Grafton Riverfront
Grafton sits at the confluence of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers at the southern end of the Great River Road (IL-100), earning it the nickname 'Key West of the Midwest.' The Main Street strip along the water is lined with restaurants, wineries, antique shops, and bars — all with the 300-foot limestone bluffs of Pere Marquette State Park rising directly behind town. Grafton Harbor's floating winery (215 W Water St) and Grafton Winery & Brewhaus are regular rider stops. Pere Marquette State Park (coordinates 38.9992°N 90.5258°W) is two miles north.
Grafton sits where the Mississippi and Illinois rivers meet, and that geography is the whole story. The Main Street strip runs right along the water, with restaurants, bars, wineries, and antique shops all facing the river — limestone bluffs rising directly behind town. The Grafton Harbor Floating Winery and Grafton Winery & Brewhaus are both well-established rider stops, and the waterfront has enough outdoor seating and parking that a group can spread out comfortably without anyone feeling rushed.
On warm-weather weekends the riverfront draws a steady crowd of bikes. Law enforcement — including Grafton P.D., the Jersey County Sheriff's Department, and Illinois State Police — runs regular sound and speed checks both through town and along IL-100, so keep that in mind. From late fall through winter, the area is a reliable spot for watching bald eagles working the river. Pere Marquette State Park, the largest state park in Illinois, is a short ride north and adds trail access and more river bluff views to the day if you want to extend it.
The natural terminus of the Great River Road's best bluff-and-river stretch from Alton north. Dozens of bikes line the riverfront on weekends. The road in (IL-100) hugs the bluff face the whole way — the destination earns the ride.
Shot by the riders who've run it.
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