Mississippi River Tour

Explore the Stops of Eastern Missouri

From the Bootheel to the Big Arch and beyond, eastern Missouri features small-town and big city landmarks. Enjoy professional sports, the Mark Twain Boyhood Home, and even a throwed roll – all on the banks of the Mighty Mississippi.

Festus

Found along Interstate 55 and the Mighty Mississippi, Festus is about 115 miles north of Sikeston. This eastern Missouri city offers great ways to enjoy Festus with the rest of us.

Must See
Quaint downtowns are the best part of a road trip – so be sure to stop along Main Street in Festus for lunch, boutique shops, and maybe a show.

Local Guide
Festus features a full event calendar. Catch summer events like Firecracker Extravaganza, Festus Gong Show, and the Festus Blues & Funk Fest, or holiday festivities like the Tour of Lights.

For fall travelers, don’t miss September happenings like Twin Cities Days, Main Street Car Cruise, and the George Portz Festus Missouri Traditional Music Festival.

Outdoor
Festus is home to 218 acres of parkland, divided into seven impressive parks. Stop by West City Park for baseball, Sunset Park for birdwatching, Gannon Drive Park for fishing, and many more.

Saint Louis

Missouri’s second largest city, St. Louis is an iconic American city surrounded by suburbs like St. Charles, Washington, and Cuba – and 35 miles north of Festus. Mound City is a bustling Mississippi River metropolis ready to impress.

Must See
This one’s easy. The 630-foot Gateway Arch is the nation’s tallest man-made monument, and pretty cool looking to boot. Visitors are encouraged to head for the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial and view St. Louis from on high from the observation deck.

Local Guide
St. Louis yields a slue of local attractions, including the Forest Park Jewel Box, the St. Louis Art Museum, and the St. Louis Zoo.

Outdoor
The Gateway to the West is also home to some great sports teams. Check out the St. Louis Blues at the Scottrade Center, the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium, and the St. Louis Rams at Edward Jones Dome.

Hannibal

From St. Louis, get on State Route 79 and head north for 120 miles. This scenic route sticks close to Ol' Man River, and passes sites like the Leach Memorial Conservation Area, Clarence Cannon National Wildlife Refuge, and Shanks Conservation Area.

Just be sure to stop when you get to Hannibal – known as the Louisville of the West and home to Hannibal-LaGrange University.

Must See
Hannibal is hometown central. Be sure to visit the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum – a U.S. National Historic Landmark found on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. This trip is best followed by a stop at the (Unsinkable) Molly Brown Birthplace & Museum.

Local Guide
This being Twain Country, Hannibal features some awesome associated attractions. Check out the Mark Twain Memorial Lighthouse, the Mark Twain Cave, the Mark Twain Riverboat, and Sawyer’s Creek Fun Park.

Outdoor
For a final look at the Big Muddy, visit Riverview Park – a 465-acre park also listed on the National Register for Historic Places. Here you can enjoy nature walks, picnic shelters, wildlife viewing, and much more.