Beyond CoMo

Beyond CoMo Venture out and explore your new environs with these fun daytrips.

nn

BY KATHY CASTEEL

Columbia is right smack-dab in the middle of Missouri, making the city an ideal base for quick getaways to some fabulous nearby destinations. These daytrips can take you through the heart and soul of the Show-Me State and have you back home again by nightfall.

ROCHEPORT (15 miles) You don’t even have to leave Boone County to appreciate this tranquil little town on the Missouri River. Enjoy a spectacular view from the bluff top as you sip award-winning wines and dine on gourmet fare at Les Bourgeois Vineyards, Missouri’s third-largest winery. For the active set, Rocheport is your passport to the Katy Trail, the rails-to-trails state park that traverses the width of Missouri along the old Missouri-Kansas-Texas railway. Shoppers will find a bounty of antiques here, along with art galleries, artisan studios and one-of-a-kind boutiques. Top off your visit with a concert at the Rocheport General Store. Rocheport.com

BOONVILLE (25 miles) Just a short hop down Interstate 70 is the inviting town of Boonville. Named for the sons of frontiersman Daniel Boone, the city sits just south of where Nathan and Daniel Morgan Boone operated a saltworks in the 19th century. Today’s Boonville is a history buff’s dream, adorned with architectural gems such as the Hotel Frederick, Thespian Hall and elegant homes of a bygone era. Pick up a map for a walking tour at the River, Rails, and Trails Museum in the Visitors Center at the Katy Trailhead. You’ll find access nearby to the Katy Trail, Katy Bridge and the historic Katy Depot, the only surviving Spanish mission-style depot on the Missouri-Kansas-Texas railroad. Feeling lucky? Try your hand at the Isle of Capri casino for gaming

Rocheport

and live entertainment. If warm fuzzies are more your speed, visit Warm Springs Ranch, the breeding farm of the Budweiser Clydesdales. Take a tour for a closer look at these gentle giants, chat with the horses’ handlers, check out the latest crop of baby Clydesdales and snap all the selfies you like. GoBoonville.com

FULTON (30 miles) Winston Churchill put Fulton on the map when he delivered his Iron Curtain speech at Westminster College in 1946. The National Churchill Museum on the Westminster campus celebrates the remarkable life of this eloquent statesman. The complex includes a section of the Berlin Wall and the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury, a 17th-century London church designed by Sir Christopher Wren. Fulton is also home to Backer’s Auto World Museum and its collection of more than 100

classic cars. Literary types know that Fulton was the inspiration for Henry Bellamann’s novel King’s Row and the movie starring Ronald Reagan. See the suit Reagan wore in the film and other movie memorabilia at the Callaway Chamber of Commerce Visitor’s Center. VisitFulton.com

JEFFERSON CITY (31 miles) Missouri’s capital city is the seat of political power in the Show-Me State, and it’s just a short drive away on U.S. 63. The imposing Carthage-marble State Capitol sits high atop a bluff overlooking the Missouri River; the grounds include legislative and executive spaces, statuary and art by notable artists, the Missouri State Museum, Law Enforcement Memorial and Veterans Memorial. Explore prison life on the “bloodiest 47 acres in America” in a tour of the old Missouri State Penitentiary, then

MISSOURI DIVISION OF TOURISM PHOTO BY

Arrow Rock

Fulton make a break for freedom in the wild at Runge Nature Center. Grab some ice cream at Central Dairy, and check out unique museums dedicated to military history and veterinary medicine. VisitJeffersonCity.com

ARROW ROCK (43 miles) The entire village of Arrow Rock is a National Historic Landmark where you’ll find a treasure trove of historic homes, restored buildings, museums and quaint shops. Download the Friends of Arrow Rock app for a handy walking or driving tour. Dine at the J. Huston Tavern, the oldest continuously operated restaurant west of the Mississippi, visit state historic sites and revel in the sense of history here. If you crave more modern entertainment, the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre is your ticket to Broadway productions by the only professional theater troupe in central Missouri. ArrowRock.org

NOTLEY HAWKINS PHOTO BY

HERMANN (65 miles) Find a bit of Bavaria in the Missouri River hills. With 13 wineries in the area, this picturesque German town on the banks of the Missouri River is one of the state’s premier wine regions. A number of microbreweries and distilleries add to the spirited atmosphere. Soak up the Old World ambience at Oktoberfest, Maifest, Wurstfest and other events yearround. Dine on German cuisine, travel the wine trail, pack a picnic from the Wurst Haus and learn the intricacies of winemaking at Stone Hill’s Grapes to Glass tour. Browse antiques, art galleries, craft studios and boutiques. Sample 19th-century life at Hermann Farm, Deutschheim State Historic Site, the Caboose Museum and other attractions. Wunderbar! VisitHermann.com l

MISSOURI DIVISION OF TOURISM PHOTO BY

Jefferson City