Summer 2021
Missouri is blessed with beautiful changes of seasons. We are seldom bored as we run the gamut of rains, snow, spring flowers and summer sunshine. Often, we experience these changes all within a few days.
To aid us in selecting places to visit IRL or online this summer, I have searched the web for interesting venues. As always, you can type in the URLs in this column or take the easier road and follow the links within the column.
Many destinations are reopening their doors as COVID concerns diminish. Of course, we can always visit online with plenty of social distancing, but it is good to get out and about in the Missouri sunshine. One wonderful site that is reopening to live visits is the World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City. TheWorldWar.org is chock full of information about the “…war to end all wars”. Photos and exhibits and other online experiences make this a great learning experience and a good preparation for an online visit. I have been there in person and plan to return. My grandfather was a WWI veteran and both my son and I are veterans. Visiting the memorial makes us feel a connection with our “Brothers In Arms”.
On the St Louis side of the state, St. Charles was the first capital of Missouri. The city was originally called Les Petites Cotes (the Little Hills). St. Charles played an important role in the history of Missouri involving Lewis and Clark, Daniel Boone and much more. For five years it was the seat of state government. You can see many photos and learn more about the city’s history at DiscoverStCharles.com. The city is close to St. Louis but works at maintaining a small town feeling. There is much to see and do either IRL or online.
A place that I have long intended to visit is just northwest of Springfield. Fantastic Caverns is one of the more than 7,300 known caves that earn Missouri a nickname of “The Cave State”. The cave is unique in several ways. You don’t have to walk, which makes it wonderful for those with physical handicaps. Visitors ride through the cavern on Jeep drawn trams for the one mile tour. The trams even have ramps for wheelchair access. Plus, since the temperature inside is about 60 degrees year round, you will escape the summer heat, although you might want to take a light jacket. The website is located at FantasticCaverns.com.
When you finish your cave tour, you might be hungry. Luckily, you will not be far from the Ozark location of Lambert’s Restaurant. This restaurant and its “throwed rolls” are a Missouri tradition. There are three locations. The original one is in Sikeston and the third is in Foley, Alabama. The country style food makes it worth the wait. More food items are “passed around” and the big fluffy rolls are tossed to you. You can read more about it at ThrowedRolls.com. You should not leave hungry. I once told Norm Lambert that I was “just about full” as I was leaving the Sikeston location. He gently pushed me into a booth and yelled; “Bring this man some more food!” They do not take reservations and you may have to wait in line to get in. Here is a little known secret. Pilots flying into the airport at Sikeston can call to be picked up and bypass the long line to get in.
If you continue south to Branson, you will find much to do there. We think of music shows and traffic when someone mentions Branson, but there is much more. One example is the Lost Canyon Cave and Nature Trail that offers beautiful views of around Table Rock Lake. You can walk it or you might want to rent an electric cart to dirve along the two-and-a-half mile trail. The carts carry up to four people and you must be 18 to drive. Learn more at BigCedar.com/activity/lost-canyon-cave-nature-trail/.
Be safe both on the IRL highway and online. If we should cross paths at an exhibit or happen to ride on the same tram while touring the cave, be sure to say “hello”. That is how we roll in Missouri.
J.Y. Miller lives in Glasgow and is a regular contributor to Show-Me Missouri. His e-mail address is jymiller@ShowMeMissouri.net.
To aid us in selecting places to visit IRL or online this summer, I have searched the web for interesting venues. As always, you can type in the URLs in this column or take the easier road and follow the links within the column.
Many destinations are reopening their doors as COVID concerns diminish. Of course, we can always visit online with plenty of social distancing, but it is good to get out and about in the Missouri sunshine. One wonderful site that is reopening to live visits is the World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City. TheWorldWar.org is chock full of information about the “…war to end all wars”. Photos and exhibits and other online experiences make this a great learning experience and a good preparation for an online visit. I have been there in person and plan to return. My grandfather was a WWI veteran and both my son and I are veterans. Visiting the memorial makes us feel a connection with our “Brothers In Arms”.
On the St Louis side of the state, St. Charles was the first capital of Missouri. The city was originally called Les Petites Cotes (the Little Hills). St. Charles played an important role in the history of Missouri involving Lewis and Clark, Daniel Boone and much more. For five years it was the seat of state government. You can see many photos and learn more about the city’s history at DiscoverStCharles.com. The city is close to St. Louis but works at maintaining a small town feeling. There is much to see and do either IRL or online.
A place that I have long intended to visit is just northwest of Springfield. Fantastic Caverns is one of the more than 7,300 known caves that earn Missouri a nickname of “The Cave State”. The cave is unique in several ways. You don’t have to walk, which makes it wonderful for those with physical handicaps. Visitors ride through the cavern on Jeep drawn trams for the one mile tour. The trams even have ramps for wheelchair access. Plus, since the temperature inside is about 60 degrees year round, you will escape the summer heat, although you might want to take a light jacket. The website is located at FantasticCaverns.com.
When you finish your cave tour, you might be hungry. Luckily, you will not be far from the Ozark location of Lambert’s Restaurant. This restaurant and its “throwed rolls” are a Missouri tradition. There are three locations. The original one is in Sikeston and the third is in Foley, Alabama. The country style food makes it worth the wait. More food items are “passed around” and the big fluffy rolls are tossed to you. You can read more about it at ThrowedRolls.com. You should not leave hungry. I once told Norm Lambert that I was “just about full” as I was leaving the Sikeston location. He gently pushed me into a booth and yelled; “Bring this man some more food!” They do not take reservations and you may have to wait in line to get in. Here is a little known secret. Pilots flying into the airport at Sikeston can call to be picked up and bypass the long line to get in.
If you continue south to Branson, you will find much to do there. We think of music shows and traffic when someone mentions Branson, but there is much more. One example is the Lost Canyon Cave and Nature Trail that offers beautiful views of around Table Rock Lake. You can walk it or you might want to rent an electric cart to dirve along the two-and-a-half mile trail. The carts carry up to four people and you must be 18 to drive. Learn more at BigCedar.com/activity/lost-canyon-cave-nature-trail/.
Be safe both on the IRL highway and online. If we should cross paths at an exhibit or happen to ride on the same tram while touring the cave, be sure to say “hello”. That is how we roll in Missouri.
J.Y. Miller lives in Glasgow and is a regular contributor to Show-Me Missouri. His e-mail address is jymiller@ShowMeMissouri.net.