Top 15 Must-Do Activities in Alton, Illinois

Three significant rivers converge near this historical town on the Illinois side of the Mississippi, approximately 20 miles north of downtown St. Louis.

Alton boasts an intriguing historical backdrop, featuring notable figures such as the courageous 19th-century abolitionist Elijah P. Lovejoy and Robert Wadlow, recognized as the tallest person in recorded history.

Flanking the Mississippi on the Illinois side, majestic limestone bluffs provide stunning views, while parks and preserves, such as Riverlands, with its Audubon center, populate the opposite bank.

Alton offers an opportunity to enhance your understanding of navigation along the Mississippi River at the impressive Melvin Price Locks and Dam, adjacent to the National Great Rivers Museum.

1. Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Route

Alton is located on the Great River Road, which stretches for 2,000 miles along the Mississippi River, passing through ten states and numerous charming historic towns.

This route is often regarded as the premier scenic drive in the United States, with various segments officially designated as scenic byways.

Specifically, the 33-mile stretch traversing the Mississippi floodplain from Grafton to Hartford is noteworthy.

Travelers will traverse majestic river bluffs on one side and the renowned Mississippi on the other, encountering breathtaking viewpoints, idyllic countryside, quaint villages, historically significant locations, and areas where the Illinois and Missouri Rivers merge into the Mississippi.

2. National Great Rivers Museum

Situated near the impressive Melvin Price Locks and Dam, just a short drive from downtown Alton, this remarkable museum focuses on the Mississippi River and its diverse cultural and natural history.

Constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the facility opened shortly after the locks and dam in 1998.

Visitors can explore approximately 20 engaging interactive multimedia exhibits, which detail water conservation, the ecology of the Mississippi, its evolving course, and its significance as a vital transportation corridor.

The museum houses an aquarium featuring river species and includes a simulator where visitors can navigate their own towboat through the locks and dam.

3. Melvin Price Locks and Dam

While visiting the National Great Rivers Museum, allocate time to appreciate the impressive dam and its accompanying locks.

Officially known as Lock and Dam No. 26 (the first being located in Minneapolis/St. Paul), this remarkable structure was constructed from 1979 to 1994 to replace the earlier lock and dam.

The main lock, equipped with a vertical lift gate, measures 1,200 feet in length and 110 feet in width, representing a state-of-the-art navigation facility.

The dam features nine substantial tainter gates, each measuring 110 feet in width and 42 feet in height. To fully appreciate the scale of the locks and dam, consider taking a guided tour (available Wednesday through Saturday) when visiting the museum.

From late December to early March, large numbers of bald eagles migrate to this area to hunt for fish at the dam.

4. Lewis and Clark State Historic Site

A short distance downstream in Hartford lies the site of Camp Dubois, where the Lewis and Clark Expedition wintered during 1803-1804 before their westward journey to explore the Louisiana Purchase.

This location served as the preparation ground for Meriwether Lewis and William Clark as they readied for their expedition to the Pacific Ocean, and the camp is honored with a captivating 14,000-square-foot interpretive center that provides comprehensive insights into this monumental journey.

Exhibits include a full-scale 55-foot cutaway keelboat, numerous artifacts, and many hands-on displays.

Outside, visitors will find a replica of Camp Dubois and a reconstructed settler’s cabin, along with the 180-foot Lewis & Clark Confluence Tower, offering spectacular views of both the Missouri and Mississippi rivers.

5. World’s Tallest Man Statue

The tallest individual in recorded history, Robert Wadlow (1918-1940), was born and raised in Alton, attending the now-closed Shurtleff College.

Wadlow suffered from a hypertrophic pituitary gland, resulting in an exceptional production of growth hormone.

Upon his passing from an infection related to the leg braces he relied on to walk, he had reached 8 feet 11.1 inches in height, while still growing.

The former Shurtleff College campus is now part of the charming Upper Alton Historic District, where a life-size statue of Wadlow resides in a plaza.

Across College Avenue, the Alton Museum of History & Art, closed at the time of writing, features various memorabilia related to Wadlow, including his oversized grade school ring and third-grade desk.

6. Audubon Center at Riverlands

Just across the Mississippi River in West Alton lies the expansive 3,700-acre Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary, strategically positioned at the heart of the Mississippi Flyway.

This vital migration route serves over 300 bird species, encompassing more than 60% of all North American birds and 40% of the country’s waterfowl species.

Residents of Riverlands include great blue herons, with seasonal visitors such as trumpeter swans and bald eagles during winter, as well as migrating warblers and shorebirds in spring and fall, alongside grassland birds like dickcissels in summer.

One of 41 such centers nationwide, the modern Audubon Center at Riverlands, established in 2011, serves as an essential resource for birdwatchers, featuring expansive viewing windows, knowledgeable staff, and fascinating exhibits about the migratory and resident birdlife of Riverlands.

7. Village of Elsah

A brief drive upriver brings visitors to the quaint town of Elsah, preserved like a large time capsule, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in its entirety in 1973.

Home to approximately 100 residents, Elsah features stunning stone architecture and attained its current size in 1861, nestled between a narrow gap in the river bluffs.

