EATING OUT
The Middle Mississippi River Valley region along the Great River Road contains all varieties of eating establishments from upscale dining, ethnic foods, home style cooking, sandwich shops, bakeries and other good places to eat. greatriverroad.com’s informative coverage of this area provides the information visitors need to make their choices before they go.

SHOPPING
Visitors to the Middle Mississippi River Valley will find a number of places to shop. Many of the places are areas of the towns along the Mississippi River that are devoted to small businesses designed to pique the interest of the dedicated shopper from artist studios, boutiques shops, and gourmet food establishments. Another feature of the region is the numerous antique shops ranging from heaven for pickers stalls to upscale antique establishments.

ONGOING ART EXHIBITS
The Middle Mississippi River Valley is home to a number of venues that are the home to ongoing exhibits that change periodically. The venues come in a number of different sizes. There are small galleries like the Sikeston Depot Museum in Sikeston, Missouri and the Misselhorn Gallery in Sparta Illinois. Art centers are another venue and include the Jacoby Arts Center in Alton, Illinois, the Quincy Arts Center in Quincy, Illinois, the Foundry Art Centre in St. Charles, Missouri, and the Bradbury Art Museum in Jonesboro, Arkansas. The metropolitan St. Louis area has the largest assortment of venues including the Saint Louis Art Museum, The St. Louis Artists Guild, the Kemper Art Museum, the Sheldon Art Galleries, Art St. Louis, and the Contemporary Art Museum.

VISUAL ART EVENTS
Art groups up and down the Middle Mississippi River Valley host a variety of festivals and special events that showcase that great art and artists that call the region home. Events range from monthly one night exhibits, juried events, fairs in small town communities, arts and crafts fairs, festivals that contain an artists component and more. Regionally and Nationally recognized shows include Ste. Genevieve Missouri’s Jour de Fete, St. Charles Missouri’s Festival of the Little Hills and Mosaics, Belleville Illinois’ Art on the Square and Midwest Salute to the Arts and Tennessee’s Reelfoot Arts & Crafts Festival. In the metropolitan St. Louis area visitors will enjoy the biannual Art Fair at Queeny Park, the Art Fair at Laumeier, the St. Louis African Arts Festival, the Webster Arts Fair, and the Saint Louis Art Fair.

CAMPING
Camping can be a great way to immerse yourself in nature and check out hiking trails, scenic views, and more as you go off-grid. Cabins can be an option for those wanting to stay dry and a bit more covered, but others may want to pitch a tent or drive up in an RV. Camping sites in the Middle Mississippi River Valley along the Great River Road will help you forget the daily grind for a while.

HIKING
Abandon the car. Trust your feet. Treat your senses. If you are looking for hiking trails, the Middle Mississippi River Valley along the Great River Road has some of the most spectacular scenery anywhere and easily accessible hiking trails in the United States.

WINERIES
. Wineries can be found in most regions of the Middle Mississippi River Valley along the Great River Road particularly in Missouri and Illinois. There are number of regional concentrations of wineries including Missouri Hills, Ste. Genevieve County’s route de Vin, and the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail. Many of the local wineries offer wine tasting events, tours, and some provide Bed & Breakfast accommodations.

BIRD WATCHING
More than 325 bird species make the round-trip each year along the Mississippi Flyway, from their breeding grounds in Canada and the northern United States to their wintering grounds along the Gulf of Mexico and in Central and South America. Add the regions area birds and state parks and natural areas and birders have an abundance of birds to look for and places to look for them. Bald Eagles are the main stars in the region beginning in late September and ending in early March.

The Tri-State
Region

Missouri’s
Lincoln Hills

The Meeting of the
Great Rivers Scenic Byway

Meeting the
Missouri River

Metropolitan
St. Louis

French Colonial
Country

Meeting the
Ohio River

The
Upper Delta