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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Cahokia
Cahokia, Illinois
Half a day, not a night: visit the Old Cahokia Courthouse and Air & Space Museum, then move on to East St. Louis or Collinsville.
Cahokia is a small Mississippi River town in the St. Louis Metro East, best known for the Old Cahokia Courthouse and the Greater Saint Louis Air & Space Museum. It has no major hotel or restaurant scene; most travellers use it as a quick stop between St. Louis and other Metro East towns.
- Country
- United States
- Local name
- Cahokia, Illinois
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot and humid), Jan–Feb (cold)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $40–60 excl. bed · Mid $60–100 excl. bed · High $100+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $2–4 |
| Fast-food meal | $8–12 |
| Sit-down dinner | $15–25 |
| Gas (per gallon) | $3.50–4.50 |
| Taxi from STL to Cahokia | $40–60 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CPS · St. Louis Downtown Airport
- General aviation only; commercial flights use St. Louis Lambert (STL), about 25 min drive
Typical fares
- STL → Cahokia by taxi
- about $40–60, 25 min (check)
- Cahokia → East St. Louis by car
- about 5 min
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Car is essential. No public transit within Cahokia; taxis and rideshares from East St. Louis or Collinsville.
See and do
Known for
- Old Cahokia Courthouse
- Greater Saint Louis Air & Space Museum
- St. Louis Downtown Airport
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| East St. Louis | Car, about 5 min | 5 min |
| Collinsville | Car, about 10 min | 10 min |
| Alton | Car, about 20 min | 20 min |
| Belleville | Car, about 15 min | 15 min |
Sleep
- Cahokia
- One hotel (Quality Inn & Suites); most visitors stay in East St. Louis or Collinsville.
- Collinsville
- About 10 min drive; more chain hotels and dining options.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hello |
| Thank you | Thank you |
| How much? | How much? |
| Where is the courthouse? | Where is the courthouse? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- The Old Cahokia Courthouse has limited opening hours; check the state historic site page before going.
- St. Louis Downtown Airport is general aviation only; commercial flights use STL.
- Cahokia is a small town; services (restaurants, shops) are sparse.
Cahokia is a quiet small town; typical precautions apply. The main risk is driving on unlit roads at night.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Cahokia yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Old Cahokia Courthouse
- Greater Saint Louis Air & Space Museum
- St. Louis Downtown Airport
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Quality Inn & Suites Cahokia: www.choicehotels.com/illinois/cahokia/quality-inn-hotels/il376
- Wikivoyage: Cahokia (Illinois), revision 5244226 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5244226
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
CahokiaCahokia, Illinois
Take me to this address
Take me to this address
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
Most embassies are in Washington, DC; consulates in Chicago or St. Louis.
English is the primary language; no phrasebook needed.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/cahokia-illinois). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.