Welcome to the bigroads.com travel guide to Missouri! Hopefully this page helps provide some inspiration and tips to help you plan your next trip to Missouri.
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Missouri offers a lot to the traveler. St. Louis has the Gateway Arch and several excellent museums, including the giant children's playground known as the City Museum. Kansas City has its famous BBQ restaurants, which I think offers the best BBQ in the country (others might dispute that and say North Carolina, Tennessee, or Texas). Missouri also has one of the liveliest tourist towns in the country: Branson. For cycling, Missouri has the Katy Trail, an outstanding 240-mile rail trail that is widely considered one of the country's finest long-distance rail trails. There's plenty of beautiful scenery throughout the state too, especially in the southern and central sections of the state.
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TOP 10 ATTRACTIONS IN MISSOURI
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Are you short on time or struggling to choose something to do or see in Missouri? Here are my selections for the top 10 attractions or experiences in Missouri, in no particular order:
✮ Let the kids go wild on the play structures at the City Museum in St. Louis, arguably the best children's playground on the planet
✮ Walk among billion year-old giant granite rocks at Elephant Rocks State Park
✮ Enjoy all the family-friendly attractions, amusement parks, museums, and live performances in Branson
✮ Devour some amazing BBQ in Kansas City (e.g. Joe's, Arthur Bryant's, Jack Stack, Q39, etc.)
✮ See the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, the "Eiffel Tower" of the American Plains
✮ Learn more about Mark Twain at several attractions in Hannibal
✮ Get some thrills at the Silver Dollar City theme park in Branson
✮ Tour one of the exceptional show caves in Central Missouri (e.g. Meramec Caverns, Bridal Cave, Onondaga Cave, etc.)
✮ Explore the lovely Forest Park in St. Louis, one of the great urban parks of America
✮ Cycle the Katy Trail, one the ten best long-distance rail trails in the U.S.
If I could select only one place to visit in Missouri, I would choose St. Louis. The city has many attractions, including the Gateway Arch, the City Museum (one of my favorite places of all-time, anywhere) and the excellent urban park, Forest Park. There are definitely some areas to avoid in St. Louis, but overall it's a great place to visit.
For a list of 10 great attractions in each U.S. state, click here.
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5-STAR ATTRACTIONS IN MISSOURI
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Here is my opinionated list of 5-star attractions in Missouri. I believe each of these attractions should be on your Missouri bucket list since they are all noteworthy from a national perspective:
Northwestern Missouri
✮ Pony Express National Museum, St. Joseph - transportation museum focusing on the historic mail route from Missouri to the Pacific coast
✮ Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge - outstanding birdwatching refuge with hiking trails and an auto tour; huge spring and fall migrations
Western Missouri (including Kansas City)
✮ Arabia Steamboat Museum, Kansas City - see 200 tons of salvaged items from a sunken boat
✮ Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City - home of the Kansas City Chiefs NFL football team
✮ BBQ restaurants in and around Kansas City - in my opinion, Kansas City has the best BBQ in the country (sorry NC, TN, and TX!)
✮ Country Club Plaza, Kansas City - popular shopping and dining destination in Kansas City
✮ Harry S. Truman Library & Museum, Independence - official museum and resting place of the 33rd president of the U.S.
✮ Kaleidoscope, Kansas City - one of the top children's museums in the U.S.
✮ Kansas City Public Library, Kansas City - famous for its exterior, which is painted like giant books; a great roadside attraction photo-op
✮ Kansas City Zoo, Kansas City - large zoo with more than 1,700 animals
✮ Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Kansas City - beautiful performing arts center in downtown Kansas City
✮ Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City - famed MLB ballpark; home of the Kansas City Royals
✮ National Museum of Toys & Miniatures, Kansas City - claims to have the world's largest amount of "fine-scale miniatures"; many historic toys
✮ National World War I Museum & Memorial, Kansas City - the only dedicated World War I museum in the U.S.
