Bordered by eight states, Missouri is a mecca for outdoor adventure, live blues, Americana history and mouth-watering meat that’s cooked low and slow. Yet it’s often overlooked when group planners are choosing destinations, said Alicia Wieberg, communications manager at Visit Missouri.
“Sometimes, we get the ‘flyover’ connotation, but whatever anybody’s looking for, we have it in Missouri,” Wieberg said. “We’re affordable, welcoming and family friendly.”
Missouri boasts more than 50 state parks and 160,000 acres available to the public, where groups can enjoy hiking, fishing, cycling and other activities. From the magnificent views atop the Gateway Arch to the wonders of the state’s 6,400 awe-inspiring caves, visitors will find many unforgettable experiences here.
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St. Louis
Site of the 1904 World’s Fair, “The Lou” — as it’s affectionately called by locals — is known for its music, sports teams, parks and historic sites.
“Inside Forest Park, a green space that’s bigger than New York’s Central Park, there’s the Saint Louis Art Museum, the Saint Louis Science Center, the Missouri History Museum and The Muny — a really cool outdoor amphitheater where they do Broadway-style shows,” Wieberg said.
Forest Park hosts many festivals, as well as the Great Forest Park Balloon Race. It’s also going to be the site for the Route 66 Centennial Festival in 2026. Pro tip: If you park your motorcoach in Forest Park, entrance to the St. Louis Zoo — one of the top zoos in the world — is free.
Bring your baseball-loving group to the Rawlings Experience. Launched last year at the company’s world headquarters, the activity gives visitors a chance to swing the famous bats in the Hit Lab, design a custom glove just as the pros do and explore memorabilia from the sport’s history. Groups can also tour the Rawlings Glove Vault, which displays historic and present-day Gold Glove Awards.
Re-opening in May after extensive renovations, the Old Courthouse — site of the pivotal 1847 Dred Scott Case and where the case for women’s right to vote came to trial in the 1870s — is a great spot for groups to learn about the judicial system in the 19th century. The Old Courthouse is also listed in the National Park Service’s National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.
St. Louis pays tribute to its legendary musical roots at many museums large and small, including the National Blues Museum and the National Saxophone Museum, located upstairs from an instrument sales and repair shop.
Some of the best spots for groups to sample the city’s culinary delights include Sugarfire Smoke House and a large selection of eateries in Ballpark Village across from Busch Stadium, such as the Budweiser Brew House, PBR St. Louis and Bally Sports Live. For authentic St. Louis frozen custard topped with delicious add-ons, plan to stop at Ted Drewes, which has been making this beloved dessert since 1929.
Jefferson City
Nestled in the heart of the state, Jefferson City is known for its many landmarks, museums, historic buildings and lovely parks. Start your group’s visit with a tour of the Missouri State Capitol building in downtown.
“It’s a beautiful building with lots of statues and fountains outside, and inside is the Missouri State Museum, where you can take tours of the different art exhibits throughout the building and learn about the history of Missouri,” Wieberg said. “Some of the artwork was done by Thomas Hart Benton, a famous Missouri artist.”
Down the street, your group can explore the Jefferson Landing State Historic Site and circa-1839 Lohman Building, which hosts concert series on the lawn during summer months. Another great spot to take in live outdoor music is the Capital Region Amphitheater, located in Ellis-Porter Riverside Park.
About five minutes outside of Jefferson City limits, your group can tour the Museum of Missouri Military History, located at the National Guard site.
“It has a lot of exhibits, starting in 1808 with the activation of the Missouri Militia on to the War of 1812,” Wieberg said. “It’s an interesting thing to see for people interested in history.”
For a twist on your typical historic tour, plan on visiting the now-decommissioned Missouri State Penitentiary, which has become one of the city’s most popular tourist destinations, thanks to being named “the bloodiest 47 acres in America” by Time magazine.
“Some of the infamous people that were inmates there were James Earl Ray, ‘Pretty Boy’ Floyd and Sonny Liston,” Wieberg added, noting that the museum hosts historical tours, ghost hunts and even overnight stays.
