Missouri’s big draws are the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, the springs and rivers of the Ozarks, hundreds of caves, the 240-mile Katy Trail and Route 66, and every state park is free to enter. 11 trip plans below put them in order, with road times between stops.
Each plan has road times between stops, an arrival clock, a day-at-a-glance line and a map. The times on site and the clocks are our estimates and are labelled that way; the facts for each stop come from official pages we read on October 30, 2026.
Two-Day Trips
Route 66 Across Missouri in Two Days
Two days on the old road, from Meramec Caverns to the Kansas edge, with stops that official pages describe. Driving between stops: about 4 h 28 min over 2 days (estimate).
Lake of the Ozarks and Ha Ha Tonka in Two Days
A castle ruin above the lake, a state park, the dam that made the lake and a free capitol tour on the way out. Driving between stops: about 1 h 38 min over 2 days (estimate).
Branson and Table Rock Lake in Two Days
A lakeshore state park, a trout hatchery and a long-running outdoor drama on day one, then a spring-fed trout valley on day two. Driving between stops: about 19 min over 2 days (estimate).
Kansas City in Two Days
Four museums and a train station, arranged around the Tuesday trap: two of them are closed that day and two are open. Driving between stops: about 18 min over 2 days (estimate).
Hannibal and Mark Twain Country
Two days following one writer: the Hannibal houses and cave he wrote about, then the cabin in Florida where he was born. Driving between stops: about 11 min over 2 days (estimate).
Trout Parks and Springs Weekend
Two spring-fed trout parks with a castle ruin and a Civil War battlefield between them. Driving between stops: about 2 h 39 min over 2 days (estimate).
Ste. Genevieve and Southeast Missouri
A French colonial town, a Civil War-era mill, a river overlook above the Cherokee crossing and a stand of old-growth trees. Driving between stops: about 3 h 21 min over 2 days (estimate).
Three-Day Trips
A Long Weekend in St. Louis and the Meramec Valley
Three days built around the Gateway Arch, two caves and a Route 66 stop, all within a day’s drive of St. Louis. Driving between stops: about 1 h 10 min over 3 days (estimate).
Three Days in the Southern Ozarks
Three days of springs, trails and elk viewing around Eminence and Van Buren, with long road hops between the springs. Driving between stops: about 2 h 30 min over 3 days (estimate).
Katy Trail and Wine Country Weekend
Three days along the Missouri River, from a frontier salt spring and the Rocheport bluff to Hermann and Augusta wine country, with the Katy Trail under your wheels. Driving between stops: about 59 min over 3 days (estimate).
Missouri River Towns in Three Days
Four river towns in three days: where the state government started, a German settlement, the Capitol and a village frozen in the 1830s. Driving between stops: about 1 h 25 min over 3 days (estimate).
Choose by Interest
Know Before You Go
- Missouri State Parks and historic sites are free to enter; camping, cabins and some tours cost extra (see the state parks guide).
- Check drive times for road times between cities.
- Check events by region for what is on while you are here.
- Prices, hours and closures change; each guide dates what it read.
What We Could Not Verify
- Arrival times, time on site and Essential or Optional labels: our planning estimates.
- Road times with traffic or closures: not included.
- Columbia, Joplin and Springfield-only city plans are not here yet; see the destination guides for those towns.
Questions People Ask
What should I see first in Missouri?
The Gateway Arch and the Ozark springs are the two biggest draws; the long-weekend and Ozarks plans start there.
Is it free to enter Missouri state parks?
Yes. Missouri State Parks and historic sites do not charge admission; camping, lodging and some tours do.
Sources
Checked October 30, 2026 by It’s Missouri. Cite this page: It’s Missouri (https://itsmissouri.com/visit/), checked October 30, 2026. Free to quote with a link.