It’s no mystery why (or secret that) Missouri is a great place to visit. From scuba diving and boat tours to underground adventures, there is something for everyone. It doesn’t take much for someone to fall in love with Missouri. As a travel advisor, you’ll want to be familiar with some of the popular attractions and cities in this state.
Missouri’s geography is varied. It borders eight different states, which might add to its frame of mind. The two major cities — St. Louis and Kansas City — are 255 miles apart. Kansas City lies on the Missouri River on the northwestern border, and St. Louis lies on the Mississippi River on the eastern border.
1. St. Louis
All of the state’s major rivers flow into either the Mississippi or the Missouri River. It was only natural that a major city — St. Louis — would occur at the juncture of these two mighty rivers. St. Louis’s location guaranteed its early prosperity. Like many industrial giants, St. Louis fell on hard times during the latter half of the 20th century. Air travel and trucking diminished the importance of the river and the railroad, thereby reducing the importance of the city’s strategic location. Today, the economy relies heavily on tourism.
Gateway Arch is the number-one draw for visitors to St. Louis. The arch is located on the west bank of the Mississippi where Pierre Laclede, in 1764, told his aide, Auguste Chouteau, to build a city. As travelers approach from the east or the west, the 630-foot arch begins to appear on the horizon.
Designed by architect Eero Saarinen and engineer Hannskarl Bandel in 1947 and completed in 1965, the Arch is one of the most famous symbols in the U.S. Each year, Its trams take more than one million visitors to the arch’s top where they can peer out of narrow windows at the city and the river below.
Other attractions within walking distance include:
- Union Station, a restored and renovated train station, now houses specialty stores, festive markets, and a hotel.
- The International Bowling Hall of Fame traces the sport’s history back to Egyptian times.
- Busch Stadium, home of the Cardinals, and other stadiums are venues for professional football and hockey.
2. Kansas City
Kansas City is slightly larger than St. Louis, although its metropolitan area is substantially less. Its name is often abbreviated as KC. It too was a gateway to the West, a major stop for those who began their journey in St. Louis, either by boat on the Missouri or later by train. It was in KC that those bound for the Oregon Trail, Santa Fe Trail, or gold fields of California took to their wagons.
During the heyday of the KC Stockyards, the city was known for its Kansas City steaks. The stockyards eventually closed, and the steak type is sometimes referred to as a strip steak. KC continues to be a shipping and processing center for much of the produce of the lower Midwest.
The Power & Light District, a nine-block area with restaurants, bars, and retail shops, had its first tenant open its doors in 2007. It is anchored by the Sprint Center, a 19,000-seat complex that is a top draw for sports and musical entertainment.
3. Branson
Branson, in the south of Missouri, was named after Reuben Branson, postmaster in the area in the 1880s. Little did Reuben know what would happen to his little town. The beautiful Ozarks, straddling the border of Missouri and Arkansas, were known as a vacation and retirement haven. They still are. However, a music theater opened up in the small town of Branson.
In 1983, Branson began its transformation into a major tourist attraction when the Clark Celebrity Theatre opened and began to bring famous country music stars to town. Today, Branson is well known for its music theaters, most of which bear the name of a star performer or musical group. The collection of theaters along 76 Country Boulevard and Shepherd of the Hill Expressway has only increased Branson’s popularity as a tourist destination. Branson draws visitors from all regions of the country, who come mostly by car or motorcoach.
Besides the numerous theaters, other local attractions include the Hollywood Wax Museum, Silver Dollar City, White Water, Mount Pleasant Winery, Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede, zip lines, go-karts, mini golf, horseback rides, and more.
4. Lake of the Ozarks Region
One hundred miles north of Branson in the center of the state is the Lake of the Ozarks Region, a massive lake and twisting shoreline through the hills of the Ozarks. Lake of the Ozarks State Park, scenic river roads, wineries, and museum towns enliven this beautiful vacation and retirement area. Colorful fall foliage is another draw. This artificial lake is one of the world’s largest and it offers boating, fishing, and other water recreations.
5. St. Joseph
St. Joseph is a city that is is west of Hannibal, on the border with Kansas. This historic city on the Missouri was at one time a major wagon train and supply depot. The Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad once connected the two cities, and St. Joe was the eastern terminus of the Pony Express. A Pony Express Museum and Jesse James Home are two sights among many museums in the city.
