Have you ever wondered how Route 66 came to be called Route 66? Why not Route 12? Or Highway 45? Why 66? The answer is found in Springfield, Missouri, the little city in the Ozarks that gave birth to Route…
Missouri’s Katy Trail Is Longest Rails-to-Trails Project
Missouri’s Katy Trail, at 237 miles, is the longest rails-to-trails project in the United States, crossing the width of the Show Me State from St. Charles to the Kansas border. It is considered by many to be the crown jewel…
Arabia Steamboat Museum In Kansas City, Missouri
The Steamboat Arabia, which sank in the Missouri River north of Kansas City in 1856, is one of the coolest museums ever for people who dream of finding buried treasure. An estimated 300 steamboats sank on the Missouri River between…
Behind the Scenes at the Old Missouri State Penitentiary in Jefferson City
One of the most unusual places I’ll ever recommend you to visit in your exploration of the world is the old Missouri State Penitentiary in Jefferson City Missouri. In 2004, the state opened a new prison with plans to tear…
Take a Selfie at Springfield’s Hotel Vandivort
When visiting Springfield Missouri, I highly recommend you stop by the Hotel Vandivort, a luxury boutique hotel that opened downtown in 2015. Even if you’re just passing through or staying with friends or relatives in southwest Missouri, you should stop…
Blues and Jazz — Missouri’s Two Fabulous Music Museums You Must Visit
For those who know music, who love music, Missouri and its two fabulous music museums must be on your radar. Even if you can barely hum a tune and don’t know a clef from a treble, these two museums should…
Branson Missouri, Harold Bell Wright and the Shepherd of the Hills
Branson Missouri is a well known tourist destination in southwest Missouri, one that draws millions each year for musical and other entertainment in a family-friendly environment. But I would bet a majority of those visiting don’t know why this otherwise…
A Visit to Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Home in Mansfield, Missouri
Little House on the Prairie is surely one of the most beloved books and series of books ever written. It immediately conjures up images of Laura Ingalls and her sisters romping around through the tall grass prairie or Pa sitting…
A Log Home Bed and Breakfast in the Heart of St. Louis
It’s rare to find a log home or lodge as close to a major metropolitan area as the Lodge at Grant’s Trail. But here it is, within ten minutes of the Gateway Arch and all of the activities, sites and…