2021 Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau Visitors Guide
COLUMBIA, MISSOURI VISITOR & AREA GUIDE
HISTORY + ART + THEATER + ARCHITECTURE
Find culture, festivals, nightlife and outdoor entertainment!
DO ONE THING WELL: DOUGHNUTS, PIZZA AND PIE + More than 100 dining choices
BOUTIQUES BECKON
Stroll through Columbia’s one-of-a-kind shops!
CONTENTS
FOOD & DRINK
Welcome to Columbia Columbia by the Numbers Visitor Information
Celebrating Diversity
Columbia embraces its
Eleven opportunities will leave you wanting to see and do more!
27 Do one thing. Do it well. Doughnuts, pizza and pie makers hone their craft.
30 Dining Out
Find what you crave at more than 100 dining destinations.
31 Wineries, Breweries & Distilleries, oh my! Quench your thirst at these fine establishments.
33 Farmers Markets
Find fresh, local food from area producers.
35 Food on the Go
Use this city map for points of interest and accommodations.
Find family-friendly activities for young families, plus free options to round out your trip.
Explore Columbia’s heritage at these special venues.
igher Education Hub
Discover four universities that call Columbia home, plus the quintessential college town
Excellent Excursions
Take a day trip to unique
Trails & Parks Beckon
Get outside at a city park, trail or garden. Area parks and facilities are outfitted for your
Iconic festivals bring the
Moments to Remember
History meets the here and now at Historic Nifong Park.
Find a new piece of art to take home at a local gallery
Catch a play or concert, or dance the night away at these
Grab a bite at a food truck and enjoy the view at Cooper’s Landing.
SHOPPING
36 Boutiques Beckon
Three boutiques offer unique finds for the home and furry friends.
38 Media Hunters Mecca
Records, books, video games and more await.
39 Shopping Venues
From big-box retail to antiques and collectibles, these destinations have it all.
REST
& RELAXATION
40 Health & Wellness
Take care of your body, mind and spirit.
40 Find Your Faith
Columbia is home to nearly 100 houses of worship.
41 Spots for Your Special Occasions
Dozens of venues await your next event.
42 Lodging & Accommodations
Find a great place to stay.
Photo by Notley Hawkins
Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau
300 S. Providence Road, Columbia, MO 65203 573-874-CITY (2489), fax 573-443-3986
Hotel Room Availability: 573-441-5574 VisitColumbiaMo.com
COLUMBIA CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU TEAM
Amy Schneider Director
Operations
Julie Ausmus
Tourism Administrative Supervisor
Andrea Jira
Industry Relations Specialist
Amanda Willmeth Event Services Specialist
Marketing and Communications
Sales and Services
Beth Mead
Convention Sales Supervisor
Zach Franklin
Sports Sales Supervisor
Terra Crane Sales Manager
Adam Ziervogel
Sports Sales Manager
• Minutes away from MU Campus
Megan McConachie Strategic Communications Manager
PUBLISHING AND ADVERTISING SALES BY MISSOURI LIFE CUSTOM PUBLISHING
PO Box 57, 208 Columbia Street Rocheport, MO 65279 573-514-5453 MissouriLife.com
Rebecca French Smith Editor-in-Chief
Deborah Marshall Director of Sales & Marketing
Greg Wood Publisher
Holly Kite Creative Director
Amy Stapleton Advertising & Marketing Coordinator
Danita Allen Wood Editorial Director
Welcome!
Columbia and Boone County are destinations full of rich history, an array of arts and culture, and home to an engaged and friendly community. Whether you visit our area for leisure, business or a sporting event, Columbia is ready to welcome you.
This Visitor Guide will give you an inside look at everything our area has to offer. You can plan your visit around one of our festivals that highlights art, music, non-fiction films and history. Columbia is even celebrating its Bicentennial in 2021, commemorating 200 years of history and community.
Outdoor enthusiasts have no shortage of choices when it comes to Columbia. Visitors looking to immerse themselves in nature can check out a hike at Rock Bridge State Park and incredible wetlands and wildlife await you at Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area. Dozens of city parks and miles of trails provide visitors with the opportunity to be as active as they desire.
One thing you’ll definitely run out of time to do is trying all of our fantastic restaurants. With local choices ranging from casual to fine dining and burgers to international fare, it will take a few visits to really find your favorites. You can also check out the area’s thriving craft brewery, winery and distillery scene.
Want even more information? I encourage you to visit the Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau online at VisitColumbiaMo.com or check them out on any of their social media platforms. While you are here, make sure to use #ShowMeCoMo to share what you’re enjoying during your time here.
No matter the reason for your visit, I think you will find that Columbia has even more to offer than you may have expected. I hope that your visit is a memorable experience and that you share it with others. We look forward to having you back in Columbia soon.
Safe travels,
Brian Treece Mayor of Columbia
SERVICES COMO
VISITOR SERVICES
Convention and Visitors Bureau, Tourist Information Center
300 S. Providence Road
Open 8–5, Mondays–Fridays
573-874-CITY (2489)
City Center Contact: VisitColumbiaMO.com
573-874-CITY (2489) Chamber of Commerce
ColumbiaMoChamber.com
573-874-1132
City of Columbia CoMo.gov 573-874-CITY (2489)
Missouri State Parks MoStateParks.com 800-334-6946
Missouri Division of Tourism Travel Info
VisitMo.com
573-751-4133
Missouri Department of Transportation MoDOT.mo.gov 888-275-6636
The District DiscoverTheDistrict.com 573-442-6816
EMERGENCY 911
Missouri Highway Patrol 573-751-3313
Road Conditions
888-275-6636
Non-Emergency Police 311
GENERAL
Columbia College
CCIS.edu
800-231-2391
Columbia Public Library
DBRL.org 573-443-3161
Columbia Public Schools
CPSK12.org 573-214-3400
Parks & Recreation
CoMo.gov/ParksAndRec 573-874-7460
Cancellation Hotline 573-874-7663
Regional Economic Development
ColumbiaREDl.com 573-442-8303
Stephens College Stephens.edu 573-442-2211
University of Missouri Missouri.edu 573-882-2121
Athletic Ticket Office/ Mizzou Arena 573-884-PAWS, 800-CAT-PAWS DISABLED INFORMATION Services for Independent Living SILColumbia.org 573-874-1646
PHYSICIAN REFERRALS
Boone Hospital Center Boone.org 573-815-8000
Ellis Fischel Cancer Center
MUHealth.org 573-882-2100
Truman VA Hospital ColumbiaMO.va.gov 573-814-6000
University Hospital MUHealth.org 573-882-4141
Women’s and Children’s Hospital MUHealth.org 573-875-9000
Small Animal Hospital/ MU Veterinary Health Center
VHC.Missouri.edu 573-882-7821, 573-882-4589
TRANSPORTATION
5 Star Taxi 573-449-7827
AMTRAK (Jefferson City) Amtrak.com 800-872-7245
Celebration Limousines
MidMoPartyBus.com 573-489-9070
GoCOMO (Bus Line) GoComoTransit.com 573-874-2489
Columbia Regional Airport FlyCOU.com 573-874-CITY (2489)
Greyhound Bus Lines (to Kansas City & St. Louis daily) Greyhound.com 573-449-2416
Metro Taxi 573-777-4708
MO-X Airport Shuttle/ Doc & Norm Direct MoExpress.com 877-669-4826
Taxi Terry’s TaxiColumbiaMo.com 573-441-1414
White Knight Limousine
GoWhiteKnight.com 573-814-5466
Lyft and Uber services are available in Columbia.
CELEBRATING DIVERSITY
PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
Columbia celebrates the unique differences that both citizens and visitors bring to the community. Each difference, every voice and every walk of life comes together here to create a place where people can live, work, play and thrive.
A large part of how Columbia celebrates diversity is through myriad events held in the community each year. From the True/False Film Festival and the Roots N Blues Festival to the Unbound Book Festival and Art in the Park to the city’s Columbia Values Diversity Celebration and Journey Toward Inclusive Excellence, those in the community and visitors can come together to have a dialogue on tough conversations.
“It’s being open to listening and having tough conversations, and then figuring out how we can change things for the better for everyone,” says Sarah Dresser, Columbia’s Office of Cultural Affairs manager.
Dresser helps organize the city’s Diversity Celebration, now in its 29th year, and says the event highlights individuals and groups who have done work in the community, as well as other aspects and events,
that acknowledge diversity and encourage others to get involved.
Many of the festivals bring in artists, writers and performers from outside the community who contribute to the ongoing conversations and benefit the community.
“We are constantly trying to showcase the breadth of cultural institutions that are here in our town,” Dresser says. “A lot of us can get into our routine of going to the same types of places, so we try to push people to connect with other entities, people, individuals in our city that they wouldn’t have known about otherwise—that’s part of what I hope people will take away.”
The City of Columbia also promotes diversity and inclusion education and training through its Building Inclusive Communities program for city and county employees, a part of Columbia’s strategic plan since 2016, according to Kari Utterback, senior administrative supervisor at Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services who leads the training team. Through the training, city employees learn to identify and uncover personal biases, mitigate them and learn from one another in the community.
For visitors, that translates to a safe and welcoming community. “We are in a very unique spot. We are this oasis in the center of Missouri, right in between Kansas City and St. Louis,” Utterback says. “We really want to be a place where everyone feels welcome and the best place for everyone to come whether you’re learning or playing, even if your only purpose here is a wrestling tournament, we want you to feel like you can be safe and be included as a part of our community.”
Visit InclusiveImpact.org/journey-toward-inclusive-excellence for community and city events and experiences that focus on diversity and inclusion.
Loose Loose performs at the True/False Film Festival.
CAN’T MISSCOMO
There are certain things visitors can see and experience that give them a sense of the people, place and history of Columbia, Missouri. Some are older and timeless, while others are new and refreshing. These are a few Columbia can’t-miss opportunities sure to leave you wanting to see and do more in 2021-2022.
Throughout Columbia, public art installations are accessible by car or foot by using Otocast, a free mobile app. Discover more than 35 pieces of public art on the Public Art Tour The app includes photos, descriptions and geo-location for each piece. Each work has a connection to Columbia history and plays a part in the city’s cultural heritage.
In addition to the public art tour, you can find the African American Heritage Trail on the Otocast app. This two-mile walking tour weaves through Columbia’s historic Black business district, Sharp End, and other important locations in Columbia.
By the slice or by the pie, the pizzas at Pizza Tree are made with twists on traditional and not-so-traditional pizza combinations. The Banh Mi features sriracha-glazed pork belly and house-made kimchi for a Korean pizza twist, and the Ranch Hands is amped up with buttered onions and peppered bacon. Even the Steven Cheese, their take on a cheese pizza, has six different kinds of cheese set off with garlic-herb butter. Sure, you could opt for a slice of pepperoni, but when in Rome ...
The University of Missouri is more than a collection of buildings for higher learning; it is also home to the Mizzou Botanical Garden, which is set across 735 acres on the campus to extend educational opportunities through “collections, displays, interpretation and conservation.” The Gardens on the Francis Quadrangle (The Quad) are popular as many visit the iconic Columns, but seek out Rollins Spring for a less traveled path planted with native Missouri plants or the Woodland Floral Garden, one of the oldest specialty gardens on campus, that features native and exotic flowering trees.
A local sweet spot since 2003, Sparky’s Ice Cream offers up unique flavors like Honey Lavender, Banana Nutella and Oreo Speedwagon (coffee ice cream chock full of Oreo chunks). They also use other local food and drink items in some of their specials, like Boone Olive Oil Co. Blackberry Ginger Balsamic and Harold’s Doughnuts Red Velvet White Chocolate Doughnut. They’ll even make you a float or a shake with Red Bull. Of course, they make all the regulars, too, and their homemade sweet creams are cold creative.
Holly Kite
It’s hard to beat the bluffs along the Missouri River at Les Bourgeois Vineyards, 14020 W. Hwy. BB, for a view of the sunset. The A-Frame patio is perfect for finding a spot to share a bottle of wine or a signature Captain’s Cooler while you enjoy the view.
North Village Arts District is a one-stop shop for arts and culture in Columbia. Catch artists at work at Orr Street Studios, or take in a show at Rose Music Hall. But make a point to stop at Artlandish Gallery. In a previous life it was a cold storage area for the Wabash Railroad; today, it’s a gallery that features the work of several local artists and provides a unique viewing experience in the catacombs, a series of underground stone spaces framed with wooden beams and doors of yesteryear.
Rock Bridge Memorial State Park offers 2,272 acres of hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and vistas of Missouri’s natural landscape. Visitors can see a natural rock bridge, sinkholes, springs and caves, a great spot to cool off on a hot day.
