Travel

The largest spring in the state, rainbow trout, a nature center, and a lodge with a restaurant are just a few of the fabulous things you will find at Bennett Spring State Park. Pack up the car and spend a weekend exploring this park.

Fifty years ago, we featured a story on Roadside Stands. Our September 2023 issue showcased entrepreneurs who took the roadside stand idea and updated it. Read the 1973 story, then meet two more businesses that transformed a time-tested formula.

We are celebrating 50 years of Missouri Life. Our first story about fairs was in the July/August 1973 issue. Our writer revisited fairs from around the state to see what has changed and what has stayed the same. Find out which fair is famous for fish sandwiches.

Make your way to the “cave park.” Take in the immense beauty as you float the river, stop by the visitor center and museum, check out the aquariums, and marvel at the geological wonders. Take a guided tour of one of the caves in the summer.

The Missouri and Kansas border was a contentious place during the Civil War. Make your way along the trail at this historic site to view the landscape where African Americans fighting in the Civil War earned their place in Missouri—and national—history.

By foot is the best way to see Pickle Creek, sandstone landscapes, shut-ins, and distinctive flora. Rose azaleas accent fern-covered ledges and Whispering Pine Wild Area beckons you to discover the wonders this State Park has to offer.

We searched every corner of Missouri for hidden gems and thanks to our Missouri Life Ambassadors, we found one in each county: 114 of them! Here we explore places in Southwest Missouri that are ideal for your next day trip.

The silence that surrounds you at this site belies what happened here during the Civil War. This is where one of the earliest engagements of the Civil War took place. Stand in the spot where the Union fired the final battle shots.

At first glance, it might seem that County Road 5285, eight miles south of Rolla, is an unlikely place to spend a day at the beach. And yet, several trusted travel websites rate the location among the Midwest’s top 10 beaches. How can this be?

We searched every corner of Missouri for hidden gems and thanks to our Missouri Life Ambassadors, we found one in each county: 114 of them! Here we explore places in Northeast Missouri that are ideal for your next day trip.