✮ Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, Kansas City - exhibits on the history of Negro league baseball
✮ Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City - one of the very best art museums in the U.S.; the top attraction in Kansas City
✮ Starlight Theatre, Kansas City - top-rated outdoor performance theater with Broadway shows and concerts
✮ Union Station, Kansas City - museum and tourist attraction complex; there's a theatre, science museum, planetarium, and more
Branson, Missouri (see below for the rest of southwestern Missouri)
✮ Adventure Ziplines of Branson - excellent zip-lining tours
✮ Beyond the Lens! Family Fun - a technology and entertainment experience (e.g. virtual and augmented reality)
✮ Branson Ferris Wheel - large ferris wheel with great views of the Branson area
✮ Branson Landing - the best shopping district in Branson; includes a water fountain show
✮ Branson's Promised Land Zoo - one of the top zoos in the Midwest
✮ Buckets N Boards Comedy Percussion Show - a top-rated "musical variety, comedy, and percussion show"
✮ Butterfly Palace and Rainforest Adventure - several tropical-themed tourist attractions, including a butterfly aviary
✮ Clay Cooper Theatre - "one of Branson's most beloved music and entertainment centers"; check website for current performers
✮ Dean Z - Ultimate Elvis - one of Branson's famed live performances
✮ Dutton Family Theater - one of Branson's famed live performances (singing, dancing, and musical instruments)
✮ Escape Reality Magic & Illusions - one of Branson's famed live performances
✮ Fritz's Adventure - one of the best indoor adventure parks for children (e.g. ropes courses, via ferrata, tunnels, rappelling, slides, etc.)
✮ Haygoods, The - one of Branson's famed live performances
✮ Illusionist Rick Thomas-Mansion of Dreams - one of Branson's famed live performances
✮ Indian Point Zipline Adventure Tours - excellent zip-lining tours
✮ Jerry Presley's God and Country Theaters - one of Branson's famed live performances
✮ Moonshine Beach Recreation Area - popular sandy beach on Table Rock Lake
✮ Petersens, The - one of Branson's famed live performances
✮ Presley's Country Jubilee - one of Branson's famed live performances
✮ Runaway Mountain Coaster - one several mountain coasters in the Branson area
✮ Showboat Branson Belle - riverboat cruises offering food and entertainment
✮ Sight & Sound Theatres - one of Branson's famed live performances; this one is focused on stories from the Bible
✮ Silver Dollar City - Missouri's best amusement park and Branson's #1 attraction; one of the very best children's amusement parks in the U.S.
✮ Table Rock Lake - a man-made lake with 800 miles of shoreline; excellent fishing and boating; swimming at Moonshine Beach
✮ Titanic Museum - one of two excellent museums in the U.S. that focus on Titanic exhibits and artifacts (the other is in Pigeon Forge, TN)
✮ Veterans Memorial Museum - excellent military museum
✮ World's Largest Toy Museum - several buildings full of displays of your favorite childhood toys
Southwestern Missouri (including Joplin and Springfield; see above for Branson)
✮ 66 Drive-In Theatre, Carthage - enjoy a drive-in movie theatre on Route 66
✮ Beebe's Roaring River Waterslide, Cassville - ride down a single concrete water slide; unbelievably fun for what it is
✮ Bluff Dweller's Cavern & Browning Museum, Noel - excellent guided underground cave tours
✮ Branson Zipline at Wolfe Mountain, Walnut Shade - great zip-lining tours
✮ College of the Ozarks, Point Lookout - take a short walk to panoramic views of the Ozark Hills and Lake Taneycomo
✮ Dogwood Canyon Nature Park, Lampe - beautiful nature park with fishing, horseback riding, hiking, and cycling trails
✮ Fantastic Caverns, Springfield - ride through a cave on a guided Jeep tour
✮ Johnny Morris Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium, Springfield - excellent aquarium plus wildlife exhibits
✮ Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Home and Museum, Mansfield - tour the historic home of the famous author
✮ National Tiger Sanctuary, Saddlebrooke - visit a sanctuary for tigers, lions, and other animals
✮ Table Rock Lake - a man-made lake with 800 miles of shoreline; excellent fishing and boating; swimming at Moonshine Beach
✮ Talking Rocks Cavern, Branson West - guided underground cave tours
✮ Top of the Rock Lost Canyon Cave, Ridgedale - 2.5 mile golf cart tour with scenic views, interesting rock formations, and waterfalls
✮ Zipline USA, Reeds Spring - excellent zip-lining tours
Central Missouri (including Columbia and Jefferson City)
✮ Bridal Cave, Camdenton - excellent guided underground cave tours
✮ Clifty Creek Natural Bridge, Clifty Creek Natural Area - scenic 40-foot wide natural bridge
✮ Ha Ha Tonka State Park, Camdenton - see interesting caves, tunnels, springs and sinkholes
✮ Hermann Wine Trail - a group of seven wineries in the Hermann area
✮ Lake of the Ozarks - often called the "premier lake destination in the Midwest"; outstanding boating, golfing, and fishing
✮ Katy Trail, Katy Trail State Park - a 240-mile unpaved rail trail that is considered one of the very best long-distance rail trails in the U.S.
