First time riding a trail in Illinois. When I researched the many trails around Edwardsville this…read moreone was about the mileage I wanted to ride. It's a little over 24 miles out and back from Glen Carbon to Marine. I was really impressed by this paved trail. It is a very pretty trail with lots of wooden miles, several bridges over creeks, and some great views when it opens up to vast farmland. The trail is well maintained. The pavement is pretty smooth for the most part. There are no drastic elevation changes so I'd consider the difficulty level to be easy. I look forward to riding more of this trail system soon.

For nearly 25 years I've been using this trail for walking and biking. There's nothing like it,…read moreeven though there are now similar trails around the area. Its part-history, part-recreational, part-exercise for me. History: this once served as the Illinois Central Railroad line, which was defunct for a long time before it became one of the nations first 'rails-to-trails' projects. There were historical markers along the trail that talked about the village of Glen Carbon's mining history, but I think they removed them due to numerous episodes of vandalism. The trail was a rocky, unpaved trail for a long time, until last year (2015) when the whole RJF bike trail was completely paved. The trail itself has a history, as it has been added on to (extending from Old Troy Road to Kuhn Station one year, and later from Kuhn Station to the village of Marine), and it has connected to other bikeways as well. Signs have also been added, but the mile markers are now gone. The trail has always been a part of the community and stands out as a piece of Glen Carbon history. So bring your bikes, or your energy to run, jog and/or walk!

Visited on weekend celebrating the beginning of the expedition. The museum has a vast amount of…read moreinformation about the trip, supplies, people involved, readying for journey. This weekend had reenactors outside showing early 19th century crafts. Fun for all and great learning experience.

We stopped by on a whim when visiting the in-laws. It happened to be the anniversary & there were…read moreperiod actors interacting that were set up throughout, with assorted stations. This was both cool & informative. There was no entry fee, always a plus. The info desk had a guest book. It appeared most visitors who signed were from Illinois. The movie wasn't playing during our visit, I'm not sure if there was a mechanical issue or if it was because of the special celebration. So, I can't speak on it. It's smaller than I expected, yet very interesting & I did learn a few new details. We walked out to the cabins/fort & they were all locked with some of them having the roofs/walls collapsed. Perhaps an entry fee is in order for maintenance/upkeep. Overall, worth a stop, especially for those interested in the expedition.

You will find this nice sculpture on the Mississippi Riverfront, in St Louis, just behind the…read moreGateway Arch. It is the work of Harry Weber who completed the piece, which is made of bronze and sits 22 feet tall, in 2006 The 3.5 ton sculpture depicts explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark and their Newfoundland dog, Seaman. It is owned by the city of St Louis and was commissioned by the Greater St. Louis Community Foundation to commemorate the bicentennial of the explorers' return September 1806. According to Weber, it "took seven months of long hours to complete the structure in clay, make molds and reassemble it like a giant jigsaw puzzle. It is a nice sculpture and Weber does a great job encapsulating Lewis and Clark's feeling of accomplishment, sacrifice and pride. It is very detailed and well done. The viewer can really connect to the piece. The sculpture is designated a national Lewis and Clark site by the US Park Service and spending on how high the Mississippi River gets, sometimes the statue is submerged in the river. In 2014, the statue was removed and restored to repair damage it had received from the flood. In 2016, the statue was returned to the riverfront to a location slightly south and about 17 feet higher than before. Before it was moved, during a flood situation, it would look like the duo were sailing into shore Anyway, as with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 10 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. I would recommend checking out the Gateway Arch and Park while visiting this sculpture.

The Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France or the Old Cathedral, it's also the oldest building in…read moredowntown St. Louis. Being this is the first Catholic parish west of the Mississippi. In the early years of the city a parcel of land was put aside. Services were conducted in structures that would be temporary. From 1831 to 1834 the Greek style permanent limestone building was constructed. During the revival of the waterfront in the 1930s, this structure survived. It was a church and could not be torn down. It sits in the shadow of the arch today. It became a landmark in 1971. The St Vincent De Paul a French charity organization founded in France in 1833 started its journey to aid individuals that are struggling first here in this church. The charity organization began its roots here in St Louis first in this church and it continues today in 1845. The church is open to the community and is a beautiful place to remember its importance here in America. All normal services are available here. Please visit and support.

