Pack some snacks and get everyone buckled in. This family-friendly excursion stretches from Hannibal to the Bootheel with five fun stops along the way. From wild animals to geological wonders to beloved literary figures, this trip has it all.

The Saint Louis Zoo is home to more than 14,000 animals and is recognized internationally for innovative approaches to animal management, wildlife conservation, research, and education.
Photo courtesy of Ray Meibaum

This year, introduce your children to a world of adventure without leaving the state. This 300-mile journey hugs Missouri’s eastern edge and features destinations the entire family will love. 

HANNIBAL 

Mark Twain’s hometown is as much a character in Twain’s classic books as Tom Sawyer, BeckyThatcher, and Huck Finn. One ticket purchased at the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum grants admission to all these attractions: Becky’s house, Twain’s boyhood home where he lived, played, and had adventures he later used as inspiration for his writings, and other buildings including an interpretative center with interactive exhibits. Other local attractions include tours of the Mark Twain Cave Complex, and the Mark Twain Riverboat Cruise. 

ST. LOUIS 

One of the few free zoos in the country, it’s no wonder the Saint Louis Zoo is the most-visited attraction in the region. The Saint Louis Zoo traces its origins to the St. Louis World’s Fair in1904, when the city purchased the fair’s Flight Cage for $3,500. You can still see the cage, the 1920s Primate House, and the Charles H. Hoessle Herpetarium in Historic Hill. In all, the Saint Louis Zoo is home to more than 14,000 animals and is recognized internationally for innovative approaches to animal management, wildlife conservation, research, and education. Admission is free; Parking is $15 in zoo lots. 

BONNE TERRE 

An abandoned lead mine underneath the town of Bonne Terre is now a Missouri marvel.
Photo courtesy of Bonne Terre Mine

An abandoned lead mine underneath the town of Bonne Terre is now a Missouri marvel. From its origins in 1864, the mine became the world’s largest producer of lead ore before closing in 1962. After the miners left, Bonne Terre Mine gradually filled with water to form a one-billion-gallon, 17-mile-long lake. It is illuminated with more than 500,000 watts of stadium lighting below the water’s surface. Combination boat and walking tours are narrated by guides who show you where miners dug with picks and axes in the1860s, and the guides share insights into Missouri’s Lead Belt. The air temperature in the mine is a constant 65 degrees year round. 

BELLEVIEW 

The granite boulders at Elephant Rocks State Park look like a train of pinkish-red circus elephants.
Photo courtesy of the Missouri Division of Tourism

Standing even larger than their namesake pachyderms, the billion year-old granite boulders at Elephant Rocks State Park look like a train of pinkish-red circus elephants. Kids (and adults) can climb on and between the boulders. The Braille Trail, which winds through the Main area of rocks, was the first trail in a Missouri state park designed specifically for visitors with visual and physical challenges. Admission is free. 

PUXICO

A visit to Mingo can include hiking, biking, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing.
Photo courtesy of Debbie Koenig

In 1944, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service purchased more than 21,000 acres of swamp and established the Mingo National Wildlife Refuge. At the time, the condition of the land and its living resources was deplorable, but today most of the natural plants and animals have been restored. Deer, wild turkey, bobcat, and beaver are once again plentiful, and the refuge now fulfills its primary purpose of providing food and shelter for migratory birds. A visit to Mingo can include hiking, biking, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing. Observe wildlife along three auto tour roads or by walking along the mile-long board- walk. Admission is $3 per vehicle per day. 

Feature image courtesy of the Missouri Division of Tourism.

Article originally published in Missouri Life’s Scenic Rides & Drives Guide 2024.