Explore Columbia’s three nearby Missouri Department of Conservation Areas: Eagle Bluffs, Rocky Fork Lakes and Three Creeks. Eagle Bluffs is to the southwest of Columbia near McBaine. The area encompasses more than 4,400 acres and 10 miles of river bank along the Missouri River and Perche Creek. It also features 17 wetland pools that contribute to marshes and crop fields and provides a habitat for migrating and wintering birds and other wildlife. Rocky Fork Lakes Conservation Area is a calm spot to kayak or canoe through the water. North of Columbia, this rugged conservation area was a former strip mining site. MDC restored the forest and prairie and maintains more than 60 bodies of water of varying sizes. South of Columbia, Three Creeks Conservation Area protects the streams (Turkey Creek, Bass Creek and Bonne Femme Creek), bluffs and forests in its boundaries. The area has more than 1,500 acres on which to hike, camp, fish, birdwatch and ride horses.
Struck by lightning in 2020, the nearly 400-year-old big Bur Oak Tree near McBaine should be on your can’t-miss list. Towering 74 feet over the Missouri River bottoms along the Katy Trail, the bur oak is the largest of its kind in Missouri and one of the largest in the country. It is a quintessential Columbia and Boone County icon that won’t be around forever.
The Center for Missouri Studies on Elm Street houses the State Historical Society of Missouri, established in 1898. Iconic works by Thomas Hart Benton and George Caleb Bingham, among others, are on display in the first floor gallery. In the research center, visitors can discover history, genealogy, culture and other aspects of Missouri’s past in the collections held by SHSMO.
Local Favorites
Points of Interest & Accommodations
POINTS OF INTEREST:
Activity & Recreation Center (ARC)
Columbia Cemetery
Columbia College
Columbia Mall
Columbia Regional Airport
Convention and Visitors Bureau Visitor Information Center (see inset)
Cosmo Park
The District - Columbia’s Vibrant Downtown
Boone County History & Culture Center
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial & MKT Trail Access
MU Faurot Field/Hearnes Center/Mizzou Arena
Shelter Insurance Gardens
Stephens College
Stephens Lake Park
University of Missouri (MU)
Columbia Sports Fieldhouse
Atkins Park
Harmony Bends at Strawn Park
ACCOMMODATIONS:
Best Western Plus
The Broadway - A DoubleTree by Hilton (see inset)
Candlewood Suites
Comfort Suites
Cottonwoods RV Park
Country Inn & Suites by Carlson
Courtyard by Marriott
Drury Inn & Suites
Drury Plaza Hotel
Extended Stay America
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott
Hampton Inn Columbia
Hampton Inn & Suites at MU
Hilton Garden Inn
Holiday Inn East
Holiday Inn Executive Center
Holiday Inn Express & Suites
La Quinta Inn & Suites
Motel 6
Quality Inn & Suites
Ramada Inn & Suites
Red Roof Inn
Residence Inn by Marriott
Springhill Suites
Staybridge Suites
Stoney Creek Hotel
Suburban Extended Stay
Super 7
Super 8 Clark Lane
Super 8 East
The Tiger Hotel (see inset) Towneplace Suites by Marriott
Inn
Wingate by Wyndham
FAMILY ACTIVITIES
SOMETHING FOR NOTHING
Whether you’re visiting Columbia for a day or you call it home, having activity options that don’t break the bank can afford you more experiences for your buck. In the Columbia community, there are places to visit and unique adventures to be had for next to nothing or free.
The sights, sounds and smells at a Columbia-area farmers’ market (see page 33 for more information) are always free. Bring the family out to hear local entertainment while shopping with hundreds of area farmers, producers and makers. You might even find something yummy for a snack or dinner. The Columbia Farmers Market on West Ash Street also gives out free kids activity kits that center on plant and food education.
Throughout the city, parks and trails offer locations for everything from picnicking and fishing at Stephens Lake Park to horseshoes and tennis at Cosmo-Bethel Park to walking and biking on one of the city’s dozens of groomed or paved trails (see page 18 for a complete listing). Take a break from shopping in The District at Flat Branch Park on Locust Street, where you can rest a bit on the tiered seating while the kiddos splash around the spraygrounds on a hot summer day.
If you need some space to let your furry friends run with abandon, Twin Lakes Recreation Area is a great spot to let them off-leash. There are three leash-free dog park areas at Twin Lakes, one specifically for smaller dogs. There is also a playground, a fishing lake, picnic areas and walking trails for the whole family to enjoy.
Just outside the city limits, Rock Bridge State Park to the south and Finger Lakes State Park to the north are beautiful in every season. In the summer, you can cool off at Conner’s Cave at Rock Bridge or jump in a kayak at Finger Lakes.
Logo
A bit of creativity brightens up any day, and at First Fridays, providing those kinds of sights is what the artists and businesses that host this monthly event do best. At this free event the first Friday of each month in the North Village Arts District, you can watch local artists at work at Orr Street Studios, or peruse regional, national and international fine arts at Sager Braudis Gallery and enjoy creative activities, all of which are centered on imagination.
There is much to see and experience for free in Columbia when you get out and enjoy the community.
AMF Town and Country Lanes
1508 N. Providence Road 573-442-4729
Amf.com/location/amftown-country-lanes-mo
AMF Town & Country Lanes offers traditional bowling on 32 lanes, an interactive arcade and billiards.
Modern recreation facility with indoor leisure pool (triple loop water slide, lazy river interactive water play feature, hydrotherapy pool and lap lanes), gymnasium, indoor track and cardio/strength training zones.
Bonkers 3812 Buttonwood Drive 573-499-0366
BonkersColumbia.com
Family fun center with food court, arcade, indoor playground and special play area for toddlers.
The Candy Factory 701 Cherry St. 573-443-8222
TheCandyFactory.biz
Columbia’s hometown candy shop where chocolates and other confections are made fresh daily. Bring your family and watch candies be made in the production facility (call ahead for viewing times) and take pictures in the “Candy Land” themed viewing room.
Daniel Boone Regional Library 100 W. Broadway 573-443-3161
DBRL.org
State-of-the-art library with extensive children’s area that includes an interactive early learning activity center, classes/ events for all ages and free wireless internet.
Goodrich Forum 8 Theater 1209 Forum Katy Pkwy. 573-446-3223
GQTMovies.com/ Missouri/Forum-8
Movie theater with eight screens and stadium seating.
Carousel at the Columbia Mall I-70 & Stadium Blvd. 573-445-8459
VisitColumbiaMall.com
Columbia Mall features a grand carousel, Cafe Court, family restrooms, nursing room, shops and more.
Level Up
Entertainment 2300 Bernadette Drive, Ste. 228 573-615-0443
LevelUpTheFun.com
A brand new attraction in Columbia, Level Up Entertainment offers 12 lanes of bowling, a “Streets of New York” themed laser tag arena, a ropes course, party rooms, a restaurant and full bar, plus more than 65 arcade games and a host of pinball games.
The Mud Room
111 S. 9th St., Ste. 140 573-441-1683
MudRoomStudio.com
Classes are available for children and adults. Paint on hundreds of pre-made ceramic pieces or make your own pottery. Walk-ins welcome.
Regal Columbia & RPX 2800 Goodwin Pointe Drive 844-462-7342
RegMovies.com
Movie theater with full arcade and private parties by arrangement.
Sky Zone
1201 American Pkwy. 573-309-9600
SkyZone.com
/ColumbiaMO
Wall-to-wall aerial action for all ages, including a warrior course, ultimate dodgeball, SkySlam, freestyle jumping and a toddler zone. The highest level of fun.
Tiger Bounce
3601 Buttonwood Drive 573-443-3695
TigerBounceColumbia.com
Tiger Bounce has inflatable bounce houses, a skating/ multipurpose floor, soft play climbing structure and full concession options designed for children 13 years and younger.
Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau, Notley Hawkins
First Fridays in The North Village Arts District
Stephens Lake Park
The State Historical Society of Missouri
Getting to know Columbia through its history and architecture sets the stage to celebrate the city’s Bicentennial in 2021. These venues provide physical manifestations to experience and explore.
Blind Boone Home
10 N. 4th St.
573-499-0039
BlindBooneHome.com
The restored 1880s-era home of famed concert pianist John William “Blind” Boone is open by appointment for tours and is available for small events.
The Centralia Battlefield
19101 N. Rangeline Road, Centralia
MoCivilWar.org
One of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War occurred on this historic site Sept. 27, 1864. Confederate guerillas surprised and defeated 120 Federal soldiers.
Columbia Cemetery
30 E. Broadway
573-449-6320
ColumbiaCemetery.org
At Columbia’s historic cemetery, pioneer families of the city are buried alongside university presidents, professors and other prominent Columbia citizens, plus veterans of every war since the Revolution. The cemetery is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Firestone
Baars Chapel
1306 E. Walnut St.
Stephens College Campus
573-876-7257
St. Louis Arch architect
Eero Saarinen designed the chapel, which features a four-foyer design and can be rented for weddings.
Francis Quadrangle
8th & Elm Streets
573-882-2456
Missouri.edu/Visit/
Contact
Francis Quadrangle captures the spirit and tradition of MU. The quad includes numerous buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, such as the Residence, where university presidents and chancellors have lived since 1867, along with the iconic Columns, all that remain of the original Academic Hall, which burned down in 1892.
Jewell Cemetery State Historic Site
Adjacent to 2805 S. Providence 573-449-7402
MoStateParks.com
Jewell Cemetery State Historic Site contains the grave of Missouri’s 22nd governor (1875–1877), Charles Hardin, along with descendants of George Jewell. There are also about 20 unlettered limestone blocks that are presumed to mark the graves of slaves owned by the Jewell family.
Missouri Theatre
203 S. 9th St. 573-882-3781
ConcertSeries.Missouri.edu
Built in 1928, the Missouri Theatre is mid-Missouri’s only pre-Depression era movie palace/vaudeville stage and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Beautifully renovated in 2008, this “gem of a show palace” features elegant decor.
The State Historical Society of Missouri 605 Elm St. 573-882-7083
SHSMO.org
The SHSMO houses a vast art collection featuring George Caleb Bingham and Thomas Hart Benton, as well as 3,500+ titles of historic Missouri newspapers, 100,000+ photographs, 4,000+ maps and much more.
Stephens College Historic Quadrangle Corner of Broadway and College Avenue, Stephens College Campus 573-876-7207
Stephens.edu
The Stephens College Historic Quadrangle comprises Columbia, Wood and Hickman Halls, the President’s Home and Historic Senior Hall.
Village at Boone Junction 3801 Ponderosa 573-443-8936
BooneHistory.org
Boone Junction is a collection of four historic buildings relocated to Columbia’s Nifong Park and features the fully furnished 1820 GordonCollins Log Cabin and the 1920s-era Easley Country Store. The McQuitty House and the Victorian-era Ryland Farmhouse complete the village. North of the village sits the historic Maplewood House, built in 1877 and on the National Register of Historic Places. Open for tours April through October by appointment only. Tour fees apply.
COMO’S HIGHER LEARNING HUB
PLUS, A GAME DAY EXPERIENCE LIKE NO OTHER.
Columbia College
573-875-7352 | CCIS.edu
Founded in 1851 in Columbia, Missouri, Columbia College has been helping students advance their lives through higher education for more than 165 years. As a private, nonprofit institution, the college takes pride in its small classes, experienced faculty and quality educational programs. With more than 30 locations across the country, students may enroll in day, evening and online classes. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Columbia College educates approximately 18,000 students each year and has more than 83,000 alumni worldwide.
Moberly Area Community College
Columbia | 573-234-1067 | MACC.edu
The MACC-Columbia Higher Education Center is located in the Parkade Center, and occupies 53,500 sq. ft. at the Business Loop location. In addition to classroom space, offices and computer labs, the location also houses an art studio and mechatronics lab. The MACC Columbia campus offers nine degree programs.
Stephens College
800-876-7207 | Stephens.edu
Stephens College, founded in 1833, offers innovative, career-focused degree programs with an emphasis in creative arts and sciences. A private undergraduate residential women’s college, Stephens also serves adult learners with graduate, online and certificate programs for both women and men and offers an innovative preschool and elementary school as part of the college’s commitment to “Learn. Grow. Lead.”
University of Missouri
573-882-2456 | Missouri.edu
The University of Missouri was founded in 1839 in Columbia, representing the birth of public higher education west of the Mississippi River. Today, the 1,262acre campus improves lives as Missouri’s largest public research university and serves citizens statewide as a land-grant institution. MU offers more than 300 degrees and certificates through 13 colleges and schools and has more than 30,000 students representing every U.S. state and more than 100 countries. Faculty, staff and students work hard to honor the public trust by upholding four values: respect, responsibility, discovery and excellence.
Logo
Daniel Boone Regional Library
100 W. Broadway | 573-443-3161 | DBRL.org
The library houses current fiction and non-fiction books, popular magazines, newspapers, music CDs, DVDs, audiobooks and more. It also offers classes and events on a variety of topics for all ages. Snacks are for sale in the lobby. Its website has eBooks, audiobooks, music, movies, TV shows and other resources.
