Quick Facts about Cahokia Mounds

At first glance, Cahokia Mounds might look like a large, steep hill with a hundred stairs leading to the top. But there’s so much more to it than that. Here are a few quick facts to get you excited to visit.

• There are 104 known mounds at Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site.
• The largest mound, Monk’s Mound, stands at over 100 feet tall and has 160 stairs to get to the top. The Mound was completely man-made.
• Cahokia was home to the Mississippian people and at its peak in the 1100s, it was home to over 20,000 people. This made it one of the most densely populated cities in the world at that time.
• By 1300, Cahokia was abandoned for an unknown reason.

Getting to and Parking at Cahokia Mounds

Cahokia Mounds is located near Collinsville, Illinois. It is easy to get to by car and has one main designated parking lot and a few smaller lots near landmarks. It is free to park in any of these lots and there is no admission fee to enter the park.

Touring Cahokia Mounds

Cahokia Mounds is a perfect place for outdoorsy travelers to spend the day exploring. It is perfect for someone who loves museums. And it is a great place to compromise when your group is split right down the middle. There is a beautiful museum inside the visitor’s center, a guided walking tour of the main grounds, and over ten miles of hiking trails around the park. No matter what you’re in the mood for, you’ll find it here.

Hiking at Cahokia Mounds

When you visit Cahokia Mounds, you’ll notice a lot of people wearing athletic clothes. That’s because Monk’s Mound is a favorite outdoor workout amongst locals. With over 160 steps to get to the top, you’ll see plenty of people running as quickly as they can up the stairs and descending down just as fast.

Even though Monk’s Mound is the clear favorite, there are over 10 miles of hiking trails around Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, so don’t limit yourself to just one trail. You could easily spend an entire day exploring the grounds of this park.

My favorite spot is a look out spot on top of Monk’s Mound. On a clear day, you can see all of downtown St Louis from here. It’s a great spot for a photo.

Historic Walk of Cahokia Mounds

If you want to get outside and explore, but also want to learn a little something about what you’re looking at, take a trip to the Visitor’s Center before you start. Inside the Gift Shop, you can reserve iPods with audio tours of the park grounds to give you a better idea of what exactly you’re looking at. There is also the option to take a guided tour from one of the tour guides. With 104 mounds on site, it is easy to overlook one. But the audio tour will help you identify mounds, and other key factors in the park like borrow pits, and the grid lines that the entire city was built off of.

Currently the audio self-guided tour is not available due to Covid-19 restrictions. Instead, they are offering a paper guide book that has a written narrative to help guide you through the park.

Visiting the Museum at Cahokia Mounds

I’m ashamed to admit, the first time we visited Cahokia Mounds, we skipped the Museum entirely. It was a beautiful day, and we stopped by for a hike. It was a hugely missed opportunity. The museum inside Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site is very well made. It helps you truly get a better understanding for both the people who lived here and the archeologists who have helped to interpret it.

I highly recommend you at least take a quick lap around the inside of the Museum. At the very center, there is a recreated village. Here they have life-sized statues of the Mississippian people who lived in Cahokia illustrating what life was like. If you want to understand the historic site better, this is the perfect place to start.

Admission to the Museum is completely free, but there is a suggested donation of $7 per person. Donations like these help preserve these historic sites and keep them accessible to everyone.

No matter what kind of exploring you’re in the mood for, Cahokia Mounds will deliver. Whether you are hoping to get in a 10 mile jog, take a historic walking tour, or spend hours pouring over the museum exhibits, you’ll find what you’re looking for here. Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site might be somewhat of a hidden gem for now, but it won’t be for long! Go explore all that it has to offer soon!

More to do Nearby

The area immediately surrounding Cahokia Mounds is an under-developed area and is not the best place to start exploring. However there are quite a few really cool places just a short drive away.

Nearby in Collinsville, Illinois, there is a brewery and distillery serving up some delicious food. Check out Old Herald Brewing & Distilling for a bite to eat after a day of hiking.

Edwardsville, Illinois is about a 20 minute drive away but is home to my favorite coffee shop in the St Louis Area. Check out Goshen Coffee for your favorite espresso drink or a pastry off their 100% vegan menu. While you’re in Edwardsville, you may also want to grab a beer at Recess Brewing.

If you’re willing to venture out a bit further, you might want to check out Old Bakery Beer in Alton, Illinois. It’s one of my favorite stops on this side of the Mississippi. Even though it is a little bit of a drive, it is well worth it.

