Where to go? What to do? (US Midwest edition)
July 26, 2024 12:38 PM Subscribe
After posting this question about how to celebrate milestone birthdays, we've locked down just a few events and are looking for further ideas about where to go and what to do on this Midwest US roadtrip we'll be taking. No idea too wacky! Weird art museum? Okay. World's Largest Ball of Twine? Sure. Anything goes. We want the trip to be memorable and include things we wouldn't otherwise think to do. Details within.
We'll be setting out from Chicago in late September (exact date tbd) and will end our trip with an art fair in St. Louis on October 5 and a Trae Crowder show in Columbia MO on October 6. That's all we have planned so far.
There are a number of cities we could visit - Little Rock, Kansas City, Wichita, Omaha, Des Moines, Nashville, Memphis, etc. - as well as points in between. Obviously we won't/can't go to all of them, but right now have no reason to choose one direction over the other. Although we've both lived in the Midwest most of our lives, I've never been to Omaha or Nashville and haven't spent more than a day or so in any of the others so they're all pretty unfamiliar. Those of you who know these places and the vicinity, please clue me in about what's intriguing or unusual about them. If there are any must-visit restaurants, tell me about those too!
We're happy to spend a fair amount of time driving and don't mind spending just a day or two in one place before moving on if that's what works out to be best. Oh, and we're bringing our dog with us as well, so some dog-friendly activities are definitely welcome.
We'll be setting out from Chicago in late September (exact date tbd) and will end our trip with an art fair in St. Louis on October 5 and a Trae Crowder show in Columbia MO on October 6. That's all we have planned so far.
There are a number of cities we could visit - Little Rock, Kansas City, Wichita, Omaha, Des Moines, Nashville, Memphis, etc. - as well as points in between. Obviously we won't/can't go to all of them, but right now have no reason to choose one direction over the other. Although we've both lived in the Midwest most of our lives, I've never been to Omaha or Nashville and haven't spent more than a day or so in any of the others so they're all pretty unfamiliar. Those of you who know these places and the vicinity, please clue me in about what's intriguing or unusual about them. If there are any must-visit restaurants, tell me about those too!
We're happy to spend a fair amount of time driving and don't mind spending just a day or two in one place before moving on if that's what works out to be best. Oh, and we're bringing our dog with us as well, so some dog-friendly activities are definitely welcome.
Yay - glad to see Trae is coming to my hometown Columbia :)
This sounds like a fun trip. It will still be hot and humid as all heck probably, but being Midwesterners, you know this.
When I lived in Missouri we would always take visitors to Rocheport -- about 45 mins (maybe?) west of Columbia on the Missouri River. It has a lot of cool history and there is a winery there with an awesome dining area on their terrace with views of the bluffs.
There are some great sections of the KATY trail nearby (a rails-to-trails project) that will be all late-summer green around that time -- maybe good for adventures with the doggo.
Have fun!
posted by pantarei70 at 12:57 PM on July 26
This sounds like a fun trip. It will still be hot and humid as all heck probably, but being Midwesterners, you know this.
When I lived in Missouri we would always take visitors to Rocheport -- about 45 mins (maybe?) west of Columbia on the Missouri River. It has a lot of cool history and there is a winery there with an awesome dining area on their terrace with views of the bluffs.
There are some great sections of the KATY trail nearby (a rails-to-trails project) that will be all late-summer green around that time -- maybe good for adventures with the doggo.
Have fun!
posted by pantarei70 at 12:57 PM on July 26
Grew up in KC, so have opinions...
KC seems to have gotten more interesting since I was there. Negro Leagues Hall of fame, some other destination kinds of places.
Can't think of much by Omaha that is cool and weird. Got to get to SD for the Corn Palace and Wall Drug and Mt. f-ing Rushmore).
Little Rock just felt sad and scary. Was just passing through, so not in downtown or anything.
Nashville is a thing, if you are into that vibe. Memphis I also only passed through, so missed all of the good stuff, and only got a vibe from the traffic due to road construction.
