Silver Dollar City, Branson, MO. All photography is ours.
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Missouri with Kids
If you’re driving through Missouri with kids, stop in St. Louis and ride the tram to the top of the Gateway Arch. It’s a little cramped, but we loved the views. Then go to City Museum, which is a ten-story shoe factory turned into a climbing structure, and let them run until they drop. Trust us, there’s nothing else like it and it’s incredible.
Branson is a completely different Missouri. We’ve been going since Carrie and Carrick were kids, and Silver Dollar City and Pirate’s Cove mini golf are still on the list every time. On the surface it’s a tourist trap, but we say that with affection. Enjoy a world-class show, eat some BBQ, and feel no remorse for getting ice cream and cherry pie filling on your waffles for breakfast. After all, vacation calories don’t count.
Finally, Kansas City and all it’s food and attractions is a great family-friendly destination.
Destination guide · Updated November 2026 · Last visited October 2024
Best months
May–June, Sept–Oct
National parks
1 + 5 NPS sites
Fly into
STL · MCI · SGF · BKG
How long
A long weekend per city, a week for both
Book ahead
Arch tram · Silver Dollar City peak days · Big Cedar Lodge
We’ve done Missouri a few times. We’ve been to St. Louis for the Arch and the old historic courthouse. There’s also City Museum, which is unlike anything else. Then there’s Branson, which started as Carrick’s childhood trips with his parents and continued with our own kids. Silver Dollar City, a water park, and a few rounds of mini golf are all you need for a great weekend with kids.
For some side quests, we’ve also visited George Washington Carver National Monument and Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield. Be sure to check our our Missouri National Parks page for other stops.
Worlds of Fun in Kansas City is awesome for the adrenaline junkies. After that, relax at Kauffman Stadium for a hot dog and a Royals game or a nice dinner in Kansas City’s renowned Power & Light District.
Your Missouri guide
Enjoy exploring Missouri with kids!
Keep scrolling for the essentials, three road trips, and where to stay.
Essential Missouri
Why we love Missouri
We think you’ll love it too.
Missouri is where we’d send a family that wants a lot for a little. The Arch, City Museum, Worlds of Fun, downtown Kansas City, and Branson are all places we love. Check out the rest of our Missouri essentials below.
Gateway Arch National Park Guide
We’ve ridden the tram to the top twice and explored the free museum underneath. Book tram tickets online ahead, because they sell out on busy days.
City Museum Guide
City Museum is a ten-story former shoe factory turned into a giant climbing structure, and it’s crazy in the best way. Wear pants and bring knee pads, because you’ll be crawling through it too.
Silver Dollar City Guide
Silver Dollar City is Branson’s theme park, built right into the Ozark hills. We’ve been going since Carrick was a kid, and it’s still our first stop.
The Old Courthouse Guide
The Old Courthouse is where the Dred Scott case was heard, just across the street from the Arch grounds. It’s a powerful bit of history to pair with your Arch visit.
And the rest we’d cross the state for
Pirate’s Cove mini golf Guide
Pirate’s Cove is our favorite mini golf course in Branson. There’s one in Hot Springs and Orlando too, and we’ve played all three!
Branson’s water parks Guide
White Water is Branson’s big water park. It’s a full day in summer when the kids need to cool off.
A riverboat on the Mississippi Guide
Riverboat cruises leave from the levee below the Arch. It’s an easy hour on the river after the tram.
Kansas City AftT Visit
Kansas City has Union Station, Science City, the WWI museum, and the best barbecue anywhere (depending on who you ask). The Power and Light District, Worlds of Fun, Oceans of Fun, and the pro teams at the Truman Sports Complex round out a great weekend.
Ozark National Scenic Riverways
The Current and Jacks Fork rivers are spring-fed and crystal clear. Float from Akers or Pulltite for an easy family day on the water. Are you looking for more national park sites? See our guide to Missouri national parks.
Table Rock Lake
Table Rock is Branson’s lake, and you can rent a pontoon at State Park Marina. Or take the Showboat Branson Belle for dinner and a show.
Meramec Caverns
Meramec Caverns is the billboard cave off I-44 near Stanton. It’s touristy and worth it, and the tours are easy for young kids.
Hannibal
Hannibal is Mark Twain’s boyhood town on the Mississippi. Kids can explore the cave from Tom Sawyer and take a riverboat cruise.
Browse
Find your next adventure in Missouri
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Routes
Three Missouri road trip itineraries
One state gives you three very different trips. Pick St. Louis and the river, Branson and the Ozarks, or the I-70 run between the two big cities. See all the best stops on a map.
Home base
Downtown St. Louis
We stayed at the Hyatt Regency at the Arch and walked to the Arch. City Museum the same day if the kids have the energy. Our St. Louis guide has the rest.
