Missouri

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Missouri

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About

Discover Missouri

Missouri is a state in the American Midwest. In addition to a network of state parks, Missouri is home to Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis and the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. A much-visited show cave is Meramec Caverns in Stanton. Missouri is home to two of the Midwest's larger cities: Kansas City and St. Louis. Missouri is traditionally considered to be of the South, as-well as the Midwest. The name is pronounced "mizz-UR-ee" or "mizz-UR-uh", although the latter is very seldom heard outside of Missouri.

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What to Experience in Missouri

St. Louis Gems

Cuisine

Taste of Missouri...

Kansas City is known for its barbeque and it has many different places to choose from. Don't pass this up!!! St. Louis has a neighborhood known as "The Hill". There are many authentic Italian restaurants to choose from. The Hill is south of Interstate 44 between Hampton Avenue and Kingshighway in St. Louis City. It's known for dishes such as Toasted Ravioli, and a unique St. Louis-Style Pizza. For the rest of the state, expect your typical midwestern fare. Burgers, Steaks, Pork. Missouri has some of the most permissive alcohol laws in the country. All types of alcohol are available virtually everywhere including grocery stores, gas stations and even drive up liquor stores are common as Missouri law does not permit dry towns or counties. Open container alcohol in plastic glasses is permitted in the Power and Light district of Kansas City. The Delmar Loop in St. Louis has many bars of many different types and live music is common, especially on the weekends. St. James is home to the St. James Winery. They offer free tours and samples. That area also has various other wineries and they are easily accessible from Interstate 44. Be sure to visit the Anheuser Busch plant in south St. Louis, they offer tours and free samples. It is very easy to get to from Interstate 55. Be sure to also visit the Boulevard Brewing Company plant near downtown Kansas City, they offer tours and free samples. This is a regional brewery with a more organic taste.

Plan Your Trip

Essential Information

Getting There

Multiple Options

Kansas City and St. Louis are served by many major airlines, with international flights from the Caribbean, Canada, Mexico and a transatlantic flight from Frankfurt, Germany to St. Louis. Springfield, Columbia, Cape Girardeau and Joplin also have airports that provide passenger service. A cab ride from the Kansas City airport to downtown is very expensive, costing $35-40. There are numerous public buses providing minimal stop service that will take you there for much less. Inquire about schedules before you arrive, it will save you a lot of money. From the St. Louis airport you can take Metrolink trains into downtown for $3.75 and it includes 1 transfer. The metrolink stops at many popular destinations such as the Delmar Loop, Forrest Park (zoo), Union Station shopping center, Busch Stadium, The Gateway Arch, Lacledes Landing, and the Casino Queen which is in Illinois. This is a very economical way to get around. Amtrak service is provided to St. Louis and Kansas City from Chicago....

Regions

Explore Areas

Missouri is traditionally considered to be of the South, as-well as the Midwest. The name is pronounced "mizz-UR-ee" or "mizz-UR-uh", although the latter is very seldom heard outside of Missouri. The …...

Travel Tips

Getting Around & Staying

Getting Around

There is twice daily Amtrak service from St. Louis to Kansas City. Stops include Kirkwood, Washington, Hermann, Jeferson City, Sedalia, Warrensburg, Lee's Summit, and Independence. These trains are tax subsidized with state funds and fares are reasonable. The on-time performance of these trains has improved greatly with the building of new sidings as this line has heavy freight traffic. Amtrak operates 2 other lines. Greyhound runs Interstate 44 from St. Louis to Joplin with stops at Rolla, Fort Leonard Wood/St. Robert, Lebanon, Springfield, and Joplin. They run Interstate 70 from St. Louis to Kansas City, stopping in Columbia and Boonville along with other intermediate stops. Both of these lines stop at the St. Louis airport going either way. They also run Interstate 55 south of St. Louis stopping in Cape Girardeau and Sikeston. Jefferson Lines runs from Kansas City to Joplin and Kansas City to points north.

Communication

Language & Talk

With varying regions occurring across the state of Missouri, various different accents and dialects can be heard within its borders. The accents of northern Missouri are often recognized as Midwestern, while those in the southern part of the state are of a Southern drawl. In the Ozarks, the dialect is considered to be rooted in Appalachian English, due to the ancestry of many Missourians. English is the official language of state business in Missouri by law. A local dialect of French, known as "Missouri French" (or, colloquially, "Paw-Paw French"), used to be commonly spoken throughout the state. Sadly, this dialect of French is moribund, with the only remaining speakers being a handful of elderly people living in isolated mining towns.

Stay Safe

Safety Information

Safety Overview

Missouri is generally a safe state for straight white people. Typical safety precautions (such as avoiding seemingly empty urban areas) should be taken in cities, although some parts of St. Louis can be dangerous, especially north of Delmar Blvd. Typical safety precautions for members of marginalized communities should be taken when traveling through Missouri outside of urban centers. If you are visiting the rivers in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Salem (population 5,000) is the city that most people have to travel through on the way to the rivers and they have 3 lodging facilities, including 1 major national chain. Lock your doors and take anything you don't want to have stolen from your car inside your room with you. This city has a very high theft rate, especially from automobiles parked in the hotel parking lots. Chances are your stuff will be missing if you leave it in your car overnight.

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