DEVOTED TRANSPLANT

You’re no rookie Columbian. You no longer jump at the monthly tornado siren, and you have a list of favorite haunts (and know when they’re crowded or not). Level up your status by checking out these iconic spots that transplants need to know.

Stargaze At Laws Observatory

Gaze into our galaxy and beyond at Laws Observatory, which sits atop MU’s Astronomy and Physics building. Named after MU president Samuel S. Laws, who paid for some of the original equipment around 1880, the observatory has three telescopes that are available to the public from 8-10 p.m. on Wednesdays, weather permitting. 701 S College Ave. —TJ

The Katy Trail stretches 240 miles across Missouri, making it the longest rails-totrails project in the country. The trail utilizes the abandoned route of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad, and about half of it traces the westbound path of explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. Accessed via the MKT Trail, the Katy connects surrounding communities such as Boonville, Rocheport and Hartsburg, making it a perfect way to spend the day (or weekend). Don’t miss the only tunnel on the entire trail, which is less than a quarter mile from downtown Rocheport.

One of the best ways to explore the Katy is on a bike. If you don’t have your own, you can rent bikes in the trailside communities, such as the Meriwether Café and Bike Shop in Rocheport or the Hotel Frederick in Boonville. If you are up for the challenge, you can even rent tandem bikes at the Hotel Frederick. Launch from nearby trailheads — the Meriwether Café sits alongside the trail — and enjoy the mostly flat, historic passageway. Meriwether Café, 700 First St., Rocheport; Hotel Frederick, 501 High St., Boonville —CY

Frolic With Clydesdales At Warm Springs Ranch

If you’re looking to horse around, pay a visit to the home of the Budweiser Clydesdales at Warm Springs Ranch, west of Columbia. The 300-acre training and breeding facility has about 70 horses, and 20 to 25 foals are born between April and October. Warm Springs offers a variety of tours and experiences to explore and interact with horses. When the holiday season rolls around, the ranch turns into a winter wonderland with a drive-thru lights display. 25270 State Highway 98, Boonville

Hit Rock Bottom Comics

Opened in 1973, Rock Bottom Comics says it is the second longest-running comic book store in the state. The shop offers comics, action figures and other merchandise for any rookie or OG to choose from. 1013 E. Walnut St. —KS

Smell The Flowers At Shelter Gardens

Behind the Shelter Insurance headquarters off West Broadway sits 5 acres of beautiful and biodiverse gardens. With winding walking paths and swathes of green lawns, Shelter Gardens boasts more than 15,000 flowers and over 300 types of trees and shrubs. The Gardens is open daily from 8 a.m. to dusk, free of charge.

1817 W. Broadway —JS

ROAD TRIP TO JEFFERSON CITY FOR THOMAS HART BENTON’S

Take the scenic route south on U.S. 63 to our state capitol, where a storied 40-foot mural awaits. Both art and history lovers will enjoy painter Thomas Hart Benton’s monumental mural spanning the House Lounge on the Capitol’s third floor. The mural took the artist six months to complete. Benton’s expressive realistic style shows the good and the bad parts of Missouri’s social history. It artistically validates the experiences of historically disenfranchised groups, including Indigenous people and Black Americans. Your best bet to view the room-sized mural is to take a free tour of the building. Afterward, don’t leave Jeff City without stopping by Central Dairy Ice Cream Parlor for an array of flavors, classic shakes and famously huge banana splits. The business started in Columbia in the 1920s before moving to Jeff in the ’30s. Missouri Capitol Building, 201 W. Capitol Ave. Jefferson City; Central Dairy, 610 Madison St., Jefferson City

Beneath Artlandish Gallery

Near the back of Artlandish Gallery in the North Village Arts District, art-splattered stairs lead visitors down into catacombs. Although it sounds ominous, the subterranean art gallery is teeming with quirky works from dozens of local vendors. Before it was filled with paintings, drawings, textile art and more, the catacombs were a Wabash Railroad loading dock. The gallery is also a hub of activity during First Fridays — the district’s monthly art crawl. Stop for a Fretboard Coffee as you emerge from the catacombs. 1019

E. Walnut St. —TJ

White Chocolate Strawberry Pie PeggyJean’sPies

Three generations of women run nationally recognized Peggy Jean’s Pies, which now has two locations. Named one of America’s Best Pies by Food Network, the White Chocolate Strawberry is layered with white-chocolate cheesecake surrounded by baked strawberries and topped with fluffy strawberry whipped cream. 503 E. Nifong Blvd. and 421 N. Stadium Blvd.

