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12 Great Day Trips from St. Louis
Looking for a quick escape from the St. Louis area without a long day of travel? Whether you’re a nature lover, history buff, or simply in search of new adventures, there are great opportunities for exploration within a 2.5-hour radius of St. Louis. To make your travel plans easy, I’ve narrowed down our top day trip destinations to give you twelve different ideas for the perfect adventure journey. Load up the kids, pack all the snacks, and head out to…
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10 Amazing Winter Hikes near St. Louis
Don’t let the cold weather scare you away from hitting one of the great trails around St. Louis. Winter can be a perfect time for venturing outdoors. Not only are the ticks and oppressive heat absent, but so are the crowds. Some of the outstanding views that are normally blocked by vegetation are now wide open. Just spending time outside can also be a wonderful way to beat the winter blues. Here are 10 amazing trails near St. Louis well…
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Explore an Ancient Civilization at Cahokia Mounds
Long before Europeans arrived to America, the area just east St. Louis was home to an ancient culture. Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site in southern Illinois preserves the central section of the largest prehistoric Native American city north of Mexico. The city grew to cover 4,000 acres with a population of between ten and twenty thousand at its peak around 1100. Today the site preserves 70 of the original 120 earthen mounds built by pre-historic Native Americans. Dominating the site is Monks…
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French Colonial History Comes Alive at Illinois’s Fort de Chartres
Rising from the farm fields in southern Illinois is an impressive stone fortress celebrating 300 years of history. Long before the United States was established, the French ruled over southern Illinois. The proximity to the Mississippi River, the hunt for precious metals, and the rich farm ground established this area as of strategic importance. Fort de Chartres is one of the best historic sites in the state and recreates this era of Illinois’s history under French rule. History of the…
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Fults Hill Prairie Preserve – Steep Hiking with Panoramic Views
Bluff Road in southwestern Illinois is one of the most scenic drives in the area. Rugged bluffs rise high above the road on one side with farmland stretching toward the Mississippi River on the other. If you have ever wondered what the view is like from atop those rocky bluffs, check out the Fults Hill Prairie Nature Preserve. Located off Bluff Road near the tiny town of Fults, the hiking trail at this preserve will get your heart pumping. The…
