Sometimes, you just need some time away, but you only have the span of a weekend to make a trip. With plenty of fun to choose from in Missouri, picking what exactly to do within those couple of days can be a little tricky.

To help you get started,

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is here to lay out weekend getaway destinations for all kinds of weekend travelers. Read on for recommendations for family outings, couples’ trips, and foodie destinations in Missouri.

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The best weekend getaways for couples in Missouri

Lake of the Ozarks

Stay at:

Old Kinderhook Resort, Golf Club, & Spa

(rooms from $160/night)

Or:

Treetop Village

(rooms from $75/night)

One of Missouri’s most popular vacation destinations, the

Lake of the Ozarks

has more than 1,100 miles of shoreline. Likewise, this area has an abundance of resorts to choose from and tons of outdoor activities to enjoy during your stay. You can make a weekend at the Ozarks a quiet, laid-back getaway, or a quick vacation that’s packed with adventure.

Lake of the Ozarks has a wealth of well-loved restaurants to enjoy. There are fine dining, lake views, and seafood at

JB Hook’s

PaPPo’s Pizzeria and Pub

, and

Sweet Smoke Bbq

, just to name a few.

There are also plenty of boat rentals galore to get out on the water. Other outdoor experiences nearby include

Ha Ha Tonka State Park

and

Bridal Cave

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can use one of your days to take to the skies to

parasail

or go on a

helicopter tour

Pro Tip Book any reservations well in advance to make sure you can get the most out of your weekend, especially during peak tourist season!

Garth Mansion (Hannibal)

Stay at:

Garth Woodside Mansion

(from $179/night)

Or:

Best Western on the River

(from $110/night)

Located in

Hannibal

(hometown of Mark Twain), Garth Mansion is a Victorian home that was built in 1871. You can enjoy time alone amid the serenity of the estate or nearby activities in Hannibal, like

river cruises

(plus dinner and live music!) or touring the

Mark Twain Cave

complex.

Enjoy the view from

Lovers Leap

, take a

haunted or historic tour

of Hannibal, and if one or both of you are literature lovers, tour the

Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum

Between excursions, enjoy the cuisine at local favorites

LaBinnah Bistro

and

Java Jive

The best weekend getaways for families in Missouri

St. Louis

Stay at:

Drury Plaza Hotel St. Louis at the Arch

(rooms from $207/night)

Or:

Hampton Inn & Suites St. Louis at Forest Park

(rooms from $172/night)

St. Louis has plenty of family-friendly activities that you could easily fill a weekend with.

Start with a classic family photo at the Gateway Arch. Then visit the

Saint Louis Zoo

, the

Missouri Botanical Garden

, and the

Saint Louis Science Center

. The

Magic House/St. Louis Children’s Museum

also offers tons of fun and interactive exhibits for kids.

Between all these educational adventures, you’re bound to work up an appetite.

Fitz’s

Gather Cafe

(with Urban Fort’s play area), the

Old Spaghetti Factory

are a few affordable, kid-friendly crowd-pleasers.

Branson

Stay at:

Lodge of the Ozarks

(rooms from $90/night)

Or:

Marriott’s Willow Ridge Lodge

(rooms from $139/night)

There’s no shortage of family fun and games in

Branson

. You could spend most of a day at the amusement park

Silver Dollar City

, and there’s also the massively popular

Runaway Mountain Coaster

, part of Branson Mountain Adventure Park.

Branson is also home to the

Titanic Museum

and the

World’s Largest Toy Museum

. You can also visit the

Butterfly Palace

or the

Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery

When it’s time to grab some grub, popular spots include

Rocco’s NY Style Pizza

Andy’s Frozen Custard

, and the

Hungry Hunter Restaurant

MORE:

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The best weekend getaways for music lovers in Missouri

St. Louis

Stay at:

Drury Inn & Suites St. Louis Brentwood

(rooms from $121/night)

Or:

Westin St. Louis

(rooms from $296/night)

St. Louis was a pivotal place for the birth of ragtime, then blues—making the city of St. Louis rife with musical landmarks, like the

Scott Joplin House State Historic Site

, which was a Former home of “Maple Leaf Rag” composer. St. Louis is also now home to the

National Blues Museum

Around the city, there’s ample opportunity to listen in on live music acts. There are nearly 50 blues acts alone performing in a typical week around St. Louis, according to the city website.

Popular live music spots include the

Soulard

neighborhood,

Broadway Oyster Bar

, and Jazz at the Bistro.

Ballpark Village

is a major venue for large summer concerts.

