Enjoy Illinois Outdoor Activities

 

 

DAY 3: SCENIC ILLINOIS DRIVES AND HISTORIC TOWNS

MORNING Illinois is home to what some describe as the best scenic drive in America. The Great River Road, which is more than 2,000 miles long, runs along the Mississippi River through 10 states and hundreds of historic river towns. Certain portions of the Great River Road have been designated as a national scenic byway, including the 33-mile stretch from Hartford to Grafton. This lovely area is known as the Meeting of the Great Rivers National Scenic Byway. A drive along this stretch features spectacular views of the Mississippi River and its limestone bluffs. Along the Great River Road, visitors are greeted by several inviting towns including Alton (home to the Alton Museum of History and Art), Elsah (the entire village is on the National Register of Historic Places) and Grafton (home to several wineries, flea markets, antique shops and restaurants). AFTERNOON Visiting the historic village of Elsah, with stone cottages and Greek Revival buildings house quaint shops, is akin to taking a journey to a simpler time. Alton, 11 miles south, welcomes shoppers looking for antiques and art. My Just Desserts in Alton serves lunch classics plus delicious homemade pie. Shoppers can visit several antique stores, including Alton Antique Center, Country Meadows Antiques and Prairie Peddler Antiques. Alton’s history stands tall with monumental monuments, but none are larger than Alton’s gentle giant, Robert Wadlow, who was born in Alton in 1918 and became the world’s tallest man, reaching 8 feet, 11.1 inches tall. Alton honors Wadlow with a statue, and the Alton Museum of History and Art devotes an entire room to him. EVENING Old Bakery Beer Company, housed in the old Colonial Bread plant on downtown Alton’s Mississippi riverfront, was started in 2015 by James Rogalsky and Lauren Pattan, a husband-and-wife team committed to sustainability. All beer ingredients are USDA-certified organic, the bars and restaurant tables made out of reclaimed wood. The 50-foot-long centerpiece bar was assembled from a one-room schoolhouse in Collinsville, and the beer tappers are reconditioned rolling pins. Old Bakery’s sprawling dining area has an industrial-chic vibe, with huge cement columns, exposed pipes and ducts, and cream-colored tile walls. Year-round beers include Porter, an English black ale; Citrus Wheat, brewed with lemon peel, orange peel and touches of chamomile and coriander; and Golden Oat, a lightcolored ale brewed with flaked oats. Brewery tours with beer sampling can be arranged. Old Bakery’s menu consists of signature sandwiches, burgers, soups, salads and even seasonal tacos.