Nauvoo is the crown jewel of LDS historical sites outside of Utah. We love visiting Nauvoo, and we’ve written about what to expect when you visit right here. One frustrating thing about this amazing site is that it closes its doors at 5 pm, leaving you plenty of down time. We’ve written this post of things to do around Nauvoo to help you fill that down time with fun, family-friendly activities.
Nauvoo State Park
The state park is located right across the street from the main Nauvoo Historic site. It is free to enter, and mostly is a campground. But there is a really nice trail around the lake called the Lakeview Trail. It is 1.2 miles roundtrip as it loops around the lake. Walking that trail gives you an idea of how the land looked when the saints arrived. There is also a playground and a museum, but the museum is only open during the summer, so we missed visiting on our Spring trip.
The Martyrdom Museum
The Martyrdom Museum is located on Main Street in Nauvoo. It is one man’s labor of love. As a church historian, he wrote several books before deciding to open a small museum telling the story of the murder of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. This one is free, though you can make a donation.
Bird Watching
Not many people realize what a great place Nauvoo is for birding. We took a short drive from Nauvoo down toward Hamilton. There are many pullouts right along Mississippi River, and we saw pelicans, swans, shovellers, geese, and woodpeckers. Even the casual bird watcher can enjoy a few moments on the river.
Fairy Door Trail
Closer to downtown Nauvoo is the Fairy Door Trail. If you’re staying in Nauvoo, (and you should) all along the main street, there are tiny fairy doors painted on the buildings. These are fun to find, and keep kids interested. There are even a few larger fairy houses, so keep an eye out. For a map of locations, check the Beautiful Nauvoo site.
Stone Arch Bridge
Just around the corner from the historic Nauvoo is a very short stop at a small stone bridge. Pull over at the Nauvoo Veterans Memorial, and take the stairs down to the creek. There is a cool stone arch bridge with a small waterfall behind it.
David’s Chamber
To find another waterfall, continue a very short distance down this main road to David’s Chamber. There is a sign marking where to turn. This park has a good-sized waterfall that you can view from an overlook. There is also a bridge over the creek, and picnic tables. We loved all of the grass, and it is a fun place to explore and cool off in the summertime.
Zion Mercantile
Zion Mercantile is a small store with a lot of amazing souvenirs. We spent about 20 minutes just walking around looking items and art. My kids wanted everything in this cute shop.
Joseph Smith’s Tomb Museum
Downstairs from the mercantile, you can visit what purports to be the Smith family tomb. The tomb was only recently excavated (2020) and opened to the public. Plan another 20 minutes in the tomb in the basement of the mercantile. There is a lot of interesting information here.
Restaurants
If you are looking for restaurants around Nauvoo, please be aware that many of the local restaurants close during the off season, so they are usually only open from May to October. The Red Front is open year round and serves burgers, sandwiches, and treats. Here are a few other recommendations if you visit during the summer season:
- Lock 19
- Annie’s Frozen Custard
- Sunset Hill Shave Ice
