An American icon, the Gateway Arch Saint Louis presides majestically over the riverfront, welcoming visitors to the Midwest. It is the tallest man made monument in the United States, and it was built to celebrate America’s westward expansion and the pioneering spirit of those early Americans as they ventured into unknown territory. One could combine a visit to the arch with a river cruise or a bike ride around downtown with a nice picnic lunch (or lunch at the Arch View Cafe) for a fun filled afternoon in this midwest city.
Welcome to my neck of the woods! Although, I’m actually in the metro East, Illinois, and we’ve got quite a bit over here, like the world’s largest ketchup bottle!
I would love to explore that part of the country more (we were just passing through on the way to Tennessee and Kentucky. Any recommendations about other things to see or great places to eat around where you live?
Well, first Collinsville, IL has the largest Ketchup bottle in the world as a water tower. It’s right off Illinois highway 159.
For dining, Belleville, Illinois has the national Lady of the Snows Shrine with a fabulous restaurant located in the visitor’s center. On Wednesdays, they specialize in pasta dishes.
There is also a life-sized statue of the world’s largest man to ever live, Robert Wadlow, in Alton, Illinois.
Just outside Collinsville on Illinois highway 157 lies Cahokia mounds, with the largest mound ever constructed by humans. This site is a historic landmark, and has a visitor’s center showing the history of Native Americans in the St Louis region.
We saw some huge burial mounds in Europe. I had no idea that the World’s largest was right here in the USA!
Thanks for the tips (the world’s largest ketchup bottle sounds quirky and awesome)…and I am always looking out for local restaurant recommendations.
Do you think that this could all be done in a day trip?