Keep the jail vibe going by heading to Prison Brews, a group-friendly pub that features bars on the windows, local draft beer and plenty of classic comfort food options.
Wieberg steers groups to Sweet Smoke BBQ, which has two locations, including one at Capital Mall that has lots of outdoor seating and parking.
“They’ve been voted the best barbecue in Jeff City for several years in a row,” she said, adding that your group’s sweet tooth will be satisfied at Central Dairy, an iconic ice cream parlor that’s been scooping up dozens of icy treats since 1920.
Columbia
Known for its location on the Missouri River — and for its 70 parks and extensive 50-mile city trail system — Columbia is both a prime spot for outdoor-loving visitors and a mini-metropolis ideal for urban exploration.
“On the north side is Finger Lakes State Park, which is very unique because they have a water trail,” Wieberg said. “Instead of hiking, your group can go kayaking and canoeing.”
On the south side, Rock Bridge Memorial State Park features the Gans Creek Wild Area Trail, as well as a large cave system, a rock bridge and sinkholes that groups can hike around. And Katy Trail — the longest rail trail project in the U.S. — is consistently listed among the top 10 trails in the nation.
On the University of Missouri campus, groups can tour the newly renovated Museum of Art and Archaeology, which showcases history spanning six millennia across different continents.
Unique to Columbia is the Blind Boone Home, where the beloved legendary pianist John William “Blind” Boone lived.
Wieberg said groups can check out various educational exhibits at the State Historical Society of Missouri Center for Missouri Studies, which also houses the Boone County History & Culture Center, an art gallery. There are various historic homes nearby that are open to the public.
Columbia’s downtown area features many eclectic places for groups to eat, including Barred Owl Butcher & Table.
“They’re known for fresh, local meats and seasonal, farm-to-table food,” Wieberg said. “Shakespeare’s Pizza has been around for a really long time, and they have really simple, good pizza. Their south location has parking available for bigger groups.”
Kansas City
Straddling the Missouri-Kansas state line, Kansas City sits on Missouri’s western edge. The “Fountain City” is also known for its stellar jazz heritage and world-class barbecue. Visitors can choose from among more than 100 barbecue restaurants, which serve up fall-off-the-bone meat along with sides like authentic baked beans, macaroni and cheese, and cornbread.
“Kansas City is known for having some of the best barbecue in the world, and one restaurant with the best space for large groups and parking is Jack Stack,” Wieberg said. “They have several locations, but the Freight House location would probably be the most convenient.”
“New to Kansas City this year is the world’s first Museum of BBQ. You could try the barbecue and then go learn about how Kansas City got its flavor. The museum takes you through all the American regions of barbecue and ends on what we know as Kansas City barbecue.”
For history buffs, the National WWI Museum and Memorial, located outside the Crown Center area of downtown, has the world’s most comprehensive collection of objects and documents dedicated to remembering, interpreting and understanding the Great War and its enduring impacts.
Another site worth including in your group’s itinerary is the Arabia Steamboat Museum, just outside Kansas City. When the steamboat Arabia sank in 1856, it was carrying 200 tons of goods headed to the local general store. The boat stayed at the bottom of the Missouri River for 150 years before it was found beneath the mud and pulled out. Its remarkably preserved cargo was intact, so visitors can see authentic pioneer clothing, tools, china and weapons on display at the museum — the largest single collection of pre-Civil War artifacts — as well as a re-creation of the boat itself.
Other sites Wieberg recommends for groups include the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum — the world’s only national museum dedicated to celebrating and preserving the history of African American baseball — as well as the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and the American Jazz Museum.
“Another thing specific to Missouri is the type of whiskey made here at J. Rieger & Co., just outside the downtown area,” Wieberg said. “It’s a mixture of bourbon whiskey, light corn whiskey and rye whiskey with a sherry additive.”
The distillery offers two different interactive tours and tastings for groups to show them the history and production process of the spirits, followed by a sampling of four favorite whiskeys.
