It's been so sad to watch this place go from a vibrant shopping place to a ghost town. There's only…read morea handful of chips even open now. Before long the whole place will be shut down because it's falling apart with no upkeep.

This place is dead. There's hardly any stores here. You will have a better time going to the…read moreWalmart up the street. I give it 2 stars because my favorite store is here -- American Eagle. Yikes!

I'm a nerd for caves. Recently, I've been trying to take my kiddos to ones I've visited in the…read morepast. Bridal Caves doesn't disappoint for its size and beauty. Easy guided walk through with plenty to see. Always a welcome cool temperature for those muggy summer days. Stop in the store afterwards to purchase your photo souvenir and receive a bag of fish food to give to the giant carp off the dock below. Fun stop.

Both the inside of the cave and the facts associated with it were very impressive. We were not…read moreexpecting so many rooms/levels to the cave. Well worth the ticket cost.

If you like the Katy Trail and its history, make a point to visit this Depot in Sedalia. There is a…read moreton of middle Missouri history to take in, souvenirs, friendly people, and it's basically right on the trail itself. The building is beautiful from the outside, and inside you'll find friendly staff eager to talk. We stayed for a while taking everything in, of note, they have some nice restrooms to boot. It's not going to be open every time you ride by, so if it is I say take a few minutes to stop by here!

I came on Memorial Day weekend and pressed my nose sadly against the glass of the (closed) gift…read moreshop wishing I could buy my husband (who has biked parts of the Katy Trail) a souvenir tee. They had tons of them on display that looked really cool. But alas, I'll just have to visit another time. The three star review from me is due to the building and grounds being lovely even though the depot was closed. It is normally open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (although I would recommend checking their website or office for details) This is the former Sedalia, MO train depot and it is now connected with the "Rails to Trails" program and the wonderful Katy Trail that goes almost all the way across the state of Missouri. The depot is a beautifully restored building and tours are given but not on my visit (again, so disappointed)...I'm sure it is very cool! If I come back I'll update this review with more details. We explored the grounds. The bike shop and bike rentals were open, however. I think they're owned by a separate entity (Champion Bike Shop if I'm not mistaken). They also had used bicycles for sale outside the depot. There is ample parking here. Additional tip: If you're in the area and so inclined, do check out Daum Museum of Contemporary Art.

This created town along Rt. 66 has a firetruck, police car, jail, museum of oddities and general…read morestore. They also have a nice little playground and guiness book of world records biggest belt buckle in the world. Because why not? Definitely a family fun stop. In summer there is an ice cream shop open. They have a fairly large paved parking lot. Almost across the street is mini-golf open in summer. Plenty in the area to keep the kiddos happy and with all the Uranus jokes, keep mom and dad amused too.

It's not a town. It's a destination. Yes, welcome to Uranus along US Route 66 which in this part of…read moreAmerica is alongside Interstate 44 between Joplin and Saint Louis. It is home of the Uranus Fudge Factory and General Store, the Fort Uranus Mission Outpost, the Uranus Museum, the Uranus Ice Cream Company and the World's Largest Belt Buckle. You'll also find a Uranus Police Car, a Uranus Fire Truck, a small playground and a covered picnic area. The Fudge Factory is a candy and trinkets shop with post cards, tshirts, bumper stickers and the like to commemorate your visit to this double entendre of a town. The Mission Outpost is a gun shop and indoor shooting range. The Museum has artifacts and information about the history of sideshows. The Belt Buckle is huge though it has since been surpassed in size by one in Texas. The candy shop is free to visit as is the belt buckle. It's easy to access and the 12 year old in you will love telling people that you visited Uranus. [Review 19759 overall - 236 in Missouri - 731 of 2023.]

The Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City was a really nice surprise and much more impressive…read morethan I expected. The interior is beautiful, and it felt like there were miles and miles of hallways to wander, which made exploring half the fun. I could only look into the galleries through the windows, but even from a distance they looked spectacular and full of detail. The rotunda was a standout for me, especially standing underneath it and looking up at the dome, which is genuinely stunning. It is one of those places that quietly sneaks up on you and makes you glad you took the time to stop and explore.

