A lovely day trip for those in the St. Louis area is Hannibal, MO. We began by stopping at Cuivre River State Park for a hike and then headed up to Hannibal.

Mark Twain Brewing Company

First, we started at Mark Twain Brewing Company, which is a brewery and restaurant. Mark Twain Brewing is located in a large facility that looks like a variety of buildings patched together to create a unique space. There are a couple of spaces for dining, as well as a bar, and a separate event space. Additionally, there is a large outdoor patio on the second floor, providing a nice view of the river and the downtown strip. Mark Twain Brewing offers take-out, so you are able to safely get a bite to eat. When we visited we had planned on getting take-out, but discovered we got there right when it opened, so we were the only people at the brewery and restaurant and decided to stay until more people came. Fortunately, we were able to enjoy a nice meal and a flight before anyone else had arrived.

Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum

One of the main attractions in Hannibal is the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum. The museum consists of a variety of buildings, such as homes and a drugstore, that were a part of Twain’s life and help to weave a narrative of his life as they emerged in his works. The museum does an incredible job of looking at a variety of aspects of river town life, Missouri history, and Twain’s experiences. When we visited we were the only people on the tour and were able to leisurely stroll through the buildings and exhibits. Near the end of the tour is a two-story museum that further explores life along the river, Twain’s impact on pop culture, and a compilation of several artist galleries. We both found the tour to be a lovely activity to learn more about Missouri’s history and get some fun huckleberry products!

We spent the rest of the afternoon walking along the downtown strip and checking out the riverfront. There are a variety of little shops and restaurants along the downtown strip to explore, such as the Chocolaterie Stam, which had fun little chocolates! Additionally, there are an assortment of attractions for visitors who are able to spend more than a few hours in the city, including the Mark Twain Cave, Molly Brown’s birthplace, Rockcliffe Mansion, Jim’s Journey, museums, live performances, riverboat rides, and Cave Hollow winery. Throughout the year, the town has a variety of events and festivals for allow visitors to interact further. We had planned to go on a cave tour and visit the winery, but decided to drive slowly down the river to look for eagles and enjoy the scenery. We had the pleasure of stopping in two little towns – Clarksville and Louisiana, MO.

River Towns

Next we stopped in Louisiana, MO that has the cutest assortment of brick buildings and may be one of the best classic river towns we have ever visited. There are several blocks of three-story brick-lined buildings with storefronts on the bottom and living quarters above. Unfortunately the majority of the buildings are vacant but there are a few restaurants and shops along the way. If a few specialty shops, cafes, and art galleries moved into the area it could become one of most picturesque towns to visit! Although the town was quite empty, the architecture is lovely and we both thoroughly enjoyed the town! We also stopped by the river front that is quite simple, but has a nice pavilion and benches for visitors to sit and enjoy the flow of the water.

Clarksville, MO has a quaint little downtown strip that runs parallel to the railroad tracks and river. There are a variety of brick buildings with different shops in them and a restaurant for a place to eat. Additionally, there is a gate leading you to the riverfront and the park that runs alongside the river. We parked our car along the main strip and walked alongside the buildings and then headed to the park where we enjoyed just watching the Mississippi.