You’ve been hard at work keeping up with day-to-day life and it’s time to enjoy some well-deserved R&R — so whether you love luxuriating during spa days, hanging out with animals or immersing yourself in nature, you’ll find everything you need to unwind in Missouri.
Recharge with Nature
Ha Ha Tonka State Park is home to miles of forest surrounding the Lake of the Ozarks. Atop the park’s dramatic bluffs, you can find the remains of a European-style castle built in 1905 by a wealthy Kansas City businessman. The Lake of the Ozarks is also home to Bridal Cave, which is filled with rock formations like giant columns, delicate soda straws and massive draperies.
In southwest Missouri, you can find tranquility with a stay at River of Life Farm, perched in the rolling hills of the Ozarks on the edge of the North Fork River. Sip coffee while you watch the sunrise, float along the currents or wander through the forest — the choice is yours.
Recharge with the Finer Things
If you prefer the indoors, consider rejuvenating with finer luxuries. The regal Elms Hotel & Spa has been an icon for more than 130 years. Bring a group of friends for a revitalizing getaway or a special someone for a romantic couple’s experience at the spa.
Escape to a world of color, form and perspective when you visit The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City. The museum features nearly 40,000 collected works from masters like Dorothea Lange, Caravaggio and Monet.
Tales of the past are housed at the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis. Discover local and national exhibits, including artifacts from the Lewis and Clark Expedition and a replica of the Spirit of St. Louis, the plane pioneering aviator Charles Lindbergh used for the first solo transatlantic flight from New York to Paris.
Recharge with Wine
What story about relaxation would be complete without mentioning wine? On the Hermann Wine Trail, you can sip a number of local varietals from seven family-owned vineyards nestled along the Missouri River Valley. In the warmer months, the wineries are abuzz with visitors from all over the region. The weekdays or cooler months are a great time to visit if you want a peaceful retreat.
Further west along the Missouri River is Les Bourgeois Vineyard, where you can stay in beautiful cabins, savor delicious dishes and, of course, drink incredible wines. The Riverboat Red is a perennial favorite with notes of cherry, raspberry and layers of ripe fruit.
Recharge with Furry (And Not So Furry!) Friends
Animal and yoga lovers, rejoice! Enrich your practice and move through your flows in the company of adorable goats. Goat Yoga of MO offers on-site events at farms, breweries, wineries and more throughout the state.
Missouri is also home to a number of zoos. At the Kansas City Zoo, you can ride the Sky Safari over a re-creation of the African plains filled with zebras, ostriches, giraffes and rhinos. At the Saint Louis Zoo, children and grown-ups alike can monkey around on the Primate Canopy Trails next to lemurs, tamarins and langurs.
Find underwater friends at the Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium in Springfield. If you prefer an adrenaline-fueled adventure, then suit up and enter their shark tank for the Out to Sea Shark Dive.
How do you like to recharge in Missouri?
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