Explore More of St Louis

If you’re looking for even more nearby places to explore, be sure to check out St Louis’ National Parks. We have two great national parks to check out: Gateway Arch National Park and Ulysses S Grant National Historic Site. I have an entire post dedicated to the National Parks of St Louis, as well as posts written for each individual site.

There’s more to St Louis than the Gateway Arch, and to prove it, I’ve written a few other posts about St Louis that are worth checking out!:

60+ St Louis Date Ideas that You’ll Absolutely Love!

21 free things for Adults (21+) to do in St Louis

9 Best Historic Home Tours in St Louis

How to have the Best 48 Hours in St Louis

Pin this for Later

The post The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Cahokia Mounds Historic Site first appeared on Greetings From Kelly.

Will I have to wait in line to get in?

The short answer – Yes, you likely will have to wait in line to get into the Starbucks Reserve Roastery. We arrived early in the morning, and still had to stand in line for 20 minutes before going inside. (They have to keep their building under its capacity.) And they let everyone inside in waves so the first floor doesn’t get over-crowded.

How many floors does the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Chicago Have?

There are four floors of coffee fun at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Chicago.

When we visited, we tried to escape the crowds the best we could by racing up to the fourth floor and working our way down to the first. In reality, we didn’t avoid crowds by doing this. At least by the time we were done we could just walk back out onto the street and not have to fight our way back downstairs.

I’ve written this guide from the ground up. If you want to start at the top and work your way down, read this post in reverse!

The First Floor – The Coffee Bar

They don’t call it the Reserve Roastery to sound fancy. This structure does what it promises. It is a building dedicated to Roasting specialty coffee beans. These beans can only be tried here at the Reserve. Awesome, isn’t it?

The first floor is dedicated to letting you try what they’re roasting. There’s even a sign that flips to let you know what they’re currently roasting. And a large piano-organ-like structure that transports beans sporadically throughout your visit.

On the first floor, you can purchase coffee beans or a specialty gifts, and order a drink of your favorite blend.

Also on the first floor, you can find this soon-to-be iconic “Chicago” photo op. There were lots of people taking photos here while we visited (us included!)

The Second Floor – Princi Bakery & Cafe

I’ll be completely honest, I didn’t spend a lot of time here. This floor is perfect if you’re looking for a bite to eat. It is touted as the “Authentic Italian Bakery” serving up bread, pastries, and pizzas. If you’re hungry, consider grabbing a bite to eat here. We opted to save our appetite for our trip to Giordano’s Pizza, our favorite deep dish pizza in Chicago. (More on that in a later post!)

The Third Floor – Experimental Coffee Bar

Before I had the chance to explore the Reserve Roastery for myself, I thought I would most enjoy this floor. (As it turns out, the fourth floor was our favorite!) The Third floor is a coffee lover’s dream. Experience different brew styles, exceptional flavors, and a truly unique coffee pour here.

On this floor, I grabbed a Cardamom Latte and it was truly one of the most delicious cups of coffee I have ever had the pleasure of drinking. I hope when they say “experimental” they mean “we’re testing this out before we launch it nationwide” because this would be my go-to drink at Starbucks if they made it available. Full warning, the Cardamom Latte is available for a limited time, and it comes with an $8 price tag. Maybe not something you should indulge in every day, but absolutely worth it for a one-time taste!

The Fourth Floor – Arriviamo Cocktail Bar

There is a magical place where a cocktail bar exists inside a Starbucks…and you’ve just found it. You heard that right, there’s a Starbucks that’s serving cocktails right now!

We are bourbon drinkers. And lucky for us, there were lots of Knob Creek inspired drinks on the Cocktail Bar menu when we visited.

If you are a lover of bourbon, be sure to check out all of my posts about the Urban Bourbon Trail in Louisville! – A must-see destination for bourbon drinkers!

While the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Chicago is relatively new, the plan is for the menus to change often so these may not be available during your visit. Here’s what you might expect to see on the menu:

The first thing we tried is a side-by-side tasting of the barrel-aged cold brew, aged in Knob Creek barrels, and served along side a pour of Knob Creek 100. This unique pairing makes it easy to pick out the similarities in flavors.

