MISSOURI: THE SHOW ME STATE
BY CLAY
LARROY
In
the world of traveling,
there are plenty of great resources available to both new and experienced
travelers alike. There are many websites, guides, books, videos, and other
resources available. By writing this blog I hope that I am providing valuable
information about wonderful vacation destinations. When you want to
plan a vacation contact me!
Missouri Travel Guide
Sophisticated
cities, lazy summer road trips and adventures in the Ozark Mountains: all this,
and more, awaits in Missouri.
Arrive in
St Louis, the state's largest city, and the distinctive Gateway Arch, which
soars above the Mississippi River, might be the first thing you spot. But the
city is also home to the stunning Forest Park, a fantastic art museum and more
microbreweries than you can shake a stick at.
On the
other side of the state lies Kansas City. Your mouth starts to water as you
approach this western Missouri metropolis and snatch a whiff of its legendary
barbecue joints, hickory-smoked meat and dry-rub ribs. It's a sports-mad city
that also lays claim to a thriving arts scene and terrific live music.
Missouri
has its share of quirky roadside attractions, too. The biggest is surely the
rather incongruous Titanic Museum Attraction in Branson, a half-scale replica
of the ship (complete with iceberg poking into its hull) where you can walk the
Grand Staircase and cabins, stand on a sloping deck and touch chilly water for
the full sinking experience.
For a
smaller-scale (and more realistic) floating adventure, you can raft or canoe
the Current or Jacks Fork Rivers. On dry land, scramble over billion-year-old
boulders in Elephant Rocks State Park, bike the old Missouri-Kansas-Texas
railroad on the 386km (240 mile) Katy Trail, or saddle up and ride through the
stunning Mark Twain Forest.
Things
to see and do in Missouri
Arabia Steamboat Museum
Explore the Arabia
Steamboat Museum (www.1856.com) in Kansas City. Displayed are
artifacts recovered from a steamboat that sank in the Mississippi with cargo in
1856.
Bennett Spring State Park
Visit Bennett Spring State
Park (www.mostateparks.com/bennett.htm), popular for its
scenic trails, canoeing, camping and trout fishing. Ha Ha Tonka State Park (www.mostateparks.com/hahatonka.htm) is a geological
wonderland of caves, sinkholes, steep bluffs and famous castle ruins.
Branson
Experience Branson (www.explorebranson.com).
A live entertainment capital offering pop, swing, rock and roll, country and
gospel music performances at around 52 theatres, it attracts major artists and
entertainment legends. Also famous are its three picturesque lakes, Lake
Taneycomo, Table Rock Lake and Bull Shoals Lake, perfect for fishing and water
activities.
Country Club Plaza
Shop the Country Club
Plaza (www.countryclubplaza.com) in Kansas City, the
nation's oldest shopping centre established in 1922. Covering a 15-block
district, the plaza has over 150 shops and dozens of restaurants.
Gateway Arch
Ride to the top of the
landmark Gateway Arch (www.stlouisarch.com) on St Louis's riverfront. At
192m (630ft) it is the nation's tallest memorial. It honors St Louis as the
starting point for settlers who began their trek to the western frontier from
the city and contains an observation deck and exhibits on the American West.
Hannibal
Tour Hannibal, Mark
Twain's hometown during the 19th century. Many museums and shows celebrate the
author's life and works, including the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and the New Mark
Twain Museum (www.marktwainmuseum.org).
Hurricane Harbor waterpark
Get soaked in Hurricane
Harbor waterpark, or go for head-over-heels thrills on the Cape Crusader
looping super-coaster, among the many rides and attractions at Six Flags St
Louis theme park (www.sixflags.com).
Jesse James Bank Museum
,See the site of the
nation's first daylight bank robbery, the Jesse James Bank Museum, in Liberty.
Lake of the Ozarks
Enjoy the pristine beauty
of the Lake of the Ozarks (www.lakelinks.com) in central Missouri. The lake is
148km (92 miles) in length, has more than 1,850km (1,150 miles) of forested
shoreline, and offers watersports, canoeing, golfing, tennis, caves, shows and
museums, as well as the Timber Falls Indoor Water Park (www.timberridgeresort.com).
Silver Dollar City
Spend the day at Branson's
best-known attraction, Silver Dollar City (www.silverdollarcity.com).
Explore the turn-of-the-century crafts village with daily music shows and rides
like the Thunderation Rollercoaster, the Fire-in-the-Hole and the Powderkeg.
St Louis Zoo
Explore the St Louis Zoo (www.stlzoo.org),
home to over 5,000 animals from 700 species. Exhibits included are The
Insectarium, Sea Lion Show and 3-D Movie.
Worlds of Fun
Take the family to the
Worlds of Fun (www.worldsoffun.com) entertainment complex in
Kansas City. It has more than 120 rides, rollercoasters and live entertainment.
REFERENCE SITES:
In Missouri, where I come from, we don't talk about what we
do - we just do it. If we talk about it, it's seen as bragging.
Brad Pitt
Travel to create
marvelous memories for you and your family or friends!
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