Collinsville brings together prehistoric history, local heritage with Route 66 ties, and water attractions. When choosing what to focus on, consider this: would you like to explore historic sites and collections, a house with a distinctive architectural style, a Route 66 attraction, or the Collinsville Aqua Park? Each place has a different focus and can help guide you before you look for hotels in Collinsville.
Water Attractions at the Collinsville Aqua Park
The Collinsville Aqua Park has seven water slides. As of September 6, 2026, three blue slides were temporarily closed; check the current status before visiting. The park also features Monsoon Mountain, a lazy river, a leisure pool, a swimming pool, and the Aqua Climb Wall. Monsoon Mountain is a 50-foot-tall water fortress with several slides, spray hoses, interactive water features, and a 500-gallon tipping bucket. The Aqua Climb Wall is 12 feet tall. This gives you several named features to choose from at the park, from slides and a water fortress to pools, a lazy river, and a climbing wall.
Cahokia Mounds: History and Extent
Cahokia Mounds in Collinsville covers 2,200 acres and includes 70 mounds. The site preserves the central area of the largest prehistoric settlement of Indigenous peoples north of Mexico. The two figures describe different aspects: 2,200 acres indicates the site’s extent, while the 70 mounds identify individual features within it. Visitors can climb a staircase to the top of Monks Mound. This climb adds a specific activity at a named mound to an understanding of the large historic site.
House, Museum, and Catsup Bottle
The D.D. Collins House is in Uptown Collinsville, is a Greek Revival-style house, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is considered the oldest house in Collinsville’s history. The Collinsville Historical Museum’s collection includes artifacts dating back to 1767. Exhibits cover Collinsville’s mining history and the history of the Catsup Bottle; admission to the museum is free. The house and museum have different focuses: the house offers a specific architectural and historical perspective, while the museum features artifacts and topics from the city’s history.
The 170-foot-tall Brooks Catsup Bottle is a historic Route 66 attraction in Collinsville. The history of the Catsup Bottle is also included in exhibits at the Collinsville Historical Museum. The Route 66 connection and the museum exhibit thus present the same local topic in different forms: as a named historic attraction and as part of the city’s history in the museum.
Plan Your Stay Around Your Interests
The differences can help guide your travel plans: Cahokia Mounds offers prehistoric history across a large area; the D.D. Collins House and museum focus on architecture and local history; the Brooks Catsup Bottle combines a historic destination with Route 66; and the Aqua Park focuses on water attractions. If you’re looking for hotels in Collinsville, this comparison can help you plan your stay around what interests you most.
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