Illinois River Road Byway - Grand View Drive - Peoria, IL - National Scenic Byways on Waymarking.com

The Illinois River runs through Illinois along IL Route 29. At the intersection with US 24, is one end of Grand View Drive, which is well worth a diversion.

Grand View Drive is a windy residential road that climbs at least 100 ft up the face of the Illinois River bluff. It has clearings and turnoffs where you can see spectacular views of the Illinois River.

The web site for this byway has a lot about the byway and the things you can see along it. Grand View Drive is listed on the site with the following description:

"Named the "World's Most Beautiful Drive" by Theodore Roosevelt when he visited Peoria on October 10, 1910, Grand View Drive Grand View is revered as one of the most beautiful drives in the Illinois River Valley because of its breathtaking views of the river and the many historic and remarkable homes lining it. In addition to several scenic overlooks, Grand View Drive has parks and picnic benches, as well as access to hiking trails."

The southeast end of the road is at the byway. There is a wooden sign within a garden of flowers at the road. Watch your signs - the entrance to the road is a sharp right. Right after you enter, you will cross a short bridge made with stone. Immediately after that is a parking lot for a picnic area.

The drive then climbs up. The road is wide, so most personal vehicles - except maybe the largest RVs - can navigate it. There are several pulloffs, some with benches, some with historical signs. There are also many historic homes along the way to look at (mostly on the west side of the road).

When you get to the end at Knoxville Avenue, you can turnaround and go down again, or take one of the other roads down. One way is to go north to Forest Park Drive and drive down that to IL Route 29. It doesn't have the long scenic views, but it goes through a wooded park.

Illinois River Road Web Site:
(visit link)

Program: America's Byways Website: [Web Link] Official Name: Illinois River Road

Visit Instructions:
Please give a brief description of your visit. Maybe why you were there, what you found interesting, or something along those lines. Photos are also encouraged. Although the only requirement to log a visit to a waymark in this category is to physically visit the location, the photos and extra information you can provide about the area is very helpful to future visitors.

Recent Visits/Logs:

There are no logs for this waymark yet.