St Louis
As a symbol for St Louis, the Gateway Arch has soared above any expectations its backers could have had in 1965 when it opened. Now the centerpiece of its…
Must-see attractions in Missouri
St Louis
New York City may have Central Park, but St Louis has the bigger (by 528 acres) Forest Park. The superb, 1371-acre spread was the setting of the 1904…
Missouri
America's longest rail-to-trail walking and biking route starts in Machens near St Louis and St Charles and ends in Clinton, 70 miles southwest of Kansas…
Missouri
See the simple life Harry (1884–1972) and Bess (1885–1982) lived in this basic but charming wood house. It's furnished with their original belongings and…
Kansas City
Enter this impressive modern museum on a glass walkway over a field of red poppies, the symbol of remembrance of WWI. Through detailed and engaging…
St Louis
Possibly the wildest highlight of any visit to St Louis is this frivolous, frilly fun house in a vast old shoe factory. The Museum of Mirth, Mystery &…
Kansas City
Giant badminton shuttlecocks (the building represents the net) surround this encyclopedic museum, which has standout European painting, photography and…
Missouri
With lush forests and facilities befitting a top-tier national park, Echo Bluff is a true Ozarks highlight. Opened in 2016, this state park has a soaring…
Kansas City
This comprehensive museum covers the lesser-known history of African American teams, such as the KC Monarchs and New York Black Yankees, that flourished…
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Missouri
Many Missouri state parks cater to fun and games like fishing and tubing. Not this one. You can scale the state's highest peak, Taum Sauk Mountain (1772ft…
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Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum
Missouri
This museum presents eight buildings, including two homes Twain lived in and that of Laura Hawkins, the real-life inspiration for Becky Thatcher in The…
St Louis
Facing the Gateway Arch across the new plaza, this 1845 courthouse is where the notorious Dred Scott slavery case was first tried in 1857. Considered one…
Kansas City
Opened in 1914, KC's Union Station is a sublime example of the magnificent architecture that once was the hallmark of American train stations. Today it…
Kansas City
A hidden-in-plain-sight park with an important history: Kaw Point is where the Kansas River flows into the Missouri River. Lewis and Clark stopped here in…
Kansas City
Built in the 1920s, this posh commercial district (centered on Broadway and 47th St) boasts finely detailed, sumptuous Spanish architecture. It’s rich…
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Ozark National Scenic Riverways
Missouri
Two wild rivers, the Current and the Jacks Fork, wind through 80,000 acres of raw Ozark beauty in this area managed by the National Park Service. There…
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Missouri
The number is incomprehensible: 286 million gallons a day flows from this aptly named spring. The resulting pool feels more like a mysterious Game of…
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St Louis
From St Louis follow I-44 (the interstate is built over most of Route 66 in Missouri) 28 miles west to Route 66 State Park, with its visitor center and…
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St Louis
After receiving a facelift along with the rest of the park and reopening in summer 2018, this now sleeker museum not only offers more high-tech…
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Columbia Bottom Conservation Area
St Louis
Marvel at the place where two of the world's great rivers, the Missouri and the Mississippi, meet. Unfortunately an industrial park on the far side of the…
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Missouri
Still imposing, the 1858 Patee House has had a long and historic life. It now showcases the city's rich history with exhibits full of 19th-century…
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George Washington Carver National Monument
Missouri
Visit the birthplace of the African American scientist whose experiments with peanuts have been taught to generations of American school kids. As the park…
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Truman Presidential Museum & Library
Missouri
There are thousands of objects, including the famous 'The Buck Stops Here!' sign, from the man who led the US through one of its most tumultuous eras…
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Missouri
Almost 400 miles in length, the Ozark Trail wends through the Ozarks in 13 sections, most of which are linked up (the longest through stretch is 230 miles…
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St Louis
This flashy museum explores blues legends like hometown hero Chuck Berry, while making a strong case for the genre's myriad influences on modern rock,…
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St Louis
One of the world's largest beer plants, the historic Anheuser-Busch Brewery gives marketing-driven tours. View the bottling plant and Clydesdale horses…
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St Louis
This grand beaux-arts palace (with a striking modern wing) was originally built for the World's Fair. Now housing this storied institution, its collection…
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Arrow Rock State Historic Site
Missouri
Some 30 miles west of Columbia and 10 miles north of I-70, Arrow Rock State Historic Site is a small preserved town that feels little changed since the…
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Kansas City
Learn about different jazz styles, rhythms, instruments and musicians – including Kansas City native Charlie Parker – at this interactive museum, at the…
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St Louis
A small-time theme park on the beer-brewing Busch family's rural retreat, Grant's Farm thrills kids with its Clydesdale horses and 1000 other animals from…
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Missouri
Housed in the former 'State Lunatic Asylum No 2,' this museum gives a frightening and fascinating look at lobotomies, the 'bath of surprise' and other…
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Missouri
This popular state park has enormous billion-year-old rocks – most far larger than any pachyderm. Some stand end-to-end like circus elephants and are good…
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St Louis
Divided into themed zones, this vast park includes a fascinating River's Edge area with African critters. Don't leave without saying hello to the zoo's…
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St Louis
Dating to 1859, these gardens hold a 14-acre Japanese garden, a carnivorous plant bog, a Victorian-style hedge maze and the oldest continuously operating…
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St Louis
This elegant new park seamlessly connects the Gateway Arch with the Old Courthouse by covering up traffic-choked I-44. Previously the road formed a…
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Kansas City
Really a gussied-up basketball hall of fame, this interactive (and entirely overstimulating) exhibition lets you try free throws or pretend you're an…
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National Frontier Trails Museum
Missouri
Brings the tough life for the pioneers along the Santa Fe, California and Oregon Trails to life – many began their journey in Independence. You'll learn…
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St Louis
The interactive exhibits at this three-story museum are geared toward kids (and the young at heart). Expect live demonstrations, dinosaurs, a planetarium…
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Missouri
The first Pony Express set out – carrying mail from 'St Jo' to California, 2000 miles west – in 1860. This museum, from which the horses once departed, is…
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National Museum of Toys & Miniatures
Kansas City
Over 100 years of toys spread over 38 rooms, including the world’s largest fine-scale miniature collection. There are 51,000 toys, 3320 dolls and 1600…
