Very large, well-kept grassy area with plenty of parking for cars and trucks. We stopped on our way…read moreto Michigan to let our dog stretch her legs and do her business. Bathrooms are clean and there is a vending machine but did not seem to be working while we were there. Our dog enjoyed exploring the large grounds though. The grass looked freshly cut, the concrete walkways were clean and free of debris, plenty of trees to provide shade, and a few picnic area for when you want to rest and have lunch. Definitely a good rest stop with plenty of good amenities!

This is a pretty nice rest area in the state of Illinois right off interstate 70. The restrooms…read morehere are very well maintained and sanitary. Vending machines are also available at this rest stop area. Decent amount of truck parking spaces and picnic tables and trash bins all around the facility.

One of St. Louis' hidden gems. I say "hidden" because not many people are aware about this…read moreimportant part of St. Louis history, and the location. There are no roads nearby (just a bike trail) and there's no signs on the main roads that lead to it. Plus, it's literally by the Mississippi River. I say "gem" because, well, I can't think of any other word. But it's always fun to explore areas where a whole lot of people aren't aware of. For those that don't know, the Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing and Rest Area/Visitor's Center is located off of the Riverfront Trail. It's seemingly out in the middle of nowhere. You're very much surrounded by a levee wall with graffiti and then the river. You can access the Visitors Center as long as you're on the trail, and the closest road is 0.2 miles north of it (East Prairie Avenue). You have to drive through the industrial part of the city to get there, and there is a small parking lot. Another big thing to keep in mind is, access is limited throughout various parts of the year. From November to March, the Visitor's Center is not open. And during April to October, it is only open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. I wish it was five days a week, but then they have to pay those people. Lastly, it is open mostly during daylight hours (don't know exactly when...). If you are lucky to check it out during open hours, by all means do it! There is always an attendant on duty, and you can go inside and sometimes they will sell snacks and cold drinks for trail riders. Public restrooms are available, though they are Johnny toilets. I wouldn't go as far as calling it a museum, but there is lots of historical information on the walls inside, as well as two historical markers. The back deck is a great view of the Mississippi River, though there is not very much to see on the other side. One last thing: every year, there is a gathering at the Freedom Crossing, which is the Mary Meachum Celebration. Usually, it happens once a year in May. They have historical re-enactments and food/crafts/games. I still have yet to check it out!

The Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing and Rest Area is located along the Mississippi River a few miles…read morenorth of Downtown St. Louis on the Riverfront Trail. You can get there by car, but for me, it's more fun to go by bike on the trail. This landmark is a work in progress and consists of murals painted on the levee wall, historic markers, informative signs, and a building which is sporadically open (usually on nice summer weekend days). The building is used for special events, displays and as a rest stop for trail users. A nice deck also overlooks the river on the back side. The area is also used annually for the Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing Celebration which consists of a historic reenactment, storytelling, music and dance. The real reason to come here though, is to learn a bit about our ugly past. I've become fascinated with the story as I've tried to learn more about what happened, and I'll try to give a brief summary of what I've learned from my visits and read on the internet: This site recognizes the first documented Underground Railroad event in Missouri. In 1855 a group of slaves escaped and tried to cross the river from Missouri into Illinois for freedom. Mary Meachum, who was already a free Africa American woman, assisted and accompanied them in their attempt to escape. Mary was the wife of John Berry Meachum who had bought his own freedom, founded the first free black church in St. Louis, and bought other African Americans out of slavery while teaching them how to read and write. When he died, Mary carried on the movement. She was helping a woman named Ester, her two small children and at least two other people to cross into freedom at this very location. Unfortunately, a police officer was waiting on the Illinois side for them and Mary Meachum was arrested and thrown in jail. Ester was "owned" by Henry Shaw who was a very prominent St. Louisan and best known for founding the Missouri Botanical Garden and being a generous philanthropist. Since Shaw was such a well known business man, the local newspapers covered the story in detail and documented what would have otherwise been a forgotten historic event. Ester was returned to Shaw who in turn sold her to a plantation in Mississippi for $350 minus a $161.62 reward to the bounty hunter. Her children were not sold and probably remained behind. While the newspapers documented the story well, I'm still curious to know what happened to Mary Meachum and Ester and her two children.

My boyfriend and I stopped at this rest area while we were on one of our road trips. The outside…read morearea is beautiful with trees and easy parking. The building itself was not so great. The bathrooms were really gross. There was water everywhere on the ground and multiple toilets were either clogged or hadn't been cleaned. Luckily it was a quick stop for us.

Getting ready to drive into Saint Louis, this was a great spot for a last minute stop to stretch my…read morelegs, rest my arms and psych myself up for dealing with big city traffic (there's some construction on I-64 in East Saint Louis). I like that this rest area has a wide turn before pulling into the area where the cars are located which should help to slow down some of these crazy highway drivers. Good shade for a little last morning nap and then the restrooms which were clean. No RV sanitary dump here which would be ideal. [Review 579 of 2024 - 195 in Illinois - 21610 overall]

