9 Best Small Towns in Missouri to Visit in 2024
Missouri isn't one of the largest states in the US. Even so, it has the biggest attractions that will surely astound you. From the Giant Eight Ball Tower in Tipton, the gargantuan Community Bookshelf in Kansas City, and the World’s Largest Pair of Underwear and Pencil in St. Louis’ City Museum, visitors will feel like they are in the biggest state despite its geographically small size. However, the biggest attractions aside, it is the small towns in Missouri that will keep you mesmerized.
There are impressive estates to go sightseeing in Kimmswick and Boonville, and magnificent countryside and wilderness in Van Buren and Fulton. So regardless of where you are going—the flint-filled cliffs of Arrow Rock or the sausage-selling kiosks of Hermann—you will not feel disappointed by the best small towns in Missouri to visit in 2024.
Kimmswick
Approximately 23 miles south of the city of St. Louis, you will be mesmerized by the quaint and humble amenities of Kimmswick. Travelers can charter a scenic boat ride along the Mississippi River from Hoppie’s Marina, or you can tour the resplendent rooms of the Anheuser Estate—also referred to as Fredmar Farms—which was the ancestral homestead of Fred and Mabel Ruth Anheuser.
Inside this abode are a collection of Westward Ho Crystal, a pair of hand-carved World’s Fair beds from 1904, and an original “Feasting Fox.” Beyond the serene halls of Fredmar Farms, you can cross the oldest known wrought iron bridge in Missouri, the Windsor Harbor Road Bridge. You should not miss out on the Apple Butter Festival in October or the Strawberry Festival in June. And you should definitely book a room at The Greenhouse Inn.
Van Buren
Deep in the heights of the Ozark Mountains lies the vernacular and venerable homes of Van Buren. So named after United States President Martin Van Buren, the eponymous town gives visitors access to the Mark Twain National Forest, where many of the Ozarks’ wildlife frolic and roam. Those seeking leisurely walks or exercising routes can traverse the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. Among these verdant rivers is the Current River, which trickles down to the Big Spring.
This spring is reputed to be a geologic marvel since it is the biggest spring in Missouri and one of the biggest to be found in the US, having a daily flow of over 286 million gallons of water. There are many other small but significant attractions to enjoy in Van Buren, so seek your daily and nightly comforts at The Rosecliff Lodge or Current River Inn.
Boonville
Boonville was a site of contention during the American Civil War due to its pivotal railroads, which had a direct connection to Kansas City and St. Louis. The River, Rails & Trails Museum pinpoints the two separate occupations and two battles that transpired in Boonville and along the Missouri River. Meanwhile, antebellum abodes like the Memorial Garden, Kemper Military School, and the Hain House are some of the many invaluable archetypes of how life was lived in the 1800s.
Drama lovers might be invested in the Thespian Hall, the longest continually operated theater west of the Alleghany Mountains. Interestingly enough, the Thespian Hall was also a temporary hospital for wounded soldiers in the Civil War. If you are eager to stay, you should definitely consider staying at Boonville Luxury Lodging, Hotel Frederick, or Isle of Capri Casino Hotel.
Arrow Rock
Arrow Rock has been so vital in Westward Expansion that the whole town has been deemed a National Historic Landmark. Originally, in the year 1732, Arrow Rock was first identified in a French map called “pierre a fleche” meaning “rock of arrows.” It was from the limestone bluffs near the place that Native Americans mined flint for 12,000 years to manufacture flint tools and arrowheads. These days, one can learn about African-American history at the Emancipation in the Black History Museum, or you can head over to the Dr. John Sappington Museum to learn all about Dr. Sappington’s quinine pills, which cured malarial fevers in the nation.
You might also be interested in walking the same path as Meriwether Lewis and William Clark in the Lewis & Clark Trail of Discovery. Or you can enter the prior home of 19th-century Luminist artist, George Caleb Bingham. Go exploring at the Big Muddy US Fish and Wildlife Refuge to admire the regional biodiversity in the Missouri River. Only around 20 miles from Boonville, let the fine accommodations of the Arrow Rock Station Bed & Breakfast, Latch House, and Borgman's Bed & Breakfast keep you satisfied and safe in Arrow Rock.
Weston
Less than 10 miles from the state border of Kansas, Weston is a great place to see pre-American Civil War and antebellum domiciles. There are, for example, two of the finest pubs and breweries in the state of Missouri, the O'Malley's 1842 Pub and the Weston Brewing Company, the latter being one of the first lager beer breweries in the US since 1842.
