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If gas prices are threatening your vacation plans, don’t let that spoil your fun. Check out some of these treasures in Southwestern Illinois. Nearby attractions and lodging options are included for each of these unique attractions, so plan to spend a few days exploring. Contact information can be found at www.thetourismbureau.org or call 800-442-1488 or 618-442-1488.

Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, Madison County

Years ago, the Chain of Rocks Bridge in Madison was crossed by ’57 Chevys and ’64 Ford Mustangs as drivers “got their kicks on Route 66.” The Bridge was the Mother Road’s link between Illinois and Missouri.  Today, truck and auto traffic has been replaced by bicycles and pedestrians. The old bridge, with its Route 66 signs, is a popular gathering place for eagle watching and trekkers who want to walk across the Mississippi. Bike riders frequently cross the river to connect with trails that take them up and down the Great River Road or deeper into Madison County.

Stay for a weekend : Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center, Hartford; Gateway International Raceway, Madison; Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, Collinsville; Splash City Waterpark, Collinsville; Gateway Fun Park, Collinsville; Edwardsville Children’s Museum; Tri-City Speedway, Pontoon Beach

Lodging: Pontoon Beach: Best Western Camelot Inn, Days Inn & Suites, Holiday Inn & Suites, Super 8; Collinsville: Comfort Inn, Days Inn, Drury Inn & Suites, Extended Stay Suites, Fairfield Inn, Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn & Super 8, Motel 6

Bob’s Fort, Clinton County

Tucked away in the rolling hills of Germantown is a Civil War-era fort built stone by stone by Bob Eversgerd. Call ahead to set up a tour of the jail, cannons, stagecoach, livery, log cabins and much more. Bob has collected thousands of Native American and early settler artifacts that are on display at the fort. You’ll be amazed at the detail and years of labor that went into this creation.

Stay for a weekend: Carlyle Lake (the largest manmade lake in Illinois), Hidden Lake Winery, Crooked Creek Winery, several golf courses, campgrounds, restaurants and shops

Lodging: Carlyle: Microtel Inn & Suites (with 5 cabins); Super 8 Motel; Lakefront Cottages at Eldon Hazlet State Park; Breese: Knotty Pine Motel; Aviston: Timmermann House Bed & Breakfast, Silent Forest Retreat Cabins; Keyesport: Old Farm House B&B

Fayette County Museum, Fayette County

There are treasures inside the old Presbyterian Church behind the State Capitol Building in Vandalia. Thousands of visitors come to the 1836 Statehouse to see where Abraham Lincoln began his political career and walk the halls where Lincoln served as a state legislator. Although this is a moving experience, it’s not the whole story. The picture is filled out when visitors see the Fayette County Museum collection of artifacts such as a tool used to make cedar “shakes” with the initials “AL” carved in the handle.

Stay for a weekend: The Old State Cemetery, Little Brick House, Mennonite Cabinet Factory and Bear Tracks (wood carving with a chain saw). Several area restaurants offer a variety of dining options and take group reservations. The Walkie-Talkie Tour leads you to the architectural sites throughout the city, Lincoln Loop, Vandalia Lake and Artworks Gallery.

Lodging: Days Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Ramada, Travelodge, Jay’s Inn, Gathering Place Bed & Breakfast

Pollard’s Yard Art, Marion County

Richard Pollard’s imaginative yard art made from “found” objects is more than worth a trip to Salem! Most of us would see old car bumpers and scrap metal as landfill fodder, but not Richard! With his amazing sense of humor, 300 car bumpers are planted to form a “bumper crop,” and an old Volkswagon is converted into a giant ladybug…and that’s just the beginning!

Stay for a weekend: William Jennings Bryan Home museum, Steve’s Antiques, Lyon’s Fisheries prawn farm in Sandoval, the Civil War era Log Cabin Village at Kinmundy and Orchard View Winery in Alma, Centralia Historical Museum, Centralia Recreation Complex, Centralia Carillon, Fairview Park with Engine 2500, an F105 Fighter Bomber and the Vietnam and Doughboy Memorials

Lodging: Salem: Comfort Inn & Suites, Holiday Inn Express, Super 8 Motel; Centralia: America’s Best Bell Tower Inn

Richard Bock Museum, Bond County

Frank Lloyd Wright’s famous architectural designs have captured the imagination of people for decades. True Wright aficionados know that he collaborated with Richard W. Bock for many of the sculptures that adorned his buildings. The Bock collection, located on the Greenville College campus, is a treat for art, history and architecture enthusiasts. The Bock Museum is housed in the recently restored Almira College House, the College’s first classroom building constructed in 1855.

