10 Amazing Places You Can Go On One Tank of Gas in Missouri
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Stephanie Zeilenga
Author
Vacation doesn’t have to mean jet-setting off to a faraway destination. There’s so much to see right here in Missouri! With just one tank of gas, you can take a fun-filled road trip from Springfield to Hannibal. The 277-mile route is easily done in a weekend—you’ll want to save plenty of time for all the fun activities available along the way. Here is the road trip plotted on Google Maps – follow along or adjust to fulfill your own Missouri vacay dreams!
Start your trip with a rib-stickin' meal at Lambert's, home of the famous throwed rolls!
This 1913 mansion was built by the Knights of Pythias, a secret society, and later owned by the U.S. Military. Take a history tour to learn all about the castle, or if you're into spooky thrills, take a ghost tour at night—the property was certified as haunted by the TV show Ghost Lab.
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Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Drive your car or ride the free bus tour through the park's 5 miles. Get up close with 70 species, including giraffes, wolves, baboons, alligators, alpacas, tigers and kangaroos.
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Missouri is all about natural beauty. Take it all in at Bennett Spring State Park, one of the best places for trout fishing in the country. If fishing isn't your thing, enjoy a scenic hike or grab a bite to eat in the lodge.
Stop in at Ha Ha Tonka State Park, located on the Lake of the Ozarks. Peruse stone ruins of a castle built by a Kansas City businessman and hike more than 15 miles of trails that lead to caves, sinkholes, natural bridges and beautiful bluff views of the lake.
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About a third of the way through the trip, take a break for some retail therapy. Osage Beach Premium Outlets is a shopping destination for the whole state, and features upscale brands like J. Crew, Tommy Hilfiger, Anne Taylor, Coach and tons more!
Don't pass through Jeff City without dropping in at the state's capitol. Free guided tours are available and take about 45 to 60 minutes. You'll see amazing art and architecture and scenic views of the Missouri river and learn all about the capitol's history.
Just a few blocks away from the Capitol is the state penitentiary. Take a tour to learn about the jail's 168-year history, see how prisoners lived, peek into the dungeon and learn about infamous inmates. A variety of tours are available, including history tours and ghost tours. For the ultra-brave, there's even an 8-hour public overnight investigation!
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Westminster College is home to the National Churchill Museum, where Churchill delivered his 'Sinews of Peace' address in 1946. Here you can see a piece of the Berlin Wall and peruse the museum's exhibits about Churchill and related subjects. Don't miss the Church of St. Mary Aldermanbury, a 16th-century church transported from London to Fulton.
Nothing's more Missouri than Mark Twain. Wrap up your excursion with a trip to the beloved author's boyhood home, which has been functioning as a museum since 1912. View personal artifacts, first editions of Twain's works and peek inside the home where he grew up.
Are you planning a Missouri road trip? Where are you exploring? Drop us a comment and let us know!
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