AK has some beautiful landscapes though to drive through. Have a friend who sort of lives by Fayetteville, who I have visited, but. The only reason I can see myself going through there again is, Pea Ridge Military Park. I am a wargaming nerd, so seeing the places I had played out was pretty good. Shiloh was better though.
And The Ozarks are amazing, regardless of your vibe. You've got Branson for the "country Las Vegas" vibe, you've got Lake of the Ozarks for a bunch of different vibes, and you have all the great canoe trips, that I hope, having not done them in 40 years, are still possible though all the great rivers there.
Kansas pretty much sucks for this kind of thing. Flint Hills are amazingly fun to drive through. Kansas seems to have the largest ball of twine...
posted by Windopaene at 1:14 PM on July 26
KC seems to have gotten more interesting since I was there. Negro Leagues Hall of fame, some other destination kinds of places.
Can't think of much by Omaha that is cool and weird. Got to get to SD for the Corn Palace and Wall Drug and Mt. f-ing Rushmore).
Little Rock just felt sad and scary. Was just passing through, so not in downtown or anything.
Nashville is a thing, if you are into that vibe. Memphis I also only passed through, so missed all of the good stuff, and only got a vibe from the traffic due to road construction.
AK has some beautiful landscapes though to drive through. Have a friend who sort of lives by Fayetteville, who I have visited, but. The only reason I can see myself going through there again is, Pea Ridge Military Park. I am a wargaming nerd, so seeing the places I had played out was pretty good. Shiloh was better though.
And The Ozarks are amazing, regardless of your vibe. You've got Branson for the "country Las Vegas" vibe, you've got Lake of the Ozarks for a bunch of different vibes, and you have all the great canoe trips, that I hope, having not done them in 40 years, are still possible though all the great rivers there.
Kansas pretty much sucks for this kind of thing. Flint Hills are amazingly fun to drive through. Kansas seems to have the largest ball of twine...
posted by Windopaene at 1:14 PM on July 26
Cahokia Mounds is just outside St. Louis and a great stop if you've never been there.
posted by jabes at 2:18 PM on July 26 [6 favorites]
posted by jabes at 2:18 PM on July 26 [6 favorites]
Also not to abuse the edit window -- Casey, Illinois is about 2 hours from Cahokia Mounds but it's the home of a bunch of "world's largest" nonsense and I thought it was a lot of fun when we stopped there on a road trip. Just happened to drive past it and it looked intriguing. So if it's on your route, I would stop, but I'm not sure it's worth a detour.
posted by jabes at 2:21 PM on July 26 [1 favorite]
posted by jabes at 2:21 PM on July 26 [1 favorite]
Omaha has a nice zoo: Henry Doorly
Des Moines has a good Art Center
Seconding Arthur Bryant's in KC
In Memphis, Mud Island is worth a visit as well.
posted by soelo at 2:24 PM on July 26
Des Moines has a good Art Center
Seconding Arthur Bryant's in KC
In Memphis, Mud Island is worth a visit as well.
posted by soelo at 2:24 PM on July 26
Amana is somewhere i've long wanted to visit [wiki]. if you go that route, the birthplace of the first US president born west of the Mississippi is not very far west of the river [nps]
posted by HearHere at 4:32 AM on July 27
posted by HearHere at 4:32 AM on July 27
Robert’s Western World in Nashville is an oasis of classic country music in the middle of the other more contemporary party oriented honky tonks. Worth going there for that one and entirely skipping all the others. When I need to go out of my way to catch a touring band I want to see that has skipped my city I usually choose Nashville so I can go to Robert’s too! Definitely a later-night activity though. and Monell’s for soul food if you can swing the timing.
posted by crime online at 4:35 AM on July 27
posted by crime online at 4:35 AM on July 27
Omaha--and Lincoln, too--are actually nice places, although I'm not sure if they'd have signature destinations to have a selfie taken in front of.