THE QUINTESSENTIAL COLLEGE TOWN EXPERIENCE
If you’re coming to Columbia for a college sporting event, rest assured the experience will be everything you expect it to be in this quintessential college town. In Columbia, University of Missouri Tigers, Columbia College Cougars and Stephens Stars—both students and alumni—are waiting to give guests a warm welcome through time-honored traditions, great food, live music and iconic landmarks, before, during and after the competition. Tradition runs deep at MU. The university is the birthplace of the homecoming tradition practiced worldwide. It began in 1911 when then-athletic director Chester Brewer invited alumni home for the KU football game. Attending a football game also offers visitors a chance to see the result of another tradition. Each year, incoming Tigers give the rock M on the north end zone a fresh coat of white paint. And the “M-I-Z, Z-O-U” chant echoes across fields, courts and stadiums anytime even a few Tigers gather.
Game day eats don’t get any better than a Booches burger or a slice of Shakespeare’s Pizza, but across the city, local chefs, hash slingers and foodies are coming up with culinary creations for even the pickiest of palates. Check out Beet Box where the chefs concoct creative concepts and new recipes daily, or Murry’s where guests have been gifted with a little jazz with their meal for more than 35 years.
Speaking of music and culture, Columbia takes pride in the many venues available to experience art, both of note and canvas. The Blue Note has become a music and comedy institution not only known locally but nationwide for finding and promoting up-and-coming acts. And in the North Village Arts District, you can find a special one-of-a-kind souvenir to take home with you.
For any sport or any season, Columbia-area dining, entertainment, shopping and lodging will provide that extra “umph” you’re looking for when traveling for your favorite team, or cheering on the Tigers, Cougars or Stars.
Check Your Bags
Follow the SEC clear bag policy for all SEC sports events.
• Bags must be clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC and not exceeding 12'' x 6'' x 12''
• One-gallon, clear plastic freezer bags
• Small clutch bags that do not exceed 4.5'' x 6.5''
• An institutionally approved logo no larger than 4.5'' x 3.4'' on one side of permissible clear bag
MU Tigers Game Day Gear
The Mizzou Store, 911 E. Rollins (on campus)
Tiger Team Store, 600 E. Stadium (on the north side of Memorial Stadium)
Rally House, 808 E. Broadway
Tiger Spirit, 111 S. 9th St.
Farout Field, University of Missouri
FANCY A DAY TRIP?
NEARBY DESTINATIONS CALL
When you visit Columbia, build more memories through short day trips to unique destinations nearby. From historic sites to retail venues and pocket communities, these excursions give you more options to explore. And, if you can’t visit them all, put them on your list for the next time you’re in the area.
Arrow Rock
40 miles from Columbia; 28 miles west on I-70, exit 98, 13 miles northwest on Highway 41 660-837-3608
ArrowRock.org
The village of Arrow Rock is a designated National Historic Landmark. You can see many historic buildings and sites here, but check out the museums, look through the shops, enjoy a bite to eat and catch a show at the Broadway-caliber Lyceum Theatre.
Boonville
25 miles west of Columbia on I-70, exits 101, 103, 106 660-882-3967
GoBoonville.com
Boonville has more than 400 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, the Isle of Capri Casino off of the Missouri River and Warm Springs Ranch, open April–October, home of the Budweiser Clydesdales. There’s also shopping, dining, theater and more.
Centralia
20 miles north on Route B/124
573-682-2272
CentraliaMo.org
Explore history at the Historical Society Museum and the 1864 Civil War battlefield site of Centralia. Stop by Chance Garden, home to the Rose Garden and listed on the National Historic Registry.
Clark
25 miles north on Highway 63, right on Route P
Look through the antique shops and other shops in the area or visit the farms in the Amish Community to find quilts, produce, baked goods, plants, furniture and other items. Please respect the Amish culture and refrain from taking photos of individuals.
Fulton
30 miles from Columbia; 21 miles east on I-70, exit 148, 9 miles south on Highway 54
573-642-7692
VisitFulton.com
Visit America’s National Churchill Museum that features a 17th-century church from London and eight sections of the Berlin Wall (re-opening fall 2021). Explore Fulton’s historic downtown Brick District, Serenity Valley Winery’s 60 scenic acres, the Auto World Museum, Crane’s Country Store and Museum and the Katy Trail, among other Callaway County attractions.
Jefferson City
30 miles south of Columbia on Highway 63
573-632-2820
VisitJeffersonCity.com
Take a free tour at the Missouri State Capitol, Governor’s mansion or Jefferson Landing State Historic Site, or stop by one of Jeff City’s many other attractions—the historic State Penitentiary, Runge Nature Center, Missouri Military History Museum and Central Dairy.
Rocheport
15 miles from Columbia; 11 miles west on I-70, exit 115, 4 miles north on Route BB
Rocheport-MO.com
Visit shops and galleries, enjoy fine dining, bike or hike the Katy Trail and explore history in Rocheport. Make a stop on the way at Les Bourgeois Winery and Bistro, which overlooks the Missouri River and has one of the best spots to watch the sun go down.
LOCAL TIP
When you visit Jefferson City, stop by the Missouri Capitol and view Thomas Hart Benton’s “A Social History of the State of Missouri” mural on the wall’s of the House Lounge. It’s one of this Missouri native’s most notable works.
Katy Trail, Rocheport
Missouri State Capitol, Jefferson City
Arrow Rock
PARKS & TRAILS
FundedPedway/BikeBoulevard
Parking/Trailhead
BikeRepairStation Underpass
Restroom-OpenYearRound
Restroom-OpenApril15-Oct.15
MountainBikeTrail/Facility
Parks and Trails for Fun and Fitness
On more than 3,500 green-space acres, which includes 75 outdoor parks, two of which are in development, and eight destination trails, Columbia Parks and Recreation has more than a few pride points. Improvement is a continuous process, and one 50-acre gem, Smith Park, which serves northeast Columbia, features a new .3-mile trail along its lake in addition to its skatepark, basketball court and new playground, among other amenities. New parking and electrical additions also amp up Stawn Park’s worldclass Harmony Bends Disc Golf Course, but beyond frisbee fun, this 129-acre park is rich with natural features like woodlands and Harmony and Perche creeks.
If walking, hiking and bicycling are what you seek, Columbia has an extensive trail system built with this in mind. The nearly 65-mile Columbia Trail System is a partnership, a combination of city-owned trails, MUowned trails and Boone County trails. In the mix are some dynamic well known trails like the MKT Nature and Fitness Trail, an 8.9-mile historic railroad spurturned-fitness trail that connects to the larger Katy Trail State Park, which traverses the state. Smaller trails thread the community and get you from point A to point B around Columbia without ever setting foot or bike tire on a road used by automobiles. These smaller trails are a part of a larger plan to connect together to form a 30-mile loop that encircles the city. To date, half of the distance has been completed, with the Rollins Street Connector being the most recent addition to the planned loop of trails. Check out the parks and trails listing for a complete list and for approved and available activities.
Columbia Audubon Nature Sanctuary 3607 Bray Ave.
Columbia-Audubon.org
Cooper’s Landing 11505 Smith Hatchery Road
573-657-1299
CoopersLandingMo.com
Cottonwoods RV Park
5170 N. Oakland Gravel Road
573-474-2747
CottonwoodsRVPark.com
Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area 6700 W. Route K
573-446-6743
MDC.Mo.gov
Finger Lakes State Park 1505 E. Peabody Road
573-443-5315
MoStateParks.com
Katy Trail State Park Clinton, MO to Machens, MO
573-449-7402
MoStateParks.com
Pine Grove Village 3900 Clark Lane
573-474-4412
PineGroveMhc.com
Pinnacles Youth Park
850 E. Pinnacles Road, Sturgeon 573-449-7946
Sites.Google.com/site/boonepinnacles
Rock Bridge Memorial State Park 5901 S. Hwy 163
573-449-7402
MoStateParks.com
Rocky Fork Lakes Conservation Area
7 miles N. off US Hwy 63 573-815-7900
MDC.Mo.gov
Three Creeks Conservation Area 5 miles S. off US Hwy 63 573-815-7900
MDC.Mo.gov
PARKS/CAMPING FEATURES
Outdoor Pool
Water Play Area
Basketball Courts
Disc Golf Course
Horseshoe Pits
Playgrounds
Tennis Courts
Volleyball Courts
Dog Park/Leash-Free Areas
Fishing
Swimming Beaches
Picnic/Shelter Area
00 Trail/Length in Miles
Mountain Bike Trail
Rock Climbing
CITY PARKS & TRAILS
Columbia Parks & Recreation 1 S. 7th St. | 573-874-7460 | CoMo.gov
Again Street Park 1200 Again St.
Albert-Oakland Park 1900 Blue Ridge Road
Capen Park 1600 Capen Park Drive
Columbia Cosmopolitan Recreation Area (Cosmo) 1615 Business Loop 70 W.
Cosmo-Bethel Park 4500 Bethel St.
Douglass Park 400 N. Providence Road
Flat Branch Park 101 S. 4th St.
Forum Nature Area 2701 Forum Blvd.
Garth Nature Area 2799 N. Garth Ave.
Grindstone Nature Area 2011 Old Hwy. 63 S.
Grindstone Creek Trail 2011 Old Hwy. 63 S.
Hinkson Creek Trail MKT to GNA (Stephens)
Albert-Oakland Park 1900 Blue Ridge Road
American Legion Park 3675 Legion Lane
Antimi Sports Complex 1615 Business Loop 700 W.
Atkins Ballfields 5220 N. Oakland Gravel Road
Columbia Sports Fieldhouse 4251 Philips Farm Road
Cosmo-Bethel Park 4500 Bethel St.
Columbia Cosmopolitan
Recreation Area (Cosmo) 1615 Business Loop 70 W.
Finger Lakes Motocross 1505 E. Peabody Road
Gans Creek Recreation Area 3350 E. Gans Road
MizzouRec/Mizzou Aquatic Center 1000 Rollins St.
Rainbow Softball Center 1615 Business Loop 70 W.
Scott Boulevard Rugby Fields 3800 S. Scott Blvd.
Hominy Creek Trail Green Valley Drive to Lillian Drive
Jay Dix Station 3725 S. Scott Blvd.
Lake of the Woods Golf Course and Recreation Area 6700 E. St. Charles Road
ARC (Activity & Recreation Center) 1701 W. Ash St.
This 73,000 sq. ft. facility features an indoor leisure pool, gymnasium, exercise equipment, indoor track and group exercise classes. Pool includes water slide, lazy river, vortex and zero-gravity depth entry.
GOLF COURSES
FACILITY FEATURES
Baseball Field
Softball Field
Basketball Court
Tee-ball Field
Tennis Courts
Soccer Field
Football Field
Lacrosse Field
Volleyball Courts
Skateboard Park
Roller Hockey Rink
Mountain Bike Course
ATV/Motocross Track
Outdoor Swimming Pool/ Children’s Play Area
18-Hole Golf Course
Putting Green & Driving Range
Lighted
Pickleball
Bocce ball
Rugby
Disc Golf
Cross Country
Archery
Gymnastics
Cheer
Wrestling
Raquetball
EXPAND
YOUR OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES
GARDENS
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Memorial at Battle Garden
800 W. Stadium Blvd.
573-874-7460
CoMo.gov/ParksAndRec/Park
Located next to the MKT Trail, these landscaped gardens with walkways and benches provide a quiet setting. The writings of Dr. King are displayed as part of a sculptured amphitheater with eight triangular upright columns.
The Mizzou Botanic Garden
573-882-4240
Gardens.Missouri.edu
The Mizzou Botanic Garden encompasses 752 acres on the University of Missouri campus. The living museum displays thousands of plants amidst famous landmarks and in thematic gardens.
Shelter Gardens 1817 W. Broadway 573-445-8441
ShelterInsurance.com
Shelter Gardens is an award-winning fiveacre garden with more than 300 varieties of trees and shrubs and 15,000 annuals and perennials. Its features include a 19th-century replica one-room schoolhouse, garden for the visually impaired, waterfall and stream and a memorial to Vietnam veterans.
ACTIVITIES
Mount Nebo Inn & Guide Service Rocheport 573-881-6160
MountNeboInn.com
Celebrating its 20th season, Owner Drew Lemberger provides full-service excursions for sightseeing, birdwatching and fishing on the Missouri River in the central Missouri area.
Midway Golf & Games
5500 W. Van Horn Tavern Road 573-445-8100
MidwayGolfGames.com
Midway Golf & Games is a year-round 16-hole golf facility and 18-hole miniature golf course. It features foot golf, batting cages, upgraded driving range, new go-kart track, yard games, axe throwing, lazer tag, archery tag, pro shop and limited snack bar.
