Back in 1982, we began our family with the birth of our daughter. By that time, the Precious Moments figurine craze was growing. The bulb-eyed figurines were flying off the shelves as fast as they could be restocked. Artist and creator Sam Butcher was preparing to launch on a journey to find a home for …
Cruising the path of the old Route 66 led us through the heart of Carthage, Missouri. As we pass the normal mix of fast-food restaurants and corporate businesses, we spot a gleaming silver shape ahead. Positioned on a frontage space, which has since been converted to a traffic circle, we spot Iggy’s Diner. The stainless …
Reviving Nostalgia Along The Mother Road – Iggy’s Diner Read More »
Conflict along the Missouri state line had been occurring throughout the second half of the 1850s. Far away in the East, the political battles were raging. After John Brown’s unsuccessful raid on Harper’s Ferry, some believed that signaled the end to the threat from the west. Little would anyone expect that the first significant land …
Few highways have captured the American spirit like Route 66. This nostalgic thoroughfare has been dubbed “The Mother Road” and “Main Street of America”. With 2,448 miles of open road, it led travelers from Chicago to Los Angeles. Along the way, drivers would find iconic stops to satisfy just about every need. This famous path …
Midwesterners have had a long love affair with the open road. While there are many wonderful destinations scattered across the region, often one is faced with a significant drive. The invention of roads helped make travel more feasible and shortened the time needed to move from point to point. One of our favorite thoroughfares to …
Our country is filled with an array of vacation opportunities. Just about any type of diversion can be found, if you know where to look. One of our favorite activities is exploring the haunts that early drivers would find across the United States. An easy way to do this is a Route 66 road trip. …
Route 66 explorers are always on the lookout for iconic stops. The Mother Road has been a fascination for decades and too many of the original attractions have deteriorated by the wayside. These days, a journey along one of America’s first highways can turn into a treasure hunt that brings a mixed bag of rewards. …
Rolling down Route 66 in rural Missouri brought us to the pun-filled destination of Uranus, Missouri. Among the variety of commercial attractions is the Uranus Sideshow Museum. This place is a throwback to carnival days of old. While my only memories are of small versions at rural locations, there are certain things that I can …
Uranus Sideshow Museum – Throwback To Carnival Days Read More »
It would be safe to say that most people have heard the name Norman Rockwell, but how about Lowell Davis? This Missouri-born artist was often referred to as a master of rural art. Davis was born near Carthage, in the original Red Oak, Missouri. Growing up in a rural setting instilled a love for the …
One of the things we most enjoy about traveling is the people that we meet. By interacting with the residents, we get a better understanding of what drives them through their lives. Our extended stay in St. Louis, Missouri gave us an excellent chance to mingle with some of the locals, as well as observe …
11 Things That Make St. Louis The True Gateway City Read More »
For five years we ran a local restaurant blog, before moving into the travel arena. Through that time, we came to realize that every dining establishment has its redeeming values. Some may have more flavorful dishes, but they all have at least one that they excel with. The key to successful dining when traveling is …
As we have said on numerous occasions, we are zoo people. We rarely pass up an opportunity to visit a new location, and enjoy returning to ones we have already seen. The ever changing exhibits usually offer a new view on something or at least a different perspective. When we planned our St. Louis trip, …
Being visitors from outside of St. Louis, we found the Forest Park area to be an amazing place to spend time. The lush landscape and numerous attractions beckon visitors to explore. The four crown jewels of the park include their zoo, art museum, science center, and the Missouri History Museum, which is the focus of …
Being from Kansas City, we always attempt to test out the local barbecue at least once. Now we are far from being BBQ experts, but we do know what we like. Since we were staying on the Delmar Loop, a visit to Salt + Smoke seemed to be the perfect spot to do some research. …
Kansas City Diners Test St. Louis BBQ At Salt and Smoke Read More »
With all of the cities that we visit, we will obviously need lodging. Most of these are nice chain locations that we try to mention during our overview articles. Once in a while we will happen upon a location that stands out as a special stay. This was the case in St. Louis, when we …
No matter how well we research, it always seems that we find at least one nugget that we had not foreseen. In St. Louis, Missouri that hidden gem was Blueprint Coffee. During a morning stroll down the DelMar Loop, we stumbled upon this diminutive coffee house. We popped in to get a fresh cup of …
Like many people, we are learning that there are lots of things to do in some of the medium sized cities. Our visit to Joplin, Missouri lasted just over 24 hours, but could have easily been extended to a full weekend. (We packed a lot into our timeline.) Joplin is a name that many have …
St. Louis offers so many great educational opportunities for visitors of all ages. Our visit to the St. Louis Science Center sparked our imaginations and opened our minds to new ideas and possibilities. Located in the Forest Park neighborhood, this center is designed to engage all ages in a series of fun, interactive displays and offers …
How The St. Louis Science Center Brings Science To The Masses Read More »
During the planning portion of our St. Louis trip, it was decided that we would make the Moonrise Hotel, on the DelMar Loop, our home base. With this in mind, we went to work looking for unique dining destinations within walking distance. When we happened upon the Peacock Loop Diner, it was obvious that a …
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We Spotted Sunken Treasures At St. Louis Art Museum Read More »
