Just 2 hours from St. Louis is a complete hidden gem! Not only is Murphysboro surrounded by beautiful family-friendly hiking trails, but their food scene is nationally recognized. We had such a wonderful time exploring this area that was new-to-us.
Here is our weekend itinerary from our visit. As a reference, my kids are 7yo, 5yo, 3yo and 9 months old.
Where we stayed:
Holiday Inn Express & Suites at Murphysboro
Address: 120 Muddy Monster Road, Murphysboro, IL 62966
We stayed in a Queen Suite room that had two Queen beds and a pull-out couch. Free breakfast and free chocolate chip cookies when you check in! There was also a nice indoor swimming pool and workout center. Note: make sure to bring a pack n’ play if you need one. There was plenty of space in our room to fit our portable crib!
Day 1:
We left our house after lunch and drove past Murphysboro to explore a state park that has been on our list for ages.
Stop 1: Ferne Clyffe State Park
Address: Rte. #37, Goreville, IL 62939
This park has been on our list for ages! The rock formations and shelter caves, it started to rain. We had heard that the Big Rocky Hollow Trail has a waterfall when there is a lot of rain. It was .3 miles to the waterfall on a flat and on a wide path…and the waterfall was flowing! We were blown away by this beautiful area. There was a side trail off to the left as you are walking towards the waterfall. If you keep following this trail up the bluffs, it will take you right behind the falls.
Stop 2: Dinner at 17th Street BBQ
Address: 32 N. 17th St., Murphysboro, IL 62966
Murphysboro was proclaimed the “Barbecue Capital of Illinois” by the State Legislature in 2014. There is just so much history here, thanks to Mike Mills. Mike was inducted into the Barbecue Hall of Fame in 2020 and has won world recognition. We went there for dinner and have never had a better barbecue dinner. Period. Those ribs are life-changing!! I’m still dreaming about the loaded potato skins with brisket! They make their own root beer here with honey, which is delicious.
Mike’s daughter, Amy Mills, and her trusted crew continue to build the legacy and carry on Mike’s work. Amy opened a barbecue sauce factory around the corner from 17th Street. She also opened Faye’s Cafe two years ago (named after Mike’s mom and Amy’s grandma). I think this food legacy really added to our experience in Murphysboro!
Day 2:
Stop 1: Faye’s Cafe
This cafe is located inside of the oldest car dealership in town, and I just love the renovations that give nods to the automotive industry throughout the design. There are coffee, breakfast, lunch and gourmet grocery items all under one roof! We loved sitting outside around the fire pits in the nice patio area. My favorite menu item was the Eggs Benedict with brisket (from the 17th Street Barbecue). My girls’ favorite item was the homemade French toast sticks!
Stop 2: Pomona Natural Bridge
Address: Natural Bridge Rd, Pomona, IL 62975
This trail is just .3 miles from the scenic natural bridge. I think that it is SO cool how you actually walk across the bridge on this trail before you climb underneath the 90 foot long formation. My kids loved walking under the bridge and looking for animal tracks. The trails in this area are so reasonable in length You don’t have to hike far to have some awesome views! After our hike, we ate lunch at a picnic table near the trailhead. We packed lunch with us from Faye’s (we had yummy BLT sandwiches and salads). No restrooms at this trailhead.
Stop 3: Little Grand Canyon
Address: 346 Etherton Rd., Murphysboro, IL 62966
Just 20 minutes from the Pomona Natural Bridge is this beautiful trail and overlook. It is just 1.1 miles to a gorgeous view of the canyon. We rested at the bench while taking in the sight! From here, you can continue on the loop (where you go down into the canyon). We turned around and walked back the way we came. I really enjoyed this trail! There are restrooms at this trailhead.
Stop 4: Milieur Orchard
Address: 1-72 Mileur Orchard Rd., Murphysboro, IL 62966
Lisa and Howard own this beautiful orchard in Murphysboro. 3 generations of being an orchard! The land has been in their family since the 1850s. There is a U-Pick for apples at the end of this month! Lisa took us into their massive walk-in fridge where they store the apples and peaches. My girls also sat on their forklift! We left the orchard with peach ice cream, apple cider donuts, apple crisp, peach pie and fresh apples and peaches. Everything was delicious and so tasty! There is nothing like fresh fruit!
Stop 5: Scratch Brewing Company
Address: 264 Thompson Road, 62907
We ate dinner at Scratch Brewery. They have a great beer selection (we had a flight of beers) along with wood-fired pizzas. 90% of their ingredients are grown and foraged on the land. There is seating indoors (which is filled with bright and interesting designs) and outdoor covered seating around the property. Just a heads up, arrive here earlier in the evening to avoid a longer wait. Order your food at the bar and then you will receive a buzzer to know when your food is ready.
Day 3:
Stop 1: Breakfast at Faye’s
Another wonderful breakfast here!! I just can’t say enough great things about this cafe and its food and vibe. Highly recommend!
Stop 2: Geocaching
What a great and fun activity! We used the free geocaching app. There is a location right behind some rocks at the General Logan Museum (General Logan was born here in Murphysboro). We walked through the small butterfly garden and learned some more information on General Logan too. He fought for equal rights for African Americans, especially after the Civil War. He also created Memorial Day as a National holiday!
Stop 3: Mural Walk
We went on a fun mural walk around the downtown area! We drove by 9 murals ranging from General Logan to books to deer! You can scan the QR code by these paintings to learn more behind each art piece too.
Stop 4: Kinkaid Lake Marina
Address: 2069 Marina Road, Murphysboro, IL 62966
We rented a pontoon boat at Kinkaid Lake through Lake Stride, which I recommend! Kory was great. This lake is just outside Murphysboro. It is 2750 acres in size, has a shoreline of 82 miles and has a maximum depth of 80 feet. The Northwest portion of the lake is a no wake zone, which was perfect for dropping our anchor and jumping in the lake! There are no houses around the lake, which makes it so peaceful! There are some great cliffs for cliff jumping into the lake too.
Thank you Southern Illinois Tourism for having us! Between the epic family-friendly hikes and the great food scene, we quickly became big fans of Murphysboro. We had such a blast and we can’t wait to return!