AREA FESTIVALS
BRING ON THE FESTIVITIES
4th of July
Fire in the Sky
573-874-7460 | CoMo.gov
Celebrate the 4th of July at the City of Columbia’s Fire in the Sky with free activities and entertainment for the whole family. Enjoy Independence Day-themed children’s activities and live music. Once it’s dark, watch fireworks choreographed to music on KBXR 102.3.
Annual Heritage Festival & Craft Show
Third full weekend of September
Nifong Park
573-874-7460 | CoMo.gov
For more than 40 years, visitors have toured traditions of the past at the annual Heritage Festival & Craft Show. At this festival in historic Nifong park, the atmosphere and experience are both authentic as artisans and tradesmen in historic character bring “lost arts” to life, and festival-goers can listen, learn and see history as it comes alive and shop for handmade crafts. Entertainment, including traditional and roots music, and Native American, German and folk dance is also provided. Kids will have a great time in the Fun for Young’uns area or listening to ghost stories Saturday evening. Tour the Historic Maplewood Home, Village at Boone Junction and the Boone County History & Culture Center, all located within the park. Food trucks will also be on hand along with festival favorites such as funnel cakes and turkey legs.
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Art in the Park
First Full Weekend in June
Stephens Lake Park
573-443-8838 | ColumbiaArtLeague.org
Put on by the Columbia Art League, Art in the Park is the oldest and largest fine arts festival in mid-Missouri. The festival features more than 100 visual artists from across the United States, displaying a variety of media including painting, drawing, photography, pottery, jewelry, fibers, sculpture, wood and glass. Enjoy engaging hands-on activities, magicians, children’s entertainment and live music. View breathtaking works from student artists in the Emerging Artist Pavilion, and take in the talent of our military veterans in the Veterans Exhibit. Grab a limited edition Art in the Park drinking cup and stay hydrated with fruit-infused water from the water bar, then wander over to the food truck court and enjoy a variety of festival fare. Art in the Park is free to the public.
Boone County Fair
Boone County Fairgrounds
5212 N. Oakland Gravel Road
573-474-9435 | TheBooneCountyFair.com
In the summer, the Boone County Fair offers a variety of activities and shows to entertain all age groups. Featured attractions include livestock shows, talent competition nights, carnival rides, live music, beer garden, and the Boone County Country Ham Breakfast.
Cattlemen Days Rodeo
Cedar Valley Riders Saddle Club Arena, Ashland
CattlemenDaysRodeo.com
The rodeo is an annual event during August each year. Live music starts at 7 pm with the rodeo beginning at 8. After the completion of the rodeo, a dance is held on the rodeo grounds with a live band. The rodeo parade is Saturday at 2 pm . The rodeo is put on by the Ashland Optimist Club and the Cedar Valley Riders Saddle Club.
Centralia Anchor Festival
Centralia
573-682-2272 | CentraliaMOChamber.com
The city of Centralia hosts the Anchor Festival annually in late spring on the beautiful downtown city square. Activities include crafts and concessions, live music, a carnival, parade, three-on-three basketball, tractor show, car show, community worship, a fun run and an anchor-driving contest.
Family Fun Fest
3rd Wednesday of the month, June through September
Cosmo Park
573-874-7460 | CoMo.gov
This family event transforms Cosmo Park into fun central with a new theme each month. Entertainment for the entire family features music, special performances, art activities and hands-on activities.
First Fridays
First Friday of each month
North Village Arts District
NorthVillageArtsDistrict.org
Grab a locally distilled spirit at DogMaster, catch a show at Rose Music Hall and visit the myriad art studios and galleries open to the public during First Fridays, free art crawl on the first Friday of each month from 6–9 pm in the North Village Arts District. In the approximately nine-block area just north of Broadway downtown, galleries, shops and businesses are open with music, art demonstrations, children’s activities, refreshments and more.
Hartsburg Pumpkin Festival
Hartsburg
573-808-1288 | HartsburgPumpkinFest.com
The charming river town of Hartsburg hosts thousands of visitors during this annual festival on the second weekend of October, which features more than 200 craft vendors, petting zoo, pony rides, food booths, pumpkins galore and a variety of activities for the whole family.
Hot Summer Nights Music Festival
June and July, Various venues
573-875-0600 | TheMOSY.org
Hot Summer Nights is six weeks of fabulous music—classical and pop—with the Missouri Symphony Orchestra in the exquisitely renovated historic Missouri Theatre, as well as other community venues. Guest artists from concert halls all over the world join Columbia’s summer resident professional orchestra to entertain music lovers of all ages with a diverse repertoire. Come celebrate the Missouri Symphony’s 50th anniversary!
Living Windows Festival
First Friday in December
The District
573-442-6816 | DiscoverTheDistrict.com
On the first Friday of December, shopkeepers move all the merchandise out of their front windows and stage live holiday performances for onlookers. Merchants go to great lengths to outdo each other, making each year’s displays even more impressive than before. The strolling carolers, holiday treats and visits with Santa are set against a backdrop of holiday lights.
Notley Hawkins
Roots N Blues Festival
First Fridays
Mid-Missouri Pridefest
Rose Music Hall
MidMOPride.org
Mid-Missouri PrideFest is an annual celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, ques tioning and ally community in mid-Missouri. This family-friendly event includes entertainment, food, vendors, information on community organizations, children’s activities, live performances and more. Event is free and open to the public.
Roots N Blues Festival
Stephens Lake Park
RootsNBluesFestival.com
The nationally recognized Roots N Blues Festival features over 30 artists representing the genres of roots, blues, gospel, country, folk, rock, bluegrass and soul. American Blues Scene Magazine called it, “One of the most prominent festivals in the coun try!” In addition to live music, fans enjoy delicious food from local and national vendors, the beautiful scenery of Stephens Lake Park and art installations created by local artists.
LOCAL TIP
Please check websites or call to confirm event dates and details before making travel plans.
Show-Me State Games
June and July
Multiple venues
Roots N Blues Betsy Farris Memorial Run
Throughout Columbia RootsNBluesFestival.com
Participants enjoy a scenic run through Columbia. All runners receive a race shirt, a finisher’s medal and a discount voucher to the festival. There are three course options for the race: halfmarathon, 10K and 5K. Betsy Farris ran in countless races and was an inspiration to many on their fitness journey.
Shelter Insurance Gardens Concert Series
Sunday evenings in the Summer
1817 W. Broadway
573-445-8441
ShelterInsurance.com/AboutShelter /CompanyEvents
This concert series has delighted local families for many years and offers a wide variety of performances on Sunday evenings in the Summer. The free concerts are held in the Shelter Gardens. Bring a chair or a blanket and enjoy.
573-882-2101 | SMSG.org
The Show-Me State Games (SMSG) is an Olympicstyle sports festival with more than 40 sports for all ages and ability levels. In addition to the summer games, SMSG offers events throughout the year to promote health, fitness, family and fun. Thousands come together to participate in SMSG each year.
True/False Film Fest
The District & MU Campus
573-442-8783 | TrueFalse.org
The True/False Film Fest joins smart, impassioned and forward-thinking filmmakers with the best audiences in the world each spring. True/False is a magical Columbia experience, offering four days of the newest and most compelling non-fiction films, each accompanied by its filmmaker, plus bands playing before screenings and at concerts all weekend. With art installations, a legendary live game show and the annual March March parade, True/False transforms the city into a one-of-a-kind celebration of the arts.
March March
True/False’s
Mid-Missouri Pridefest
Moments to Remember
Discover a place where history meets here and now.
At Historic Frank G. Nifong Memorial Park, 2900 E. Nifong Blvd., history, architecture, art and theater combine to create a home for both arts and culture in the Columbia community. Originally part of a farmstead belonging to Slater and Margaret Lenoir, the 60-acre park is the site of the Boone County History & Culture Center and the Maplewood Barn Community Theatre.
Inside the History & Culture Center’s 20,000 square feet, there are two exhibit spaces, a professional art gallery and a host of archived collections that hold the history of Columbia and Boone County.
“If you go around the country, counties the size of Boone County and smaller almost never have 20,000 square feet to work with,” says Chris Campbell, executive director of the Boone County History & Culture Center. “So the people that built this space between 1985 and 1990 were very farsighted and understood that space would be extremely helpful in the decades to come. And, I wish I had more.”
Indeed, the center is bursting at the seams with collections and artifacts, Campbell says, and a committee is already looking at ways to increase space.
On the main floor, exhibits in the East Gallery rotate out every six to eight months; in the West Gallery they remain up to a year, March through February. Within these galleries, exhibits feature items and images from the center’s expansive collections in the vaults downstairs. Vaults are not open to the public, but they house a 500,000 glass-plate negative collection (1880s-1970) that is regularly mined for images and an extensive artifact collection that includes everyday items like vintage typewriters, farm implements, antique radios and rotary phones along with unique items like General Odon Guitar’s Civil War greatcoat.
At the other end of the building sits Montminy Art Gallery, a 2,800-square-foot professional commercial art gallery. The space features six major shows a year from local and national artists, as well as a six-concert season. On permanent display in the art gallery is the Chickering grand piano of John W. “Blind” Boone, an African American composer and musician of renown, born in 1864.
Throughout the park, historic buildings dot the landscape, four of which form the Village at Boone Junction, which are used for
Boone County History & Culture Center
Boone County History & Culture Center
preservation and educational purposes. Originally built in 1909 at Worley Street and Garth Avenue, the McQuitty house is a shotgun house, well known in the African American community as it was built by an African American contractor and realtor in Boone County. It is unfinished, and the walls of the home are used for Black history exhibits. The Ryland house, from near Sturgeon, was built in 1890. It’s used as an exhibit space featuring furniture and other items from the era in which the home was built.The Easley Country Store replica will bring back memories for anyone who has recollection of an old-time country store. It is stocked with “merchandise” you might find on the shelves in the early 1900s. Lastly, the Gordon-Collins Log Cabin was relocated to the site from what is now Stephens Lake Park. The cabin was built by a Kentucky settler, David Gordon, and used as a temporary structure while building Gordon Manor. It’s also named for “Pop” Collins, a long-time groundskeeper at Stephens College who renovated the cabin while he worked at the college. The Village at Boone Junction is open by appointment for a fee or during the Heritage Festival, held the third week in September, the
Montminy Art Gallery
The East Gallery
Gordon-Collins Cabin
one weekend a year where tours of the buildings are free. During the festival, docents are on hand to share the history of the buildings and answer questions.
Just northwest of the village sits the Maplewood Barn, the seasonal summer home of Maplewood Barn Community Theatre. The original 133-year-old barn burned down in 2010, but was rebuilt with a few modern touches and is simply called “The Barn” by those who keep the shows running.
The theater has called the Barn home since 1973 and provided live community theater in an outdoor setting at the park.
“It feels like Maplewood Barn is a little less formal, a little more relaxed,” says Morgan Dennehy, Maplewood Barn Community Theatre president. “It’s an outdoor theater, so it’s a completely different experience. We don’t have air conditioning.You have to have dedication and real loyalty to go see a Barn show in the middle of Missouri July.”
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In 2019, the cast did “White Christmas” in July—in fur-lined costumes ... during a heatwave. People came, even in the middle of that Missouri-hot show. “It takes a certain level of really loving to be outdoors and loving the Barn to really do a Barn show.”
The sense of community and the sense of family at the Barn has always been the same. Dennehy hears people talk about the Barn, pre-fire, with this nostalgic awe and thinks people still have that same feeling about the Barn.
“It gives us all an opportunity to step outside of ourselves,” she says, “and really connect with those people around us, connect with the people on stage. It gives us an opportunity to meet our neighbors, to interact with people we wouldn’t necessarily interact with on a normal basis. And it gives us this wonderful opportunity to express ourselves whether through being an audience member, being a volunteer, behind the scenes, on the stage, vocally, or even physically.”
Maplewood Barn Community Theatre typically does a four-show season and usually includes a comedy and a classic (most often Shakespeare because Shakespeare in the Park is a total thing). When they do Shakespeare, they give it their own bent. For example, “Much Ado About Nothing” in 2015 was set in Columbia, and instead of soldiers coming home from war, it was football players coming back from homecoming—complete with a backdrop of Jesse Hall and the Columns.
“That’s the great thing about Shakespeare,” Dennehy says. “It’s so universal; you can really make it work for anything. I don’t think Shakespeare would mind.”
Neither does the audience.
“You come, and you bring a blanket or some lawn chairs. Pack a picnic basket. Bring a bottle of wine, some cheese; make yourself a little romantic picnic and watch a show under the stars.”
For information on hours of operation and schedules, visit BooneHistory.org or MaplewoodBarn.com.
Maplewood Barn Community Theatre
Maplewood Barn Community Theatre
A singular destination in a city full of them. The Broadway is a unique boutique hotel o ering exclusive amenities and an engaging experience from the ground up. Whether you’re staying for business or pleasure, warm, spacious rooms and a friendly attentive sta await you at The Broadway Hotel.