You can learn all about Weston’s contributions and involvement during the American Civil War at the Weston Historical Museum, or you can tour the National Silk Art Museum for the biggest gallery of rare silk art tapestries from 18th to 19th-century England and France. Nearby, Snow Creek and Weston Bend State Park are excellent destinations for skiing and trekking. No need to feel unwanted in Weston, because vibrant lodgings like the Benner House B&B, The St. George Hotel, and The Inn at Weston Landing B&B will make you feel right at home.
Hermann
Hermann is a slice of Germany in the middle of America. One can view the daily attitudes of Hermann’s early inhabitants from 1837 at the German Settlement Society of Philadelphia, while the Deutschheim State Historic Site contains a number of historic buildings for you to tour. You might also fancy Hermann's History & Haunts, where one can brave the most haunted structures in Hermann. The town is mostly known for being one of America’s best Adventure Towns by National Geographic, as best seen in the annual Wurst Fest.
For 30 years, this tradition of selling and making Missouri’s best sausages has catapulted Hermann to regional prominence. Furthermore, Hermann’s Oktoberfest is one of the closest to the original Oktoberfest from Germany compared to all other versions throughout the globe. The worst thing you can do with your wurst is not to eat it in an excellent place of residence such as 1000 Parkview, 1910 Guesthaus, or 2nd Street Lodging B&B.
Sainte Genevieve
As the oldest French settlement in Missouri between Cape Girardeau and St. Louis, Sainte Genevieve preserves many of its architectural features reminiscent of urban small towns in France. The Guibourd-Vallé House, for example, was constructed in 1806 for Jacques Guibourd using the “poteaux-sur-sole” (post on sill) architectural style. You might also be interested in seeing the artistic and serene houses of Jean-Baptiste Vallé, Beauvais-Amoureux, and Bolduc & LeMeilleur. The Centre for French Colonial Life features prominent moments in the town’s history during the Revolutionary War and the Louisiana Purchase.
The French Heritage Festival will have you singing and dancing to La Veillee folk dances at the Felix Valle State Historic Site, while the Hawn State Park and St. Geneviève Levee Wildlife Refuge are havens for many of Missouri’s bodacious organisms. There are many more attractions to relish in Sainte Genevieve, so do book a room at either the Inn St. Gemme Beauvais, La Fleur de Lis, or Maison Huberdeau Guest House.
Marceline
Want to know the kind of place that the legendary Walt Disney used to reside as a child? Then, go exploring in the enchanting town of Marceline, where you can see informative exhibits of Disney’s childhood at the Walt Disney Hometown Museum. Marceline’s Main Street—originally known as Kansas Avenue—was what inspired the Main Street as seen in Disneyland, Florida.
In addition to providing Walt Disney with an exceptionally exciting childhood, Marceline is deeply connected to the Santa Fe Railway, as best seen in the Marceline Railroad Story. There is also the EP Ripley Park which inspired Walt Disney to name Disneyland’s first steam engine as “the EP Ripley.” Only halfway between the cities of Hannibal and St. Joseph, enjoy the grand amenities of the Circle O Lodge or Hotel Marceline.
Fulton
Serving as the county seat of Callaway County, Fulton is a 26-mile getaway from Jefferson City. With its access to the beautiful waters of the nearby Lake of the Ozarks, you can rejuvenate in the cool mountain air and pools of the Ozarks. Within Fulton’s Brick District, you can tour several historic structures that have a deep and unchanging history to the townsfolk, just as Stinson Creek Trail will guide you through the sinuous routes in the Ozarks.
Furthermore, Fulton is home to Westminster College, where Sir Winston Churchill orated his “Iron Curtain” speech in preparation for the Cold War. There, you can find a replica of the 12th-century Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury. America’s National Churchill Museum, on the other hand, details more about Winston Churchill’s biography and England’s “darkest hour,” while the Breakthrough sculpture—which Edwina Sandys, Churchill’s daughter, sculpted—highlights the toppling of the Berlin Wall. Those of you excited to uncover more about this historic town ought to seek a place to stay at the Loganberry Inn Bed and Breakfast and other lodgings in Fulton.
Travel through the Gateway Arch in St. Louis and embark on an awesome journey towards the best towns in Missouri to visit in 2024. Where founding figures such as Walt Disney, Mark Twain, Eminem, Dick Van Dyke, and President Harry S. Truman once lived, you will be astounded by these small towns along the Mississippi River and Missouri River or on the slopes of the Ozark Mountains. Learn of the American Civil War or watch a play in Boonville. Uncover more about Winston Churchill at Fulton, or about Walt Disney in Marceline. Allow Arrow Rock’s multi-layered past to entreat you to a new appreciation of history, and sample apples and strawberries at Kimmswick.
