Holidays in the Great Rivers & Routes Region
Your Guide to Unique Holiday Gifts in Great Rivers & Routes
Celebrate the spirit of the holidays throughout the year with the gift of unique local experiences.
From water parks to opera, baseball to trampoline parks, live theater to live music -- the Great Rivers & Routes region has an outside-the-box gift experience for every person on your list.
For The Kids
Let's face it -- it's tough to buy presents for kids that aren't going to be forgotten in a week or less. How about giving a gift that will keep the kids entertained for hours and hours?
Season Passes!
Season passes to Raging Rivers Water Park in Grafton or the Collinsville Aqua Park are a great way to keep the kids busy during the summer months. Plus, there is the added benefit that you will be able to lure kids away from their gaming screens!
- Raging Rivers Water Park is perched on the banks of the scenic Mississippi River in Grafton, will have a new feature this year -- a monster water slide -- in addition to the Lazy River, Itty Bitty Surf City and other attractions. Season passes for Raging Rivers are on sale from Nov. 27 - Jan. 1.
- Collinsville's Aqua Park has Monsoon Mountain, a lazy river and leisure pools. Black Friday pricing for season passes is available now through Dec. 31 for great summer deals.
Looking for More for the Kids?
More Gift Cards & Season Passes!
- Edison's Entertainment Center in Edwardsville
- Edwardsville Children's Museum
- Altitude Trampoline Park in Glen Carbon
Sometimes the best gifts aren't boxed!
For Grown-Ups, How About Arts & Entertainment
The Great Rivers & Routes region is chock full of activities that would make great holiday gifts for the musician, artist or hard-to-buy-for person on your gift list.
Alton Little Theater
For more than 87 seasons, Alton Little Theater has been entertaining audiences with their pick of comedies, dramas and musicals. Pick up tickets for a single show or make it a season to remember with the gift of season passes to this award-winning community theater organization.
Live Music
Live musical performances don't get any better than those at Edwardsville's Wildey Theatre. From John Waite to Wishbone Ash and tribute bands turning the spotlight on classic rock performers, there are plenty of shows to pick from for the music aficionado on your gift list. If musical tastes lean towards the classics, make sure season passes to Opera Edwardsville's eclectic performances are on the list.
Hands-on Experiences
Some people enjoy a more hands-on experience. Jacoby Arts Center in Alton offers dance and yoga classes in a classic art gallery setting. Give the gift of art with a class from Edwardsville Arts Center. Let the beauty of glass come to life at Alton Stained Glass Works which has classes for all skill levels.
Good Old-Fashioned Fun
Fun comes in all shapes and sizes in the Great Rivers & Routes region. From river cruises to axe throwing, escape rooms to horse racing, just pick your flavor of fun.
Season tickets are on sale now for the inaugural season of the Alton River Dragons Baseball Team. See some of the best collegiate baseball players in the country this summer at Alton's Gordon Moore Park.
Rise high in the sky over the Mississippi River with the Grafton SkyTour aerial lift, which carries passengers from Grafton's Main Street to the tops of the river bluffs at Aerie's Resort. Get a season pass so you can enjoy it year round.
Cruising & Riding
River cruises are a great way to kick back and relax while enjoying the water and the views. The Spirit of Peoria offers full day cruises, morning, lunch and a special dinner theater cruise in the region. Themed river cruises are available on Grafton Harbor's excursion boat, the Hakuna Matata. From May through early November, enjoy a sunset cruise, fall color cruise or dinner cruise.
Saddle up the horses at Pere Marquette Riding Stables. Give the gift of a trail ride through Illinois' largest state park and then follow it up with a day at Fairmount Park Racetrack. Live racing takes place Tuesdays and Saturdays with the 2021 racing season beginning April 27.
More Unique Great Rivers & Routes Experiences
Give the gift of gaming and dinner on the Mississippi River with vouchers from Argosy Casino.
Let that special someone work off some stress and hone their axe throwing skills with a gift certificate to Riverbend Axe Throwing in East Alton. Or pick up a gift certificate to local escape rooms like Alton Room Escape, Safe Escape Rooms, and Beast Escape Room.
Share the joy of ice skating with gift certificates to The Loading Dock Ice Skating Rink or East Alton Ice Arena.