1111 E. Broadway, Columbia, MO 65201 • (573) 875-7000 Call hotel for more information or visit TheBroadwayColumbia.com
WHAT MOVES YOU MOVES US
Whether you’re building memories or business ties, Courtyard by Marriott Columbia is designed with your needs in mind and provides an enriched stay. Unwind in our contemporary rooms and suites featuring Wi-Fi, workstations, and large flat-panel TVs and take advantage of our free airport shuttle service, meeting space, on-site restaurant, and indoor pool and 24-hour fitness center. We look forward to seeing you soon.
Courtyard By Marriott ® Columbia 3301 Lemone Industrial Blvd | Columbia, MO 65201 573.443.8000 | Marriott.com/COUCY
ENTERTAINMENT & NIGHTLIFE
The Blue Note 17 N. 9th St. 573-874-1944
TheBlueNote.com
Built in 1927, The Blue Note is a premiere music venue, celebrating 40 years of live music. The modernized historic theater is located in the heart of downtown Columbia and draws some of the biggest names in music and comedy on a regular basis. Besides live events, The Blue Note is also an ideal destination for a unique, one-of-a-kind private or corporate event.
Columbia Entertainment Company 1800 Nelwood Drive 573-474-3699
CECTheatre.org
Community members of all ages perform plays and musicals like “Bye Bye Birdie,” “Cabaret,” and “Hello, Dolly!” among others at Columbia Entertainment Company, founded in 1979.
Maplewood Barn Community Theatre 2900 E. Nifong Blvd. 573-227-2276
MaplewoodBarn.com
The Maplewood Barn Community Theatre provides high-quality, live community theater in an informal, familyfriendly, outdoor setting in historic Nifong Park.
The Missouri Symphony 203 S. 9th St. 573-875-0600
TheMoSy.org
The Missouri Symphony produces an annual summer music festival, which features a wide selection of music genres performed by a professional orchestra whose members come from all over the world. Founded in 1970, the Missouri Symphony includes the Missouri Symphony Orchestra, The Missouri Symphony Conservatory and The Missouri Symphony League.
Ragtag Cinema 10 Hitt St. 573-441-8504
RagtagCinema.org
Columbia’s only arthouse theater, Ragtag Cinema exhibits independent, international and documentary films on two screens all year long. Ragtag regularly hosts community screenings, specialty film series and interactive experiences for the whole family.
Rose Music Hall 1013 Park Ave. 573-874-1944
RoseMusicHall.com
Rose Music Hall is a live music venue tucked away in downtown Columbia. Rose is the perfect place to check out up-and-coming national bands, as well as the best CoMo has to offer. During the summer, the music moves outside into Rose Park that boasts an outdoor stage and spacious patio. Enjoy live music, yard games, beer, tasty food and movies in the summertime.
Stephens College Playhouse and Warehouse Theatre 100 Willis, Stephens College Campus 573-876-7199
Stephens.edu
/PerformingArts
The Stephens College School of Creative and Performing Arts offers theater, dance and music performances throughout the academic year.
Performances feature students and faculty from Stephens’ theater program and guest artists from around the country.
LOCAL TIP
Talking Horse Productions
210 St. James St. 573-607-1740
TalkingHorse Productions.org
Talking Horse Productions is a professional theater company located in the North Village Arts District. Talking Horse produces plays in a variety of genres— dramas, comedies and musicals—in an intimate 70-seat black-box theater.
University Concert Series
203 S. 9th St. 573-882-3781
ConcertSeries.Missouri.edu
The University Concert Series brings world-class performing arts events to mid-Missouri. Opera, ballet, orchestra, chamber, jazz, pop, modern dance, Broadway shows, family events and nationally known performers are all a part of the Concert Series tradition.
MU Theatre at the Rhynsburger Theatre and Studio 4 129 Fine Arts Building UMC 573-882-7529
Theatre.Missouri.edu
MU Theatre brings the best in original, innovative and classical theater to Columbia throughout the year, including Summer Repertory.
The “We Always Swing” Jazz Series 21 N. 10th St. 573-449-3009
WeAlwaysSwing.org
The “We Always Swing” Jazz Series is one of the country’s foremost, independently run, all-jazz nonprofits dedicated to presenting the world’s finest musicians and providing educational opportunities for all including daily access to its 9,000+ collection of recordings.
The “We Always Swing” Jazz Series at Murry’s
Joel Anderson
FOOD & DRINK
Do One Thing. Do It Well.
Homegrown Success Stories of the Singularly Scrumptious
As with so many things, practice makes perfect. That old cliche applies across all disciplines, including culinary success. Whether it’s in the crust recipe, the dough preparation or simply the idea that eating food should be fun, these are three Columbia culinary masters doing one thing and doing it well.
To say the staff at Harold’s Doughnuts loves making doughnuts sounds like a bit of a reach, but it’s true—they love their craft. The doughnut shop’s mantra “Love Your Craft” developed as co-owners Michael and Karli Urban and co-owner and head doughnut pastry chef Melissa Poelling discussed the vision of what small-batch, artisanal, local doughnuts looked like.
“The words kept cycling through. ‘You do what you love; you love what you do,” Poelling says. “It’s not just a project; it’s not a job. This is my craft; it’s what I love. So whatever you do, love the whole process of what that is and what it becomes.”
Harold’s Doughnuts first opened as a commissary kitchen in 2014, and in 2015, the doors opened to the public. Each day, doughnut-making shifts start at 5 pm when the night crews start coming in. The day crew starts decorating at 3 am , and the counter staff comes in about 4 to fill the cases for the 6 am open. If they don’t sell out, when the closed sign comes out, the process begins again.
Closing time shifts with the season and demand, Poelling says. Midday is too early for some people. If there’s rain, it’s over; stop and go home. Football game times are a consideration on game days, and January is brutally slow for the fried pastry because everyone is focused on health. But the target is 2 pm
The guilty pleasure … that’s where Poelling’s philosophy comes from. “I appreciate things in moderation, and how you handle your moderation is on you,” she says. “My job is to make the tastiest thing I know how to provide you value for your moderation.”
Those “things” come in a variety of daily options: two classic sets (glazed and buttermilk cake in vanilla, chocolate, maple, cinnamon/ sugar icing flavors) along with a handful of other regulars.
“We also make the Boston creme every day,” Poelling says. “There would be a mutiny and a coup if we didn’t, for sure.” Bacon maple is another regular that flies out of the doughnut case, and there are six specialty flavors rotated into the mix each month, along with a monthly specialty box such as Boozy, Cereal Milk, Valentine’s and Mother’s Day boxes among others that must be pre-ordered.
“We are a from-scratch shop. We make everything in-house, by hand, including our sprinkles. We do have a tendency to sell out,” Poelling says. “Our goal really is to bring happiness and joy through doughnuts.”
The bakers at Peggy Jean’s Pie s are early risers as well. They have to be to make more than 250 pies a day—fruit pies, cream pies, savory pot pies and some quiches.
“We get so many calls from people, ‘Do you do cheesecakes? Do you do bread pudding? Do you do …’ insert everything, and I’m like, ‘nope,’ ” s ays Rebecca Miller, the daughter in the motherdaughter duo that owns Peggy Jean’s Pies. Employees even jump in questioning the offerings, but she insists, “No, this is world pie domination not world cheesecake domination.”
Peggy Jean’s Pies had a former life when Miller’s mother, Jeanne Plumley, opened a pie shop by the same name in 1994 with another business partner, Peggy Day. That shop shuttered a decade later. Then in 2014, Miller and Plumley decided to give it another go. Seven years, a handful of national accolades and a move to a new location double the pie-making space of their first indicates they made the right decision.
When you enter the shop, you might see flour dusting the prep tables while dough is being made and smell the aroma of fruit being prepared and cooked for the fruit pies. You might catch the finished pies coming out of the ovens and being boxed for the pie case.
Peggy Jean’s Pies is an open-concept experience where customers can see the process from start to finish.
“It just works for whatever reason,” Miller says. “People will come in because they’re having a bad day and they need a treat
and a friendly face, or they’re coming in because they’re having a super good day and they want to celebrate. They kind of use that connection for all sorts of different things.”
The pie experience begins with the crust. If you’ve ever made pie dough from scratch, you know there is an art form to it, but a tried-and-true recipe makes a difference. Peggy Jean’s Pies dough is made from a proprietary recipe handed down from Miller’s grandmother that she, her mother and her son and daughter know how to make. No one else. It’s a family secret.
The crust is then filled with either a fruit or nut option, a cream flavor or one of the savory pot pies that come in chicken, beef, buffalo and southwest. Daily pie flavor selection is not exactly a science. Day of the week, temperature and current trends, among other unusual factoids, play into the offerings Miller selects. It’s more of a gut feeling than a formula, she says. White Chocolate Strawberry is the most popular and has been since it unseated Dutch Apple after a Food Network article named it a “favorite pie” in 2018. Dutch Apple still comes in second followed by Chocolate Bourbon Pecan, but no matter your favorite flavor, the crust brings it home.
“It sounds so cheesy but we really really love what we do and we really believe in it,” Miller says. “The things that we’re making are going to be a very big part of people’s celebrations. … We’re not just pies; we are a part of a much bigger experience.”
Peggy Jean’s Pies
Jeanne Plumley, Rebecca Miller and Ellery Miller
THE REAL DEAL
At Shakespeare’s Pizza, they aren’t early-risers like the folks at Harold’s Doughnuts, and their pies are distinctly different than those at Peggy Jean’s. For nearly 50 years, Shakespeare’s has been selling its slices to generations of pizza-lovers, but Shakespeare’s Pizza Manager Kurt Mirtsching says it’s always been about more than the pizza.
“Years ago the late Jay Lewis Jr. [Lewis bought Shakespeare’s in 1976] and a bunch of the people that worked there in the early years inadvertently created a culture,” Mirtsching says. “It’s the culture of the organization that really matters, whether you’re making pizzas or widgets or cars or providing a service. The culture that he cultivated was one that was really conducive to throwing a really fun party. At the end of the day at Shakespeare’s, we don’t just make pizza because people are hungry.”
Indeed, the pizza is delicious, he says, “but it’s everything else that goes along with it. It is and it isn’t the fun stuff that’s on the walls. It is and it isn’t the really cool old bricks in the old building. (What’s there now was torn down and we recreated it.) It is and it isn’t the employees behind the counter having a good time and being themselves. It’s all of those things, put together, and the whole experience and feeling and atmosphere you pull in when you go to Shakespeare’s.”
Mirtsching isn’t sure whether Jay had all of that in mind when he bought the then-three-year-old pizza place, but the culture has resonated with customers over the years, he says. It’s authentic. It’s not fake.
“We really just want to throw a fun party for the people that come here and serve a good pizza,” he says, “and we don’t want to do it because that’s what the market demands but because that’s what we want to do.”
Shakespeare’s pizza doesn’t adhere to any particular style— Chicago or New York. What the pizza chefs create in the kitchen is a pizza made with the best whole ingredients they can find, and on average they’ll make nearly a thousand pizzas on a normal day. On MU football Saturdays or during graduations, that number goes up.
There are three locations in Columbia now and a frozen division that makes pizzas for local grocers’ freezer cases, but the first Shakes at the corner of 9th and Elm streets is the one beloved by MU students and alumni and featured on “Good Morning America” and countless sports articles about SEC experiences in Columbia. In his laid back attitude, Mirtsching attributes much of that to the fact that many of those journalists honed their reporting skills across the street at the MU School of Journalism while eating a slice of Shakespeare’s pizza. He’ll take the nods, though; he’s glad to have them.
The folks at Shakespeare’s Pizza know they’re not the only pizza place in town, so they’re happy when customers walk in the door, he adds. “If they want to come in, we’d be glad to make a pizza for them. We hope they enjoy the party; a lot of folks do.”
And you can take your souvenir drink cup home with you.
NOM NOM NOM
From American to Vietnamese and everything in between, more than 150 restaurants and myriad chefs await in Columbia to please your palate.
Community has been important to Beet Box Chef Amanda Elliott and her business partner and chef, Ben Hamrah, since they began working together in 2016 at Peachtree Catering. They brought that mindset with them when they opened their Middle Eastern-inspired restaurant, Beet Box, in 2019.They use locally grown ingredients whenever possible, pay a living wage to employees and support the community whenever they can, like offering free, healthy meals to students or families affected by school closures, as well as to area healthcare workers, during the pandemic. For them, Columbia is home. After culinary training, Elliott spent more than a decade in the catering and restaurant industry in New York City before returning to her home town of Columbia; likewise, Hamrah trained in France before coming home to help his family at Peachtree. When they met, they hit it off through their shared passion for Middle Eastern cuisine. If Elliott is cooking for you, it’s going to be a simple and complex affair—something like rich pork carnitas and fresh tortillas that have flavors that marry well together without being pretentious. If you’re lucky enough to come for a group dinner, she loves to focus on a main protein ingredient with an array of mezze (all the side dishes that go with it) on a community-style table, common in the Middle East and elsewhere in the Mediterranean. Every culture has a different interpretation of the communal table, she says, and all of the dishes that come together to make a meal memorable. That’s why food is so universal; it’s something to join over because it’s relatable.
