Coles district, Illinois, United States

Places to visit near Mattoon

Mattoon is a town in Coles district, Illinois, United States, home to about 18,113 people. Within 50 km by road there are 60 places to visit — 11 forts & heritage, 20 churches, 2 parks and 10 lakes, dams & reservoirs. The must-see places are Paradise Dam (12 km), Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site (23 km) and Lake Mattoon Dam (24 km).

Updated · Distances are road estimates · Open Mattoon on the map

Mattoon, Illinois
Mattoon, Coles district, Illinois, United States. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Mattoon at a glance

Location
Coles district, Illinois, United States
Population
about 18,113
Coordinates
39.4831° N, 88.3728° W
Places within 50 km
60 (9 must-see)
Best time to visit
October to February for forts & heritage; August to December when reservoirs are full and gates may open for lakes, dams & reservoirs; year-round for churches and parks

Top places to visit near Mattoon

Ranked by how worth the drive they are from Mattoon: must-see places and the closest well-loved spots first. Open a place for photos, today’s visitor status, timings and directions.

More places near Mattoon

Things to see near Mattoon, by type

Forts & heritage near Mattoon

73 forts & heritage within 100 km of Mattoon. The closest is Time Theatre (1 km). Best time: october to february.

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Churches near Mattoon

47 churches within 100 km of Mattoon. The closest is Marshall Avenue Christian Church (2 km). Best time: year-round.

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Parks near Mattoon

46 parks within 100 km of Mattoon. The closest is Rolling Meadows Picnic Area (42 km). Best time: year-round, evenings.

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Lakes, dams & reservoirs near Mattoon

38 lakes, dams & reservoirs within 100 km of Mattoon. The closest is Paradise Dam (12 km). Best time: august to december when reservoirs are full and gates may open.

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Museums near Mattoon

30 museums within 100 km of Mattoon. The closest is Lincoln Douglas Debate Museum (20 km). Best time: year-round.

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Wildlife, forests & gardens near Mattoon

21 wildlife, forests & gardens within 100 km of Mattoon. The closest is Lincoln Log Cabin Replica (23 km); the best-known is Eagle Creek State Park (36 km). Best time: november to march for sightings.

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A one-day trip from Mattoon

5 of the best places within 60 km, in driving order so you don’t double back: about 27 km on the road.

  1. Start in Mattoon
  2. 1 km Time Theatre · heritage site, Coles
  3. 1 km South 15th Street · heritage site, Coles
  4. 1 km Oklahoma Avenue · heritage site, Coles
  5. 11 km Paradise Dam · dam, Coles
  6. 11 km Marshall Avenue Christian Church · church, Coles
  7. 2 km Back to Mattoon

Plan a longer trip from Mattoon — the planner adds a place to stay each night and keeps the route to one loop.

From travellers near Mattoon

No traveller has reported from around Mattoon yet. Been to one of these places recently? Open it and post what you found — is the waterfall flowing, how crowded was the temple, is the beach safe — so the next visitor knows before they drive.

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How to reach Mattoon

    All places near Mattoon by distance

    15–50 km — half-day trips

    50–100 km — one-day trips

    Count by type (within 100 km)

    Places near Mattoon by type
    TypeWithin 50 kmWithin 100 kmNearest
    Forts & heritage1173Time Theatre (1 km)
    Churches2047Marshall Avenue Christian Church (2 km)
    Parks246Rolling Meadows Picnic Area (42 km)
    Lakes, dams & reservoirs1038Paradise Dam (12 km)
    Museums730Lincoln Douglas Debate Museum (20 km)
    Wildlife, forests & gardens521Lincoln Log Cabin Replica (23 km)
    Hill stations & viewpoints113Buck Knoll (33 km)
    Other attractions27Two Story Outhouse (14 km)
    Beaches & coast22Coon Creek Beach (42 km)
    Caves01Rock Cave Nature Preserve (70 km)

    Mattoon: questions travellers ask

    What are the best places to visit near Mattoon?

    Paradise Dam (dam, about 12 km), Time Theatre (heritage site, about 1 km), South 15th Street (heritage site, about 1 km), Marshall Avenue Christian Church (church, about 2 km), Oklahoma Avenue (heritage site, about 2 km), Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site (heritage site, about 23 km).

    How many tourist places are there within 50 km of Mattoon?

    60 places on Spotwander: 11 forts & heritage, 20 churches, 2 parks, 10 lakes, dams & reservoirs, 7 museums.

    Which is the nearest fort to Mattoon?

    Time Theatre, about 1 km by road; South 15th Street (1 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest church to Mattoon?

    Marshall Avenue Christian Church, about 2 km by road; Mount Zion Church (15 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest park to Mattoon?

    Rolling Meadows Picnic Area, about 42 km by road; Fairview Park (49 km) is next.

    What is a good one-day trip from Mattoon?

    Start in Mattoon, visit Time Theatre, then South 15th Street, then Oklahoma Avenue, then Paradise Dam, then Marshall Avenue Christian Church, and drive back — about 27 km by road in all.

    What is the best time to visit places near Mattoon?

    October to February for forts & heritage; August to December when reservoirs are full and gates may open for lakes, dams & reservoirs; year-round for churches and parks.

    Towns near Mattoon

    Sources: places from OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata and GeoNames; Mattoon’s location and population from GeoNames; see also Mattoon on Wikipedia. Data sources & credits.