7 Missouri Small Towns With Unmatched Friendliness
Missouri is a Midwestern US state that many will often visit for its pretty small towns. With thriving commercial locales and natural or historical landmarks that usually bring out the best of the "Show-Me State," travelers can expect much to see and do. There is also a sense of charm within Missouri communities that makes it easy to stick around and feel welcomed. These small towns provide an unmatched friendly atmosphere and feelings of inclusion that will suit any familiar or unfamiliar traveler around the Midwest!
Kimmswick
A charming little town with quaint hospitality and nurturing vibes, Kimmswick always makes newcomers smile. The Kimmswick Historical Society has a mixture of family-friendly tours, novelty shops, and ancestral heritage. Anheuser Estate is a gazebo mansion with welcoming observation rooms and a cute wedding venue!
Elm Street Art Gallery has regional fine folk creations and happy crafters who enjoy discussing the next big artistic talent. The Mississippi Mud Gallery & Gifts may be a cool option for all who like handcrafted pottery and jewelry trinkets in a 19th-century locale. For fun festivals or events, one may consider the Strawberry Festival in early June for charming chit-chats with fruit vendors or the Daylily Sale for plant shopping varieties!
Boonville
Also known as "Boonslick City" or "The Vine Clad City," Boonville is a famed rivertown for its salt heritage and pioneering history. Lewis Miller's Mitchell Collection is a hip landmark for fans of vintage wagons and gracious walkthroughs of family legacies and early settlements. Nature expeditionists can wander around Katy Trail Railroad Bridge, where link-bridge history blends in with a scenic backdrop and friendly pedestrians to create a lovable itinerary.
Thespian Hall is a theatrical getaway idea for entertaining evenings, frontier theatricality, and smiling hosts who love to welcome new members into the community! At The Cove Restaurant and Bar, classic burger meals and New American comfort meals are easy to find while feeling included in patio dialogue outdoors. The annual Pedaler's Jamboree is an annual event that will awe visitors with its live music rhythms, cyclist friendliness, and flashy fireworks for Memorial Day weekend!
Rocheport
Rocheport is an 18th-century destination with lots of community vibrance and splendors to witness in person. The A-Frame Winegarden on The Blufftop is one of the most prominent natural stops for tourists with its terrace beauty, vineyard overlooks, and unparalleled Missouri River scenery right across the yard! Shirahaze Gallery is known for its porcelain creations, colorful canvases, and easygoing ceramic workshops to suit laidback travelers craving downtime and relaxing chats with social locals.
Stockton Mercantile may be right up the alley for shoppers who like downtown 1970s family antiques, accented home decor, and inspirational founders who admire new guests and residents. Meriwether Cafe and Bike Shop is not only a cozy ranchero dining option but also a good spot for satisfying simple meals and merry folks who can strike up conversation with just about anyone looking to rent a new bike! Events like the Rocheport Stroll, happening later in the summer, may be worth pursuing for any tourist who wants to take on village treks and local wine tasting while exploring the town.
Arrow Rock
A village town that prides itself on Missouri River beauty and friendly greetings, Arrow Rock is not one to leave out on any travel list! Arrow Rock State Historic Site is one of the most serene riverside landmarks one can find, with its 1830s architectural style, welcoming audio and visual tours of the first settlements, and antique shops to suit like-minded vacationers. Boone's Lick State Historic Site may also fit into nature-driven itineraries with saltwater spring foundations, wooded salt creek hangout spots, and overnight campsite delights.
At the Lyceum Theatre, it is not difficult to feel included in afternoon and nightly theatrical performances while enjoying an iconic dinner theater vibe with laid-back locals everywhere! Home goods at the Thunder Lodge Trading Company may entice visitors to come back again for more specialty sales, leather accessories, and quaint living products. Anyone who visits Arrow Rock may want to check out "Quilt Camp" between late April and early May for sewing and social meet-ups, or the annual village cookout and potluck occurring on July 4th!
Branson
A truly family-oriented destination in southwestern Missouri, Branson is one of the best Ozark towns to consider for a trip! At the Titanic Museum Attraction, outsiders can experience historic walkthroughs of the legendary ship and its important maritime relics that made it so famous to the world. For a unique discovery, there is the Butterfly Palace & Rainforest Adventure, a suburban rainforest center with mirror maze thrills, fascinating tropical sights, and a butterfly centerpiece for fans of winged insects.
The Marvel Cave is a hidden gem for any cave lover who appreciates a small limestone outing that transports backpackers back to the 15th century. Tourists with a penchant for country and gospel music may enjoy Presleys' Country Jubilee, where comforting and collaborative bluegrass venues and comedy nights are just some of the coolest elements of Branson! The Harvest Festival at Silver Dollar City provides travelers an unforgettable spooky fall getaway, while the annual Branson Auto Auction brings together vehicle traders and auctioneers for automobile giveaways.
Ste. Genevieve
Ste. Genevieve, formally known as "The French Connection," is full of vibrant communities that love new visitors. The Centre for French Colonial Life & the Bolduc House Museum is a mainstay for both graceful house tours and colonial exhibit showrooms of early Franco-Spanish upbringing. Unfamiliar faces in town can sail across the waters with Modoc River Ferry's tourism services and photographic moments between Missouri and Illinois!
The Watertower Winery is a pretty sight worth every minute spent, with its beautiful and calming flower trees, and accommodating staff who adore newcomer conversations. Crown Ridge Tiger Sanctuary is an animal lover's best option for seeking exotic felines and other wildlife that were rescued by friendly hosts. It is also a famed bed and breakfast spot where residents can even choose to adopt cats of their own! Regional bluegrass musical events and concerts will always be around each month in town for those coming in from out of town, or the F100 Rally scheduled during summer months to appeal to adrenaline junkies.
Hannibal
Located on the Mississippi River in northeastern Missouri, towns like Hannibal will always usher in happiness for travelers. The Mark Twain Boyhood Home Museum Gallery pays tribute to a famous author through local remnants, quiet walkways of Twain's boyhood home, and neighborly guests who like to share wisdom about seasonal celebrations. Riverview Park is a must for 465 acres of forested riverside splendors, paved hiking trails, and lush picnic shelters for any short or long-term itinerary needing calmness around nature!
At Nipper Park around Glascock's Landing, one can expect nothing short of marina scenery, riverboat excursions, and cobblestone comfort around a cultural riverfront. For the most splendid dinner cruise, the Mark Twain Riverboat is a saxophone getaway with live music festivities, sightseeing journeys, and hospitable buffet moments. For cultural highlights and events, tourists can set their innovations out on the water at the Cardboard Boat Races in late June, while others may like the annual Big River Steampunk Festival later in August for vaudeville roleplays and tea duels!
All of these small towns provide a common theme of friendliness that one may not find elsewhere when exploring or touring around. With Missouri's best-known locales and landmarks delivering the finest quality experiences for outsiders of all ages, there is no shortage of what can be found. With a host of charming locals, welcoming tours, and natural and historic marvels to be astonished by, there is no better state to visit than the "Show-Me State"!
