Small Town Beauty in Missouri

Arrow Rock is a small town by the Missouri River in Saline County. It was a key location in westward expansion and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Hike at the Arrow Rock State Historic Site.

Explore the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail.

Boonville is a community in Cooper County named for Nathan and Daniel Boone, the sons of renowned explorer Daniel Boone, who was in the area in the early 1800s. Many notable individuals, such as David Barton and William Ash, have made Boonville, which is situated on the Missouri River and the Santa Fe Trail, their home.

The nearby Katy Trail State Park is a wonderful place for hiking and biking.

Enjoy the scenery of the Missouri River while walking across the Katy Bridge. (pictured above)

Branson lies in the Ozark Mountains. It was named after Ruben Branson, a local general store proprietor in the late 19th century.

Enjoy Branson Landing on the waterfront of Lake Taneycomo.

From the waterfront, you can see the Branson Scenic Railway.

Carthage is in Jasper County. In addition to being named after Ancient Carthage, it was the scene of the American Civil War’s Battle of Carthage in 1861, and the Confederates were defeated in the second Battle of Carthage in 1863.

The town is known as “America’s Maple Leaf City” and has a festival every October that takes its name from the many maple trees that flourish here.

Fulton was first established in 1808 and is located in Callaway County along the Missouri River. Locals know is affectionately as “the Kingdom of Callaway"; this moniker originated during the American Civil War when local soldiers and residents protected the county from Union invaders.

Hannibal is in Marion County along the Mississippi River. The charming town is the childhood home of American author Mark Twain and the backdrop for his novels “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” and “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn."

Visitors enjoy the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum.

Explore the Mark Twain and Camero caves.

Take a boat ride down the Mississippi on the Mark Twain Riverboat.

Visit Lexington and follow the footsteps of Santa Fe Trail traders or Civil War soldiers. Both the Battle of Lexington and the Battle of Hemp Bales took place here.

See the historic courthouse.

Platte County, located in the northwest region of the state, is home to the town of Parkville. The town is known for its antique stores, art galleries, and old downtown buildings.

George Park, who bought the steamboat landing on the Missouri River in 1838, is honored by the town’s name. He donated land with a view of the river that eventually became Park University.

Rocheport is a small hamlet in Boone County, formerly a frontier trading hub for both Native Americans and settlers. During their renowned journey west, Lewis and Clark visited this area, which is known in French as “Rocky Port."

It is not far from the Katy Trail, a cycling route that replaces a disused railroad.

Enjoy the Le Bourgeois Winery and Tasting Room.

French Canadian colonists founded Ste. Genevieve, which is the earliest permanent European town in Missouri. It became the first organized European community on the west bank of the Mississippi River, named after Paris’s patron saint.

Visit the Felix Valle House State Historic Site in the town’s historic district.

There are numerous vineyards, such as the Weingarten Vineyard.

Enjoy trekking in Hickory Canyons Natural Area.

The town of Weston in Platte County is home to a whiskey distillery.

The oldest whiskey distillery west of the Mississippi, McCormack Distilling Company was established in 1956.

Enjoy nature at the Weston Bend State Park.

Visit some of the local wineries, like Vox Vineyards.