Top Things to do in Missouri
Top Hotels in Missouri
- 1. Lodge of the Ozarks
- 2. Drury Plaza Hotel St. Louis at the Arch
- 3. Savannah House Hotel
- 4. Drury Inn St. Louis at Union Station
- 5. Hyatt Regency St. Louis at The Arch
- 6. The Last Hotel
- 7. Drury Inn & Suites St. Louis Brentwood
- 8. Drury Inn & Suites St. Louis Convention Center
- 9. Branson Towers Hotel
- 10. Seven Gables Inn
Things to do in Missouri, United States: The Best Caverns & Caves
From the riverboat casinos, breweries and historical neighborhoods in St. Louis and fabulous fountains and barbeque in Kansas City to the “Live Music Show Capital of the World, Branson, to the awesome outdoor lifestyle in the Lake of the Ozarks region, the state offers visitors a seemingly endless line-up of unique vacation experiences. You’re never far from a state park or historic site as there are 85 of them throughout the state. There are 840 miles of trail for hikers, backpackers, bicycle riders, off-road vehicle users and horseback riders. Some of the state’s top attractions include the Gateway Arch and St. Louis Zoo in St. Louis, Cameron Cave in Hannibal, and the American Jazz Museum and Worlds of Fun amusement park in Kansas City. Wine lovers will be pleased to know there are 96 wineries in the state where you can sample wines and take tours. For golfers, the picturesque Lake Ozark region offers play on gems like the Tan-Tar-A Resort Oaks Course and Old Kinderhook. Why not introduce your children to the real world of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn? Visit Hannibal, where your kids can immerse themselves in the world of Mark Twain with a tour of the author’s home, a cruise on the Mississippi River, an exploration excursion of the caves in his books and visits to various historic homes. Other great family-oriented activities throughout the state include hiking the Ozark Trail, splashing at a water park in Branson and visiting the Harry S. Truman home and presidential library in Independence.
Restaurants in Missouri
1. Fisher Cave
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 11 reviews
2. Onondaga Cave
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 152 reviews
Descend into the depths of Onondaga Cave State Park and drop into a world of wonder: towering stalagmites, dripping stalactites, and active flowstones help make the cave a National Natural Landmark and illustrate why Missouri is often called “The Cave State.” Visitors can take guided tours into the underground wonderland. Open for tours seasonally.
Reviewed By smracr - Saint Peters, United States
I had been taking about taking my grandkids to the cave for awhile. The day of our visit, they were so excited they could hardly wait! While the price was more than I expected, it was worth it. My 5 yr-old grandson was so intrigued, he couldn't stop talking the entire tour. Luckily, the other family and our tour guide were very patient. My 9 yr-old granddaughter especially liked the "lily pad" room, but her favorite part was panning for gemstones (the gift shop sells bags of sand with various gemstones hidden inside). They have a real sluice with running water outside. She definitely got her money's worth with the number of gemstones she received and the fascinating activity!
3. Bluff Dwellers Cave
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 123 reviews
Bluff Dwellers Cave is decorated with stalactites, stalagmites, draperies, saw tooth drapes, flowstone, cave popcorn, cave coral, and cave sponge and more. Your tour guide will show you the beautiful calcite formations that were delicately formed over thousands of years, unhampered by the chaotic life of the surface world. Come enjoy the tranquility of cave life, where geology takes time to get everything just right. Guided tour is 1 hour long. Gem panning, museum and gift shop on premises. Last tour departs 1 hour before close.
Reviewed By Aimster77
Great tour with our guide Mark. He was knowledgeable and didn’t think he was a comedian like most tour guides. Lots of interesting information. To our surprise, the little museum was awesome. Lots of great artifacts and rock and minerals.
4. Stark Caverns
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 106 reviews
Stark Caverns is located near Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri. Just 6 1/2 miles east of Bagnell Dam off Hwy 54. The cave contains an underground lake, ancient bear beds, Moonshiner's Dam, Native American artifacts, a wishing well and a wide variety of cave formations including Helectites, Helegmites, Stromatolites, Stalactites, Stalagmites, unsurpassed Spongework and Cave Coral. We offer our standard cave tour as well as a black light tour which takes place several days a week at the end of the day. Check the web site for details. We have a great gift shop, education/event space and mining sluice. From May - August, tours are hourly or more frequent. From September - April, tours are at 10, 12, 2 and 4.
Reviewed By V7458NDsharonp
Really enjoyed our visit. Had a great time slusing our bag of gems. Very knowledgeable friendly tour guide made for a very interesting afternoon.
5. Devil's Well
6. Marvel Cave
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 731 reviews
A highlight of the Silver Dollar City theme park, this constantly evolving wet limestone cave under the Ozark Mountains, dating back to the 1500s, provides a one-hour tour of fascinating rooms and passageways. The cave's entryway is the largest in the U.S.
Reviewed By daxxday
This was a nice cave to tour! It does have a lot of steps and some places you need to duck down but the tour guides are very upfront about this when explaining the tour! Our 10 yr old had no problems with it and neither did we. We enjoyed seeing all the formations and our guide Michael was fun and informative.
7. Talking Rocks Cavern
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 614 reviews
Talking Rocks Cavern is open year round, and features hour-long guided, walking tours through a beautiful cavern with a constant temperature of 63 degree. Cave Country Mini-Golf, gemstone panning, and large Rock and Gift Shop. Two SpeleoBox Crawl Mazes, picnic areas, hiking trails, lookout tower, giant checkerboard, kid's play area and NEW Big Fun & Games park are free to our guests!
Reviewed By joannahogue - Malvern, United States
We Absolutely loved this beautiful cave and our guide John was very informative and friendly. This is a must see.
8. Jacob's Cave
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 55 reviews
Reviewed By M5164LSbillb - Wentzville, United States
We enjoy going on cave tours. The two of us toured in early December. We had a private tour and really enjoyed ourselves.
9. Fantastic Caverns
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,708 reviews
Discover the timeless beauty of Fantastic Caverns, one of the earth's rarest treasures. There are only four of its' kind in the entire world, and only one in North America. Here, you'll discover one of the world's most beautiful natural wonders; giant columns stretching from floor to ceiling, delicate soda straws glistening with minerals, tiny cave pearls hidden in crystal-clear water. And best of all, you'll see it close-up from the comfort of a Jeep-drawn tram!
Reviewed By jermyc2014
This was the best cave experience I have had.Our tour guide Brent was FANTASTIC just like the cave! Truly a must see if going through Springfield.
10. Mark Twain Cave and Cameron Cave
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 728 reviews
Reviewed By Arduinna60 - Oxford, United States
Enjoyed our tour of this historic cave that was a favorite site for Samuel Clemens as a boy. Our tour guide Alex was both very informative and funny; he debunked some myths about the cave and has a genuine interest in its history. The walk of about 5/8ths of a mile was easy and generally quite level with a few slopes that have handrails. You will make multiple brief stops at a variety of sites. Passageways are narrow in spots. There are many open passageways off the main path, so I would recommend not taking any children under 5. You should wear a jacket or sweatshirt; the cave was 52 degrees the day we went.
