1st: Silver Dollar City, Branson; 800-888-7277
A trip to Silver Dollar City has been an annual ritual for many Missourians since the 1880s-themed park first opened more than six decades ago. The park has just the right mixture of down-home family fun, rides, festivals, craftspeople and entertainers in the heart of the Ozarks. Whether you and your kids are thrill-seekers looking for that fast-paced roller coaster or you’re tackling one of the water rides to combat a hot summer day, Silver Dollar City will be a trip you won’t soon forget.
2nd: Mark Twain Cave, Hannibal; 573-221-1656
You’ll find yourself walking amongst the characters in the pages of “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” as you make your way through Missouri’s oldest show cave. Mark Twain wrote about the cave near his boyhood home in Hannibal in five of his books. With over two centuries of history inside the consistently 52-degree cave, you and your family will be fully immersed during the one-hour guided tour. The tour is less than 1 mile in length and entirely lit up.
EC: Powell Gardens, Kingsville; 816-697-2600
Powell Gardens is known as Kansas City’s Botanical Garden. However, the garden is located about 40 miles southwest of downtown Kansas City, making it the perfect rural respite for those looking for rejuvenation. The 970-acre property features nature trails, rolling hills and large plant collections open to the public for exploration.
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