Overview
Collinsville is a city in Southern Illinois in the Saint Louis Metro East area. It is the "Horseradish Capital of the World": 85 percent of the world's horseradish is grown in Collinsville and the surrounding area. It is also the home of Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, a UNESCO World Heritage.
4 sights · 2 things to do · 5 places to eat · 2 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Collinsville
Fairmount Park Racetrack
Horse race track. Live racing several days a week during season, usually late April through August. Simulcast racing from other tracks year round.
Gateway International Raceway
Hosts automobile, truck, and hot rod races sanctioned by NASCAR, ARCA, USAC, and NHRA.
Catsup Bottle Water Tower
Collinsville is home to the world's largest catsup bottle. At 170 ft (50 m) tall, it would hold 100,000 gallons (over 375,000 L) of catsup, or water. Souvenirs available downtown at Ashmann's Pharmacy, 209 East Main, Col…
City Museum
Horseradish Festival
Held in early June each year. Events include a root toss, a horseradish-eating contest, horseradish recipe contest, Bloody Mary contest, and Little Miss Horseradish.
World's Largest Catsup Bottle Festival
Held annually in July. Events include catsup taste test, hotdog eating contest, Little Miss Tomato and Sir Catsup.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Apr–Oct. Summer highs reach about 90°F; winter lows dip to about 24°F. Very hot (Jul) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Cold months (Jan) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: May and Apr. (climate data from nearby St. Louis)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- BLV Scott AFB/Midamerica Airport, Belleville — 12 mi away. Directions
- STL St. Louis Lambert International Airport, St Louis — 21 mi away (major hub). Directions
Most people will arrive by car via I-55/70.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Catsup Bottle Water Tower, City Museum
- Lunch Bandana's
- Afternoon Fairmount Park Racetrack, Horseradish Festival
- Dinner Bob Evans
Day 2
- Morning Gateway International Raceway
- Lunch Porter's Steakhouse
- Afternoon World's Largest Catsup Bottle Festival
- Dinner Zapata's Mexican Restaurant
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Most major chain restaurants and fast food franchises are represented in Collinsville, primarily in "downtown" around I-70.
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
Collinsville is a small city and is a suburb of St. Louis in the Metro East. It is roughly in the middle of a string of towns extending from Edwardsville to Belleville. The city consists mainly of the original town on the river bluff and an expansion built up around I-70 at the base of the river bluffs. This part has all/most of the major restaurant chains, hotels, and several "big box" stores. You will also find the Gateway Conference Center in this area.
Up on the bluff you will find the older part of the city. It is largely a white, blue-collar midwestern town. It has more of a small-town feel than a suburban feel. The original downtown is called "uptown" to differentiate it from the newer commercial area by I-70. Although it was run-down for the past few decades, "uptown" is being revitalized.
Collinsville is located at longitude 90W, making it one quarter of the way around the world from Greenwich.
Climate
The Mississippi River makes this area humid, though temperatures are generally moderate. Storms can occur at any time of the year. July and August are hottest and most humid, and January and February are cold, with occasional snow. Average temperatures range from 21°F in the winter to 90°F in the summer (-6°C to 32°C), but summer highs of 100°F and winter lows of 0°F are not uncommon (38°C and -18°C).
Get in
Most people will arrive by car via I-55/70.
Get around
Most people will get around by car. MCT provides bus service in the city.
See
See City Museum
Do
Collinsville has a variety of festivals throughout the year including:
- Italian Festival
Buy
There isn't much in the way of shopping in Collinsville. There is a handful of retail stores in "uptown" and a couple of big box stores in "downtown". Most people in Collinsville will drive to Fairview Heights to shop.
Eat
Eat Bob Evans
American cuisine. Friendly staff, plenty of light, lots of ice tea: a good place to relax and recover after touring Cahkia Mounds.
Eat Bert's Chuckwagon
Since 1963, a spot for locals to get cheap Tex-Mex food. Their hours are limited, so make sure to visit on a weekday.
Most major chain restaurants and fast food franchises are represented in Collinsville, primarily in "downtown" around I-70.
Drink
There are several bars mainly concentrated in "uptown" Collinsville some are more upscale and some are dives.
Some of the better establishments are:
- Friday's South - a bar & grill.
Sleep
You'll find most major hotel chains around the Gateway Conference Center.
Stay Drury Inn
Go next
- Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, site of the largest Native American city north of Mexico from centuries ago.
Nearby
Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site
Park · 25 listings · 4 mi away
Fairmont City
City / town · 4 listings · 6 mi away
O'Fallon
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East St. Louis
City / town · 8 listings · 9 mi away
Granite City
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Edwardsville
City / town · 8 listings · 9 mi away
Belleville
City / town · 4 listings · 10 mi away
Lebanon
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