Halloween Fun In St. Louis' Illinois Suburbs

Now that the crisp autumn air is finally settling into the St. Louis area, it means just one thing - Halloween is just around the corner!

In my family, we always make a trip to Grafton to pick out the perfect Halloween pumpkin and buy our yearly supply of homemade jams and apple butter. Then we'd head across the Illinois river on the ferry into Calhoun County. At Kampsville Inn, we stop and enjoy some freshly caught river fish and onion petals.

Even though I'm approaching 28 years old, my parents and I continue to take this time together each and every year. This has been a tradition since I was about 2 years old, and I don't think it will ever stop. Every year we still pile into the car and head north from Alton up the Great River Road.

Everyone knows about New England in the fall, but we are pretty darn lucky here to have a beautiful color palette of leaves ourselves. If you've never taken the time to take a drive on the Great River Road in autumn, you're really missing out on some of the best natural beauty our area has to offer.

Besides the Great River Road, there are loads of other activities all around the area. There is definitely something for every budget and every age.

We'll start north of St. Louis and head south from there

Eckerts Grafton Farm
20995 Eckert Orchard Road
Grafton, IL 62037
Now Open. 9 am - 5 pm daily
Phone: (618) 233-0513
www.eckerts.com

Pick-Your-Own Pumpkins and Apples. The cost of pick-your-own pumpkins is $0.39 per pound.

Great Godfrey Maze
1401 Stamper Lane
Godfrey, IL 62035
Phone: (618) 466-1483
www.greatgodfreymaze.com

OPEN:
September 5 - October 26th
Friday: 6 - 10 PM
Saturday: 11AM - 10PM
Sunday: 1PM - Dusk

The Great Godfrey Maze is two maze trails cut into 7-acres of corn in Glazebrook Park. Visitors from all over can enjoy getting lost in the maze's twisting turns, dead-ends and traps.

Reinhardt's Berry Patch
7503 Kerin Road,
Alhambra, IL 62001
Phone: (618) 633-2888

Pumpkins and gourds. Call for availability and picking appointments.

Eckerts Belleville Farm
951 Green Mount Road
Belleville, IL 62220

Country Store: 8 am - 8 pm daily
Country Restaurant: 7 am - 9 pm daily
Garden Center: 9 am - 7 pm daily
Custard Shop: 11 am - 9 pm

Pick-Your-Own Pumpkins and Apples is open at all three farms.

Eckerts Millstadt Farm
Weekends in October, 2008
2719 Eckert Orchard Ln
Millstadt, IL 62260
Phone: (618) 476-3260

Their pumpkin patch has any size pumpkin you can imagine, including ones that weigh up to 150 pounds. During weekends in October, Eckert's is hosting its Jumpin' Pumpkin Jamboree with wagon rides, live music and funnel cakes. The Millstadt location also offers Haunted Hayrides through the orchard.

Alton Halloween Parade
Begins at Washington Avenue and Broadway

10/31 at 7:00 PM
E Broadway & Washington Ave
Alton, IL 62002