This floor serves more than just bourbon and barrel-aged coffee. One of the most unique offerings of the fourth floor is their coffee cocktails. While you might assume this would mean a traditional cocktail with the addition of coffee, that isn’t quite correct…

One of the drinks we tried is a “Cold Fashioned,” a new take on the Old Fashioned. Instead of bourbon, this cocktail was served with their Barrel-Aged Cold Brew. This replacement made this drink delicious and alcohol free.

The “Secret” Fifth Floor – The Rooftop Terrace

Whoa, wait, a Fifth Floor? That’s right. While the escalators only take you up to the fourth floor, the stairwell will take you up to the additional level of the Rooftop Terrace. This wasn’t open during our visit, but it is expected to be open in the summer.

Visiting the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Chicago

You can easily spend a few hours exploring everything at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Chicago. I would plan for at least an hour during your visit, maybe more if you visit during a busy time.

Be prepared to stand in some long lines, or wait for a seat at the bar. For coffee (and cocktail!) lovers, the wait will be worth it!

The post What You Need to Know About Visiting the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Chicago first appeared on Greetings From Kelly.

Wm. Van’s Coffee House

The perfect place to grab a coffee in the morning or a quick bite of breakfast, and it’s right across the street from your first “official” destination. Wm. Van’s brews up a delicious cup of coffee inside an adorable old home now converted into their storefront.

Lincoln Home National Historic Site

As I’m sure you already know, Springfield, Illinois is best known for it’s connection to our 16th President. So, it’s only natural, after obtaining proper coffee-fuel of course, to begin your 1 day in Springfield at the Lincoln Residence. While this home has been restored to look like it did when Lincoln lived there, there are still pieces of it that are completely unaltered. The handrails, for instance, are the same ones used by the Lincoln family. You can only visit this home with a free tour from a Park Ranger, but it is definitely worth the visit.

There are a few blocks surrounding the home that are also restored to their historic glory. The house neighboring the Lincoln’s home has been converted into a museum to show the restoration process in action, even pieces of the walls pulled back so you can see exactly what it looks like underneath, as well as photos of the homes before and after restorations.

Dana Thomas House

By now, you’ve probably realized I love touring Historic Homes. There is no better way to learn about a place than to learn more about the people who lived there. The next stop on our one-day tour of Springfield will be to the Dana Thomas House. While Dana Thomas isn’t a name that will be familiar to most, the home’s architect is. Frank Lloyd Wright designed this home and construction was completed in 1904.

If you have interest in architecture, you will immediately recognize this signature style of Frank Lloyd Wright. If you do not care at all about architecture, you’ll be able to appreciate the majesty and beautiful decor in this home. And there are a few hidden secrets throughout the home that are fun to see, like a full length bowling alley lane in the basement!

Cozy Dog Drive-In

A bit of a drive from all the other destinations, but completely worth the stop if you’re a Route 66 fanatic. This Route 66 Destination stakes claim in being the inventor of the Corn Dog, and has two adorable corn dog mascots to solidify this claim. This is a perfect spot to grab lunch before heading back into the heart of Springfield for more exploring!

Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

I’ll be honest, the first time we visited Springfield I was a bit thrown by the price of admission to the Lincoln Presidential Museum. I have only ever visited Springfield 1 day at a time, and this stop threatened to consume a large chunk of our day. Or so I thought. At the cost of $15 per ticket (at the time this was published in May of 2019), I was worried I wouldn’t get to see enough of it to be worth it.

Now that I’m on the other side, I will admit full-heartedly that I was wrong! This Museum is a must-see spot in Springfield! The building is divided into two halves, the Early Years, and the White House Years. You walk through scene after scene of Abe Lincoln’s life, all portrayed by life-size statues of him and his family. History truly comes alive here. You have to stop! If you’re worried about being short on time, don’t be! We read everything inside, and still managed to make it through the museum in about two hours.

Obed & Isaac’s

Obed & Isaac’s is the name everyone who has visited Springfield will recognize. It is a Brewery with delicious brews, and a restaurant serving up your typical bar food in a slightly more upscale setting. In addition, they have an outdoor patio area that serves up beers and a smaller food menu. They have yard games and fire pits in their yard, making this the perfect spot to spend the evening or afternoon.

If you’re looking to continue the beer crawl, check out Buzz Bomb Brewing Company or Anvil & Forge Brewing next!

Spending the Night?