Nachos Bianco

Addison’s Fan favorite Nachos Bianco comes in two sizes: Big or Less Big. The na chos pile high with housemade Italian pasta chips, an asiago sauce, olives, to matoes, banana peppers and chicken, chorizo or black beans, combining to create an ambitious appetizer.

Cherry St. and 4005 Frontgate Drive

Post-midnight anything El Rancho

With a Columbia-centric mural, El Rancho is a common stop for night owls or those looking for a post-bar snack. With hours extending to 2 a.m., customers can fix their latenight cravings including nachos, burritos and lunch specials of enchiladas, quesadillas, tacos, fajitas and chimichangas.

1014 E. Broadway

Take a bite out of Columbia’s food scene

Columbia might be a smaller city, but our food scene is mighty. Vox compiled a baker’s dozen of some iconic local dishes. Dig in.

Chocolate-covered Strawberries

CandyFactory

This local candy shop is an attraction for visitors. Tours are available by appointment to watch the chocolate-making process. The Chocolate-covered Strawberries are a stand-out treat. The shop only makes the strawberries for Valentine’s Day and during the spring and summer from Thursday to Saturday. Even sweeter: The strawberries can be picked up in-store, delivered or sent across the country as a gift for someone

Pierogies Café Poland

Opened in 2013 by Polish immigrant Robert Burlinski and run by his mother, Iwona Galijska, Café Poland brings a little piece of Poland to mid-Missouri. One favorite dish is the savory pierogies, traditional dumplings filled with cheese and potatoes, bacon and potatoes, or beef. 807 Locust St.

Pad Thai BigMamaChim’s Before Big Mama Chim’s Noodle House opened a small downtown location in 2018, it was a longtime staple at Cooper’s Landing. Pramuan “Chim” Duncan and her daughter serve authentic Thai curries, soups and noodle dishes — and the pad thai 905 Alley A its name from the creek that was the water source for the town’s settlers. Come for the house-brewed craft beer, but stay for the Chokes and Cheese, an artichoke dip with parmesan and cream cheese served hot in a bread bowl. 115 S. Fifth St.

Don Panchos

Father-son duo Pancho and Francisco Rutiaga run Taqueria Don Pancho. The restaurant has a menu of dishes that have been passed down in the family, like the discada taco, a mixture of beef, pork, bacon, sausage, ham and chorizo. One local favor handmade tortillas that customers can pur chase to take home.

3907 Peachtree Drive

The Sub Shop is a mainstay, thanks in part to the Veggie Sub. The sandwich has olives, onions, mushrooms, green peppers, three cheeses and tomato — all squeezed between madefrom-scratch buns. Visit one of three 208 S. Eighth St., 601 W. Business Loop 70, 2105 W. Worley St.

Uprise Bakery’s Columbia

Sourdough loaf is iconic with its flakey, golden-brown crust that encapsulates the fluffy, tangy inside. Uprise’s stand at the Columbia Farmers Market often sells out of sourdough early, but fear not: Find Uprise’s fresh-baked goodies at the store itself, local grocery stores and various restaurants. 10 Hitt St.

Apples and Sausage

Cafe Berlin

Open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Cafe Berlin is the place to be for brunch classics, as well as many plant-based options. The restaurant sources products locally, including Patchwork Family Farms pork, Fretboard coffee and Stanton Brothers eggs. Its Apples and Sausage combines sweet and savory with apples, garlic, red onion, andouille sausage, chili powder and cinnamon cooked in brown sugar. 220 N. Tenth St.

This south Columbia staple is known for its live jazz, with artists performing live multiple times a week and on Saturday evenings, usually in coordination with the “We Always Swing” Jazz Series. Murry’s carries Brock’s Green Pepper Rings, a simple recipe of fried green peppers that adds a twist: powdered sugar. The dish is named after co-owner Bill Sheals’ longtime friend, Brock, who tried a similar dish in New York and loved it. 3107 Green Meadows Way

Mac and Cheese Pizza Pizza Tree

Pizza Tree is known for its unusual pies, such as Truffled Crimini and Kimchi. But the Mac and Cheese Pie might be the epitome of comfort food with garlic cream, elbow noodles and cheeses piled on top of sourdough crust. Be sure to top it with the housemade ranch sauce. 909 Cherry St.

Visit The Big Tree During A Full Moon

The Big Tree and its outstretched branches cast spectacular shadows on Missouri River bottom land, but have you ever checked out the 400-year-old bur oak by moonlight? Grab a flashlight and a blanket, and head out to count the stars through the branches of the largest bur oak tree in the state. Bonus points if it’s a full moon.