✮ Meramec Caverns, Stanton - excellent cave tours; also nearby is good canoeing
✮ Missouri State Penitentiary, Jefferson City - tour a decommissioned prison that operated from 1836 until 2004
✮ Onondaga Cave State Park, Leasburg - excellent guided underground cave tours
✮ Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, Columbia - 15 miles of hiking trails and several geologic attractions (including a rock bridge and a cave)
✮ Stark Caverns, Eldon - excellent guided underground cave tours
✮ Uranus, St. Robert - roadside attraction with many photo-ops related to the planet Uranus; not everyone will appreciate this tourist trap
✮ Warm Springs Ranch, Boonville - visit a Clydesdale breeding facility
Northeastern Missouri (including Hannibal)
✮ Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum, Hannibal - visit the home of Mark Twain from 1839 and 1853
✮ Mark Twain Cave Complex, Hannibal - guided underground cave tours; other activities offered (e.g. guided truck tours, other cave tours)
✮ Rockcliffe Mansion, Hannibal - guided tours of a Georgian Revival style historic home
Eastern Missouri (including St. Louis)
✮ Anheuser-Busch Brewery, St. Louis - tours of one of the world's largest beer-producing plants
✮ Busch Stadium, St. Louis - beloved MLB ballpark and home of the St. Louis Cardinals
✮ Bigfoot, Pacific - roadside attraction showing the Bigfoot monster truck; the town may have other monster trucks on display nearby
✮ Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, St. Louis - visit a beautiful church and the world's largest collection of mosaic art
✮ City Museum, St. Louis - the most insane children's playground on the planet; don't believe me? look it up on Google Images website
✮ Fabulous Fox Theatre, St. Louis - one of the highest rated performing arts centers in the U.S.
✮ Forest Park, St. Louis - a huge and attractive urban park that was the setting of the 1904 World's Fair
✮ Gateway Arch National Park, St. Louis - visit the 630-foot arch dubbed the "Eiffel Tower of the Great Plains", plus western history exhibits
✮ Grant's Farm, St. Louis - see Clydesdale horses and about 1,000 other animals
✮ Historic District (Main Street), St. Charles - attractive historic district with boutique shops and restaurants
✮ Laumeier Sculpture Park, St. Louis - outdoor sculpture park with more than 60 sculptures along 1.4 miles of walking trails
✮ Katy Trail, Katy Trail State Park - a 240-mile unpaved rail trail that is considered one of the very best long-distance rail trails in the U.S.
✮ Magic House, The, St. Louis - a great children's museum
✮ Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis - one of the nation's oldest botanical gardens; indoor and outdoor displays
✮ Missouri Civil War Museum, St. Louis - one of the best Civil War museums in the U.S.
✮ National Museum of Transportation, St. Louis - one of the best transportation museums in the country; nearly 200 major exhibits
✮ Six Flags St. Louis & Hurricane Harbor, Eureka - the best amusement park and water park near St. Louis
✮ St. Louis Art Museum,
St. Louis - one of the top art museums in the country
✮ St. Louis Zoo, St. Louis - one of the top 5 zoos in the U.S.