A friend from work was the first to mention that we should visit Fitz’s Restaurant on the Delmar Loop. We don’t drink a lot of sodas, but the chance to taste some at the source was something we couldn’t pass up. Our lodging was set up at Moonrise Hotel, which is just down the street. …
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St. Louis, Missouri has tons of places to explore, but all of that action means working up an appetite. After our visit to the Civil War Museum and Jefferson Barracks Cemetery, we needed to find a nearby restaurant. (You can read about the museum here.) Just a couple blocks away we discovered Cafe Telegraph, a locally …
When the name of Joplin, Missouri is mentioned, many will think immediately of the 2011 EF5 tornado that devastated portions of the city. Joplin is so much more than that. It has a rich history reaching back before the Civil War. We stopped in the Joplin Museum Complex to learn more about this southwestern Missouri …
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Missouri Civil War Museum – Remembering The Fallen Read More »
During our visit to Joplin, Missouri we took some time to visit the downtown area. This section of the city falls on the path of Route 66, so it draws a wide variety of travelers every year. After taking in some of the sights, we had worked up a big lunchtime appetite, so we made …
Let’s just face the facts. We like chocolate! There, it has been said, and there is no taking it back. This may be the reason why so many of our trips include a visit to a chocolate shop. We like to think it is just a service we provide for our readers who are looking …
At one time or another most of us have stopped into one of those little roadside burger joints for a cheap meal. Usually, they have a name like Dairy-Inn or Pop’s Burger Stand. You can almost be guaranteed that the menu will consist of greasy burgers and fries, and not much more. In Joplin, we …
Many people are unaware of the integral role that mining played in the settlement and growth of communities in Southwest Missouri and Southeast Kansas. The discovery of lead in the mid-1800’s drew miners to the area. Our visit to the Joplin History & Mineral Museum allowed us a chance to learn more about the history …
Joplin, Missouri has an interesting Route 66 history. The city actually has multiple paths, since the route was realigned a couple of times. While we were making our itinerary for a visit to Joplin, we worked with Carrie Puffinbarger at Visit Joplin. She pointed us toward testing the eats at The Bruncheonette, a local hotspot that rests …
For too long travelers have looked at Springfield, Missouri as the last rest stop before Branson. We decided to schedule a trip to showcase some of the “hidden gems” in this Oasis. The plan was to fill a three day weekend with as many places as possible, without total exhaustion. Come along as we highlight some of …
Making a lodging selection is usually one of the hardest parts of planning a trip. For Springfield, we quickly determined that the Oasis Hotel and Convention Center would be our first choice. Its location along the original Route 66 was certainly a key point. Their location also offered convenient access to the main arteries for travel throughout …
Creative Escape Glass has developed a unique niche in Springfield, Missouri. Over the past few years there has been a resurgence of places offering visitors a chance to create their own art. Most of these have involved painting of some sort. It seems to have started with shops that allowed customers to paint ceramics. Lately, there …
Fantastic Caverns is one of fifteen caves that visitors can tour in Missouri. This number is small in comparison to the approximately 6500 known caves in the state. Because of it’s immense size, Fantastic Caverns has the unique distinction to offer guests a ride-thru experience. The cave is located just north of Springfield, Missouri at the end of …
How 12 Women Changed Tourism in Springfield, Missouri Read More »
Families visiting Springfield, Missouri will be happy to know that Discovery Center offers tons of hands-on exhibits. Here is a great place for kids of all ages to learn about a wide range of topics. Be prepared to be there for a while, as they are packed with four floors of exhibits.
Black Sheep Burger is a prime example of why Springfield, Missouri is a food lovers destination. This city has an amazingly wide variety of dining options. We were told that many restaurateurs will use this city as a testing market for new ideas. That means diners have first shot at some of the best foods around.
The story behind Askinosie Chocolate, in Springfield, Missouri, is as complex as the flavors of the products. The small batch bean-to-bar chocolate factory has raised an eyebrow of the chocolate making industry. Owner Shawn Askinosie has brought an interesting twist to his relationship with customers and suppliers.
Fun Acre is one of the old time miniature golf courses that were so popular in the 60’s and 70’s. The kind that featured lots of hand crafted statues dotting the various holes of play. Most have been removed, and only remain in pictures and memories. Every once in a while you happen across one, and …
The Dickerson Park Zoo, in Springfield, Missouri, faces the same struggles that many zoological parks are facing these days. With the number and variety of competing attractions increasing, the travelers options become larger. Zoos, as well as many museums, face stiff competition for tourism dollars. This doesn’t mean that smaller market zoos don’t still have the …
Cafe Cusco is not what we would normally pick for dinner. When I was researching options that are local hot spots, this one kept popping up on my radar. I finally decided that it was time for us to taste what the Peruvian cuisine has to offer. The restaurant is located on Commercial Street in Springfield, …
During our visit to Springfield, Missouri, we just had to make a point of trying Gailey’s Breakfast Cafe. During my research, I reached out to them to arrange a good time for a visit. When they found out we were planning a Saturday, their response was, “the earlier, the better”.
Getting a Hurts Donut in Springfield, Missouri is a little different than what you may be thinking. A lot of us conjure up memories of a sibling preparing to hit us, when we answered the question. Instead, at this eatery you get sugary delights.
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