1. The Beall Mansion . . . An Elegant Bed & Breakfast
City: Alton, IL
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (618) 474-9100, (866) 843-2325
Address: 407 East 12th Street
Description: The Beall Mansion offers luxurious, nonsmoking guest rooms in a beautifully restored early 20th-century house featuring hardwood floors, crystal chandeliers, leaded glass, and the original woodwork. Guest rooms feature private baths with whirlpools and showers or claw-foot tubs; fireplaces; Wi-Fi; full-, queen-, or king-size feather beds; and expanded cable TV. Special package deals include everything from a complimentary glass of champagne on arrival and a package of gourmet chocolates to plush monogrammed robes and breakfast in bed.
2. The Telegraph
City: Alton, IL
Category: Media
Telephone: (618) 463-2500
Address: 111 East Broadway
Description: Local news has been the heart and soul of this newspaper since it first began publishing in 1836. The Telegraph works diligently to bring the readers of Madison, Jersey, Calhoun, Macoupin, and Greene counties local news and information, leaving the national news to the larger dailies in the area. Readership for The Telegraph is approximately 60,000 per day, and the newspaper’s Web site provides updated news and information, as well as community-events listings. Subscriptions for daily home delivery are around $180 per year.
3. Fast Eddie’S Bon-Air
City: Alton, IL
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (618) 462-5532
Address: 1530 East Fourth Street
Description: In 1921 Anheuser-Busch decided to open a drinking establishment in the picturesque river town of Alton, Illinois. A yellow brick building known as the Bon-Air was constructed right on the corner of three streets at Fourth, Pearl, and Broadway. About 10 years later, Busch was forced to sell the tavern due to a change in the statutes that prohibited breweries from owning drinking establishments. Each weekend, Fast Eddie’s features live entertainment, including such regional favorites as Planet Boogie, Spur, and Sable. Fast Eddie’s attracts a lively, mostly blue-collar crowd, and the patrons like their beer cold and the music loud. It’s usually packed on weekend nights, including Sunday. The bar doubled in size in 2008 and now features a spacious patio area. Live music Thursday through Saturday.
4. Argosy’S Alton Belle Casino
City: Alton, IL
Category: Nightlife
Address: 1 Front Street
Description: Located about 25 minutes from downtown St. Louis, Argosy’s is a themed floating casino complex on Alton’s historic riverfront. Features include restaurants, lounges, live music, and dockside gaming with unlimited-stakes wagering, 22 hours a day, seven days a week. Gaming options include blackjack, craps, roulette, Caribbean stud, three-card and Let It Ride poker, video poker and keno, and slot machines. The first and third floors of the casino offer a diverse assortment of slot machines ranging from penny slots to $100 machines. The second floor features table games, additional slots, and a full-service bar. Food and beverage options include the Key West Bar, where guests can enjoy tropical drinks and the flavor of the Caribbean, and the Captain’s Table Buffet, a multi-themed, all-you-can-eat buffet restaurant. The Captain serves up such specialties as prime rib, barbecue, seafood, and popular American, Italian, Asian, and Mexican delicacies. There’s also a soup and salad bar along with fresh fruits, vegetables, pastas, and plates of pies, cakes, cookies, cheesecakes, and other sweet treats. Outfitters Grill is an in-house steak house serving juicy steaks, hamburgers, fish, and pasta dishes, while La Cantina–Snack Bar is a faster-food option for gamers on the go.
5. Spencer T. Olin Community Golf Course
City: Alton, IL
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (618) 465-3111
Address: 4701 College Avenue
Description: Spencer T. Olin is an Arnold Palmer–designed and managed facility that rated four stars in Golf Digest’s “Best Places to Play.” Located only 30 minutes from downtown St. Louis, the course features zoysia fairways, bent grass greens, and blue rye fescue roughs, with a championship layout playing 6,941 yards from the back tees or 5,049 from the front tees. A championship practice facility features a two-tiered grass tee driving range, practice sand bunker, and putting and chipping greens. The facility hosted the 1996 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Link Championship and the ESPN-televised 1999 U.S Men’s Amateur Public Links Championship. Open April through October.