If you’re staying the night in Springfield, consider checking out one of these hotels:

President Abraham Lincoln Springfield – DoubleTree by Hilton Hotels

Wyndham Springfield City Center

Comfort Inn & Suites – Springfield I-55

Best Western Clearlake Plaza

Papo’s Cafe

If you’re still in Springfield the next morning, grab a bite to eat at this adorable breakfast spot, most known for their ginormous cinnamon rolls! They run the gambit from quick, grab-and-go bites to a large sit down brunch. A full espresso bar or pour-your-own black coffee are just what you need to refuel before hitting the road back home.

You’ve only just scratched the surface on all there is to do in Springfield, but with this limited visit, you’ll quickly discover more places to add to your list for your next visit.

1 Day in Springfield – Itinerary Download

Grab a Printable Version of this Itinerary Below!

Looking for more posts on Route 66? Check these out:

Visiting a Route 66 Landmark: the Blue Whale of Catoosa

Visiting a Route 66 Landmark: the Midpoint Cafe

Five National Parks You Need to Visit When Traveling Route 66

Visiting a Route 66 Landmark: the Meteor Crater in Arizona

Visiting a Route 66 Landmark: the Wigwam Village Motel

The post 1 Day in Springfield, Illinois first appeared on Greetings From Kelly.

With the recent popularity of the Passport Program, there is more awareness now than ever before about the smaller parks managed by or affiliated with the National Park Service.  There are 90 parks in the United States that are “officially” designated National Historic Sites. 

While you may have visited the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone, or one of the other big-name parks run by the National Parks Service, you may not have visited Abraham Lincoln’s Springfield Home, or the Saugus Ironworks National Historic Site.  You might be curious about visiting these places, but unsure because you don’t really know much about them. 

The good news is you don’t have to know a thing!  Unlike Yellowstone, where not knowing what you’re getting into could be dangerous, at National Historic Sites, you can go in completely blind.  You don’t have to know anything about the site or the person that it was created for.  You can just go.  Which makes National Historic Sites even more exciting and accessible to Historic Park Newbies. 

While you’re more than welcome to go in knowing nothing, there are some things you can do to guarantee your trip to your first National Historic Site will be the best it can be.  

1. Do your Research Before you Leave

I know I said you don’t have to know anything before you go to a National Historic site, and that is completely, 100% true!  But you will get more out of your trip if you know the background of your destination.

Do they offer tours, and if so, what times?  Do they have audio tours?  Is the historic site mostly indoor or mostly outdoor exploring?  Will there be a place to grab some lunch?  How long will I need to spend here to see everything? 

There are so many things that are helpful to know, about the site that have nothing to do with the historical significance.  While you can learn more about why your chosen Historic Site is important once you get there, you cannot get there on a day they are closed and expect to learn something. 

Some parks, like the previously mentioned Saugus Ironworks, have certain days in the week that are different than others.  At Saugus, they do live demonstrations of the Ironworks Facility and how it functioned, but you aren’t able to see this every day of the week.  If your chosen park has something similar to this, know which day of the week you want to visit and plan accordingly. 

2. Bring a Notebook

Before you head to a National Historic Site, write down questions you have about the place you are visiting before you get there, and continue to write down questions that come up as you explore the site. 

You can also jot down notes about things you learned that you don’t want to forget, or other places that you might want to visit at a later date.  You could write down names of people that are also important, or maybe a specific battle that interests you.   You never know when you’ll hear something you want to remember, so be prepared!

3. Talk to a Park Ranger

Remember those questions that you wrote down in your notebook?  If you haven’t found answers for them yet, bring your questions to a Park Ranger and ask them!  Many of the Park Rangers spend years learning all there is to learn about the Historic Site they take care of.  They’ve read every book and they’ve told every story.  If you have a question that hasn’t been answered, now is your chance to get it!

You might also be able to talk to a park ranger about other historic locations nearby that are related to the site you’re at now.  At our local historic park, the Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site, I love to talk to the Park Rangers about the other families in the area (the ones that all the streets are named after now!) and how they are related to Grant’s story.   This gives me opportunities to research more about other people that built St. Louis into what it was today.  There really isn’t an end to what you can learn from Park Rangers and the National Park Service.

4. Watch a Video at the Visitor’s Center

The History is typically dense at a National Historic Site.  The videos at the Visitor’s Center can help you to get your foundation before exploring the park deeper.  Visitor Center videos often give an overview of the history of the park, or will bring to life the specific moment that made this place relevant. 

