Missouri might just be responsible for the Great American Road Trip.
Passion for road trips was ignited when President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act in 1956. Missouri was awarded the nation’s first contract to build an interstate highway, now Interstate 70, and introduced travelers to the wonders of the American road.
Bisecting the state, I-70 simultaneously connects Kansas City on Missouri’s western border to St. Louis on its eastern boundary. Each of these cities has its own claims to fame. Smaller towns in between — Arrow Rock, Columbia, Rocheport and Hermann — contrast these two sophisticated cities.
Here’s a sampling of stops that qualify as destinations or can be strung together for a memorable road trip.
Kansas City
Kansas City started as a cattle town in the 1800s but has grown into a cosmopolitan destination with a trendy arts and culinary scene, as well as globally recognized museums and sports venues.
At the moment, the city has a strong wind in its sails. In March, Kansas City’s professional women’s soccer team, KC Current, debuted CPKC Stadium. Situated on the banks of the Missouri River, it seats 11,500 fans.
“Because the new CPKC Stadium is the world’s first stadium purposely built for a women’s professional sports team, it brings great energy to our city,” said Makenzie Wolters, communications manager for Visit KC. “In the coming years we’ll see even more development in our riverfront area.”
From James Beard award-winning fare to barbecue, Kansas City’s food scene is robust. With more than 100 barbecue restaurants, the KC BBQ Experience app tracks diners’ barbecue adventures and offers themed barbecue trails. And each year, Kansas City hosts the “World Series of Barbecue,” with more than 600 competing teams.
Unique museums include the National World War I Museum and Memorial — the country’s only museum focused solely on World War I. Baseball lovers can check out the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, the world’s only museum dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich history of African-American baseball. And in the nearby town of Independence, the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum reopened in 2023 with state-of-the-art technology after the largest renovation in its history.
Just south of downtown, Crown Center contains restaurants, shops, SEA LIFE Kansas City Aquarium and the Hallmark Visitors Center. The Link, a glass-covered above-street walkway, connects to Union Station, the restored grand dame of Kansas City’s railroad days, and Science City. Nearby, Pennway Point’s new KC Wheel, a 150-foot observation wheel with 36 enclosed gondolas, boasts 360-degree views.
Arrow Rock
Founded in 1833 and named for the nearby bluffs resembling arrows, the entire village of Arrow Rock has been designated a National Historic Landmark. Arrow Rock State Historic Site introduces visitors to Boone’s Lick Country via exhibits and a 20-minute video. Town tours highlight the J. Huston Tavern; the home of George Caleb Bingham, one of Missouri’s most notable artists; and the Sites house and gun shop. Several buildings are available for event rental including the Brown’s Chapel Free Will Baptist Church, built by the local African American community in 1869.
Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre became the first theater in the state to receive the Missouri Historical Theatre designation. Since 1961, the 416-seat theater has been housed in a picturesque white clapboard church. June through early October, Broadway-style productions cast local and East Coast actors. The theater season concludes in December with its annual production of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.”
Columbia and Rocheport
Multi-faceted Columbia’s buzz usually centers around the University of Missouri and SEC sports. However, this town heartily supports the arts and offers many outdoor diversions. The Columbia Art League Gallery hosts year-round exhibits, and June’s Art in the Park showcases more than 100 juried national artists. Artrageous Fridays, hosted the first Friday of each month in the nine-block North Village Arts District, invite the public for an art crawl through galleries and shops alongside live music, art demonstrations and tasty food.
“We’ve always had a really had a strong arts-and-culture community that’s continually evolving, with the True/False Film Fest anchoring events in early March,” said Amy Schneider, director for Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Almost every weekend there’s live music playing at one of our many venues, such as on the riverfront or at our downtown street concerts on Ninth Street.”