44 Canteen 21 N. 9th St. 573-777-8730
44 Stone Public House 3910 Peachtree Drive 573-443-2726
1839 Taphouse 212 E. Green Meadows Road, Ste. 2 573-441-1839
A Little More 1010 E. Broadway 573-886-0038
Abigail’s 206 Central St. Rocheport 573-698-3000
Addison’s American Grill 709 Cherry St. 573-256-1995 4005 Frontgate Drive 573-607-2129
Angelo’s Pizza & Steakhouse 4107 S. Providence Road 573-443-6100
Arris’ Pizza 1020 E. Green Meadows Road 573-441-1199
B&B Bagel Co. 124 E. Nifong Blvd. 573-442-5857 904 Elm St. 573-447-7517
Harold’s Doughnuts 204 E. Nifong Blvd. 573-447-7555
Harpo’s Bar & Grill 29 S. 10th St. 573-443-5418
Heidelberg Restaurant
410 S. 9th St. 573-449-6927
Honey Baked Ham
QUENCH
Bur Oak Brewery
Broadway Brewery 816 E. Broadway 573-443-5054
BroadwayBrewery.com
Located in the heart of downtown, in The District, Broadway Brewery combines the love of craft beer with local food and public gathering. The rotating menu features local, seasonal fare.
Bur Oak Brewing Company
8250 Trade Center Drive
BurOakBeer.com
Bur Oak Brewing Company is a craft beer microbrewery located just east of Columbia off of I-70 at exit 133. Find 15,000 square feet of space to enjoy one of fifteen beers on tap and a bite to eat.
Dogmaster Distillery
210 St. James St. 573-777-6768
DogmasterDistillery.com
Located in the North Village Arts District, Dogmaster Distillery crafts New American spirits and specialty cocktails
510 E. Green Meadows Road, Ste. 107 573-256-4267
Hoss’s Market & Rotisserie
1010A Club Village Drive (Corner of Nifong & Forum) 573-815-9711
Flat Branch Pub & Brewing 115 S. 5th St. 573-499-0400
FlatBranch.com
Enjoy hand-crafted beers on tap or a great house-made root beer along with a good meal in Flat Branch’s upscale industrial setting or on the tree-covered outdoor patio.
Les Bourgeois Vineyards & Rocheport Distilling Co. 14020 W. Hwy BB Rocheport 800-690-1830 MissouriWine.com
Les Bourgeois Vineyards features a tasting room, Blufftop Bistro and the A-Frame Patio where guests can enjoy the winery’s wine, spirits and gourmet food in a picturesque setting atop the bluffs along the Missouri River. Additionally, a craft distillery, Rocheport Distilling Co., is housed at Les Bourgeois Vineyards at Rocheport.
Logboat Brewing Company 504 Fay St. 573-397-6786
LogboatBrewing.com
Logboat Brewing Company is a family and dog-friendly microbrewery located in northeast downtown Columbia complete with a taproom and large, fenced-in park setting.
Waves Cider Co. 604 Nebraska Ave. 573-397-6786
WavesCider.com
Waves Cider Co. is Logboat’s new sibling. Owned by the same proprietors, Waves Cider Co. offers gluten-free hard cider to visitors in its tasting room and has a small space for private events.
Waves Cider Co.
Jina Yoo, Jina Yoo’s Asian Bistro 2200 Forum Blvd. #108, 573-446-5462, Le Bao Asian Eatery, 1009 Park Ave., 573-443-2867 CHEF SPOTLIGHT
A classically trained musician, Jina Yoo knew early on that she didn’t want to spend her life in the practice room. Instead she transitioned to something that had always given her joy: cooking and making people happy through food. It wasn’t a hard pivot. For her, music and cooking are very similar. Both have raw ingredients and melodies that, when combined, shine. Since 2007, she has served up her Asian fusion creations at Jina Yoo’s Asian Bistro, and at Le Bao, a steamed bun fusion place, since 2018. A Korean immigrant, Yoo revisits the dishes of her youth when she cooks for friends and family at home. But, she’s also been known to infuse the daily soup menu at the bistro with new one-off recipes she literally throws together. She likes being able to bring in other food cultures in this small way on occasion so you might find a Korean wedding soup or chicken tortilla soup with Asian twists. Likewise, her restaurants don’t serve typical Asian fare, and she suggests bringing an open mind when you come. Her goal is to make her food something her customers come back for time after time.
Hot Box Cookies 1013 E. Broadway 573-777-8777
House of Chow 2101 W. Broadway 573-445-5763 or 573-445-8800
Growing up, eating healthy was not the norm for Nourish Cafe & Market Chef Kimber Dean, but she is now on a journey to live well and help others do the same. At Nourish, she uses whole foods, sourced locally if at all possible, for the gluten-free, soy-, cornand refined sugar-free scratch-made dishes on the menu. At home, she may whip up some spring rolls for her guests or healthy tacos made with walnut meat and lentils, and of course fresh spices for everything. She spends up to 12 hours a day in the kitchen, cooking and experimenting, and she’ll make you anything you want—she’ll just make it healthy, like creating a recipe for vegan marshmallows and perhaps making vegan bacon out of a carrot strip. Dean loves that food connects people even when they don’t speak the same language and believes everyone deserves the gift of good health.
Room 38
38 N. 8th St. 573-449-3838
Sagua La Grande Cuban Cafe 114 S. 9th St., Ste. 101 573-818-1766
Sake 16 S. 10th St. 573-443-7253 (SAKE)
Seoul Taco 1020 E. Broadway 573-441-8226
Shakespeare’s Pizza
225 S. 9th St. 573-449-2454
3304 W. Broadway Business Park Court
573-447-1202
3911 Peachtree Drive
573-447-7435
Shiloh Bar & Grill 402 E. Broadway 573-875-1800
Shortwave Coffee 915 Alley A 573-214-0880 29 S. 9th St. 573-214-0880
Sophia’s 3915 S. Providence Road 573-874-8009
South Florida Style Chicken and Ribs 600 Business Loop 70 W. 573-507-6981
Sparky’s Homemade Ice Cream 21 S. 9th St. 573-443-7400
LOCAL FRESH FOOD
Growers and makers in and around Columbia sell their projects at three major farmers markets in the city, among others. Check them out and get to know the people who grow and raise food.
Boone County Farmers Market
Columbia Mall Parking Lot, Stadium Boulevard
BooneCountyFarmers.com
Saturdays, 8 am-noon (May–October)
A variety of farmers and artisans selling fruits, vegetables, eggs, meats, plants and much more. Market vendors accept cash, checks, credit and debit cards.
Columbia Farmers Market
MU Health Care Pavilion, 1769 W. Ash St. 573-823-6889
Experience the taste of mid-Missouri! Fresh vegetables and fruit, meat, farm fresh eggs, cheeses, honey, cut flowers, plants, artisan items and more. As a producer-only market, everything sold here is offered by the farmers and artisans who help sustain our region. SNAP (food stamps) accepted at all markets. Live music every Saturday.
Orr Street Farmers and Artisans Market
126 N. 10th St. Facebook.com/farmandart
Sundays, 9 am-1 pm (April-October)
In the heart of the North Village Arts District on the grounds of the historic Wabash Station, Orr Street Farmers and Artisans Market is a prime Columbia destination for farm fresh produce, plants, unique art and jewelry, informational workshops, food trucks and entertainment.
Stadium Grill
1219 Fellows Place
573-777-9292
Strollway Market
114 S. 9th St.
573-397-6322
Sub Shop
209 S. 8th St.
2105 W. Worley St.
601 W. Business
Loop 70 #203
805 E. Nifong Blvd.
573-449-1919
Sycamore
800 E. Broadway
573-874-8090
Taco Bell
3301 Clark Lane
573-886-0625
220 Business Loop 70 E. 573-449-1421
2009 Bernadette Drive
573-446-4266
1421 Cinnamon Hill Lane
573-442-9721
411 S. Providence Road
573-443-7354
508 E. Nifong Blvd.
573-875-0359
1100 Smiley Lane
573-449-9801
Taj Mahal
601 Business Loop 70 W., Ste. 206
573-256-6800
Taqueria Don Pancho 3907 Peachtree Drive
573-818-1591
Teller’s Gallery and Bar 820 E. Broadway 573-441-8355
T.G.I Friday’s 3030 I-70 Drive S.E. 573-817-2440
The Roof 1111 E. Broadway 573-875-7000
The Quarry 1201 E. Broadway 573-447-7462
Thirsty Turtle 916 Business Loop 70 E. 573-442-6696
Toasty Goat Coffee Co. 3301 W. Broadway Business Park Court, Ste. A 573-814-2303
Tony’s Pizza Palace 17 N. 5th St. 573-442-3188
Tortilleria El Patron 711 Vandiver Drive, 573-607-9127
Tropical Smoothie Cafe 403 N. Stadium Blvd. Ste. 102, 573-445-5115 2609 E. Broadway, Ste. 200, 573-355-5875
Truman’s Bar & Grill 3304 Broadway Business Park Court 573-445-1669
U Knead Sweets 808 Cherry St. 573-777-8808
Uprise Bakery 10 Hitt St. 573-256-2265
Wicked Asian Wings 807 E Walnut St. 573-442-8359
Willie’s Pub & Pool 1109 E. Broadway 573-554-1485
“Food for the soul” is how South Florida Style Chicken and Ribs grill master Gerald Nathan Sr. describes what he makes in his kitchen. A transplant from south Florida by way of a couple of stops in North Carolina, Nathan Sr. landed in Columbia when his son, Gerald Nathan Jr., came to play football for Mizzou. For years, Nathan Sr. used his knack for grilling to help kids compete in youth sports programs. Sales from his grill helped countless young athletes play the sports they loved, and more than a few times he was told he should start a restaurant. So he did. His grill found a resting spot in Columbia on The Loop, and his customers there leave with more than a full belly. For Nathan Sr., it’s about making them feel like they are part of the family cooking for them, much the way his mother did when he was growing up. In fact, her cooking is the inspiration for the seasoning he uses in his dishes—it’s a formula based on those she used, nearly 25 ingredients—and that seasoning and the Nathan family are the backbone of what he does.
Jheron Nunnelly’s transformation into a chef came gradually. Nunnelly started in fast food at the age of 15. From there, this midMissourian took classes and honed his skills at some of Columbia’s premier dining spots—a little Cajun here, some barbecue there—that would eventually lead him to open his own catering company, Food Party, and Mr. Murphy’s food truck. His slow-smoked meats and baked potatoes that form some of the base ingredients for many of his menu items hold a special place in Nunnelly’s heart. Growing up, when he was not in school, he would often make lunch runs for his dad, and the meal was almost always the same: baked potatoes topped with barbecue from a local barbecue joint. Nunnelly’s favorite was slathered in brisket, cheese, chives and sour cream much like some of his creations today. He says it’s hard to go wrong with meat and potatoes.
Holly Kite, Mr. Murphy’s
Jheron Nunnelly, Mr. Murphy’s Serving the Columbia Area
Gerald Nathan Sr., South Florida Style Chicken and Ribs 1600 Business Loop 70 W., 573-507-6981
CHEF SPOTLIGHT
FOOD ON THE GO
COMO FOOD TRUCKS
The Big Cheeze
573-529-6236
Facebook.com/ TheBigCheezeMizzou
Grab a gourmet grilled cheese at The Big Cheeze, which serves this homey concoction with all sorts of yummy amendments, or classic if that’s your wish.
Big Daddy’s BBQ
573-875-2227
Facebook.com/ BigDaddysBBQCoMo
Big Daddy’s BBQ serves Southern, family-style barbecue. Their secret recipe barbecue sauce tops everything from pulled pork to rib tips.
Billy Hinson’s Old School BBQ
573-489-4893
Facebook.com/ BillyHinsonsOld SchoolBBQ
Barbecue at this food truck is done the old school way—low and slow. Just look for the yellow school bus.
Eats and Treats
573-338-2422
Facebook.com/ EatsAndTreats1234
Eats and Treats serves everything from breakfast to barbecue, but their specialty is serving up Central Dairy ice cream.
Gator Wagon
Facebook.com/ GatorWagon
Lilly’s Cantina
573-355-4831
LillysCantina.com
Lilly’s Cantina features fresh ingredients to create Baja Midwest fusion dishes. It’s a gourmet take on traditional Mexican food.
