Lorrie, I'm having fun with this one. You've picked one of my favorite states, and home to some of my favorite trips.
One of the first things that everyone thinks of when they hear Missouri, is St. Louis and the Gateway Arch. It is one of the most iconic landmarks in the country. It opened in 1967 and stands a whopping 630 feet high right along the banks of the mighty Mississippi. It houses one of the most unique elevator systems in the world that will keep you sitting upright as it actually goes in a circle from bottom to top and back. When you stand in the top of this behemoth, you can see forever, because the world is quite flat around there. I love the arch and I hope to visit it at least one more time someday.
Most people are at least somewhat aware of the culture in St. Louis. They are home to most professional sports, although the Rams can't seem to decide between there and L. A. They are famous for being hard working folks with great taste, and two of the greatest things about St. Louis is Barbecue and the Blues. Not far from the Blues Trail of the southern regions of the Mississippi, St. Louis is a natural stop for Blues Bands and all the great music they bring. As far as the barbecue goes, well; it's world famous. There are amazing barbecue restaurants all over the city, and they are home to some of the largest barbecue competitions in the country.
There is one other huge attraction in St. Louis that should not be missed. St. Louis is the worldwide capital of Budweiser Beer. There are so many things to do at Budweiser alone. There are factory tours, tasting tours, classes on how to brew your own beer. You can visit the stables and see the amazing Clydesdale Horses. There are special programs you can sign up for to make an even better visit. Budweiser is one of the most fun businesses in the country to visit.
St. Louis is a great capital and there's so much to do, from the unusual to the usual like a great botanical garden, museums, sports, historical locations, shopping and more, in addition to the things that we talked about here.
But, there's more to Missouri than just St. Louis. There are things that we learn and forget about places as we grow up. For instance, "Give 'em hell" President Harry Truman was from Independence. the play "Showboat" was written about the river boats that traveled up and down the Mississippi River and stopped in St. Louis. The Oregon Trail Expedition of Lewis and Clark started just outside St. Louis. There is a whole lot of history in Missouri.
One of the most famous residents of Missouri, especially for people like me, who live in Connecticut and love literature, was Mark Twain. His boyhood home was Hannibal. In Hannibal, you can visit his boyhood home and see a replica of the fence that Tom Sawyer was supposedly assigned to paint. But, if you can't get enough of Mark Twain, there is a state park, a forest, a trail, a riverboat, and numerous other areas and activities that bear his name.
A lot of people don't realize that Missouri isn't all rivers and flat lands. It is one of the states that are home to the Ozark Mountains. That's right, cliffs, mountains, gorges, lakes and on and on. There's even a Mark Twain Cave. The outdoors is the grand attraction in Missouri. It is home to some of the great outdoor activities of the world. For being a landlocked state, you can even sail and scuba dive some of its enormous lakes. There are activities from mild nature trails to rock climbing and so much to do. It is the outdoor man's paradise from hunting and fishing to zip lining and four wheeling.
At the zenith of the world for the outdoor man, is every outdoor enthusiast's favorite store. The Ozarks is home of the world wide headquarters of the iconic outdoor store that is now known round the world. It has all of the things that you've come to love about Bass Pro Shops from the decor of the store, to the great products, to shooting ranges, to bowling alleys, to restaurants and more. It's a thrill just to look around a Bass Pro Shops.
Here's a hidden gem unless you are in the know about Missouri and those amazing Ozark Mountains. Here's my bucket list item. Bass Pro Shops has its Cedar Ridge Resort there. They have it all. Anything that you might want to do outdoors, you can do while staying at one of the most amazing luxury lodges anywhere. You can rough it in the woods all day and go back to your lodging with all kinds of amenities after. They even have a professional golf course. The views are amazing, the folks at the lodge will make sure you are signed up for whatever makes you happy. It's beautiful, and I truly hope I get to stay there someday.
I have one more huge item that I would like to mention about Missouri. A long time ago, somewhere not far from the Lake of the Ozarks, someone said, "Man I wish we could be like Vegas." And so it was. Branson is that place that's like Las Vegas, but more wholesome. You won't see much of the Thunder From Down Under here, but you will see great shows with great music. You will see country stars strutting their stuff. You will see bright lights and find plenty of rides and activities for the kids. You will find family friendly productions, and tour companies to help you get out on that lake during the day. It's a great resort area, that puts you in mind of the strip in many ways. It's a great place to visit.
So, Lorrie, I don't know exactly what you had in mind, but I hope I happened on it for you. Missouri is one of the most overlooked states as a tourist attraction. Most people never get past St. Louis. I've been there many times, and I can tell you that it is a gem of a place to visit. I hope I get to visit there someday after the stupid virus winds down. It is a beautiful, tasty, fun, outdoorsy, entertaining, world in Missouri. Come take a look at all she has to offer and Enjoy!