Regardless of the topic discussed, watching the video will help get you oriented for the rest of the park you’re about to see.  Many parks have more than one video, so be sure to ask about all the video topics and find one that interests you most and fits your timeline best. 

5. Talk to the Gift Shop about Books

One of the best things I’ve ever done while visiting a National Historic Site was talk to the person working the gift shop about their favorite book they are selling.  Most of the time, the sales person is ecstatic to talk about their favorite topics. 

The gift shop attendant spends most of their day answering questions about t-shirt sizes, or giving directions to the bathroom, or being asked where the Passport Stamp is.  But it is important to remember that the person working the gift shop, often a volunteer, chose this park because it is a place they are passionate about.  Give them the chance to talk about their passions, and they will gladly share all that they can.

6. Take a Guided Tour

Not all historic parks are accessible without a park ranger, but if you have the option to explore the site on your own, I highly recommend you opt not to do that.  There is so much more you will gain by walking through the site and learning about it from a Park Ranger who spends all their time mastering it. 

If you have to go without a ranger, ask if they have a guided audio tour that you can listen to while you walk.   At the John F. Kennedy National Historic Site in Brookline, Massachusetts, Rosemary Kennedy, JFK’s mother, narrates the audio tour.  She walked through the house where her family grew up and recorded stories of things she remembered from the home.  They turned this into the audio tour, and it is truly unforgettable.  While the rangers are happy to share more stories and background in length, there is nothing like having Rosemary Kennedy give you a tour of her own house.

7. Take a Hike Before you Go

Many people who visit the National Parks love the parks because they love being active, getting outdoors, and connecting with nature.  Oftentimes, you won’t find this at a National Historic Site.  Many of the National Historic Sites are homes of influential people from history.  The extent of the walking will be within the home.   If you’re waning to stay active, get a hike in before you visit!

Some Historic Sites have hiking trails on the property that you can take advantage of.  At the Abraham Lincoln Boyhood Home, you can walk the paths between the Visitor Center and the house and walk the same places that Lincoln once walked.

If there aren’t any trails at the Historic Site you are visiting, it might be a great time to check for a nearby State Park and explore the hiking trails there.  It’s always a great idea, especially after a long car ride, to get your blood flowing before settling into learning.

8. Find a Connection to Another Park and Continue the Journey

The majority of historic sites can be seen in a couple of hours.  Which means if you plan it out just right, it is possible to visit more than one in a trip.  Check the map and see if there is another destination close by.

If you aren’t able to see more than one in a day or in a weekend, connect the park you are currently visiting to the next destination.  In the Midwest, it is very easy to link multiple Historic Sites that are all tied to Lincoln.  You can start at Lincoln’s Birthplace in Kentucky, visit his Boyhood Home in Indiana, and finish with his home in Springfield Illinois.  You can trace his steps from birth all the way to his presidency. 

The same could be said for battles of the Civil War, you can follow the stories of the Civil War from battlefield to battlefield.  You could pick a theme, like Black History, and visit all the parks that share that connection.  The possibilities are endless, but building on what you learn in one park by continuing learning in another is a great way to bring history alive and stay enthusiastic about what you’re learning.

Are you planning a trip to a National Historic site?  Where will you be visiting and what kinds of things will you be asking once you get there?   I’d love for you to share with me the questions you have and the answers you find.  The opportunities to learn are endless with our National Parks.  Where will you explore next?

Pin Now, Read Later! Click the Image Below to Pin this Post!:

Like This Post? You’ll love these! Check out some more of my latest news, updates, and itineraries:

• 60+ St Louis Date Ideas That You’ll Absolutely Love
• A Complete Guide to Annual Pop-Up Bars in St Louis
• Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Wigwam Village #2 in Cave City, Kentucky
• National Park Passport Program: Why National Park Visitors Love It!
• 15 Great Things To Do Near Indiana Dunes National Park

There’s benefits to being a subscriber! Join my mailing list and get updates before anyone else. Awesome, right? Sign up below!

Want Access to my Free Resource Library? Click the Image below!

The post 8 Things to do to Guarantee You’ll get the Most out of Your First Visit to a National Historic Site first appeared on Greetings From Kelly.

Like many Midwest cities, the weather in St. Louis can be somewhat unpredictable this time of year.  Some days it is 70 degrees, and sometimes it can be below zero.  There can be sun, or five inches of snow, but one thing is certain about this wonderful city, there will always be lots to do. 