Sled At Stephens Lake Park

When it comes to sledding, transplants don’t flake on heading to Stephens Lake Park when there’s measurable snow. With its picturesque setting, a thrilling hill on the east side and a bonfire pit for warming up, the park is the perfect spot to plunge down powdery slopes. 2001

E. Broadway —MD

Discover The Avenue Of The Columns

The columns that bookend Eighth Street have similar, striking histories. Both sets stand after the original buildings, Academic Hall and the Boone County Courthouse, were destroyed.

Along with the six columns in Francis Quadrangle, only a handful of items survived the inferno that struck MU’s Academic Hall in 1892, including a taxidermied elephant named Emperor and a whale jaw bone. The pieces were in a natural history museum in the building. MU President Samuel Laws gathered the items, and the payment for the elephant eventually led to controversy and his resignation.

Five blocks north, the second, smaller set of columns are the remains of another destroyed building. The four columns at Eighth and Walnut streets were once part of the second Boone County Courthouse, built in 1847 by Columbia’s second mayor, William Jewell. When the building was ordered to be razed, townspeople petitioned for the columns to be preserved. —CR

No matter how long you’ve lived in Columbia, you can build experience by sharing your time and skills. As a town with many festivals, events and community-minded programs, Columbia is chock full of ways to get involved.

NEWBIE: VOLUNTEER FOR FESTIVALS

One of the easiest ways for a newbie to get involved in Columbia’s culture is through CoMo’s biggest festivals: True/False Film Fest in early spring, Unbound Book Festival in late spring and Treeline Music Fest (formerly Roots N Blues) in fall. Each takes over long weekends and are possible thanks to hundreds of volunteers. True/False boasts 22 different volunteer teams ranging from box office to booze. Bookworms can get involved at Unbound and help with social media, author travel and event operations. Music lovers can volunteer at Treeline to help with accessibility, sustainability and safely running the festival.

TRANSPLANT: HELP LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS

Want to lend a helping hand for more than a weekend? Columbia has community organizations, nonprofits and special events that could use your help. If particular organizations align with your values, sign up for newsletters, and follow on social media to watch for opportunities. Otherwise, the city makes it easy to get involved at como.gov/ volunteer. You could coach a T-ball team, pitch in with the Special Olympics or teach a skill-based class through Parks and Rec. For folks wanting to spend time outdoors, there are plenty of ways to help tidy the city, with Adopt-A-Trail programs, Cleanup Columbia and Missouri River Relief.

TOWNIE: JOIN A CITY BOARD OR COMMISSION

To make a long-term impact, consider lending your talents to a city board, commission or council. There’s a regulatory body for just about any interest, including human rights, climate change, transit, marijuana, and arts and culture. For example, the Tree Board focuses on educating the community about tree care and preventing historic ones from being chopped. The Disabilities Commission works to make the city accessible and right injustices. Check out como.gov for a list of open board and commission positions. —JS

Hometown stalwarts have seen our city grow. You might even think nothing new is left. This list for townies proves there’s more to discover.

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Marvel At The Firestone Baars Chapel

Nestled on the Stephens College campus right off Walnut Street, the Firestone Baars Chapel is an often-missed architectural wonder. The chapel soars with a sky-scraping steeple, ornate stained glass and a golden 19th-century organ behind the altar. You might be inclined to gaze up, though, at the impressive woodwork that covers the ceiling.

Pluck Through Clovers

Branded as a crunchy haven, Clovers Natural Market lives up to that promise. Richard Catlett made it his goal to grow food organically and sustainably when he opened the store as Columbia Specialty Foods in 1965. When two employees, Patty Clover and Scott Nirmaier, purchased it from him in 1991, they continued Catlett’s legacy by providing allergy-friendly foods and a broad selection of vitamins, supplements and local meats and cheeses at two locations. 2012 E. Broadway, 2100

Talk Trash About Roll Carts

— CY

Traverse The African American Heritage Trail 47

The chapel was designed in 1956 by Eero Saarinen, who would go on to design the St. Louis Gateway Arch in 1965. The chapel was created as a worship space for Stephens students — and still is — but has become a popular wedding venue (it can seat almost 300 guests). You can exchange your vows in this elegant space, come to pray or simply soak in the architectural history by a renowned designer. 1306

E. Walnut St. —JS

The 2-mile African American Heritage Trail was finished in 2019 and spans roughly two centuries of history. The urban walking trail focuses on the former Sharp End, which was a hub for the Black community in the early 20th century. Much of the thriving business district and neighborhood was razed in the 1960s. Today, the district is memorialized with more than 20 markers that commemorate about 30 significant locations. One marks the St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church and Fifth Street Christian Church, which were founded in the 1800s. Other markers include Trubie’s Market, one of the only desegregated businesses in Columbia between the 1940s and 1960s, and homes like the one that belonged to John W. “Blind” Boone, a Black ragtime composer and pianist. —CR

