This was a great experience for me, and my family! We stopped here on our way out of town and…read moreabsolutely loved our 60 minute walk-through the cave. Our tour guide was Avery and he was fantastic! From the middle that we stepped out to take a picture in front of the cave until we exited through the gift shop. It was a great experience. We walked through places in the cave that were noted in the adventures of Tom Sawyer, and through the cave history, including the thousands of signatures in the cave. We also participated in 15 through a pay dirt bag. This space is grade for all ages, and they have ample souvenirs. In the gift shop. We even visited the winery across the street. We look forward to potentially camping there in the future.

Nice cave experience. Easy walk with good lighting. Lots of history and mix of Twain stories…read more Just under an hour and 52°. We had jeans and sweatshirts and were comfortable. I took a flashlight which was helpful but not needed. This is a huge cave and only walked 1/3 mile.

The mansion is breathtaking it is unbelievable with the 100 year old details and exquisite details…read morein every room. When you go for this tour Juan loves to share the knowledge and information about the family and the details. I don't want to give too much away because you really need to visit! But Tiffany stained glass throughout the house, leather wallpaper, and so much more. This mansion was made before its time and is a masterpiece! The only issues we stumbled on were locating the parking and then finding a place to park.

We went for a birthday celebration and I am so happy for this experience. Great bed and breakfast,…read moreunlike any other bed and breakfast. If you enjoy historical places, this is one to visit. This gives you an opportunity to see what life was like back in the day, from the plumbing in the bathrooms to the old light fixtures and so much more. Juan and Warren are great hosts. Upon checking in at four, you receive a tour of the home. Afterwards the hosts share a Wine and Cheese reception with their guests and afterwards you are able to explore the home on your own. In the morning coffee and tea is provided prior to breakfast. Breakfast was delicious and served in the dining room on china. Please knWe truly enjoyed this bed and breakfast and look forward to visiting again!

Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) grew up here in Hannibal and there's no missing his influence on the…read moretown and the town's interest in him. They are absolutely capitalizing on his upbringing here with a museum, statues, and all sorts of structures named after the man who some would call the greatest American writer. Tucked at the bottom of Cardiff Hill at the intersection of North and Main Street, this statue of two of Twain's most famous characters. Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn's adventures took place in the fictional town of Saint Petersburg but it was very definitely Hannibal. The statues are by artist Frederick C. Hibbard and worth a stop as you're visiting the city. [Review 19717 overall - 195 in Missouri - 689 of 2023.]

Review Visit: August 14th, 2017…read more 'Snake? Snake!? SNAAAAKE!' The original purpose of this twisty and windy path is detailed on the wiki page linked below. I will give you the Spark Notes version; it was created as a shortcut for horses to traverse down the hill to Main Street. This place has been on my list for awhile now and on a beautiful August day, I finally made the trek up to see it. It was not quite what I expected, which is a good thing. The alley itself is rather short, but if you make the walk down and up it, you'll feel it in your legs. The alley is lined with houses on one side, which has to make for a very interesting living arrangement. I figured the road was closed for vehicle traffic, but was I wrong! You can apparently drive down the path... which I did. Driving down it was almost like being on a roller coaster, in your own car. The windy paths and sharp turns were super fun and gets your adrenaline going. At the bottom, there is a chance to bottom out as you pull out into normal traffic, so be careful if you do take the fun plunge. Luckily, if you are not a fan of snakes or the video game Metal Gear Solid, you can happily visit Snake Alley. If you are a fan of odd things and fun car rides, Snake Alley is the place for you.

I have about a twelve percent chance of making it to Lombard Street in San Francisco, so it was…read morenice to be able to get to Snake Alley on a sunny day in Burlington, Iowa. My daughter and I walked down the bricks with much delight while my better half scooted down the curvy street, which suited her just fine. A nice diversion along the Great River Road. Highly recommended

This is an interesting place. I have been curious about Mormonism from cultural perspective for…read moresome time, and when I had some time off a couple years ago decided to take a trip to Nauvoo to visit this early Mormon settlement. When I was here, it was the middle of the week, so there were few people wandering around. Officially, the Community of Christ--an off-shoot of the Mormon faith, established after the murder of Joseph Smith and the second-largest LDS denomination--is the organization that established the Joseph Smith Historic Site. However, as you're walking through the buildings that are the property of the CoC, you'll also be able to walk around and amongst the locations that are under the ownership of the LDS church. The signage is different so you'll be able to tell what is what, but some of these buildings are literally next door to one another so you won't have to drive from one site to the next. It was interesting to learn about some of the history at places like the blacksmith shop and the Seventies Hall. I didn't feel too much like I was being proselytized to, especially when in a larger group of folks. And you'll almost certainly be in and amongst members of the faith if you visit here. Also very important is that some of these homes are privately owned, and are marked as such, so remember to be respectful.

This was a destination on a pretty cool road trip I took with some friends in the summer. First…read moreheard about Nauvoo as being the holiest land for the Mormon faith; that people all the way from the Phillipines make their pilgrimdge here, to this small river city along the mighty Mississippi. (Which warranted a road trip out of curiosity) We went here at the end of summer. This part of Illinois is really something else. Truly unique. The settlement is prestine, peaceful, and one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen in America; we were amazingly suprised, and really not prepared to behold the outstanding beauty of this establishment. The restoration project is incredible. The entire settlement is restored to the old times of the 1800's, and is surrounded by a phenomenal landscaping project; with scores of flowers found all about the property. The Former Quarters of Joseph Smith's family sit nestled along the Mississippi River, with ancient Trees that embrace the home; and it is here where the prophet Joseph Smith is buried. It's as though you have entered heaven. Nauvoo, is a just another delightful slice of Americana for you to discover how amazingly awesome this country is! I highly recommend visiting Nauvoo.

Samuel Clemens grew up in Hannibal Missouri, though he wasn't using his pen name of Mark Twain at…read morethe time. He learned the trade of riverboat pilot, earning his pilot's license in 1859 at the age of 23. Clemens had signed on as a pilot's apprentice in 1857 while on his way to Mississippi. He had been commissioned to write a series of comic travel letters for the Keokuk Daily Post, but after writing five, decided he'd rather be a pilot than a writer. He piloted his own boats for two years, until the Civil War halted steamboat traffic. Have a read at one autobiographical chapter: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1875/03/old-times-on-the-mississippi-part-iii/537831/ The caption with this statue of Train reads, "In 1857 young Samuel Clemens began to learn the trade of a steamboat pilot on the Lower Mississippi River. When his piloting career ended with the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, Clemens went to Nevada Territory where he first used pen name Mark Twin in 1863 while writing for the Territorial Enterprise in Virginia City. Clemens took the name 'Mark Twain' from the River sounding that indicated 12 feet of water which was safe for navigation. This statue was given to the City of Hannibal by the Schwartz Family of East Hannibal, Illinois, July 4, 2003." The statue is located in Riverfront Park where there is plenty of free parking. [Review 19723 overall - round number 200 in Missouri - 695 of 2023.]