Mr. Murphy’s 573-808-7192
Facebook.com, Mr Murphy Stuffed Potatoes
Mr. Murphy’s serves up more than spuds stuffed with everything from smoked chicken or pulled pork to sloppy Joes or pot roast. Nachos and salads are also menu mainstays, which can be topped with anything a spud can be. Chips and smoked meats are house-made, and other ingredients are sourced locally.
Ozark Mountain Biscuit Company
573-999-9323
OzarkMountain Biscuits.com
Biscuits are the star of the show at Ozark Mountain Biscuit Company. They use fresh seasonal ingredients to create generations-old Southern dishes, on biscuits, food-truck style.
The Patty Wagon
573-673-8736
Facebook.com/
ThePattyWagonCoMo
As its name implies, the Gator Wagon serves up fried alligator, catfish, frog legs and more.
Jamaican Jerk Hut
573-607-9779
Facebook.com/ JamJerkHut
Traditional Jamaican cuisine in the middle of Missouri.
Kona Ice
573-819-5432
Facebook.com/ KonaIceCoMo
A mobile Hawaiian-style shaved ice company providing services that include local events, festivals, school activities, special catering events and more.
Munchi’s Fish & Chicc’n 573-443-0162 Facebook.com/ MunchisCoMo Fast urban cuisine with a soul food twist can be found at Munchi’s Fish & Chicc’n. You’ll find fried catfish nuggets, pizza puffs, tempura shrimp and more; plus, everything comes with Munchi Sauce, a honey hot sauce. The food truck travels, but you can usually find it at 922 Business Loop 70 E.
Nuu Thai 573-427-7368 Facebook.com/ NuuThaiFood
Find authentic Thai food at Nuu Thai food truck. The chefs specialize in basil dishes, egg noodles and spring rolls.
RIVERFRONT REFRESHMENT FOR BODY AND SOUL
Finding a food truck is easy if you know where to look. In addition to checking websites and Facebook pages, it’s a pretty safe bet you’ll find one or two if you head down to Cooper’s Landing, 11505 Smith Hatchery Road. Founded in 1820 as Nashville, which was swept away in the flood of 1844, Cooper’s Landing sits on the Missouri River at Providence Bend in Boone County, south of Columbia. Cooper’s Landing has been a favorite local hangout on the river for more than 30 years and changed hands a few times. It’s newest owner, Richard King, got a proper introduction to the river just three days after he bought the property in 2019 when the Missouri River flooded. “The Army Corps of Engineers called and said, ‘Evacuate the property. The water’s coming up, and we have no way of stopping it,” King says.
The Patty Wagon has the smash burger method locked in tight. Check them out for what they claim are “the most wanted burgers in town.”
VooDoo Sno
573-212-8444 Facebook.com/ VooDooSno
At VooDoo Sno, you can get New Orleans-style sno-balls, the snow cone’s fluffier, flavorful cousin.
Wrap It Up
573-222-0363 Facebook.com/
WrapItUpMo
Wrap It Up offers healthier fare for those looking for wraps, bowls and hoagies.
Zydeco’s Cajun
Kitchen Food Truck
660-693-3544
Facebook.com/ ZydecosCo
Zydeco’s Cajun Kitchen serves delicious Cajun food. They offer fresh seafood, po-boys and vegetarian dishes that highlight the very best of Louisiana cuisine.
But there were silver linings in that cloud—erm, deluge—and now he knows what to do when the water rises. But historic floods aren’t an everyday event at Cooper’s Landing. The view from the river bank is constant though, and King says visitors from the Katy Trail, which runs adjacent to Cooper’s, say the river view is the best there over any other point on the Katy.
When the waters subsided, King set about giving Cooper’s Landing new life, and part of that was seeking out food and drink options for guests. The store at Cooper’s stocks local brewery options and non-alcoholic beverages, but it had no kitchen, so food trucks filled the void.
For many years, a Thai food truck was present on-site, but the new rotating schedule of trucks gives guests a wider variety. Food trucks from Columbia, Ashland, Jefferson City, Moberly and Fulton, among other locations, set up shop along the riverbank in the rotation. Space is limited, so Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays will usually have at least two options, while weekdays typically see one, during high season (early spring through late fall). But, even in the off-season, you’ll find food trucks if the weather is cooperating.
Picnic tables line the river bank and offer spots to enjoy a meal and good company, but King says the best part is added by the Missouri River. “It’s such a beautiful scene; the river is just so calming,” he says. He gets it now. Friends had been telling him about this special place for years. The cool morning hours are the best time of day, he adds.The quiet along the river is breathtaking. Cooper’s Landing is open year-round, weather permitting, for visitors and for food trucks. Find food truck, camping and event information on Facebook (@CoopersLandingMO) or at CoopersLandingMO.com.
Cooper’s Landing
SHOPPING
Boutiques Beckon
Find what you need at a small Columbia shop.
Columbia’s shopping districts and centers are dotted with boutiques that offer everything from gourmet olive oils to local arts and crafts and sugar cookies to monogrammed gear. These three provide a sampling for unique handmade items, home goods and furry friends.
THE ONE-OF-A-KIND POPPY
Part gift shop, part art gallery, Poppy celebrated 40 years in business in 2021. In those four decades the boutique has made a name for itself in the handmade, one-of-a-kind market. The owner since 2011, Liz Tucker says that success is due to a trifecta that keeps it going: the customers, the employees and the makers items they sell.
When Tucker took over the helm, she couldn’t put her finger on why she bought Poppy. “I just felt like it was where I was supposed to be,” she says. “I’ve always been creative and arts focused.” What drives her now are the interactions she has each day with the aforementioned trifecta. “I have these three distinct interactions every day with people that contribute to a different aspect of this business, and each one of them is essential. It’s really a symbiotic relationship.”
Many who come into the boutique for the first time are surprised at what the store offers, Tucker says. “The response we get is ‘We didn’t know there were shops like this in the Midwest.’ What Poppy has always done is drawn from other places, brought back from other places and put it in one spot.”
Tucker and her team bring in dozens of makers’ wares from across the country and around the corner. Poppy was the first shop to carry work from 1Canoe2, a local letterpress and illustration studio, known for greeting cards, notebooks, planners, note pads and a newer line of textiles. Handmade jewelry from about 10 West Coast jewelers who focus on sustainable practices and use ethically sourced gemstones can also be found in the store.
The newest addition to the shop is Poppy Hand-Crafted Popcorn, a gourmet popcorn line that shares its name with the boutique. Hesitant to carry food items, which is something the store hadn’t done in the past, Tucker met the popcorn company owners at a market and decided to give it a go. Poppy has carried the popcorn line for four years now.
Logo
“What it did for the shop, which was unexpected for me, was that we added more pantry items because of that one item,” she says. Some of those new items include chocolate bars and teas.
But while the new gourmet food items are successful, it’s the one-of-a-kind or limited edition items like stationery, jewelry and artisan wares that bring customers back.
Tucker recommends, “If you see it and you like it, you should probably grab it because it might not be here again, which is the nature of handmade.”
Poppy
COMFORTS OF HOME
Coming Home packs more than might be expected in its barely 600 square feet of retail space at 110 Orr St., Suite 103. Owner Jean Gruenewald first saw the space while having lunch at Range Free next door and began dreaming of what she could do with it.
“By the time I got home, I had the name,” Gruenewald says. “It was just the right place at the right time.”
Today, interesting items line the walls, shelves and floor space of this tiny shop, and sometimes they even spill out into the courtyard between the store and nearby businesses. Gruenewald’s philosophy for the items she carries helps keep the offerings in check. When she is considering an item to carry, she asks: Is it unique? Is it nostalgic? Is it sustainable? Is it a “comfort” thing for the home? This provides a good measuring stick as to what you’ll find inside.
“When I see something that doesn’t really fit—it might be something really cool, but it doesn’t really fit with this—then I have to say ‘no,’ ” she says.
Gruenewald recommends walking around the store a few times to see everything there is to see—just once and you might miss that special thing you never knew you needed. The nostalgic jigsaw puzzles jump out first. Then you might pick up the dog biscuit tin or maybe a glass, stainless steel or bamboo reusable straw. Napkins made from recycled plastic bottles or beeswax wraps might be just what you’re looking for or dental floss made with activated charcoal to help clear out the honey-sweetened dark chocolate she carries. Her most recent favorite item is LastSwab, quite possibly the last “cotton” swab you’ll ever use. (The manufacturer boasts it saves 1,000 swabs from the landfill).
Part of what Gruenewald loves about setting up her small space on Orr Street is meeting people who appreciate the things she does: home goods that are unique, nostalgic and sustainable at a reasonable price.
A PASSION FOR PETS
Furry family members are pampered pets at Lizzi and Rocco’s Natural Pet Market. With two locations, these boutiques cater to all kinds of pets.
With a host of pets of their own, Jessica Schlosser and her husband Kyle Schlosser opened Lizzi and Rocco’s in 2009. The store concept had been on the back burner for a while, but when the recession hit in 2008 and Kyle found himself unemployed, they thought, Why not now?
“I have been an animal fanatic since birth,” Jessica says, “and I’m lucky enough to have a great partner who’s along for the ride!” Lizzi and Rocco’s combines both their passion for pet health and their entrepreneurial spirits.
Healthy, biologically appropriate food for every species is the store’s top priority, Jessica says. “Proper feeding is the key to health and longevity, and nutrition is our passion and what drives so many decisions for the products we carry.”
Both locations, 1610 I-70 Drive SW (north) and 550 E. Green Meadows (south), offer pet foods, treats, leashes, food dishes, toys, accessories, carriers and even aromatic wax melts for your home … you name it, they probably have it for your pet. And, the larger Green Meadows location offers a full-service pet bakery and professional dog-training services.
While dogs are by far their largest category, and wild birds the smallest, they don’t cater specifically to anything incredibly unique, although they have made birthday cakes for a goat and a pig.
“We’re a quirky bunch,” Jessica says, “but we are incredibly passionate about what we do.”
Coming Home
Lizzi & Rocco’s
Media Hunters Mecca
Books, games and treasures, oh my!
For the book worm, the collector or the gamer in your life, Columbia’s media mavens have what you’re looking for.
For more than 40 years, Columbia Books, 1907 Gordon St., has filled the wishes of readers and collectors near and far. This shop has an eclectic mix of 33,000 catalogued books on the shelves, from new releases to 400-year-old volumes. Predating the big online booksellers, the store began selling books online in 1992 and will seek out editions they don’t have for customers looking for specific titles. The shop also has a large collection of prints, maps and older periodicals available. While perusing the shelves, you might say hello to the resident cats, Mango and Taboo, who call Columbia Books home.
On the other hand, the owners at Distant Planet Comics and Collectibles, 601 Business Loop 70 W., #263, specialize in comics. The comics market can be separated into two: one is readers who consume new comics as they release, and the other is collectors who seek out vintage editions for their bookshelves. Distant Planet predominantly serves the former. Shelves are lined with new releases, graphic novels, trade paperbacks and collectibles suitable for all ages. This small shop also features a wide selection of independent small publishers and an inclusive inventory. Owner Brandy Cross says she prides herself in making comics approachable to everyone. If you’re new to comics, she says, they can pair you with a series that you’ll love.
Musical tastes are as varied as those in the comic industry, and Hitt Records, 10 Hitt St., has vinyl to suit any ear. Columbia’s only independent, locally-owned record store, Hitt Records specializes in new non-mainstream music (underground rap, electronic, world, experimental, ambient, drone, metal, etc.) but also has a vast selection of used vintage records—some 10,000 titles in all on average. The internet has changed the way people approach music, says Kyle Cook, Hitt Records co-owner, and they’re seeking out new, interesting, independent and fringe artists while looking for older standards like Ella Fitzgerald and Miles Davis. As a result, musical tastes are incredibly varied. Hitt carries it all and always keeps in stock a little J Dilla Donuts, whose popular collection of beats presents a kaleidoscope of instrumental hip hop. It’s a shop for anyone who loves music, he says, but especially for the curious minds looking for something they’ve never heard before.
Comic book characters have enjoyed an explosion in popularity over the last decade, and Rock Bottom Comics, 1013 E. Walnut St., has been providing readers with new releases, back issues and graphic novels for more than 45 years. The second comic book store in the state, Rock Bottom focuses on making each visit informative and rewarding, whether for a first-time comic reader or a knowledgeable collector. They speak superhero fluently but are also delighted to share noteworthy titles in other genres such as sci-fi, fantasy, horror, crime and comedy.
One of Columbia’s newer book nooks is Skylark Bookshop, 22 S. 9th St. At Skylark, the proprietors are authors themselves and take pride in getting to know their customers on a personal level to make sure they leave with the right book for them. With the shop’s hyper-curated book inventory as a backdrop, these booksellers provide reading subscriptions and a reading spa to tailor services uniquely to each reader. In addition, the shop carries a wide selection of quirky book-related items, from Tshirts to mugs to pencil cases, for other book lovers in your life, and shoppers can now purchase books online through the shop’s website.