Southeastern Missouri (including Eminence)
✮ Alley Mill and Alley Spring, Eminence - tours of a beautiful red grist mill built in early 1900s
✮ Boone Terre Mine, Bonne Terre - take a guided boat tour of the world's largest subterranean lake
✮ Elephant Rocks State Park, Belleview - hike amongst billion year-old granite rocks; close to Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park
✮ Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park, Middle Brook - interesting geology plus good hiking trails and a swimming hole; close to Elephant Rocks SP
✮ Mark Twain National Forest - large national forest with 750 miles of trails for hiking, horseback riding, mtn biking, and OHVs
✮ Pickle Springs Natural Area, Sainte Genevieve - nature park with impressive rock formations, scenic bluff views, and waterfalls
✮ Taum Sauk Mountain State Park, Middlebrooke - hike to the highest point in Missouri; a separate hike leads to Taum Sauk Falls
Are you aware of any other 5-star attractions in Missouri? If so, please email me at gparsons66@hotmail.com.
For a list of 5-star attractions in neighboring states, click on any of these links:
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BEST TOWNS & CITIES TO VISIT IN MISSOURI
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These towns and cities in Missouri are generally regarded as the most interesting to travelers:
✮ Branson - a small city with an enormous amount of tourist attractions; packed with amusement parks, museums, and performance theaters
✮ Eminence - a small town dubbed the "canoe capital of the world"; location attractions include Alley Spring Grist Mill and the Blue Spring; lots of outdoor activities and wildlife viewing nearby (e.g. wild horses and elk)
✮ Hannibal - a small city with a historic downtown; the home of Mark Twain; cave tours and water sports are nearby
✮ Hermann - a small town with heavy German influence; filled with historic buildings and has several wineries; outdoor activities are nearby
✮ Joplin - a medium-sized city with a historic downtown district; strong route 66 history; see Grand Falls; good golfing
✮ Kansas City - a large city with some of the best BBQ in the world; professional sports are big here; strong jazz heritage; lots of public art
✮ Lake of the Ozarks - a small town with great boating and other water-based activities; Missouri's "most popular lake destination"
✮ St. Charles - a medium-sized city with a historic district; strong Lewis & Clark history; boutique shops & art galleries; nearby wineries
✮ St. Louis - a large city with several great museums (e.g. City Museum) and green spaces (e.g. Forest Park); Gateway Arch National Park
It's tough to explain the tourist insanity that is city of Branson, Missouri. If you've been to places like Wisconsin Dells in Wisconsin or Pigeon Forge in Tennessee you'll have a good general idea.
My favorite large city in Missouri is St. Louis - I recommend that first-time visitors spend at least 2-3 nights there
My second favorite large city in Missouri is Kansas City - I recommend that first-time visitors spend at least 2-3 nights there
My favorite small city in Missouri is Branson - I recommend that first-time visitors spend at least 2-3 nights there
Click here if you'd like to see a complete list of towns and cities that I find interesting across the entire U.S.
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WHAT IS MISSOURI FAMOUS FOR?
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Here are some things that Missouri is famous or well-known for:
✮ amusement parks / family-fun attractions
✮ BBQ restaurants
✮ caves / cave tours
✮ civil rights history
✮ lakes (e.g. Lake of the Ozarks, Table Rock Lake)
✮ Mark Twain
✮ natural springs
✮ professional sports
✮ ribs
✮ riverboats
✮ roadside attractions
✮ theaters / live performances / dinner theatres
✮ wineries
Click here if you'd like to explore what other U.S. states are famous for.
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NATIONAL PARKS IN MISSOURI
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There is one official national park in Missouri. There are also several other federal parks and properties in the state, including:
National Parks
✮ Gateway Arch National Park, St. Louis - visit the 630-foot arch dubbed the "Eiffel Tower of the Great Plains", plus western history exhibits
National Monuments
✮ George Washington Carver National Monument
National Forests
✮ Mark Twain National Forest - six distinct districts spread across southern and central Missouri
National Historical Parks / Other National Parks & Properties
✮ California National Historic Trail
✮ Harry S. Truman National Historic Site
✮ Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail
✮ Oregon National Historic Trail
✮ Ozark National Scenic Riverways
✮ Pony Express National Historic Trail
✮ Santa Fe National Historic Trail
✮ St. Genevieve National Historic Park
✮ Trail of Tears National Historic Trail
✮ Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site
✮ Wilson's Creek National Battlefield
For more information on Missouri's national parks, visit the Missouri page of the National Park Service. For an overview of all U.S. national parks, click here.