I've visited three state capitols, and they're all special in their own way. The Missouri one has…read moresome history of its own, as being the fifth overall capitol building in the state of Missouri, and just the 3rd one in Jeff City. You can park in a nearby garage or simply in front or back of the building. Be sure to check out the art and statues on the grounds, including the Statue of Liberty replica and the Thomas Jefferson statue. On the first floor is mostly the Missouri State Museum (not to be confused with the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis) where you can learn a lot about the Show-Me State. I highly recommend checking out the large timeline of Missouri events they have there. I also highly recommend checking out the gift shop, which doesn't seem like they have very much to offer (that's probably a good thing!). If you have a State Capitols Passport Stamp book, they will gladly stamp it. The other floors consist, of course, statewide offices as well as several offices for legislative leaders. As you enter the 2nd floor from the staircase you'll see the Governor's office door right away. (No, he wasn't there at the time of my visit). Down the hall is the Lt. Gov's office as well. The Senate and State House chambers are on the 3rd floor. Be sure to check out the detailed mural of artist Thomas Hart Benton, located on the 3rd floor. And the Hall of Famous Missourians, which consist of a very eclectic group of people: Walt Disney, Scott Joplin, Rush Limbaugh, Walter Cronkite, Stan Musial and many others. If you're a fan of visiting state capitols, this is for you. Got extra time? Check out the Bicentennial Bridge (MO celebrated its 200th birthday in 2021) that leads to a small island across the railroad tracks. Unfortunately, there's not much else to do in Jeff City, but you know.

Always so nice going for a hike and enjoy the outdoors. My kids and dog have always enjoyed it…read morethere also. The natural arch is there if you go the right direction. Haha

This was a fun outing. We spent two or three hours here on this hike with kids 3-6, parents, and…read moregrandparents and we all were able to walk the trail. However, it is steep and narrow in places and you do go down quite a distance to the creek and you have to ascend back to the parking lot. It might be too much if you're not sure-footed. There no bathroom facilities, (at least in April) so stop at the gas station a few miles before. The bridge itself is large and we were able to walk under it to the other side. The creek was very low while we were there. The water was very clear, you could easily see the bottom of the river bed. Since the creek was low, there was a lot of exposed river rock that the kids thoroughly enjoyed picking up and throwing into the water. They had a fantastic time and slept all the way back home in the car.

Wow has it been years since I've stepped into a physical library!!!…read more After igniting my love for reading again, I found I needed a more sustainable place to cycle through books instead of hitting up B&N every week or so. Columbia public library made it easy to register for a free library card all online! I could even start checking out books before my card was shipped to me. We decided to check out the place in person and what a beautiful safe haven! There's lots of quiet spots to sit and read or study. Checking a book out was also so simple using their little kiosks located all around the library. Can't wait to come back!

Very friendly people. The small cafe was very nice. It was very accessible as well, as a person…read morewith disabilities this was a big deal to me

What a solid spot to stay in Osage Beach! My family rents a unit every summer and this was our…read morefirst year staying at Breakwater Bay! (And I can't say it will be our last...) Things Breakwater Bay has got going on: - A nice pool right on the lake. Loved the depth, how maintained it was, the seating situation, and that it was lit at night! - Close to great eateries: Redheads, Shorty Pants, Margaritaville, Ozark Distillery and more. - Constantly maintaining. A lot of condos are run down in the area and you can tell new paint or replacing a stairway isn't a priority: not at Breakwater Bay! There were many projects in the works. - Staff on site: there was one handyman that worked his tail off everyday! Kuddos to him. - Parking. So every condominium has parking but what I like about their parking is that a placard wasn't needed, it was super hilly and it didn't limit cars. - Boat docks on site. - Unit size. Our unit was a three bedroom two bathroom with a great screen in porch. Loved the layout. You get what you pay for and then some at Breakwater Bay. It's not the most high end spot on the lake-- but it's definitely worth checking out.