Off the Grid in Quincy Area

Passionate about art and food? Celebrate the beauty and power of diversity in the tour that pairs both.

The 10-mile route showcases broad sections of the city, winding through the 6th Street Promenade and the Riverfront, the German Historic District, The Downtown District and North End.

Some of the works are “ghost” murals, weathered by the elements and years, offering glimpses of the businesses and families they once represented. Others are new pieces borne of the revitalization initiatives of the city’s residents and arts organizations. Start your day with a Mexican Spice Horchata with Yam Extract from a locally owned coffee roastery, Electric Fountain Brewing then see “The Hand of God,” a massive new installation depicting creation. (24 stops in all with nearby eats & sips).

Quincy: Off the Record Tour

Brow-raising, spooky, spine-tingling… all the elements of an intriguing fall tour. Peruse the places associated with 13 of the Quincy area’s surprising former residents, famous and infamous alike.

Drive past the girlhood home of Mary Astor, the Hollywood starlet who co-starred with Humphrey Bogart in The Maltese Falcon. Learn of the fascinating dual life of Jennie Hodgers, aka Albert Cashier, an Irish born woman who was admitted as a man in the IL Infantry and fought 40 Civil War battles. Albert lived a portion of his later life in the Illinois Veteran’s Home, the state’s oldest and largest veterans home located on 210 acres on Quincy’s north edge, with onsite All Wars Museum and Deer Park. Tour historic Woodland Cemetery, named after the city’s founder John Wood, and where it’s said Wood had his father’s head brought in from New York to be buried in a hat box.

Dining:

• Tiramisu

Attractions:

• Tour Quincy Bikes
• Bill Klingner Trail

Mad for Mid-Mod style? So are we. An exciting tour features 30 premier examples of mid-20th century residential and commercial architecture with modernistic masterpieces like St. Boniface Church, named by the Illinois Association of Architects as one of Illinois’ 150 most important structures. Wind through meticulously maintained subdivisions with sprawling swanky ranch houses and learn of local iconic architect, John Benya, renowned for progressive design and a portfolio as far reaching as the Bahamas.

Once deemed “one of the ten most architecturally-significant corners in the U.S.” by National Geographic Magazine, Quincy's 16th & Maine displays four prime examples of world class architecture.

Shop vintage Quincy with our new shopping guide to three counties that includes mid-mod, retro, repurposed and antiques. Sip a Bayview Blonde at Quincy Brewing Company, situated in a renovated downtown space, lovingly operated by a young local family.

For outdoor exploration, head to Siloam Springs State Park, known for its beautifully wooded terrain and sparkling lake. Visitors can enjoy canoe rentals, hiking trails, camping and horseback riding.

Let the Great River Road guide you north to a truly green, off-grid stay at Ten Acre Treehouses, outside historic Nauvoo, IL, tucked in soaring trees in a hidden forest. 

Or meander south to one of the country’s premier lodge resorts on 1500 acres in scenic Pike County. Heartland Lodge offers lodge suites or private cabins, miles of trails to be discovered via hikes, bikes, horseback, and Polaris UTVs with the magnificent Mississippi River Valley as the backdrop.

{P.S. All the options in our Off-Grid Stays Guide have a nearby winery too. Peruse all 6 in the Mississippi Valley Wine Trail Guide}.

Dining:

• Warsaw Brewery

Attractions:

• Mississippi Valley Wine Trail