Right Outside St. Louis Is A Riverfront Illinois City With A Chic Antique District And Historic Charm

Chicago may be the first destination that comes to mind at the mention of Illinois. However, the Prairie State hides a myriad of lesser-known cities and towns — many of which you can discover by embarking on America's most underrated road trip — that deserve a mention.

About 20 miles north of St. Louis — home to one of the only U.S. national parks situated entirely within a city — Alton rests quietly at the border of Missouri and Illinois (though it technically belongs to Illinois). Out-of-state visitors can head to St. Louis Lambert International Airport and then drive from there until they reach Alton. Dating back to 1818, the riverfront city's rich history is apparent right away. Neighborhoods dotted with Victorian homes, a thriving downtown district lined with antique shops, and 19th-century buildings with storied pasts scattered around are callbacks to a bygone era.

From hunting for vintage treasures to ghost hunting in some of America's most haunted locations, you'll find an array of activities in Alton to connect you to its historic charm — or, in some cases, paranormal past.

One of the most popular pastimes in Alton is antiquing. Lined with a treasure trove of over 40 antique shops, Historic Downtown Alton is fittingly dubbed "Antique Row." Wander into quaint, cozy shops like Country Meadows to browse cottage collectibles and mid-century furniture, or get lost in a warehouse-sized maze of vintage treasures at the George Street Antique Mall. For a delightful blend of old and new, buzz over to Honeybee Vintage, a specialty shop that sells chic home decor, garden goods, and gifts alongside its antique wares.

When you've shopped up an appetite, grab lunch at The Brown Bag Bistro, which serves paninis, soups, and salads in a charming brick facade. If it's a hearty dinner you're after, head to Morrison's Irish Pub. The downtown gem is beloved for its traditional Irish fare, dark and creamy pints of Guinness, and weekly sea shanty singalongs on Thursdays. To sip craft brews in historic digs, visit Old Bakery Beer Company. Nestled in a Colonial-era bakery building, the local brewery boasts all-organic beers and even offers tours if you're thirsty for knowledge about the brewing process. To explore yet another timeless town near the Illinois-Missouri border full of restaurants, shops, and historic sites, you can venture about 15 miles southeast to Edwardsville for a quick day trip.

If you have a predilection for spooky and unusual spots, you're very much in luck. Dubbed "One of the Most Haunted Small Towns in America," Alton is a spirited destination filled with bone-chilling attractions, from haunted mansions to former hotels with storied pasts. With enough lore to inspire a two-part "Ghost Adventures" investigation, the "dismal little river town" — as Mark Twain allegedly called it — has many ghostly sights to explore.

Visit the town's — and perhaps the state's — most haunted house, McPike Mansion, a magnificent circa-1869 Italianate Victorian home with a family of paranormal residents. Visitors' reports include glowing orbs, mysterious mists, the inexplicable scent of smoke and lilac perfume, and full body apparitions identified by old photographs as members of the McPike family. If you dare, you can book a tour of the mansion and its haunted grounds via its official website. Tour dates vary by season but ramp up to weekly tours during spooky season in October.

Another exceptionally haunted building in Alton is the old Mineral Springs Hotel. Built in 1914, it was originally a luxurious Italian villa-style spa retreat. Drawing mineral water from the property's natural spring, the spa housed a bottling plant in its basement and peddled gallons of water with "healing properties" across the country. Falling into decay in the '70s, the once-thriving wellness hotel was transformed into the Mineral Springs Mall and currently houses an array of spiritual shops, an oddities museum, and plenty of unexplained paranormal visitors.