Places to stay and things to do along the great river road from MO, IA, IL
Sep 21st, 2012, 07:29 AM
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Places to stay and things to do along the great river road from MO, IA, IL
My Husband and I are taking a trip around the first or second weekend in Oct from AR to end destination Lake Carroll, IL. We are wanting to make a weekend out of this trip, its for business you see. We are in AR, the delta region and was wanting to take the great river road through MO, possibly IA, and then IL and was wanting to know about some good places to stay and things to see and do along the way to get the most out of this trip.
Sep 21st, 2012, 07:15 PM
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How about Ste. Genevieve MO? Settled c1735 has the greatest concentration of French Colonial buildings in North America.
On the other side of the river and just a little upstream is Fort des Chartres, built 1720 when the French controlled Louisiana Territory. It's a few miles from the road.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Chartres
The Chain of Rocks Bridge north of St. Louis used to carry Route 66 across the river. Now it's open to hikers and bicyclists, so you can walk across the Mississippi.
St. Louis of course has tons of nice places to stay and to eat, and is easily worth its own weekend.
On the other side of the river and just a little upstream is Fort des Chartres, built 1720 when the French controlled Louisiana Territory. It's a few miles from the road.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Chartres
The Chain of Rocks Bridge north of St. Louis used to carry Route 66 across the river. Now it's open to hikers and bicyclists, so you can walk across the Mississippi.
St. Louis of course has tons of nice places to stay and to eat, and is easily worth its own weekend.
Sep 21st, 2012, 08:13 PM
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My husband wasn't really wanting to stay in a big place like St. Louis we were trying to stay outside of there. Thank you for the info on St. Genevieve and Fort des Chartes this is the info that I am looking for. Now anything on the outskirts of St. Louis would be helpful.
What does anyone know about Hannibal,MO or Alton,Mo and Keokuk,IL, Muscatine, Rock Island, Bettendorf or Clinton,IA this is the route we were planning on taking. If we leave early on a Friday the St Genevieve would come into play but if we leave on a Saturday we would have to be past St. Louis.
What does anyone know about Hannibal,MO or Alton,Mo and Keokuk,IL, Muscatine, Rock Island, Bettendorf or Clinton,IA this is the route we were planning on taking. If we leave early on a Friday the St Genevieve would come into play but if we leave on a Saturday we would have to be past St. Louis.
Sep 22nd, 2012, 08:33 AM
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You mean Alton IL, I think. I like Alton. There's a casino there if you like that sort of thing, and lots of antique shops. One of my husband's old buddies runs a restaurant/lounge there called the Bossa Nova.
Probably the only World Heritage Site along the Road is at Cahokia Mounds, where I am thinking about joining the autumn equinox sunrise watching tomorrow at 0620. Mound builders lived here. Very worth small detour.
Trail of Tears State Park, south of Ste. Gen,, has interesting history and might be good if you just need a break.
Hannibal has nice B&Bs, and is worth a stroll past Twain's childhood home. I am planning a family reunion and thinking about having it there.
Let me put in a word for Clarksville, though, a bit downriver. Right on the river, a classic old river town and artsy craftsy.
http://www.clarksvillemo.us/index.html
I've only ever driven through Keokuk and Rock Island, sorry. I hope someone can help you with those.
Probably the only World Heritage Site along the Road is at Cahokia Mounds, where I am thinking about joining the autumn equinox sunrise watching tomorrow at 0620. Mound builders lived here. Very worth small detour.
Trail of Tears State Park, south of Ste. Gen,, has interesting history and might be good if you just need a break.
Hannibal has nice B&Bs, and is worth a stroll past Twain's childhood home. I am planning a family reunion and thinking about having it there.
Let me put in a word for Clarksville, though, a bit downriver. Right on the river, a classic old river town and artsy craftsy.
http://www.clarksvillemo.us/index.html
I've only ever driven through Keokuk and Rock Island, sorry. I hope someone can help you with those.
Sep 22nd, 2012, 08:44 AM
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OK, just a bit more about IL north of St.Louis:
There's Pere Marquette State Park, with cabins, a lodge, and hiking. You're there at the beginning of our local Leaf Peeper season, though, and might be sold out.
That stretch of road past Alton is lovely in the fall, with limestone bluffs, beaver dams, people out cycling on the bike path. Weekend traffic can be a mess, though, full of people driving up from the city. Try to time it so you're not going south in the late afternoon or evening.
Hardin IL has fun little catfish eateries. It's right down there at river level.
Elsah IL, tucked in between the bluffs, is worth making a left and driving or strolling through to stretch your legs.
One more thought about Ste.Gen: there's a ferry just north of town that might make it a possible stopover for coming back south.
There's Pere Marquette State Park, with cabins, a lodge, and hiking. You're there at the beginning of our local Leaf Peeper season, though, and might be sold out.
That stretch of road past Alton is lovely in the fall, with limestone bluffs, beaver dams, people out cycling on the bike path. Weekend traffic can be a mess, though, full of people driving up from the city. Try to time it so you're not going south in the late afternoon or evening.
Hardin IL has fun little catfish eateries. It's right down there at river level.
Elsah IL, tucked in between the bluffs, is worth making a left and driving or strolling through to stretch your legs.
One more thought about Ste.Gen: there's a ferry just north of town that might make it a possible stopover for coming back south.
Sep 26th, 2012, 06:25 AM
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You're welcome. I'm afraid we Midwest posters can be kind of poky.
Standing in line at the grocery store the other day I read a magazine feature about Louisiana MO. I've never been there, but it looks like another good bet, and probably closer to a sweet little town than Hannibal is these days.
http://www.louisiana-mo.com/v1/
Should be a great drive; we'll have to try it some fall soon.
Standing in line at the grocery store the other day I read a magazine feature about Louisiana MO. I've never been there, but it looks like another good bet, and probably closer to a sweet little town than Hannibal is these days.
http://www.louisiana-mo.com/v1/
Should be a great drive; we'll have to try it some fall soon.
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