Stay for a weekend: Globe Theater, Courthouse Square with restaurants & shops, Governor Bond Lake, Patriot’s Park, 20 minutes from Vandalia or Carlyle Lake

Lodging: Budget Host Inn, Super 8, EconoLodge Inn & Suites

Rainbow Ranch, Washington County

Ever wondered if someone really could “talk to the animals” like Dr. Doolittle? If so, you should definitely meet Alan Blumhorst at Rainbow Ranch in Nashville. By the time Alan shows you around the 158-year-old family farm and introduces you – by name – to his “critters,” you will be a believer. The usual farm animals: horses, calves, sheep, donkeys, rabbits and goats live in harmony with camels, llamas, peacocks, fallow deer and a zebra. Take the whole family.

Stay for a weekend: Nashville: Black Diamond Winery, Washington County State Recreation Area; Okawville: Original Springs Hotel & Bath (with a spa), Heritage House Museum

Lodging: Nashville: Best Western/U.S. Inn, The Derrick Motel, Nashville Motel; Okawville: Original Springs Hotel & Bath, Super 8, McIlwain Mansion Bed & Breakfast

Zacheis Tractor Museum, Randolph County

A sea of Allis Chalmer tractors in pristine condition is the focal point of this new attraction in Sparta, Illinois. Gerald Zacheis has collected not only every year of the Chalmer tractors, but other farm equipment as well. In one corner of the building is a re-creation of a parts store typical of the fifties and sixties. Other rooms house collections of farm toys and other memorabilia. Whether you are from the country or city, this museum is an impressive display of agricultural history.

Stay for a weekend: Fort de Chartres, the Pierre Menard Home/Fort Kaskaskia, Chester “Home of Popeye” (including the new Character Trail), the World Shooting & Recreational Complex, the Liberty Bell of the West on Kaskaskia Island, two wineries, local museums, historic sites, Mary’s River Covered Bridge and the Charter Oak (8-sided) Schoolhouse.

Lodging: Sparta: Briarwood Inn; Budget Inn; Sparta Motel; Holiday Inn Express & Suites; Cozy Corner B&B; Moody Manor B&B; Chester: Reids’ Inn Best Western; The Stone House B&B; Hi 3 Motel; Red Bud: Red Bud Country Inn, Magnolia Place Bed & Breakfast; Baldwin: Kaskaskia River Motel; Percy: Hahn House B&B; The Hunt Club B&B; Rockwood: Country Cabins; Prairie du Rocher: La Maison du Rocher B&B

Downtown Belleville, St. Clair County

Belleville has recently given Main Street a facelift that is receiving rave reviews. The new streetscape - reminiscent of the city’s past – along with eclectic shops, theatres, art galleries, restaurants, clubs and lofts make downtown the destination. Plan to visit when the Veteran’s Fountain and the Public Square are transformed for Art on the Square in May and the new Wine & Jazz Experience in June.  

Stay for a weekend: 1852 Gothic Revival Cathedral of St. Peter, the Emma Kunz House Museum, Lincoln Theatre, Victorian House Museum, Broadway Center of Arts & Broadway Gallery, Labor & Industry Museum, Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows, The EDGE laser tag arena, Eckert’s Country Store and Farms, Ravissant Winery

Lodging: Shrine Hotel; Super 8 Motel, Swans Court Bed & Breakfast

Dreamland Palace, Monroe County

German immigrants settled much of Southwestern Illinois, and this heritage can be tasted at Dreamland Palace German Restaurant. Authentic German cuisine is served in an historic building that used to draw fans of Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey. These Big Band-era entertainers regularly performed in the Palace ballroom. Visitors are encouraged to visit Maeystown, just a few minutes from the restaurant, to get the full effect of the German experience.

Stay for a weekend: Historic Maeystown; Waterloo: Bellefontaine House, Peterstown House, Schorr Lake Vineyards; Bluff Road, Great River Road

Lodging: Corner George Inn Bed & Breakfast, Maeystown; Waterloo: Senator Rickert Residence,  Super 8 Motel