1. Delmar Ice Carnival

The Delmar Ice Carnival is on a half-mile section of Delmar Boulevard in the University City Neighborhood, known to St. Louisans as the Delmar Loop. 

During the Ice Carnival, this stretch of Delmar is filled with over twenty ice sculptures modeled to represent the small businesses and organizations that host the sculptures and sponsor the event.  There are carnival games, bowling with a frozen turkey, drink specials, and my favorite of all, Putt-Putt Pub Crawl.  Small Putt-Putt courses made completely out of ice! 

This is a really unique event and one that is absolutely not to be missed!

2. The Missouri History Museum

The History Museum is a great place to visit any time of year, but I find it particularly perfect on the icy cold winter days.  The History Museum is always free and has beautifully curated exhibits. 

Right now, they have their Panoramas exhibit, which highlights historic panoramic photos that give a peek into what life was like during the time it was taken.  The details they were able to get out of these hundred plus year old photos really lets you look into the eyes of every individual person in the photos.  If Panoramas is no longer showing, there is bound to be another great exhibit to see at the Missouri History Museum. 

3. Sledding at Art Hill

(if you’re lucky enough to catch some snow!)

You’ll have to be lucky enough to catch a snowfall in St. Louis in order to experience this one, but if you do, you’ll never forget it.  Art Hill, the large hill leading up to the St. Louis Art Museum, is the most perfect place in St. Louis to go sledding. 

If you find yourself there, you’ll be joined by hundreds of others taking advantage of the rare opportunity.  Once you’ve reached the bottom, be ready for a tough hike back to the top.  The hill is steep (which is what makes the sledding part so fun!) but when it’s covered in snow and possibly ice, the hike up can be very challenging. 

4. SLAM Underground

If the stars truly align, you might be able to attend one of the Art Museum’s SLAM Underground Events when you’re done sledding!  SLAM Underground is a party at the Museum, held on the last Friday of every month, that invites Young Professionals to take advantage of later hours, and learn more about the featured exhibit or theme. 

With a signature drink, crafts, and vendors like caricature artists, photo booths, or contortionists to name a few. There is something for everyone at the St. Louis Art Museum during their Underground nights.  This is also a great time to take advantage of the later hours and look at the other exhibits the museum has to offer.  Most people who attend SLAM Underground are in the Grand Hall or one of the highlighted exhibits, leaving the other exhibits almost completely deserted.  This is the perfect time to get up close and personal with some of your favorite art.

5. Sweet Tooth Tour

Call me biased, but I love all events that are held in Maplewood.  The Sweet Tooth Tour is the first of three annual “crawls” that Maplewood Hosts.  (The Coffee Crawl and Prost, a beer crawl, are their other two prominent events.)

At the beginning of the Sweet Tooth Tour, you are given a ticket, which you take to all participating vendors.  They give your ticket a stamp, and in return you get a treat.  The treats you are able to redeem with this ticket are not small tastes, but full sized treats!  Things like cupcakes, slices of pie, biscotti, donuts, and cookies. 

Tickets cost $23, and get you access to 15+ full sized treats.  Jason and I typically split a ticket so we don’t get burnt out on the sweets, and we have no problem splitting the portions of treats.

6. Eagle Watching

January is one of the best times of year to watch the eagles migrate.  Eagles travel along the river ways, making the St. Louis area a prime viewing spot!

While it is possible to see eagles anywhere in this area, we find we have the best luck just north of St. Louis in Alton, Illinois.  This rural area is near the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri River, making it a high-traffic zone for these birds of prey. 

You can also pay a visit to the Audubon Center at Riverlands (we make this our home base when we go Eagle Watching.) The volunteers and visitors here are more than happy to share their excitement and bird watching tips with you to help you catch a glimpse at one of the Eagles in the area.  As with anything in nature, patience is key, so be sure to bring lots of snacks and water.

After a day of Eagle watching, head into the heart of Alton and you can grab a bite to eat at our favorite spot in Alton, the Old Bakery Beer Company.

On top of all my favorite places to be in St. Louis this time of year, there are always tons of breweries, restaurants, and bars that make it a must-see destination any time of year. 

The post 6 Reasons Why January is the Perfect Time to Visit St. Louis first appeared on Greetings From Kelly.