Top Fall Travel Ideas
Planning your next fall vacation?
You’ll find plenty of things throughout the Great Rivers & Routes region in Southwestern Illinois this autumn.
Enjoy beautiful fall color drives along the Meeting of the Great Rivers National Scenic Byway (the Illinois portion of the Great River Road), and Route 66 and check out area wineries and family adventures including a seven-acre corn maze, a zip line, alpine coaster and numerous overlooks of amazing fall colors along the Mississippi River.
If you’re looking for fall weekend getaways, the Great Rivers & Routes region has it all.
![Scenic fall colors & foliage with rock formations along river in Great Rivers & Routes Illinois](https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/fall_6369e57d-615c-4919-8629-f4dd86a51855.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=11bc1ca64979eb6f828c7ee110c48960 320w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/fall_6369e57d-615c-4919-8629-f4dd86a51855.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=3e318129fa1780617324861c0e64a8cb 540w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/fall_6369e57d-615c-4919-8629-f4dd86a51855.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=86fde557433decbacb93c7238d881496 768w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/fall_6369e57d-615c-4919-8629-f4dd86a51855.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=2b21a0c3ef02a82e1d215ce3843f528c 1000w)
Fall Colors 2023
Our fall colors will begin to shine in October but won't peak until early November this year! Plan your trip to the Great Rivers & Routes region just outside St. Louis in Southwestern Illinois to experience one of Nature's greatest shows. Fill up your tanks and trek to the Meeting of the Great Rivers National Scenic Byway for one of the most scenic fall drives in the Midwest!
*If Mother Nature is true to form, we estimate that peak colors will occur in early November.
Peak Foliage Dates for 2011 – 2022
Year: Peak Dates (Week)
2022: Nov. 7 - 12
2021: Nov. 7 - 12
2020: Nov. 7 - Nov. 10
2019: Nov. 2 – Nov. 7
2018: Nov. 5 – Nov. 10
2017: Nov. 4 – Nov. 9
2016: Oct. 28 – Nov. 5
2015: Oct. 25 – Oct. 31
2014: Oct. 26 – Nov. 1
2013: Nov. 3 – Nov. 9
2012: Oct. 28 – Nov. 3
2011: Oct. 23 – Oct. 29
![](https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/PM_for_Web_73c252d6-c00f-4077-b36c-3e01c68597d3.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=5dbcd3a920e0d007034904c7097689b9 320w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/PM_for_Web_73c252d6-c00f-4077-b36c-3e01c68597d3.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=d37a9196a9556f4e8fd7c70655e10f05 540w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/PM_for_Web_73c252d6-c00f-4077-b36c-3e01c68597d3.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=a4884b5dc00f07e48cda30197a1c107b 768w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/PM_for_Web_73c252d6-c00f-4077-b36c-3e01c68597d3.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=f1137d15ed104a1d28e6d58ab4ac3b5f 1024w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/PM_for_Web_73c252d6-c00f-4077-b36c-3e01c68597d3.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=8665384634279d4f7b0750abb85d9ba7 1200w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/PM_for_Web_73c252d6-c00f-4077-b36c-3e01c68597d3.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=7dafe779e62c968157a92a3cb5357c2c 1440w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/PM_for_Web_73c252d6-c00f-4077-b36c-3e01c68597d3.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=89063707b6227464158b0809231b03f8 1920w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/PM_for_Web_73c252d6-c00f-4077-b36c-3e01c68597d3.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=2560&s=91c2e3b07b32af994c188dff1f96f584 2448w)
TOP SCENIC ROUTES TO TAKE
There are three great rivers road trips all around Alton to catch beautiful fall foliage. Whether you're biking, hiking or driving along the Meeting of the Great Rivers National Scenic Byway, the fall colors are simply breathtaking.
Autumn color cruising along the byway, over river ferries and among the rolling hills of the countryside, has become a favorite pastime for repeat visitors to the region.
![](https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/fallmap_7761ae4b-a945-4c40-86e8-c1ccfcf35e12.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=0e700047cff970fd46e21de325a85ba6 320w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/fallmap_7761ae4b-a945-4c40-86e8-c1ccfcf35e12.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=4325e60dd5ab7ea3c51580b6d96067ec 540w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/fallmap_7761ae4b-a945-4c40-86e8-c1ccfcf35e12.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=c2735c7406dde477d834234af8ef008d 600w)
Meeting of the Great Rivers
It’s the road most traveled heading west on the Great River Road from Alton to Elsah, Grafton and Pere Marquette State Park and back. The average weekend warrior takes this drive because it is the easiest run to remember, but it has the heaviest traffic on Autumn Saturdays and Sundays.