Galena, Illinois is not too far from you, and worth a visit. The Mississippi generally has a bunch of river towns that have scenery and a certain flavor to them, worth driving through and maybe stopping for a burger at lunch. Marquette and McGregor on the Iowa side come to mind, I'm sure there are more.
If you're willing to extend your loop slightly further north, Pipestone National Monument in Minnesota is interesting both for scenery, and for the cultural importance to Native communities.
posted by gimonca at 8:31 AM on July 27 [1 favorite]
Galena, Illinois is not too far from you, and worth a visit. The Mississippi generally has a bunch of river towns that have scenery and a certain flavor to them, worth driving through and maybe stopping for a burger at lunch. Marquette and McGregor on the Iowa side come to mind, I'm sure there are more.
If you're willing to extend your loop slightly further north, Pipestone National Monument in Minnesota is interesting both for scenery, and for the cultural importance to Native communities.
posted by gimonca at 8:31 AM on July 27 [1 favorite]
Oh, yeah, and Effigy Mounds National Monument just to the north of Marquette IA is a nice stop, super scenery over the river, and I'm thinking would be dog-friendly.
posted by gimonca at 8:36 AM on July 27 [1 favorite]
posted by gimonca at 8:36 AM on July 27 [1 favorite]
Some Missouri things:
In StL -- go to The Arch (and ride up to the top!), check out the City Museum (requires a certain degree of physicality, but it's a wild time if you're willing and able to explore), get a concrete from Ted Drewes, explore Laumeier Sculpture Park (dogs allowed!)
South of StL -- Meramec Caverns, Johnson Shut-ins (swimming, hiking), and Lambert's Cafe (Home of Throwed Rolls)
In Columbia -- Shakespeare's Pizza, Booches burgers, and go caving at Rock Bridge State Park
In Kansas City -- eat the BBQ mentioned above, check out the shuttlecocks at the Nelson, wander Westport and/or The Plaza and/or the River Market
posted by luzdeluna at 3:58 PM on July 27
In StL -- go to The Arch (and ride up to the top!), check out the City Museum (requires a certain degree of physicality, but it's a wild time if you're willing and able to explore), get a concrete from Ted Drewes, explore Laumeier Sculpture Park (dogs allowed!)
South of StL -- Meramec Caverns, Johnson Shut-ins (swimming, hiking), and Lambert's Cafe (Home of Throwed Rolls)
In Columbia -- Shakespeare's Pizza, Booches burgers, and go caving at Rock Bridge State Park
In Kansas City -- eat the BBQ mentioned above, check out the shuttlecocks at the Nelson, wander Westport and/or The Plaza and/or the River Market
posted by luzdeluna at 3:58 PM on July 27
It's the 50th anniversary of the TV adaptation of little house on the Prairie: you could roadtrip through the Laura Ingalls wilder homesites
posted by brujita at 4:28 PM on July 27
posted by brujita at 4:28 PM on July 27
THE World's Largest Ball of Twine is, of course, in Darwin, Minn. Which isn't particularly convenient for your itinerary, but since you referenced it I figured I should point that out.
If you're in St Louis, though, you absolutely have to visit the City Museum.
posted by gingerbeer at 10:53 PM on July 28
If you're in St Louis, though, you absolutely have to visit the City Museum.
posted by gingerbeer at 10:53 PM on July 28
I've only been to Memphis briefly, but the Civil Rights Museum is really good and moving, and Crosstown Concourse is neat (it was a huge Sears facility that's been repurposed into basically an entire town in one building).
posted by snaw at 3:03 AM on July 29
posted by snaw at 3:03 AM on July 29
If you can handle the heaviness of the topic, Kansas City is also home to the National World War I Museum and Memorial, which is a thoroughly detailed and recently renovated museum with a lovely park.
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 7:39 AM on July 30
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 7:39 AM on July 30
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While in KC, you could visit the Nelson-Atkins museum of art, which has
a large collection of purloined artifacts from East Asiaa lovely sculpture garden.posted by dismas at 12:52 PM on July 26 [1 favorite]