Great Family Adventures Await In Southwest Illinois

Start your family adventure in Collinsville at Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, a UNESCO World Heritage Center. The interpretive center offers an in-depth look at prehistoric Native American life along the famed American River Bottoms. Stretch your legs with a walk up Monks Mound, the largest Native American mound outside of Mexico. When the weather is clear, a view of downtown St. Louis, just minutes from Collinsville, is visible.

Stop by Willoughby Heritage Farm for a glimpse into farm life in the 1940s. The farm has barnyard animals for the kids as well as an authentic farmhouse tour and barns. Take a hike along the trails that weave through the former farm acreage.

Spend the remainder of your day with the kids at the Collinsville Aqua Park. The kids will enjoy the park’s famed Monsoon Mountain and Aqua Climb Wall while the adults sip on a favorite beverage and relax in the sun.

Overnight at the nearby Hampton Inn. Visit Uptown Collinsville, just a short drive from your hotel, for dinner and drinks at Old Herald Brewery & Distillery.

Hop in the car and head along the Meeting of the Great Rivers National Scenic Byway to Alton and be sure to stop and visit a statue of the World’s Tallest Man, Robert Wadlow! Create your own Instagrammable moment with a photo taken beside the bronze statue. How does your family measure up?

Another stop on the scenic byway is the famous Piasa Bird painting located on the limestone bluffs just outside Alton. Stop for photos and a brief history of this legendary dragon-like bird said to haunt the bluffs along the Mississippi River.

Travel along the byway, which hugs the banks of the Mississippi River, from Alton to Grafton for one of the most scenic drives in America. Once in Grafton, stop in at The Loading Dock for lunch and let the kids play lawn games while the adults relax at a table alongside the Mississippi River. A cruise on either the Mississippi or Illinois River is next up. Rent a pontoon boat at Grafton Harbor and set sail on the Mississippi River. The Grafton Harbor Gift Shop is a great place to stock up for the cruise. Once back on dry land, get ready to ride the new Grafton SkyTour from Grafton’s Main Street to the top of the river bluffs nearly 300 feet high. Open-air chair lifts and enclosed gondolas are available. Enjoy one of the best views in the Midwest from Aerie’s Resort at the top of the bluff. Soar over the treetops on Grafton Zipline Adventures – a perfect way to close out this adventure-filled day.

Spend the night at Pere Marquette Lodge & Conference Center. Enjoy a room in the lodge or a cabin adjacent to the historic building. Enjoy a family-style fried chicken dinner at the Pere Marquette Lodge Restaurant.