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Missouri has more than 90 state parks. Many would agree that these represent Missouri's finest state parks:
✮ Elephant Rocks State Park, Belleview - hike amongst billion year-old granite rocks; close to Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park
✮ Ha Ha Tonka State Park, Camdenton - see interesting caves, tunnels, springs and sinkholes
✮ Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park, Middle Brook - interesting geology plus good hiking trails and a swimming hole; close to Elephant Rocks SP
✮ Katy Trail State Park - a 240-mile unpaved rail trail that is considered one of the very best long-distance rail trails in the U.S.
✮ Onondaga Cave State Park, Leasburg - excellent guided underground cave tours
✮ Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, Columbia - 15 miles of hiking trails and several geologic attractions (including a rock bridge and a cave)
✮ Taum Sauk Mountain State Park, Middlebrooke - hike to the highest point in Missouri; a separate hike leads to Taum Sauk Falls
To see my list of the top 100 state parks in the country, click here.
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BEST WATERFALLS IN MISSOURI
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Missouri has only a few significant natural waterfalls. Here are many of the best waterfalls in Missouri:
Southwestern Missouri (including Branson, Joplin, and Springfield)
✮ Dogwood Canyon Falls
✮ Shoal Creek Falls
Southeastern Missouri (including Eminence)
✮ Hickory Canyon Falls
✮ Mina Sauk Falls
✮ Rocky Falls
For a listing of all known waterfalls in Missouri, visit the World Waterfall Database.
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BEST SCENIC DRIVES IN MISSOURI
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Here is a list of the best scenic drives in Missouri:
✮ Glade Top National Forest Scenic Byway - a 23-mile dirt/gravel route in Mark Twain National Forest
✮ Sugar Camp National Forest Scenic Byway - a 28-mile partially-paved route within Mark Twain National Forest
The 2,000-plus mile Great River Road travels for several hundred miles in Missouri. I'm not sure how scenic the Missouri sections are though. The 30-mile section dubbed the "Little Dixie Highway" might be your best bet for good scenery.
There are also a lot of wineries along or close to highway MO-94 between Defiance and Hermann, but I'm not sure how scenic that actual road is. You'll see some websites call this the "Hermann to St. Charles Scenic Drive", "Wine Country Scenic Drive", or a variation of those.
Missouri also offers many miles along the historic Route 66.
There are likely some interesting attractions along the way, but I suspect the road isn't all that scenic. I also haven't driven the Ozark Mountain Parkway or the Blue Buck Knob Scenic Byway yet, and it's possible there are some good views on those roads too.
For a list of great scenic drives in each U.S. state, click here.
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BEST RAIL TRAILS IN MISSOURI
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Here is a list of some the best rail trails (or similar cycling paths) in Missouri:
✮ Katy Trail - a 240-mile unpaved rail trail that is considered one of the very best long-distance rail trails in the U.S.
✮ Little Blue Trace Trail
✮ Rock Island Spur of the Katy Trail
Of all the Missouri rail trails, the Katy Trail is the best and most famous. It is one of the premier rail trails in the United States.
For detailed information on all known rail trails in Missouri, visit the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy website.