I was here for a wedding. The cathedral is beautiful, old world elegance. Large windows letting a…read moretremendous amount of light in. The service was excellent and the priest was kind, gentle and funny with the bride and groom. It was a delightful wedding.

Nice small park with fountains in downtown St. Louis. My mom used to work at General American…read more(later it became MetLife) nearby and took me to the ice rink here when little.

I went here for a Friday night concert over the summer. It was very relaxing and entertaining all…read morein one. I forgot the name of the artist, but her performance along with the live band was so captivating. This place gives date night, solo date, and family trip all at the same time. I love events such as these. Also, I know downtown parking usually isn't the best. However, because of the time and people getting off work to head home, parking was quite easy to find. I was able to park within reasonable walking distance near the Hooters across the street.

Beware!!! Google maps will take you to the wrong location! I'm on your side Apple Maps, you never…read moredo me wrong! From the Vandalia State House, take 185/40 (N. Kennedy Blvd) north, turn left/west on W. Randolph Street, then right/north on N. Perkin's Street one block to W. St Clair Street. Turn left and it's up on the little hill on your right/north side. I absolutely love state capitals, which would lead me to enjoy past state capitals. I had been in rural Illinois a few times and always wondered what Vandalia had to offer being that it was second Illinois Capitol City (an oldest one still existing, unlike Kaskaskia which is now under water). I followed Vandalia's tourist page to the few landmarks that existed. One was what is called "Little Brick House". It's an n example of simple Italianate architecture that has been preserved by the Vandalia Historical Society. It is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places and is thought to have been constructed in the mid 1800's. According to the website, "Josephine Burtschi, local artist and historian, was born in this house. In 1956 she purchased the house and started restoring it to its original appearance. Over the years, the Little Brick House has been renovated and furnished with period pieces, antiques, and early Vandalia artifacts. Contained within the six rooms are furniture, china, engravings and books acquired from descendants of state officers, legislators and the Ferdinand Ernst Colony who lived in Vandalia when it served as capital. The library, called the Berry-Hall room, pays tribute to James William Berry, the first talented artist of Illinois, and to Judge James Hall who established Vandalia as the first literary center west of Cincinnati. (http://www.vandaliaillinois.com/littlebrickhouse.html)" There's a little history for ya!

We had a great time! My daughter is active duty Air Force so we were able to get a good discount…read more You are able to learn a lot, they do a cute movie on the wall that shows the history of the arch being built. It would be great if the windows were larger so you could see a little bit more, but it's someplace everyone should visit once. If you are claustrophobic, the capsule ride to the top may not be the easiest trip, but it's worth a little three minutes of discomfort. We had a great guide. She was friendly and knowledgeable. It was over 100° when we were here and the inside was cool and comfortable despite the heat

My first time visiting the Gateway Arch, and I'm so glad I finally got to see it up close!…read more I've seen this thing from about 10,000 feet, but seeing it from the ground is a completely different experience. The architecture is seriously impressive, and I loved getting close enough to actually see the welding beads in the stainless steel. It made me stop and think about how in the world they actually put this massive thing together. There's something really cool about seeing the little details on something that looks so impossibly perfect from a distance. Parking on a Saturday afternoon was not exactly easy, so thankfully a friend dropped us off and we were able to walk around, get a closer look, and take some photos without turning the visit into a parking expedition. We didn't go up to the observation area this time. I'm not entirely convinced I'm ready to be packed into a tiny tram going up inside the Arch. But I think I'd like to give it a try someday. I also had no idea there was an underground museum! Apparently I need to do a little more research before my next visit because I definitely want to check that out too. Overall, this is one of those places that really lives up to its iconic status. It was fun finally getting to see it from ground level instead of through an airplane window. If you're visiting St. Louis for the first time, definitely make a stop here. Even if you just walk around the Arch, it's worth seeing up close.