Length: 80 miles roundtrip (approximately 1 hour, 42 minutes)
Directions: Click Here
Fall Colors Peak Percent: 0%
US 67 Country Loop
We consider this to be the best country day drive in the state of Illinois. Enter anywhere along this loop, but remember: drive counter clockwise and see the Scenic Byway by driving downriver – the view of the bluffs is the absolute best.
Length: 90.4 miles (approximately 2 hours, 14 minutes)
Directions: Click Here
Fall Colors Peak Percent: 0%
Calhoun County Vistas & Ferries Loop
Rolling hills, winding roads, orchards and riverboat ferries create the perfect scenery for a peaceful drive through Calhoun County. If you began the loop at the Golden Eagle Ferry, simply cross the Brussels Ferry back into Calhoun County to access the ferry and return to Missouri.
Length: 63.1 miles (approximately 1 hour, 36 minutes)
Directions: Click Here
Fall Colors Peak Percent: 0%
SPEND THE NIGHT: B&Bs & Guest Houses
When you're in town, spend the night at some of the best bed & breakfast inns in the state of Illinois – the Beall Mansion, Tara Point Inn and Green Tree Inn.. Both places offer stunning views of fall colors.
Located on “Millionaire’s Row” in Alton, it was voted “Illinois’ Best Bed & Breakfast” by Illinois Magazine. This elegant bed & breakfast, with eleven and a half foot ceilings and rooms adorned in antiques and marble bronze, was once the private residence of Senator Edmond Beall. Visitors who come to the Beall will be pampered and will enjoy luxurious accommodations, including: private baths, whirlpools, fireplaces, plush robes and more.
Further up the Great River Road in Grafton, the Tara Point Inn maintains a commanding presence atop the towering limestone bluffs overlooking the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. Known for its breathtaking scenic views, the Tara Point Inn was chosen as one of the “Most Scenic Views” by Arlington’s Inn Traveler magazine for 2004.
Enjoy a stay at the cozy and scenic Green Tree Bed & Breakfast Inn located in the historic Village of Elsah along the Great River Road. Enjoy afternoon sweet treats and a homemade breakfast during your stay. Take a walk, or even a bicycle ride, through Elsah and enjoy the serenity of this quaint village.
![](https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/Photo_20Oct_2022_2011_2025_2056_20AM_2c9bc993-43eb-4467-864c-3cf361dda9fd.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=b7d9d82035a3a6fc14b06c55136a636c 320w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/Photo_20Oct_2022_2011_2025_2056_20AM_2c9bc993-43eb-4467-864c-3cf361dda9fd.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=5e375204ab3cbc1510ed1c832a12af25 540w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/Photo_20Oct_2022_2011_2025_2056_20AM_2c9bc993-43eb-4467-864c-3cf361dda9fd.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=6b0ceab7853b3520a408be8e5e609cfe 768w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/Photo_20Oct_2022_2011_2025_2056_20AM_2c9bc993-43eb-4467-864c-3cf361dda9fd.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=0f45452e39e66f95469753da390abb53 800w)
Stay right in the center of the largest state park in Illinois and be within seconds to hiking and biking trails to see beautiful fall colors.
In addition to these wonderful romantic lodging options, there are other numerous guest houses, cabins, and hotels. Take your pick of overnight stays in communities immersed in gorgeous fall colors including: Alton, Collinsville, Edwardsville, and Grafton. More lodging options are available here.
Along the Mother Road of Route 66, check out lodging and overnight accommodations in Litchfield and Troy.
MORE: USE THESE AMAZING DEALS FOR YOUR FALL GETAWAY
Follow us on Facebook & Instagram to view more photos and see what our fans are saying as they make their journeys along the road in the coming days.
Make it a Monumental Adventure!
While you are drinking in the brilliant fall colors, be sure to stop by some of the great monuments and historic sites that are part of the Great Rivers & Routes region. From the Mother Jones Monument in Mt. Olive, along Route 66, to the 1820 Benjamin Stephenson House in Edwardsville, the Lovejoy Monument in Alton and Cahokia Mounds in Collinsville, Fall is the perfect time to craft a road trip to enjoy the history of the area. For more historical sites, click here.
![](https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/Marcus_20Piper_20_20facebook_339bbc3a-20b3-40c9-8324-c7b25e31f361.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=639ade03b282ea32c6e953115e97579e 320w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/Marcus_20Piper_20_20facebook_339bbc3a-20b3-40c9-8324-c7b25e31f361.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=c2e06a1d4b0e07a3657e999783264dbf 540w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/Marcus_20Piper_20_20facebook_339bbc3a-20b3-40c9-8324-c7b25e31f361.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=96ef42ccd5f713437f213f50a764cc2a 720w)
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