Missouri Attractions Guide

St. Louis

• Gateway Arch National Park — The 630-foot stainless steel arch, symbol of westward expansion; ride the tram to the top for views of the Mississippi and the city.
• City Museum — A surreal playground built from reclaimed industrial materials — climbable sculptures, slides, caves, and a rooftop Ferris wheel; unlike any museum you've seen.
• Saint Louis Zoo — Consistently ranked among the nation's best zoos, with free admission, located in the 1,300-acre Forest Park.
• Missouri Botanical Garden — One of the world's great gardens: the geodesic Climatron conservatory, a Japanese garden, and the historic Linnean House.
• Forest Park — Larger than New York's Central Park, home to the free Saint Louis Art Museum, the Missouri History Museum, and miles of paths and lakes.
• Anheuser-Busch Brewery — The historic St. Louis brewery offers tours of the Clydesdale stables and the beechwood aging cellars with tastings included.

Kansas City

• National WWI Museum and Memorial — The only American museum dedicated solely to World War I, with a glass bridge over a field of 9,000 poppies and a 217-foot tower.
• Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art — Free-admission museum with an encyclopedic collection; the giant shuttlecock sculptures on the lawn are an Instagram staple.
• Arthur Bryant's Barbeque — The legendary burnt-ends birthplace in the 18th & Vine district, serving Kansas City barbecue since 1930.
• Gates Bar-B-Q — The other KC barbecue institution, famous for its mixed-plate platters, tangy sauce, and the greeting "Hi, may I help you!"
• 18th & Vine Historic District — The heart of Kansas City jazz, with the American Jazz Museum and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum side by side.
• Country Club Plaza — Spanish-inspired outdoor shopping district with fountains, tilework, and the city's best people-watching.

Branson

• Silver Dollar City — An 1880s-themed amusement park in the Ozark hills with world-class roller coasters, craftsmen demonstrations, and seasonal festivals.
• Branson Landing — A waterfront boardwalk on Lake Taneycomo with shops, restaurants, and a choreographed fountain-and-fire show.
• The Branson Strip (W 76 Country Blvd) — Dozens of live theaters hosting music, comedy, and variety shows — the "live entertainment capital" of the Midwest.
• Table Rock Lake — A clear Ozark reservoir for boating, fishing, and lakeside resorts just minutes from Branson.

The Ozarks

• Lake of the Ozarks State Park — Missouri's largest state park, with 17,000+ acres, caves, and shoreline access to the 54,000-acre Lake of the Ozarks.
• Ha Ha Tonka State Park — Dramatic karst landscape with a ruined early-1900s stone castle, natural bridges, sinkholes, and a spring-fed lake.
• Ozark National Scenic Riverways — The country's first national park area set aside to protect a river system: free-flowing Current and Jacks Fork rivers for canoeing and floating.
• Meramec Caverns — A 4.6-mile cave system near Stanton with guided tours past the "Wine Room" and massive underground formations.

Practical Tips

• Best season to visit: April through October. Spring brings garden blooms and mild weather; Silver Dollar City runs mid-March through December with festivals. Summers are hot and humid — the Ozark lakes are the antidote.
• Getting around: A car is essential, especially for the Ozarks and Branson. St. Louis (STL) and Kansas City (MCI) airports anchor the ends; I-70 connects St. Louis and Kansas City in about 4 hours, and US-65 runs south to Branson and Springfield. St. Louis has MetroLink light rail for downtown and Forest Park.

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