Then head to
Forest Park
Forest Park has the zoo, the science center, and the art museum, all free. Plan on a full day.
Add on
Meramec Caverns
It’s an hour southwest on I-44. The ninety-minute tour makes a good stop on the way to the Ozarks.
Home base
Branson
Fly into SGF or drive. Our Branson favorites start with Silver Dollar City. Give it two days if the kids are under ten.
Then head to
Table Rock Lake
It’s twenty minutes from the strip. Rent a boat, swim at the state park, or take the Belle.
Finish
Springfield
It’s forty-five minutes north. Visit the Wonders of Wildlife museum and aquarium at Bass Pro, then head to the airport for the flight home.
Start
Kansas City
Fly into MCI and stay downtown. Plan on Science City at Union Station, the WWI museum across the street, barbecue, and an evening in the Power and Light District.
Add on
Worlds of Fun or game day
Give Kansas City a second day. Ride the coasters at Worlds of Fun, with Oceans of Fun next door in the summer. Or catch the Royals at Kauffman Stadium or the Chiefs at Arrowhead. Worlds of Fun is open from late April into the fall, so check the park calendar before you go.
Then head to
Independence & Columbia
Truman’s home is thirty minutes east. Columbia, halfway to St. Louis, has the Katy Trail and a good place to stretch.
When to go
Time your visits with the weather and the region
We’ve done St. Louis in warm weather and Branson in summer with the water parks, and both worked. Missouri summers are hot and humid, winters are gray and cold, and the shoulder seasons are short and lovely. Branson has a real Christmas season.
Swipe the chart sideways to see the full year.
May – June
Forest Park is green, the rivers are up, and Silver Dollar City is open every day without the July crowds.
July – August
It’s hot and sticky, so plan around water at Table Rock Lake, the Branson water parks, and the Current River. Do the Arch first thing in the morning.
September – October
Fall color hits the Ozarks in late October, the humidity breaks, and Silver Dollar City’s harvest festival is a good time to go.
November – April
Branson’s Christmas lights run November through December. Otherwise this is museum season in the cities, with City Museum, the Science Center, and Union Station.
Where to stay
Pick a good base to start your Missouri adventure
Missouri is easier when you pick one region. Here’s where we’ve stayed and where we’d stay next.
City trips
St. Louis
We stayed at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch and walked to the park. Downtown is full of chain hotels and cheap by big-city standards, which makes it an easy points stay.
- Where we stayed in St. Louis
- Union Station Hotel for the kids’ light show in the lobby
- Clayton or the Central West End for Forest Park
Branson trips
Branson
Branson has more hotel rooms than Kansas City and most of them are cheap. Big Cedar Lodge is the splurge. The chains on the strip are the practical choice.
- Our Branson picks
- Big Cedar Lodge if the budget allows
- Condos on Table Rock Lake for a week
Kansas City trips
Kansas City
We stayed downtown at Hotel Kansas City, a short walk from the Power and Light District and the free streetcar to Union Station. For Worlds of Fun and its summer water park, Oceans of Fun, stay up in the Northland.
- Hotel Kansas City, a Hyatt that books with points
- Northland hotels near Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun
- Great Wolf Lodge for a year-round indoor water park
Good to know
Questions families ask us about Missouri
The pods are small and the ride is four minutes each way. Our kids thought it was one of the best parts, and we’ve done it twice. The top is a narrow room with small windows, not a glass floor. Buy tram tickets at the Old Courthouse, and if you have a fourth grader, the Every Kid Outdoors pass covers admission. Our Arch guide has tickets and timing.
STL for St. Louis, MCI for Kansas City, and SGF or BKG for Branson. Springfield is an hour from Branson and usually has better fares than the Branson airport. From Oklahoma we drive to Branson.
Yes, everywhere except a pure downtown St. Louis weekend, where the MetroLink from the airport and a few rideshares will do. Branson and the Ozarks need one.
No. Silver Dollar City is one of the best theme parks around for younger kids. The water parks are great in summer, and there’s a whole strip of go-karts and mini golf. We haven’t taken our kids to any of the shows yet. We rode the Ducks when the kids were little, but that attraction has since closed.
Yes, it is. It’s a former shoe factory turned into tunnels, slides, caves, and a rooftop Ferris wheel, and adults are expected to climb too. Wear pants and closed shoes, bring knee pads, and plan on a few hours. It’s the thing our kids remembered most from St. Louis. Our St. Louis guide has the rest of the city.
The zoo, art museum, science center, and history museum in Forest Park are all free. The Arch tram, City Museum, and a Cardinals game are the paid stops.
Map
Essential Missouri, mapped
Keep exploring
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