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BEST AMUSEMENT PARKS IN MISSOURI
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There are several good amusement parks in Missouri, including:
Western Missouri (including Kansas City)
✮ Worlds of Fun Oceans of Fun, Kansas City
Branson, Missouri (in southwestern Missouri)
✮ Branson Coaster
✮ Runaway Mountain Coaster
✮ Silver Dollar City
✮ Splash Country Indoor & Outdoor Waterpark
✮ White Water
Central Missouri (including Columbia and Jefferson City)
✮ Big Surf Waterpark, Linn Creek
Eastern Missouri (including St. Louis)
✮ Six Flags & Hurricane Harbor St. Louis, Eureka
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Missouri has many excellent museums. The best museums in Missouri include:
Northwestern Missouri
✮ Glore Psychiatric Museum, St. Joseph
✮ Pony Express National Museum, St. Joseph
Western Missouri (including Kansas City)
✮ Arabia Steamboat Museum, Kansas City
✮ Harry S. Truman Library & Museum, Independence
✮ Kaleidoscope, Kansas City
✮ National Museum of Toys and Miniatures, Kansas City
✮ National World War I Museum & Memorial, Kansas City
✮ Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, Kansas City
✮ Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City
Southwestern Missouri (including Branson, Joplin, and Springfield)
✮ Johnny Morris Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium, Springfield
✮ Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Home and Museum, Mansfield
✮ Titanic Museum
✮ Veterans Memorial Museum
✮ World's Largest Toy Museum
Central Missouri (including Columbia and Jefferson City)
✮ Missouri State Penitentiary, Jefferson City
Northeastern Missouri (including Hannibal)
✮ Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum, Hannibal
✮ Rockcliffe Mansion, Hannibal
St. Louis (in eastern Missouri)
✮ Jefferson National Expansion Memorial
✮ Magic House, The
✮ Missouri Civil War Museum
✮ Missouri History Museum
✮ National Blues Museum
✮ National Museum of Transportation
✮ St. Louis Art Museum
✮ St. Louis Science Center
✮ World Chess Hall of Fame
Although the City Museum in St. Louis has the word "museum" in it, it's not really a museum. It's a gigantic, multi-story playground. It's an amazing place, especially for children, but it's just not really a museum.
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BEST DAY HIKES IN MISSOURI
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Missouri offers several great hiking trails. Here are some of the best day hikes in Missouri:
Western Missouri (including Kansas City)
✮ White Tail Trail, Parkville Nature Sanctuary
Central Missouri (including Columbia and Jefferson City)
✮ Clifty Creek Natural Bridge, Clifty Creek Natural Area
Eastern Missouri (including St. Louis)
✮ Forest Park, St. Louis
✮ Don Robinson State Park trails
✮ Lewis & Clark Trails, Weldon Springs Conservation Area
✮ River Scene Trail Loop, Castlewood State Park - moderate hike to great views of the Meramec River Valley
✮ White Bison Trail Loop, Lone Elk Park
Southeastern Missouri
✮ Bald Knob, Buford Mountain State Forest
✮ Bell Mountain Loop Trail, Mark Twain National Forest
✮ Cathedral Canyon (aka Dark Hollow or Lower Rock Creek), Mark Twain National Forest
✮ Elephant Rock State Park trails
✮ Ozark Trail: Klepzig Mill to Rocky Falls
✮ Pickle Springs Natural Area trails
✮ Taum Sauk Mountain State Park trails - e.g. Taum Sauk Tower, Mina Sauk Falls, etc.
✮ Whispering Pines North Loop, Hawn State Park
The highpoint of Missouri is Taum Sauk Mountain (1,772') in southeastern Missouri. A relatively short and easy hike within Taum Sauk Mountain State Park is required to reach the top.
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BEST BACKPACKING TRIPS IN MISSOURI
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Missouri offers some great backpacking opportunities. Here are a few great backpacking areas/trails in Missouri to get you started:
✮ Big Piney Trail
✮ Mark Twain National Forest
✮ Ozark Trail
The Missouri State Parks website has good information on all state parks where backpacking is possible. There are actually quite a few state parks that allow it.
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CLASSIC OUTDOOR ADVENTURES IN MISSOURI
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Missouri offers many great outdoor adventures, including:
✮ Backpacking the Ozark Trail
✮ Bouldering in Elephant Rocks State Park
✮ Canoeing/kayaking Beaver Creek
✮ Canoeing/kayaking the Big Piney River
✮ Canoeing/kayaking the Current River
✮ Canoeing/kayaking the Eleven Point National Scenic River
✮ Canoeing/kayaking the Gasconade River
✮ Canoeing/kayaking the Jacks Fork River
✮ Canoeing/kayaking the James River
✮ Canoeing/kayaking the Meramec River
✮ Canoeing/kayaking the Niangua River
✮ Canoeing/kayaking the North Fork of the White River
✮ Cave tours at any one of Missouri's famous show caves
✮ Cycling the Indian Creek Bike/Hike Trail
✮ Cycling the Katy Trail
✮ Helicopter tours in Branson (e.g. Chopper Charter)
✮ Mountain biking in Castlewood State Park
✮ Mountain biking in Eureka Mountain Bike Park
✮ Mountain biking in Landahl Mountain Bike Park
✮ Mountain biking on the Ozark Trail
✮ Mountain biking in Shepherd Mountain Bike Park
✮ Mountain biking gin Sunbridge Hills Conservation Area
✮ Mountain biking in Swope Park
✮ Mountain biking in Two Rivers Bike Park
✮ Parasailing on Lake of the Ozarks
✮ Rock climbing at Johnson Shut-Ins State Park
✮ Rock climbing at Providence
✮ Rock climbing at Robinson Bluff
✮ Skydiving in Bolivar, Butler, Clinton, Miller, Mineola, or Sullivan
✮ Tubing the Current River
✮ Tubing Huzzah Creek
✮ Tubing the Jacks Fork River
✮ Tubing the North Fork of the White River
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There are only two actively-operating ski resorts in Missouri (Hidden Valley and Snow Creek), and both are relatively small. Neither of these ski areas is of national significance.