The historic district comprises 48 contributing buildings, and the well-preserved commercial area retains all but one of its pre-1861 structures, including four historic taverns.

8. Jacoby Arts Center

This versatile arts center, located in downtown Alton, is housed in a charming brick building dating back to the early 20th century.

Named after the furniture store that previously occupied the site, the Jacoby Arts Center hosts a rich array of programs and experiences.

Visitors can enjoy captivating art exhibitions across various media, including industrial design and woodworking, along with live performances encompassing music, theater, spoken word, and dance.

As an essential hub for the community, engaging activities abound at the center, ranging from pottery workshops to art classes, dance sessions, yoga, meditative drawing, and artisan markets.

9. Gordon F. Moore Community Park

Covering an expansive 700 acres on the outskirts of Alton at 4550 College Avenue, Gordon F. Moore Park is well-suited for active recreation, offering a 27-hole public golf course, 10 baseball/softball fields, 8 tennis courts, and 19 soccer fields.

Complementing these facilities are six playgrounds (one being accessible), a children’s interactive fountain, and various concession stands.

A nature trail links a series of formal gardens and memorials, including the picturesque Nan Elliott Memorial Rose Garden, which features a carillon. Visitors can enjoy concerts performed by the carillonneur on Sundays at 5 p.m., from Memorial Day weekend through September.

10. Elijah P. Lovejoy Monument

The outspoken Presbyterian minister Elijah Parish Lovejoy (1802-1837) published an abolitionist newspaper in St. Louis when Missouri was a slave state.

For his safety, after enduring numerous threats and harassment from pro-slavery advocates, he relocated across the Mississippi to Alton in 1836.

However, safety eluded him even there; although Illinois was a free state, Alton was rife with slave-catchers and had extensive economic connections to Missouri, particularly St. Louis.

In 1837, Lovejoy was tragically murdered by a pro-slavery mob, largely composed of Missourians, sparking nationwide outrage and establishing him as a martyr for the abolitionist movement.

The prominent Lovejoy monument, erected in the 1890s, is visible from miles away and stands on the river bluff, featuring a 93-foot column topped with a 17-foot winged Victory, accompanied by four quotes from Lovejoy at its base.

11. Riverview Park

This small park requires a bit of a climb, but the magnificent views reward the effort. Riverview Park is located atop the limestone bluffs overlooking the Mississippi, offering breathtaking views of the river and the surrounding wetlands.

Orientated southwest, this area is particularly enchanting at sunset, with compass points embedded in the ground at the main lookout area.

A short walk from the bluff’s edge leads to a gazebo, which hosts outdoor concerts and special events during the summer months.

12. Madison County Transit Confluence Trail

Madison County is distinguished by its extensive network of interconnected public biking trails, extending to various corners of the county—connecting quaint towns, visitor attractions, historical sites, and the natural marvels of the Mississippi.

Stretching just over 20 miles, the Confluence Trail, recently funded for repairs, runs from Alton to Granite City, closely following the river’s path.

Notable sights along this route include the Melvin Price Locks and Dam, the Lewis and Clark State Historic Site, the Missouri-Mississippi Confluence, and the Lewis and Clark Confluence Tower.

13. Clark Bridge

Often referred to as the Super Bridge, this 4,620-foot structure on Route 67 in Alton was completed amid challenging circumstances.

Replacing the prior Clark Bridge, which was found inadequate, the construction of the current bridge coincided with the devastating Great Flood of 1993—one of the most destructive floods in U.S. history.

Nevertheless, the Clark Bridge was inaugurated in 1994, showcasing a progressive design that fuses a relatively light steel-framed cable-stayed structure with pylons featuring cable saddles at their apex.

As for logistics, the bridge consists of 160 miles of cable, 44,100 cubic yards of concrete, and 8,100 tons of structural steel.

14. Fort Belle Fontaine County Park

The location of the first U.S. military installation established west of the Mississippi is situated mere miles south of Alton.

Established in 1805 on the Missouri’s south bank, Fort Belle Fontaine served as a trading post, initially a center for enlisted personnel, officers, and traders from diverse backgrounds including American, French, and Spanish settlers.

After a few years of operation, the trading post was abandoned, and from 1809 to 1826, Fort Belle was repurposed for military activities.

The site of the original fort is located within the expansive 300-acre Fort Belle Fontaine County Park, which saw improvements made by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s.

A notable remnant from that era is the impressive staircase leading from the riverbank to the bluff’s summit.

15. McPike Mansion

This historic Italianate mansion, listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1980, was constructed in 1869 by Henry Guest McPike (1825–1910) at one of the city’s highest elevations.

McPike was a significant local entrepreneur who also served as mayor of Alton and librarian for the Alton-Southern Illinois Horticultural Society in the late 1880s.

After subsequent ownership changes, the property fell into neglect until it was acquired by a local couple, Sharon and George Luedke, in 1994.

They have since undertaken a dedicated restoration project, ongoing with funding from regular tours that frequently explore the mansion’s purported paranormal history, particularly popular in October.