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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Lebanon
Lebanon, Illinois
Skip unless you have a specific reason (Looking Glass Playhouse show or Fezziwig's). Pass through in 30 min; no need to stay overnight.
Lebanon is a small St. Clair County town in the St. Louis Metro East area, population about 4,400. Its main draws are a community theatre and an eclectic shop. Most travellers pass through on US 50 without stopping.
- Country
- United States
- Local name
- Lebanon, Illinois
- Best months
- Apr–Oct
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (cold, fewer events)
- 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 $30–60 (just a meal and a shop stop) · Mid $60–100 (meal plus a show ticket) · High $100+ (meal, show, shopping) (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.
Get in
By air
- STL · St. Louis Lambert International
- About 30–40 min drive via I-64 and US 50
Typical fares
- STL airport → Lebanon by rental car
- about $30–40 one-way (check)
- Taxi from O'Fallon to Lebanon
- about $15–20 (check)
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
You need a car. Lebanon is on US 50; the compact downtown is walkable for a short visit.
See and do
Known for
- Looking Glass Playhouse
- Fezziwig's shop
- Dr. Jazz soda fountain
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | US 50 west to I-64, about 30 min | 30–40 min |
| Belleville | US 50 west, about 10 min | 10–15 min |
| Collinsville | I-64 west to IL 159, about 15 min | 15–20 min |
Sleep
- No lodging in town
- Nearest hotels in O'Fallon (about 10 min east) or Belleville (about 10 min west).
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hellohello |
| Thank you | Thank youthank you |
| How much is this? | How much is this?how much is this |
| Where is the bathroom? | Where is the bathroom?where is the bathroom |
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
- No gas station or grocery in the core; fill up in O'Fallon or Belleville.
- Looking Glass Playhouse shows are periodic — check the schedule before you go.
- Fezziwig's hours vary; call ahead.
Very low crime; typical small-town caution about locking your car.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Lebanon yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Looking Glass Playhouse
- Fezziwig's shop
- Dr. Jazz soda fountain
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Lebanon (Illinois), revision 4704677 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4704677
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
LebanonLebanon, Illinois
Take me to this address, please
Take me to this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
Embassies in Washington, DC; consulates in Chicago and St. Louis.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/lebanon-illinois). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.