7 Cutest Small Towns in Missouri
The state of Missouri is one of the USA’s key meeting points. The mighty Missouri and Mississippi Rivers meet in Missouri at St. Louis. Missouri is also a meeting point for the midwestern and southern states—its neighbors include Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Kentucky. The state’s central location makes it a popular meeting point for visitors to tourist destinations like St. Louis, Kansas City, and Branson. But visitors should not miss out on the opportunity to meet up in one or more of Missouri’s many picturesque small towns. While there are great choices in every county, here is a list of seven of the cutest small towns in Missouri.
Boonville
Located on the outskirts of Columbia along the Missouri River, about halfway between St. Louis and Kansas City, Boonville is the seat of Cooper County. Home to about 8,000 residents, Boonville was named for two sons of Daniel Boone who settled nearby. Boonville’s location along the Missouri River and Santa Fe Trail made it an important crossroads, and it was a site of an early Civil War battle in June 1861. In addition to numerous historic markers and buildings, today’s Boonville offers gorgeous blufftop views of the Missouri River as well as a charming downtown business district. Boonville hosts an annual performing arts festival at the historic Thespian Hall (circa 1857).
Kimmswick
Despite being located less than 25 miles south of St. Louis along the Mississippi River, the village of Kimmswick definitely retains its small-town charm. Founded by Theodore Kimm in 1859, Kimmswick was a busy commercial center and a spa town at different times in its past. Today, Kimmswick has only about 150 residents, but maintains around 25 shops and restaurants in its downtown area due to tourist traffic. Visitors come to Kimmswick to see its large number of historical buildings, including a reconstructed log house from the 1840s. Kimmswick hosts several popular festivals though the year, including the Strawberry Festival in June, Apple Butter Festival in October, and Old-Fashioned Christmas Festival in December.
Parkville
Because of its location within the Kansas City metro area, the town of Parkville’s population has nearly quadrupled over the past 40 years—but the current population is still only about 7,000. Despite this growth, Parkville continues to have one of Missouri’s most beautiful downtown areas. Downtown Parkville contains numerous historic buildings, with the limestone walls and grand towers of the Mackay Building (part of Park University) overlooking everything from a hilltop spot. Parkville is known for having several antique shops and art galleries that bring in visitors from Kansas City and beyond. The town also has a string of lovely parks along the Missouri River, with views of the neighboring state of Kansas on the other shore.
Rocheport
Positioned in the middle of Missouri, about a two hour drive from either St. Louis or Kansas City, the quaint village of Rocheport has sat near where Moniteau Creek enters the Missouri River since 1825. The town’s population of about 200 residents live among numerous historic buildings dating as far back as the 1830s, especially in the Rocheport Historic District. Rocheport is home to a range of shops, restaurants, and inns, but visitors and residents also rave about the beautiful views of the Missouri River. The Katy Trail, which runs for about 225 miles across the state on an abandoned railroad line, goes through Rocheport, making it a popular stopover for bicyclists.
Ste. Genevieve
The oldest European settlement in present-day Missouri and one of the oldest anywhere west of the Mississippi River, Ste. Genevieve was founded by French-Canadian settlers from the Illinois Country across the river in 1735. The town, now home to about 5,000 people, retains several buildings from the 1700s that have a distinctive French architectural style, as opposed to the log cabin styles common elsewhere. Ste. Genevieve continues to celebrate this French connection with various festivals and events, and also bills itself as a family-friendly, pet-friendly, and eco-friendly escape for residents of nearby St. Louis and beyond. When water levels allow, the Ste. Genevieve-Modoc Ferry shuttles cars, bicycles, and pedestrians across the Mississippi River.
Van Buren
Nestled in the Ozark Mountains of southeastern Missouri, Van Buren is the county seat and largest town in Carter County, despite having fewer than 1,000 residents. While the town itself has an appealing small-town charm, Van Buren’s main draw is the natural beauty found all around the town and surrounding countryside. The crystal-clear waters of the Current River flow right through town and serve as a water gateway into the Ozarks. Visitors can catch beautiful sunsets over the Ozarks on Skyline Drive, try canoeing or whitewater rafting, stay at one of the numerous campgrounds, and head to The Landing back in Van Buren to enjoy some shopping and dining.
Arrow Rock
Arrow Rock is a tiny village of only about 60 residents in the middle of Missouri, but it is a place steeped in history and charm. While the town has existed since 1829, travelers have passed through Arrow Rock for centuries, from Native Americans to the Lewis and Clark Expedition to settlers heading westward on the Santa Fe Trail. The entire village was named a National Historic Landmark in 1963, and the historic architecture and character of Arrow Rock continue to be extremely well preserved. The compact downtown is ideal for walking tours and contains several cute shops, restaurants, and bed and breakfasts, as well as museums focused on Black history, the printing business, and more.
From the level plains of its northwest corner to the impressive Ozark Mountains of its southeast corner, the state of Missouri has more than its fair share of lovely small towns. Several of these towns are situated along the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, demonstrating the vital importance of these waterways to the state’s history. But Missouri’s cutest small towns are not just stuck in the past; they offer plenty of recreation and entertainment options for modern visitors as well.
