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Missouri is the true heart of America, bordered by eight states and roughly halfway between the north and south of the country. Known for its breathtaking national parks, sizzling barbecue, and even a hot jazz and sports scene, there is much more to Missouri than meets the eye.
route 66
Springfield will celebrate 100 years of the “Mother Road” in 2026. The birthplace of the famous 2,448-mile highway will host a music festival, vintage car parade and family events. Highlights of Missouri’s Route 66 include Meramec Caverns (once the hideout of the infamous Jesse James), St. Robert’s Route 66 Neon Park, where refurbished original neon signs are on display, and Red Oak II, which is both an art installation and living museum.
Visitmo.com/in-the-spotlight/route-66
a piece of genius
You’d be forgiven for not knowing that sliced bread was invented in Chillicothe, Missouri, which is why this charming museum celebrates the pioneers who brought sliced bread to the world in 1928. The Sliced Bread Innovation Center includes a replica of the first slicing machine and a bread-themed escape room. Located on the “Way of American Genius” or Highway 36 as your sat nav might call it, the scenic 200-mile route connects picturesque towns associated with American innovation, including the childhood home of Walt Disney and the city that inspired several of Mark Twain’s novels.
touch the sky
St. Louis Gateway Arch At 192 meters high, it may be the tallest arch in the world, but it is located in America’s smallest national park at just 91 acres. Completed in 1965 in downtown St. Louis, the arch symbolizes the westward expansion of the United States. A tram of small cylindrical pods takes visitors to the top where they are greeted with panoramic views of the Mississippi River and the state of Missouri beyond.
playful rivers
The Ozark National Scenic Riverways is one of the best places in Missouri to spend the day on the water. The trails include a 134-mile federally protected winding river, waterfalls, caves, and forests. Float in the crystal-clear waters of the Current and Jacks Fork rivers and camp at the beautiful Ely Springs Campground. While you’re there, head over to see the beautiful waterfall and the big, red, centuries-old mill located on its banks. Visit a local outfitter to borrow a canoe, kayak or inflatable tube for paddling downstream.
jazz and gin
Illegal gambling, Prohibition speech, and a rowdy jazz scene earned Kansas City the name “Paris of the Plains” in the 1920s, but these days grand boulevards and Beaux-Arts architecture combined with modern additions give Kansas City a distinct feeling of its own. Follow Baseline to 18th and Vine Jazz District or look for a powerful Rendezvous cocktail and live jazz at the VOO Lounge, inside the historic Muehlebach Hotel.
pitmaster’s paradise
Kansas City and St. Louis are known for their famous barbecue joints, but you can find delicious food outside the big city, too. Roadside shacks like Missouri Hick BBQ in Cuba, Missouri, serving pulled pork and slaw on Route 66, or stop for slow-cooked ribs at Wabash BBQ in Excelsior Springs, located in the old train depot. Missouri is famous for its spicy rubs and thick, sweet and smoky tomato-based barbecue sauce, especially when poured over the “burnt ends” of beef brisket.
underground adventures
Known as the “Cave State,” with more than 7,500 caves hidden within its limestone rocks, Missouri’s landscape holds many treasures. At the Mark Twain Cave in Hannibal, wander through the underground maze that inspired parts of it adventures of tom sawyerMarvel Cave, located under Silver Dollar City in Branson, is the deepest cave in the state. Its main nave, the Cathedral Room, is so vast that it could once have housed three hot air balloons.
to encourage
With over 115 wineries and eight wine trails, you won’t leave thirsty. Van Til Winery in Rayville is Missouri’s first regenerative vineyard and produces about 25 wines, including a full dry red pressed from the official state grape, Norton. Make a day of it and visit nine nearby wineries along the Northwest Missouri Wine Trail.
ready to go
The Pony Express, America’s first horse-drawn mail delivery service, began in Missouri, but RS Ranch Trail Rides in Bourbon offers more casual horseback riding fun. Follow off-the-beaten paths on a country Foxtrotter horse, go on a hayride, or get back to nature with a cowboy-style chuckwagon cookout under the stars.
football fever
Missouri and sports go together like ribs and sausage, which means baseball, hockey, American football, and even soccer are a big deal. As Kansas City prepares to host the World Cup 2026, you can watch one of the state’s two professional soccer teams play or one of several league matches each season. The Kansas City Current proudly plays at CPKC Stadium, the world’s first stadium built for a women’s professional sports team.