For nearly 30 years, Slackers, 1010 E. Broadway, Ste. 101, has specialized in pop culture. This local business has grown to nine stores in the Midwest from its beginnings as predominantly a CD store that dabbled in early video games. Today, it carries any kind of pop culture item you can name, says Store Manager Stefan Sheffield, and if they don’t have it, they can find it. Slackers still stocks CDs, vinyl and cassette tapes for music aficionados, and there is a decent selection of older video games dating as far back as the late 1980s. But a large part of the store inventory now focuses on Funko Pop! and other pop culture items like action figures, stuffed figures and other types of collectibles that reflect the online gaming and pop culture industry.
At Yellow Dog Bookshop, 8 S. 9th St., story seekers can find unexpected treasures. This small locally owned bookshop is packed with a curated mix of classics and modern favorites, and the booksellers seek out titles they feel customers will be excited to find on their shelves. Particular genres of note include fiction, science fiction/fantasy and history. In addition to books, Yellow Dog also features a small selection of magazines, journals and greeting cards and occasionally hosts local and Missouri authors to perform readings from their works for guests.
So whether you’re on the hunt for a new book release, classic vinyl for that turntable you inherited, an introduction to a new-to-you medium or a classic from your childhood, there’s a shop for that in Columbia.
Hitt Records Slackers
SHOPPING
COMO BOUTIQUES
&
SHOPS
Broadway Shops and Broadway Bluffs Highway 63 and Broadway
573-446-5500
LindnerProperty.com
The Broadway Shops and Broadway Bluffs feature restaurants that include Applebee’s, Chipotle, Culver’s, Firehouse Subs, Crushed Red, Tropical Smoothie, Starbucks and WingStop. You can also find retailers and specialty shops such as Smallcakes, Scrubs & Beyond, Palen Music and others.
Columbia Mall
2300 Bernadette Drive (off I-70 on Stadium Boulevard)
573-445-8458
VisitColumbiaMall.com
Columbia Mall is anchored by Barnes & Noble, Dillard’s, JCPenney and Target and has more than 90 stores and nine restaurants, plus convenient, free parking.
Crossroads West Shopping Center
2101 W. Broadway (corner of Stadium and W. Broadway)
Stores and restaurants at Crossroads West Shopping Center include Andy’s Frozen Custard, Petco, Love Sushi, G&D Pizzeria, Once Upon a Child, Red Weir Athletic Supplies and more.
The District
573-442-6816
DiscoverTheDistrict.com
Nestled between three colleges, The District is a live/ work/play neighborhood that fosters the creative, the eclectic and the local. The District encompasses 50 square blocks of tradition and innovation, and more than 600 businesses, nonprofits and government entities call it home.
Forum Shopping Center
Corner of Forum and Stadium
573-446-5500
LindnerProperty.com
Anchored by Schnucks Supermarket, the Forum Shopping Center also features Goodrich Forum 8 Theaters, Treats Unleashed, Tuesday Morning, Eyes on Missouri and other retailers. Restaurants include Chris McD’s Restaurant & Wine Bar, Subway, La Terraza, The Grind Coffee House and Dickey’s BBQ.
The Loop
573-443-5667
TheLoopComo.com
Need to learn something or get something fixed or built? Check out the makers with get-it-done attitudes on The Loop. 170 retail, restaurant and services businesses are located on the I-70 Business Loop. They include Carpet One Floor + Home, Harbor Freight Tools, Hockman Interiors, Jabberwocky Studios, Mugs Up Drive-In and more.
Parkade Center 601 Business Loop 70 W. 573-442-2257
Stores and restaurants at Parkade Center include Harbor Freight Tools, Sub Shop, Yancey Auto Parts, Hockman Interiors and CosmoProf.
The Shoppes at Stadium 201 N. Stadium Blvd. 573-449-8323
Anchored by Dick’s Sporting Goods and PetSmart, the Shoppes at Stadium also includes Old Navy, rue21, Shoe Carnival, Five Guys Burgers and Fries, ULTA, Chick-fil-a and Bed, Bath and Beyond, among others.
ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES
Artichoke Annie’s Antique Mall
1781 Lindberg Drive
573-474-2056
At Artichoke Annie’s, quality antiques and furniture fill 200 booths in a 30,000 sq. ft. space. The shop is located 10 miles east of Columbia at Exit 137 on I-70.
Columbia Coin & Stamp
405C Bernadette Drive
573-445-1715
ColumbiaCoinAndStamp.com
Columbia Coin & Stamp buys and sells coins, stamps, gold and silver bullion and jewelry. The store also carries a full line of coin and stamp supplies.
Itchy’s Flea Market
1907 N. Providence Road 573-443-8275
Sites.Google.com/A /Hauptmanns.com/Itchys Filled with antiques, collectibles and other fun items, Itchy‘s Flea Market provides a nostalgic experience.
McAdams’ Ltd
1501 Old Highway 63 S. 573-442-3151
McAdamsLtd.com
In business for more than 40 years, McAdams’ Ltd. offers a wide selection of antiques, estate and fine jewelry, gifts and bridal registry, as well as furniture, custom upholstery, lighting and accessories.
Midway Flea Market & Antique Mall
6401 Highway 40 W. 573-445-0042
MidwayAM.com
Featuring quality antique furniture, art, Americana, jewelry, coins and collectibles, more than 450 dealers set up shop at Midway Flea Market
PLUME
Mizzou Memorabilia Postcards, Coasters
Alpine Shop
The District Boutiques
Boone
WELLNESS & FAITH
MIND, BODY & SPIRIT
With so many stresses in life, the importance of self care cannot be understated. Whether that looks like a deep-tissue massage or a fresh new haircut is up to you. Maybe some stretching is what you need, or a workout that gets the blood pumping. Seeking faith is a comfort for many. Whatever the preference is to unwind, Columbia has what you need for your mind, body and spirit.
Adaptable Pilates & Physical Therapy
300 St. James St., Ste. 101 & 102
573-474-3600
AdaptablePilates.com
alleyCat Yoga
17 N. 4th St.
573-864-4132
AlleyCatYoga.com
Bella Asian
Massage
1412 I-70 Drive S.W., Ste. 102 573-397-3663
NewLineAd.Wixsite.com/ BellaMassage
BodyWorks by Massage 1034 E. Walnut St., Ste. B 573-881-1242 (Text Only) BodyWorksByMassage.com
Chapel Hill Pilates & Yoga 2010 Chapel Plaza Court, Ste. A 573-446-0224 ChapelHillPilatesYoga.com
Clarity Float Spa
309 S Providence Road 573-825-8788 ClarityFloats.com
Life is Sweet Massage Therapy
The Clip Joint Salon & Spa 1608 Chapel Hill Road, Ste. A 573-445-3176 TheClipJointSalon.com
Dermistique Face & Body
221 N. Stadium Blvd., Ste. 105 573-447-1000 Dermistique.com
Element Cryotherapy 2901 W. Broadway, Ste. 115 573-214-2616 ElementCryo.com
Evolved Personal Training
200 E. Southampton Dr. 573-289-2806 EvolvedPT.com
Fly Away Therapeutic Massage 19 E. Walnut St., Ste. A 573-220-4163 FlyAwayMassage.com
Green Meadows Hair Co. & Spa 209C E. Green Meadows Road 573-442-2244 GreenMeadowsHairCo.com
Heart, Body & Soul
1004 W. Worley St. 573-777-6771
HeartBodyAndSoul.org
Life is Sweet Massage Therapy 23 S. 4th St. 573-999-1646
LifeIsSweetMassage.com
Massage Envy - Columbia 2703 E. Broadway, Ste. 131 573-446-3689 MassageEnvy.com
mk LUSH
110 N. 10th St., Ste. 7 573-449-8137 MKLush.com
Moon Yoga 23 S. 4th St. 573-449-8137
MoonYogaMo.com
Pure Barre
3310 Bluff Creek Dr., Ste. 107 573-874-9006
PureBarre.com/Mo-Columbia
Regeneration Salon & Spa + Wellness
3301 W. Broadway Business Park Court, Ste. H 573-234-1560
RegenerationSalonSpa.com
Riversong Spa & Salon
1101 Club Village Drive, Ste. 101 573-447-1772 RiverSongSpa.com
Sumits Hot Yoga Columbia
505 E. Nifong Blvd., Ste. 103 573-474-9642 SumitsYogaColumbia.com
The Strand Salon & Spa 1100 Club Village Dr. 573-875-3008 TheStrandSalonAndSpa. com
Yoga Sol 210 St. James St. 573-999-3903 YogaSol.org
Z Spa Massage 212 E. Green Meadows Road, Ste. 6 573-476-6768 ZSpa.us
PLACES OF FAITH
Columbia’s religious community is diverse and inclusive with nearly 100 worship houses. Catholic and Protestant Christian churches hold services throughout the week, along with Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu and Jewish congregations.
For a complete listing, visit VisitColumbiaMo.com.
Holly Kite, Dev Benjamin on Unsplash
SPECIAL OCCASIONS SHINE
From meet and greets to sit-down dinners to outdoor affairs, event venues in Columbia make special occasions memorable events. Across hundreds of venues, you’ll find both expected and unexpected locations and destinations, many with the ability to tailor the venue to fit your vision. Several hotels in Columbia offer conference and meeting space, and there is also a wide selection of stand-alone event venues from which to choose. From hotels to restaurants to music venues to churches to parks, these are a sampling. For a complete listing visit VisitColumbiaMo.com /Meeting-Professionals/Meeting-Planners/Columbia-Venues/.
Alpine Parks and Gardens
14341 Proctor Road
573-443-7106
AlpineParkAndGardens.com
• 40 acres of park
• 3,200 square feet of meeting space
• Amphitheater capacity: 200 for meetings or dinners
Columbia Country Club
2210 Country Club Drive
573-449-4115
ColumbiaCC.net
• Fireside pub, capacity 60
• Dining area, capacity 75
• Large ballroom, capacity 225
• Two outdoor spaces
• Outdoor patio
• Veranda seating
• Kitchen available
• AV is included with room rental fee
Sager Braudis Gallery
1025 E. Walnut St. 573-442-4831
SagerBraudisGallery.com
• Seated events, capacity 50
• Standing receptions, capacity 250
• All-inclusive rental packages
• Located in North Village Arts District, a convenient, downtown location
• Accessible parking
Sorenson Estate
5700 E. Hwy. WW 573-884-1191
Sorenson.Missouri.edu
• Indoor capacity, 100 (up to 60 for sit-down meal events)
• Outdoor capacity, 300
• Remote, intimate location with adaptable decor
• Modern kitchen available
• Onsite parking
The Atrium on Tenth 22 N. 10th St. 573-442-8220
TheAtriumOnTenth.com
• More than 7,000 square feet of available space
• Seated events, capacity 450
• Cocktail events, capacity 600
• Lower Atrium seats 75 and 125 cocktail guests
• A/V and video resources
• Public and street parking
• Full catering services available
Sorenson Estate
The Atrium on Tenth
LODGING
Best Western Plus
2904 Clark Lane
573-397-6471
BestWestern.com
The Broadway Columbia 1111 East Broadway 573-875-7000
Country Inn & Suites by Radison 817 N. Keene St. 573-445-8585
CountryInns.com/ColumbiaMO
Courtyard by Marriott 3301 LeMone Industrial Boulevard 573-443-8000
Marriott.com/coucy
Drury Inn & Suites 1000 Knipp Street 573-445-1800
DruryHotels.com
Drury Plaza Hotel 3100 I-70 Drive S.E. 573-441-0090
DruryHotels.com
Extended Stay America
2000 W. Business Loop 70 573-445-6800
ExtendedStayAmerica.com
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott 1115 Woodland Springs Court 573-886-8888 Marriott.com
Hampton Inn Columbia 3410 Clark Lane 573-886-9392
ColumbiaMo.HamptonInn.com
Columbia has a wide selection when it comes to lodging. From budget-friendly to conference centers and swimming pools to business centers, the combination of amenities you need at the price you desire is an easy fit to find.
Number of Rooms
Indoor/Outdoor Pool
Hampton Inn & Suites at MU 1225 Fellow’s Place Blvd. 573-214-2222
ColumbiaUniversitySuites .HamptonInn.com
Hilton Garden Inn 3300 Vandiver Drive 573-814-5464
ColumbiaMo.StayHGI.com
Holiday Inn East 915 Port Way 573-474-4444
HIColumbiaEast.com
Holiday Inn Executive Center 2200 I-70 Drive S.W. 573-445-8531 HolidayColumbia.com
Holiday Inn Express & Suites, University Area 1402 Cinnamon Hill Lane 573-442-8034 IHG.com
La Quinta Inn & Suites 2500 I-70 Drive S.W. 573-445-1899 LQ.com