Lovely Shelter Gardens supports five acres of more than 15,000 annuals and perennials and 300 varieties of trees and shrubs. Its free concert series takes place on Sundays during June and July. Nearby Rock Bridge Memorial State Park sits on more than 2,200 acres with 11 trails. Interpretive programs highlight the park’s diverse geology. Its half-mile loop, Devil’s Icebox Trail, features the park’s namesake 63-foot-high rock bridge, sinkholes, a natural spring and underground stream.
Cyclists of all experience levels will enjoy the Katy Trail, the nation’s longest converted rails-to-trails project. Several miles west of Columbia, the trail’s only railroad tunnel lies in charming Rocheport. Trailside, Meriwether Café and Bike Shop serves all-day scratch breakfasts (including killer pancakes) and lunches using locally sourced ingredients. Rocheport’s Les Bourgeois Vineyards offers options for tastings, behind-the-scenes tours and dining in their Blufftop Bistro or A-Frame Winegarden with lofty river views.
Hermann
Designated the nation’s first wine appellation before Prohibition shut down production, Hermann lies 15 miles south of I-70. Within a small radius, more than 10 wineries offer tastings. Oktoberfest runs every full weekend in October. Stone Hill Winery gives tours of the largest series of underground arched cellars in North America with more than 175 years of history. Its Vintage restaurant features German specialties in a restored horse barn and carriage house.
Within city limits, the 200-acre Hermann Farm showcases black shire draft horses. The on-site Hermann Farm Distillery uses locally grown grain and white oak barrels charred just down the road. Tailored carriage rides feature distillery tastings and tours of the 1847 Teubner-Husmann Greek Revival home. Adjacent Copper Mule Distillery treats visitors to chocolate and bourbon tastings plus educational tours of the rack house and production facility.
“The farm’s mules were used in Germany during World War II,” said Tammy Bruckerhoff, tourism director for Visit Hermann. “Groups will hear that story at Copper Mule Distillery, along with many other stories that highlight our history.”
Many of Hermann’s restored red brick buildings are on the National Historic Register. Antique stores and boutiques line the sidewalks. On Fourth Street, The Showboat Live Theater hosts movies and productions. This summer, professionals from St. Louis and locals presented “The Sound of Music.” Lodging varies from boutique hotels to small cottages and upscale bed and breakfasts.
St. Louis
The first thing most visitors to St. Louis notice is the Gateway Arch, towering above the banks of the Mississippi River. The nation’s tallest manmade monument stands as a tribute to the gutsy determination and ingenuity of its builders. Before boarding an enclosed tram pod for a ride to the top, groups should visit the Westward Expansion Museum, which dives into St. Louis history and the arch’s construction.
Across the street, the Old Courthouse is under renovation and slated to reopen next spring. Built in the 1830s, the courthouse is now a museum, and new exhibits will dig into the Dred Scott and Virginia Minor cases.
Forest Park reflects the heartbeat of St. Louis. Outdoor musical theater at The Muny thrills audiences, and the Saint Louis Zoo houses 16,000 animals. Missouri Botanical Garden features lush blooms, a tropical rain forest conservatory, Japanese gardens and tours of founder Henry Shaw’s 1849 Italianate mansion. Sassafras Cafe refreshes with indoor and outdoor seating framing spectacular views.
Midtown’s exciting developments include City Foundry STL and Armory STL. City Foundry STL, housed in an abandoned metal foundry, contains local shops, a food hall with 17 local vendors, high-tech Puttshack, Sandbox VR and a 10-screen movie theater. Opened in May, Museum of Illusions St. Louis delivers an immersive experience using mind-bending installations. The Armory STL, best described as an adult playground, has live music, the Midwest’s biggest screen, food and cocktails, and oversized yard games.
“These entertainment districts are next level and speak to the renaissance of our city,” said Catherine Neville, vice president of communications for Explore St. Louis. “They’re thoroughly entertaining and spark everyone’s imagination.”
Perfect for groups, the Kitchen Conservatory offers more than 900 cooking classes annually. Classes can range from demos to hands-on workshops and feature seasonal produce. Afterward, participants can check out their store, which sells more than 6,000 cooking products and tools.
