Four Missouri cities offer exciting family adventures at places like LEGOLAND, the Gateway Arch, Silver Dollar City and Lake of the Ozarks
Because Missouri is conveniently located smack dab in the middle of the U.S., roughly one-third of Americans can drive to numerous Missouri cities for a family reunion in less than a day. The Show Me State has a lot to offer families celebrating in Missouri. The following four sites, in particular, have a wide variety of family-friendly attractions perfect for your next get-together.
A Perfect Family Reunion in St. Louis
Missouri Botanical Garden. Photo Credit: Heath Harris
- You won’t make it far in St. Louis without being drawn to its signature landmark. The stainless-steel Gateway Arch is symbolic of where Lewis and Clark started their westward expedition. Visitors can take a ride to the top of the 630-foot arch and enjoy great views of the Mississippi River and the rest of the city from the curved observation deck.
- Forest Park in the heart of St. Louis is the seventh largest urban park in the country. Its more than 1,300 acres include a zoo, science center, museums, flower conservatory, trails, the country’s largest outdoor theater and plenty of open space.
- Kids in the St. Louis family reunion group will love the City Museum. The downtown museum features interactive exhibits and shows, including a skate park, the world’s largest pencil, a shoelace factory, a miniature railway and an indoor circus. Young and old alike will enjoy climbing through MonstroCity, a four-story outdoor playground made out of wrought iron, parts of old fire trucks and airplanes. The roof holds a four-story Ferris wheel, giant rope swing and a splash pond. This is an ideal setting for a Missouri family reunion.
- The St. Louis Cardinals’ Busch Stadium has been the heart of the St. Louis professional sports scene for years. If your family is into America’s pastime, there are not many better places to catch a game. St. Louis also offers four casinos, riverboat excursions, brewery tours and the Missouri Botanical Garden. Six Flags St. Louis amusement park is about 45 minutes west of the city center, a popular spot for a Missouri family reunion.
Group Celebrations in Kansas City
Downtown Kansas City. Photo Credit: David Arbogast
- On the other side of the state is Kansas City, Missouri’s largest city. Country Club Plaza in the heart of the city is a 14-block outdoor shopping and entertainment district. The upscale area features a variety of boutiques, national stores, restaurants and nightclubs, plus some of Kansas City’s 200 fountains.
- Kauffman Stadium is home to baseball’s Kansas City Royals and just one of many places to enjoy sports in the city. Football’s Kansas City Chiefs play at the raucous Arrowhead Stadium, NASCAR comes to town at the Kansas Speedway, and come March, Kansas City hosts more college basketball tournament games than anywhere else in the country. The College Basketball Experience at the Sprint Center has a number of hands-on basketball activities, as well as various exhibits and the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.
- Kansas City family reunions also enjoy one of the few LEGOLAND Discovery Centers in the United States. Opened in 2012, the “world’s largest LEGO box” has rides, hands-on-play areas, building classes, a 4D cinema and models of Kansas City buildings made out of LEGO blocks. This location won’t disappoint your Missouri family reunion.
- Worlds of Fun amusement park is home to six roller coasters and over 15 rides. The Mamba is one of the tallest and fastest roller coasters in the world, reaching heights of over 200 feet and speeds of 75 miles per hour. The attached Oceans of Fun water park has both tube and body slides, as well as several play areas for kids.
Branson Among Top Missouri Cities to Host a Family Reunion
Hollywood Wax Museum. Photo Credit: Dustin Holmes
- If your family loves music, it will be tough to find a better Missouri family reunion spot than one of the “Live Music Capitals of the World.” Set in the Ozarks of Southwest Missouri, Branson has more than 50 live performance theaters, so there is always plenty to choose from. Whether it’s the region’s signature bluegrass, a dose of smooth jazz, a dash of country music or a non-musical performance, there’s always something playing in Branson.
- Despite the huge draw of live music, Silver Dollar City has been Branson’s top attraction for more than 50 years. The 1880s-style amusement park has over 30 rides that weave through the trees. With an old-time candy shop, craftsmen demonstrations, interactive play areas, festivals and over 40 daily shows to complement its thrill rides, Silver Dollar City can easily fill a day with Missouri family reunion fun.
- Quieter experiences surround the city on any one of the area’s 12 championship golf courses. Every shot will have the beautiful Ozark Mountain setting as its backdrop. Courses built on mountainsides feature fairway-side rock formations that make each hole as grand as it is difficult.
- Museums are another draw for Branson family reunions. The city’s more than 15 museums include a Ripley’s Believe it or Not, Hollywood Wax Museum, Laura Ingalls Wilder Home and Museum, Haunted House and Monster Asylum, Titanic Museum, Dinosaur Museum and World’s Largest Antique Toy Museum. Branson’s many museums are a perfect destination for your next Missouri family reunion.
Lake of the Ozarks Abounds with Family-Friendly Activities
Lake of the Ozarks. Photo Credit: MES Photography
- For a family seeking outdoor recreation, you won’t find a better Show Me State spot than Lake of the Ozarks. The 67-billion-gallon lake features more than 1,150 miles of scenic shoreline, which is more than the coast of California. Some of the best fishing in the Midwest takes place there. Home to professional Bass Master tournaments, the lake includes different varieties of bass, catfish, bluegill, walleye and paddlefish.
- The 54,000 acres of lake gives visitors plenty of room to go boating, waterskiing, wakeboarding or tubing. The surrounding Ozark Mountain scenery makes the lake an ideal place to park a pontoon boat and relax the afternoon away. Shoreline access is not restricted, so shore side cookout and swimming locations offer Missouri family reunions yet another way to connect.
- Lake of the Ozarks reunions love the wealth of attractions away from the water. The lake has scenic golf courses all around, while two water parks give the kids in the family yet another thrill. Horseback riding, hiking, bird watching and trap shooting are also available in the area. Nearby arcades, show caves and museums provide options if the weather goes sour, or can simply become lunchtime retreats to break up a day of water recreation.
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