Taste The Columbia Culinary Tours

It’s a rite of passage to bemoan trash collection with other Columbians. For more than a decade, quarrels about roll carts have littered city gathering places and social media communities. Pile onto the garbage heap of discourse while you still can; on March 20 the Columbia City Council — finally — approved roll carts for 2024, perhaps opening a whole new set of arguments. —CR

Amuse your bouche at various restaurants around The District through Columbia Culinary Tours. Each tour visits four to five restaurants and features on- and off-menu dishes. “We want them to get a chance to see the good food and the good people that run the restaurants that we stop in,” says Joe Knight, founder of Columbia Culinary Tours. Prices range from $38 to $60 per person. columbiaculinarytours.com —MD

Wander Columbia Cemetery And Jewell Cemetery

The Columbia Cemetery was founded in 1820 on a hill of about 35 acres near the Columbia Public Library and boasts views of MU and downtown. On the other side of town, Jewell Cemetery State Historic Site is a trove for local history lovers. It’s the forever home of memorable Missourians related to the Jewell family, including William Jewell, the second mayor of Columbia, and Charles Hardin, Missouri’s 22nd governor. The graves at the back are believed to be for Jewell’s slaves, though they remain unmarked. Columbia Cemetery, 30 E. Broadway; Jewell Cemetery State Historic Site, —TJ

Leaf Through Adams Wall Of Books

Townies must have impeccable timing to uncover this family-owned hidden gem. Adams Wall of Books has been around since the 1920s, but it’s only open three hours a week, from 1-4 p.m. on Saturdays. The store’s collection of 60,000 books includes quirky selections nestled among the ceiling-high stacked shelves. Special collector items are available by request to owner Nancy Duncan. 218 N. Eighth St. —TJ

Unwrap The Gingerbread House

While the newbies bask in the glow of the Magic Tree(s) during the holidays, the townies follow gumdrop dreams to the Gingerbread House. Decking the house with more than 100,000 LED lights, the Richards-Eubank family welcomes the community for viewings, complimentary refreshments and even meet-and-greets with Santa. You can visit the Gingerbread House most evenings from 6-9 p.m. after Thanksgiving until early January.

The Richards-Eubank family embraces the spirit of giving by gathering donations for The City of Refuge. “We get to visit and meet so many people,” says Sarah Richards-Eubank, owner and decorator of the Gingerbread House. “People appreciate it, and it’s really nice to feel like you’re doing something for the community. I try to teach my kids the same thing.” 5403 Dalcross Drive —KS

Shop Fresh From Local Meat And Seafood Markets

Established in 1983, the Mizzou Meat Market offers prime cuts of beef, pork, lamb and poultry. Just east of the corner of College Avenue and Rollins Road, it also sells a range of house-made sausages, jerky and snack sticks. Another local favorite, Cajun Crab House Seafood Market, boasts a large variety of fresh, high-quality seafood, including crab legs, crawfish, shrimp and lobster. The market receives deliveries directly from the Gulf Coast a couple times a week. Mizzou Meat Market, 147 Stringer Wing; Cajun Crab House Seafood Market, 308 Business Loop 70 W. —MD

How To Soak Up Summer Music

In warmer months, Columbia is a hub for music. Check out these venues and events made to match your mood, whether that’s relaxing jazz or funky pop.

NEWBIE: SUMMERFEST HOSTED BY THE BLUE NOTE

The Blue Note has been hosting its Summerfest series for the past two decades. This year, performers such as Bright Eyes and Cat Power will appear in Rose Park, and artists such as Modest Mouse and Father John Misty will play on Ninth Street from May to August. This might become your favorite summer pastime. thebluenote.com

TRANSPLANT: COOPER’S LANDING

Bring a chair, grab a bite, and listen to live music on the riverside at Cooper’s Landing.“It’s right between the Missouri River and the Katy Trail,” says General Operations Manager Michael De Leon. ”It’s great for people, for kayaking or going on a bike ride. You can literally throw a rock and hit both the Missouri River and the Katy Trail.” 11505 Smith Hatchery Road

TOWNIE: FIREFLY MUSIC FESTIVAL

The Missouri Symphony Orchestra hosts the Firefly Music Festival each summer, formerly known as Hot Summer Nights. This year, featured artists include Hollywood composer ChingShan Chang and the Matsuo Duo at Missouri Theatre. Previously, the festival took place outdoors over six to eight weeks, but this year’s fest is indoors over four weeks. “It’s going to be a little different than it has been before, so we hope a lot of people come out to check out the new changes,” says Trent Rash, executive director for the Missouri Symphony Orchestra. Missouri Theatre, 203 S. Ninth St. —CR