A good place for a break as you travel north on I-55. If…read moreyou're traveling north on Interstate 55 into Illinois, the Illinois Welcome Center near Edwardsville is a great place to stop for a break. It is an easy right-hand exit from the interstate with a straightforward entrance and exit setup. , making it convenient whether you're looking for a quick restroom stop or a chance to stretch your legs after several hours on the road. There is plenty of parking available, with the truck parking located closest to the interstate while the car parking is set up farther from the highway and closer to the building and the wooded area behind it. The building itself is an attractive combination of brick and glass that makes it bright and welcoming. As soon as you walk inside, one of the first things you'll notice is the beautiful terrazzo floor featuring the outline of the State of Illinois in a contrasting color. Looking overhead, large Route 66 flags hang from the ceiling, celebrating one of America's most famous highways and adding a nice touch of Illinois history to the visitor experience. I also thought the state's tourism marketing was brilliant. At the Welcome Center, they used oversized blue map pins as tall as a person and in the same style seen on digital maps like Google maps, to highlight attractions and destinations on digital maps. These large ones allow for great photo opportunities, immediately catches your attention, and ties modern travel with traditional tourism information in a very creative way. The restrooms were clean and well maintained during our visit, and the surrounding appeared to be well cared for. Outside, there are several covered picnic tables where travelers can enjoy a meal or simply relax in the shade. Families with young children will also appreciate the small playground located near the building. Overall, this is a very nice Welcome Center that makes an excellent first impression of Illinois. I would certainly recommend it to fellow travelers looking for a comfortable place to take a break before continuing their journey. Enjoy!

The second of two rest stops that we stopped on I-55, going from Chicagoland to Edwardsville,…read moreHomestead Rest Area consists of separate parking for trucks and cars. It has a large indoor building with clean bathrooms, and vending machines with coffee and snacks. There is a large grass field with playground for kids and a potty area for pets.

This is a beautiful little rest stop off I-70, with a patch of forest and park that has clearly…read morebeen here for a long time. The trees have to be at least 40 years old, and they have grown in thick enough that the ground stays in shade pretty much all day. Even in the middle of summer it feels ten degrees cooler once you walk in under them. There is old-school playground equipment here, the kind most parks replaced years ago. I doubt it gets much use. Nice to see a little window of how things were back in time. Picnic benches are scattered through the trees, so you can eat something you brought along instead of sitting in the car. The whole area is well manicured and groomed. Somebody is clearly still taking care of the place, which you do not always see at a stop like this. It makes for a genuinely peaceful break on a longer drive. The bathrooms are indoors, so even with snow on the ground you can use the facilities without freezing. They were clean when I stopped. There are vending machines in the back too, which came in handy for a quick snack before getting back on the road. If you are driving through, this one is worth pulling off for instead of pushing on to the next exit.

Nice rest area. All you need for what you have to accomplish. For those needing more than a clean…read morebathroom and safety get a hotel.

A very nice and clean rest area that is easy to access…read more While traveling, we decided to stop at the Coalfield Rest Area for a break and found it to be a very nice place to stop. It was easy to get off the interstate and equally easy to get back on when we were ready to continue our trip. The parking is laid out well, with the truck parking located closer to the interstate and farther away from the building, while the car parking is located much closer to the rest area building. This makes it easy to park and get inside without having to walk through the truck parking area. The building itself is a nice-looking red brick structure with a metal roof and several large concrete planters in front. Once inside, I was impressed with how clean and well maintained everything was. The building has terrazzo floors that give it a very nice appearance, along with some limited seating, vending machines, and the restrooms you would expect to find at a highway rest area. Everything we saw was clean and in good condition during our visit. There was plenty of parking available, and the separation between the cars and trucks made the entire area seem well organized. Overall, this was a very nice, clean, and functional rest area that provided exactly what we needed for a break during our travels. If you are traveling through the area and need a place to use the restroom, stretch your legs, or just take a short break from driving, I would definitely recommend the Coalfield Rest Area to my fellow travelers. Enjoy!

Nice, convenient rest stop. Vending machines were functional and stocked. I liked the computer…read morescreen with the weather radar on it - that's pretty handy. Bathrooms could have been cleaner, but overall it was decent.

Good for a quick stop but not nice with kids. Lots of cigarette smokers around and some cigarettes…read moreon the ground too. Sidewalks are a bit dirty and the parking lot is very loud with all the loud trucks. Restrooms OK but I would recommend another stop if you can!

Men's Restroom smelled like a Gas Station restroom. Was not clean. Yet employee was in the break…read moreroom on cell phone.

Great little rest stop! Plenty of parking!…read more There's a beautiful view and dog walking trails! The inside was very clean and the security guard was extremely friendly!

Named after the lake that was named after the nearby city, the Rend Lake Rest Area was our first…read morestop to switch drivers after my wife and I had left Edwardsville to head towards Metropolis. It is open 24 hours, with the welcome center being manned from 8 - 4 (though it wasn't when we stopped in). There was plenty of parking with clean bathrooms, and a filtered water filling station.

Had a tire blowout and needed a place. Lucky to find a room at midnight. Nice hotel located off…read morethe i-70. Quiet location. Lots of parking. Nice little continental breakfast with sausage added on the weekends. Not fancy but clean and friendly. Rooms and the place is showing its age but is very clean. Bathroom was spotless! But the plug was missing in the sink and the faucet was hard to turn. Bed was comfortable and sheets very nice. Front desk lady was very sweet and they had crunchy chocolate chip cookies out. All in all it was a good stay.

Stayed here over the weekend for a wedding I was in. Had to ring the doorbell to get anyone's…read moreattention, even tho he was sitting around the corner playing on his phone which I could clearly hear. Check in and go to my room - well what I thought would be my room. I open the door and there are other peoples luggage all over, so someone obviously is already checked into this room. I took all my things back downstairs, got a new room and thankfully it was empty. Although they were nice upfront and I do not expect a free stay or anything like that, just something more than "oh sorry" would have really helped ease my anxiety about someone else being able to get into my room later when I left. The room was clean besides the green/pink buildup on the shower head - not something I usually look at but even being 5'1 I could see it when I got in. Also there was duct tape all over the bottom of the bed frame which was odd. All in all wasn't horrible but I would look into an Airbnb if I needed to stay around here again.