Missouri stands as a pillar of American history, at the crossroads between Midwest and Southern States, blending cultural elements from both sides.
Missouri: the birthplace of ragtime, Tom Sawyers, Walt Disney, or Brad Pitt, but also a state with major industrial hubs and many small towns. Let’s look at some things to do while you are there.
Explore Missouri Scenic Natural Locations
From historical trails to wild national parks, there are many natural locations to explore in Missouri.
Visit Elephant Rock State Park
These enormous blocks of granite in Southern Missouri are worth seeing.
You can follow the Braille Trail. As per its name, it is built to help disabled visitors to access the geological site.
It is an easy way to approach the giant rocks, more than 1,5 billion-year-old.
The round shapes of the rocks make the whole formation resemble an elephant family, with the largest weight estimated at 680 tons. It even has the nickname “Jumbo”.
This outstanding geological location is also extremely instagrammable, and well worth a family or friend trip.
Pony Express, the National Historic Trail
It was the road followed by men in the early days to deliver mail on horseback.
The distance from Missouri to California was more than 1 800 miles but men would take only 10 days to cover it.
It started in Missouri, then crossing through Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah and Nevada.
Nowadays, you can see The Pony Express Staples, dating back to 1858, and also Alexander Majors House. The latter served as a military outpost on the trail.
Hot Tip – There are auto-tour guides available providing overviews of the local trails, for each state, including Missouri. The guides also provide driving directions, highlighting the points of interest along the trail.
Big Spring Ozark National Scenic Riverways
There are so many beautiful natural spots in Missouri that it is hard to pick one to visit.
Big Spring is one of the first Missouri National Parks, and it is especially charming in the fall.
The spring has an average flow of 286 gallons of water, but it really varies with the rainfall levels. Check the weather forecast and the official park news before you set up for your visit.
Camping grounds, lodges, and picnic areas are all available to visitors.
How to find it? It is located 4 miles south of Van Buren, end of the State Route 103.
Some attractions may be closed in specific seasons, depending on natural weather conditions.
Relax in Missouri’s small towns
There are plenty of small charming towns in Missouri where the best thing to do is relax and enjoy the atmosphere.
Lexington
A small town where took place the famous Battle of Lexington.
The historic town is not far from Kansas City and has its own Historical Museum.
Visitors can enjoy walking in the historical downtown, visiting the Lafayette County Courthouse, or tasting local wines.
Farmington
A charming town of 18 000 inhabitants whose proximity to several national parks makes it a good stopover south of St Louis.
It offers visitors many fishing lakes, a golf course, and a plethora of antique shops in the historic downtown district.
Rocheport
Founded in 1825, the historically small town has not changed much and retained its peaceful and calm charm.
Its lavender field farm will also capture your interest, especially if you can visit in June during full bloom.
You can easily wander back in time while admiring its views and listening to live music.
Missouri: from Tom Sawyer’s Playground to Chuck Berry
Some of the greatest writers, actors, and directors were born and raised in Missouri. Their hometowns still celebrate them through museums and attractions.
Mark Twain was born in the small town of Florida, Missouri, and his family moved to Hannibal when he was four years old.
You can visit Hannibal, and the childhood house of Mark Twain
Other landmarks include Mark Twain’s riverboat cruise, and Mark Twain’s Cave, where Mark played with friends during his childhood.
Twain started training as a Mississippi riverboat pilot, giving him a base for his famous character’s story.
Walt Disney is another celebrity born and raised in Missouri. You can explore Disney’s early childhood at the Marceline Disney Hometown Museum.
The museum, established in 2001, shows part of Walt Disney’s sister private collection.
Fun Fact – More than 4000 unique artifacts are on display at Marceline, including photographs, personal letters, and gifts made to the town by Disney himself.
The Chuck Berry statue and house
Chuck Berry’s house in Greater Ville, St Louis is the place where he wrote and performed most of his classic rock’n ‘roll hits.
It is on the list of the “National Register of Historic Places”.
Nowadays, the house is still owned by the public authorities.
Despite talks about turning it into a museum, it is not yet opened to the public. However, if you visit St Louis, you can walk past this architectural and cultural landmark.
Another tribute to Chuck Berry’s legacy in Missouri is the statue standing in the Delmar Loop, in St Louis.
Finally, if you are a true Chuck Berry fan, you can find very close by the Blueberry Hill memorabilia collection, which includes its guitar.
The radio presenter Joe Edwards organized all the memorabilia he had been collecting into the largest collection on permanent display, worldwide.
Take a road trip along Missouri ghosts towns
Missouri often strikes visitors with its strong contrasts between large cities, such as St Louis, and smaller towns, slowly becoming ghost towns.
You can follow the ghost towns on road 66 if you like slightly more creepy activities.
Why are there so many so-called ghost towns in Missouri? Many different reasons actually exist, from natural disasters, chemical contaminations, or economic changes.
Times Beach Town: an environmental catastrophe
For 60 years, the town emptied due to dioxin contamination. Nowadays, the area is safe again to visit and attracts spooky urban explorers.
Branson: an abandoned entertainment park
Following the economic crisis, the original business, a vintage celebration amusement park, closed down in 2008.
There are still empty buildings, abandoned cafés, and rides perfect for scary location lovers.
Union Star
A town first established in the early 1800s as a stop for horse carriages. As railroads developed, the town became a real hub, with amazing architecture.
The town progressively died down when the railroad moved away. There are family and solo travelers visiting town to experience the atmosphere, mostly in summertime.
There are quite a few other ghost towns to explore as you go, as long as you are ready for creepiness.
Take in the music and the food
Numerous musicians were born or live in Missouri: from Josephine Baker, and Sheryl Crow, to Eminem.
There are also many country music musicians originating from Missouri. You can always attend a concert, a festival, or a music & food festival.
Mid-America Music Festival
This festival takes place on August 4th and 5th in Black Silo Winery, Trenton.
It mixes country music festivals and camping in Northern Missouri.
Keep In Mind – It features both renowned headliners and emerging artists. Besides, visitors can also join hot air balloon expeditions and watch the fireworks.
It is a festival where family and friends can have fun while supporting local rural communities.
It also supports Northern Missouri charities, such as animal shelters or parents groups.
Roots N Blues festival
A recurring music festival held in Stephen Lake Park, Columbia.
In 2023, it will occur from September 29th until October 1st. Children under 14 go free.
The wide range of musicians line up every year makes it always new and interesting to attend.
Mardi Gras celebrations
The St Louis Mardi Gras festivities are the second largest in the US after New Orleans.
When? Every year from January to mid-February.
It is a great opportunity for couples or friends to explore the city of St Louis, with a parade street party, the Mayor’s Ball, and other culinary events, such as the Cajun cook-off competition. There are cooking demonstrations and free tastings too.
The annual Rock and Ribs Barbeque Festival
This is an annual festival taking place on April 22nd and 23rd, where teams from all over the state compete for the best barbecue in Kansas City.
There are lots of food stands as well as more than 10 hours of live music, and kids’ activities.
The festival is a good activity for any trip to Missouri’s bucket list.
In Conclusion
Missouri is a state where cultural trends from the Southwest, but also the Midwest, join.
There are things to do and discover both in large cities and in smaller country towns. If you are a nature lover, you will find plenty of activities, while music and cinema fans will appreciate Missourian artists’ legacy.
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