, it helps not to treat these as interchangeable outings: a wildlife experience has its own conditions, some park uses require a reservation, and CribFest is planned around a seasonal program that varies from year to year.

Niabi Zoo and Wildlife Experiences

At Niabi Zoo, visitors can discover more than 600 animals from around the world across more than 40 acres in Coal Valley, Illinois. A general zoo visit and a wildlife experience are two different planning options: zoo admission is included with wildlife experiences when the zoo is open for general admission. This condition is important if you plan to make a wildlife experience a separate part of your itinerary.

During a wildlife experience, participants can go behind the scenes and feed a giraffe, sloth, rhinoceros, or turtle some of its favorite foods. The offerings and the availability of individual animals may change. If you are considering an encounter with a particular animal, check in advance which experiences are currently available.

Parks: Amenities and Reservations

The parks differ in their amenities and reservation requirements. Coal Valley Municipal Park is located at 1000 1st Street. Its amenities include an enclosed shelter, picnic tables, restrooms, tennis courts, a horseshoe pit, a baseball field, and playground equipment. A reservation is required to rent the shelter and lodge.

Post Office Park offers a covered shelter, picnic tables, restrooms, and playground equipment; no reservation is required. No reservation is required for Stanley B. Engstrom Park either. West 5th Street Park has playground equipment. Municipal Park, Post Office Park, and West 5th Street Park are therefore options for playground equipment; restrooms are available at Municipal Park and Post Office Park. Municipal Park has tennis courts, a baseball field, and a horseshoe pit; playground equipment is also available at Post Office Park and West 5th Street Park. Reservation requirements and amenities may change, so check the latest municipal information before planning a park visit around them.

A Local Historical Connection

The Coal Valley jail was built in 1856 by the Weyerhauser Lumber Company and donated to the Township. After being restored, it is now located in Village of Coal Valley Park. Its brief history spans its construction and donation, restoration, and present-day location in the park.

CribFest

CribFest is an annual event in Coal Valley, featuring interactive attractions and entertainment for all ages. Dates and programming vary by season. If you would like to combine your stay with the festival, check the announced event dates and the program for that season.

Discover more destinations: Rock Island, Moline, East Moline.

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