Vintage Wines & Antique Finds
Region: Southwest

Looking to discover some antique treasures while doing a little wine sampling along the way? In Southwest Illinois you can do both, as you follow the scenic Great River Road all the way from Grafton to Chester.

Start your trip in the lovely river town of Grafton, located along the Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Byway. Stroll along East Main Street and discover the Grafton Antiques District, made up of a charming collection of more than 20 antique and craft shops. From April through October (on the fourth weekend of the month) you can browse the unique wares for sale at the Riverside Flea Market, located in the old Boatworks building. Stop for a complimentary tasting of award-winning wines (with names such as River Road Red) at the Piasa Winery, housed in a stone building located right on the Mississippi River. Piasa's deck overlooking the water is a popular place to watch the sunset and listen to live bands on the weekends. The next-door Piasa Pub is a London-style pub offering microbrews, foreign beers and glasses of Piasa Winery selections. Catch a breathtaking view of the confluence of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers from the large deck of Aerie's Riverview Winery, five blocks above Grafton's Main Street. Enjoy free wine tasting, plus a variety of cheeses and sausages. Live musical acts perform here throughout the summer. Chateau Ra-Ha Winery, partially built into a bluff along East Main Street, is open year round for tastings of its small batches of wines. Enjoy a glass of fine wine on the deck at Thymes Past Bistro & Wine Bar in nearby Alton. The restaurant is located in the restored Krug House, a local landmark. After lunch, head to the Alton Antiques District, overlooking the Mississippi River. More than 60 antique stores offer everything from furniture to vintage clothing. Return to Grafton for dinner at the Ruebel Hotel's Saloon, which serves up locally caught catfish and live music. On Saturday nights you can dine at the Ruebel's Timber Lodge and watch the Comedy Time Players solve a Western-themed murder mystery. Then settle in for an evening horse-drawn carriage ride through Grafton and along the river on the Ruebel Stage Line.

Start your day along brick-paved St. Louis Street in the Lebanon Antiques District. Here you'll find more than 20 antique and specialty shops in this historic town that was founded in 1804, during the time of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Stop for lunch at Dr. Jazz Soda Fountain & Grille, housed in an 1850s pharmacy. Dr. Jazz is known for its old-fashioned ice cream sodas and Italian beef sandwich. The tiny town of Waterloo features a handful of antique and gift shops, plus historic sites such as the 1830s Peterstown House, the only intact stagecoach stop on the Kaskaskia-Cahokia Trail, which now serves as a museum. Next stop is the Waterloo Winery, housed in a historic 1800s log-and-fieldstone mansion that was once part of a dairy farm. Wine is made on the premises, and cellar tours are available. Afterwards, enjoy a glass of wine on the trellised outdoor patio and snack on cheese from the winery's gift shop. Waterloo's Schorr Lake Vineyard and Winery is located on the edge of picturesque Schorr Lake. Relax on the deck overlooking the seven-acre vineyard, where estate table and fruit wines are produced. For dinner, indulge in the indoor wine garden and authentic German cuisine at Dreamland Palace German Restaurant in Foster Pond, just outside Waterloo. Be sure to check out the restaurant's bar, which is original to the building from its days as an 1800s stagecoach stop.

The entire village of Maeystown is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. As you enter the town through its one-lane arched stone bridge you'll soon understand why. Maeystown is noted for its collection of 60 elegantly simple stone buildings that were constructed in the 1800s to form a German settlement. Today the village has been restored, with quaint attractions such as a general store, sweet shop, a museum and visitors' center, plus antique shops. Venture on to Red Bud and the family-run Lau-Nae Winery. The award-winning vintages here (made from Illinois-grown grapes) include several fruit wines, produced from the on-site orchard. Further south is the Log Cabin Winery, located near the town of Ellis Grove. This charming winery, housed in an actual historic log cabin, is noted for its fruit and herb wines. The town of Chester salutes Popeye, everyone's favorite cartoon sailor, who was created by hometown hero Elzie C. Segar. Rumor has it that Popeye and his pals were modeled after local residents. A six-foot-tall bronze statue of the spinach-eating hero is located in Segar Memorial Park, near the Chester Bridge. In town, Spinach Can Collectibles is a combination store and museum showcasing all things Popeye, including vintage memorabilia. Don't miss the Popeye Picnic, held annually in September in downtown Chester. The festivities include a parade, look-alike Popeye characters, entertainment and a huge picnic. Have lunch at Reid's Harvest House Smorgasbord in Chester, locally famous for its 35-foot-long buffet of home cooked dishes.