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UNIQUE / SPECIALTY FOODS TO TRY IN MISSOURI
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Here are some unique / specialty foods to try while you are in Missouri:
✮ BBQ pork burgers
✮ cashew chicken
✮ fried crappie fillets
✮ fried ravioli ("toasted ravioli")
✮ frozen custard / concretes
✮ gooey butter cake
✮ grilled pork burgers
✮ Kansas City BBQ
✮ porksteaks
✮ slingers
✮ St. Louis-style ribs
✮ toasted raviolis
For a list of unique foods and mom-and-pop type eateries and restaurants in Missouri (or any other U.S. state), visit the Roadfood.com website.
For a list of unique foods to try in each of the 50 U.S. states, click here.
For a list of the top-rated beers to try in Missouri (or any other U.S. state), visit the Beer Advocate website.
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OTHER KEY MISSOURI INFORMATION
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Here is some helpful key information about Missouri:
State Capital:
Jefferson City
Major Airports:
St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL), Kansas City International Airport (MCI), and to a far lesser extent, Springfield-Branson National Airport (SGF)
Largest Cities:
Kansas City (517,750), St. Louis (298,034), Springfield (171,112), Columbia (129,804), Independence (124,247), Lee's Summit (103,056)
Primary U.S. Interstates:
I-29, I-35, I-44, I-59, I-55, I-70
State Highpoint:
Taum Sauk Mountain (1,772') within Taum Sauk Mountain State Park in southeastern Missouri; a relatively short hike is required to reach the top (or you can elect to do a longer hike from a different trailhead)
Professional Sports Teams:
MLB: Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Cardinals
NFL: Kansas City Chiefs
NHL: St. Louis Blues
Funny or Unique Town/City Names:
Dolittle, Humansville, Knob Noster, Licking, Peculiar, Success, Tightwad, and Uranus
Take note that in general this travel guide intentionally excluded restaurants, lodging/hotels, breweries, wineries/vineyards, and certain other types of attractions (like arcades, ax-throwing, bowling alleys, and escape rooms). These types of places tend to come and go, and keeping up with that would be too challenging. I encourage you to use Google Maps, Tripadvisor, Yelp, and other travel sites that have reader reviews to find the latest and greatest places that I haven't covered here.
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Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri
mural in Branson, Missouri
Beebe's Roaring River water slide in Cassville, Missouri
Bigfoot in Pacific, Missouri
Aquarium at the Boardwalk in Branson, Missouri
World's Largest Toy Museum in Branson, Missouri
World's Largest Toy Museum in Branson, Missouri
World's Largest Banjo in Branson, Missouri
Dolly Parton's Stampede dinner theater in Branson, Missouri
rooftop area of the City Museum in St. Louis, Missouri
In addition to the information found on my website, I personally recommend purchasing these road trip/travel-related guidebooks. Click on any book cover to read reviews and/or purchase these books on Amazon.com.
 
 
 
 
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MORE U.S. STATE TRAVEL GUIDES
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Did you enjoy this state travel guide? If so, here are links to more of my comprehensive U.S. state travel guides:
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As an Amazon Associates affiliate, this website contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase any products after clicking any Amazon.com link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. I only endorse products that I have personally used or those that come highly recommended by trusted peers.
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