Kansas City

Stay at:

The Raphael Hotel, Autograph Collection

(rooms from $188/night)

Or:

Hampton Inn Kansas City-Liberty

(rooms from $114/night)

Jazz also saw tremendous growth during its early years in Kansas City, which the city still pays tribute to at sites like the

American Jazz Museum

and the

Charlie Parker Memorial

These days, Kansas City still has a vibrant music scene. Intimate spots like the

Riot Room

are great places to discover rising and underground musicians. Then, there are the large venues for bigger shows, like the

Starlight Theatre

and the

T-Mobile Center

Weekend brunch and jazz pair well together at

The Phoenix

Corvino’s Supper Club and Tasting Room

offers fine dining and live music across a wide variety of genres, including jazz.

MORE:

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The best weekend getaways for foodies in Missouri

Kansas City

Stay at:

Crossroads Hotel

(rooms from $209/night)

Or:

Drury Inn & Suites Kansas City Airport

(rooms from $108/night)

Kansas City is known for its barbecue. You could easily fill a weekend in Kansas City just by taking yourself on a barbecue food tour! Some of the top-rated spots to try include

, and

Bat Bar (Ridgedale)

Stay at:

Big Cedar Lodge

(contact lodge for availability and rates)

Or:

Westgate Branson Lakes Resort

(rooms from $159/night)

If you’re looking for a spot that offers a memorable experience, the

Bat Bar

might just be it.

The bar lies within a cave, and visitors traverse a 2.5-mile wooded path to reach it. Golf cart rentals are available for those who want to make the trek easier.

While you’re there, spend some time exploring the

Lost Canyon Cave

and the Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum.

MORE:

The best Southern road trip for foodies

The best outdoor weekend getaways in Missouri

The Devil’s Icebox (Rock Bridge Memorial State Park)

Stay at:

Stoney Creek Hotel Columbia

(from $92/night)

Or:

Courtyard by Marriott Columbia

(from $129/night)

Just south of

Columbia

lies a curious place in

Memorial State Park

known as the “Devil’s Icebox.” The ice caves keep the surrounding woods below 60 degrees, even in the heat of summer.

Once you’ve worked up an appetite from hiking, Columbia has a variety of restaurants to choose from; some popular ones include

Flyover

Cafe Poland

, and

Sake Japanese Bistro and Bar

Dogwood Canyon Nature Park

Stay at:

Camp Long Creek

(contact for availability and rates)

Or:

Marriott’s Willow Ridge Lodge

(rooms start at $136/night)

Dogwood Canyon Nature Park

is found in Lampe. Visitors can spend the weekend here enjoying various wildlife tours, hikes, cycling trails, horseback rides, and fishing.

The park covers over 10,000 acres of the Ozark Mountains, with plenty of caves, pools, and picturesque waterfalls.

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The best weekend getaways for history buffs in Missouri

Welch Spring Hospital Ruins (Jadwin)

Stay at:

Montauk State Park Lodge

(contact for availability and rates)

Or:

Big Rock Candy Mountain

(rooms from $119/night)

In 1913, a doctor named C.H. Diehl constructed a

riverside “hospital” over a spring

with the goal of bringing people in for what he believed to be healing properties.

The hospital’s remote location made it difficult to get to, however, so his dream didn’t exactly pan out. It was abandoned after his death and has since become a part of

Ozark National Scenic Riverways

Visitors are asked to avoid wading in the spring, which can harm the fragile biological habitat, and metal debris from the hospital that remain in the water could also cause injuries.

Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site

Stay at:

Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark

(rooms from $158/night)

Or:

Magnolia St. Louis

(rooms from $111/night)

Near St. Louis,

Cahokia

is the site of a Native American city and was home to 14,000 to 18,000 people of the Mississippian culture around 1100 CE.

Although the city of Cahokia itself spanned a larger area than it does today, the park now covers 3.5 square miles and contains 80 burial mounds.

If all the walking tires you out afterward, you can take an

audio tour

of the St. Louis area. If you’re ready for more exploring, visit the

Missouri History Museum

or the

National Museum of Transportation

, both in St. Louis.

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The best cheap weekend getaways in Missouri

Springfield

Stay at:

Hampton Inn Springfield-Southeast

(rooms from $96/night)

Or:

Best Western Plus Springfield Airport Inn

(rooms from $103/night)

Springfield

, there’s a good amount of activities around the city that are either free or have lower admission prices that won’t break the bank.

Popular nature and wildlife destinations include the Springfield Conservation Nature Center, Springfield Botanical Gardens, the Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden,

Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium

, and Sequiota Park.

It also costs nothing to pay a visit to the

world’s largest fork

Popular cheap eats in Springfield include Pizza House, Jimmy’s Egg, Canton Inn Restaurant, and Greek Belly.

Osage Beach

Stay at:

LakeHouse Hotel

(rooms from $119/night)

Or:

Robin’s Resort

(rooms from $100/night)

Osage Beach has plenty for outdoors and water enthusiasts to enjoy. You can even wander through the nearby

Lake of the Ozarks State Park

—and maybe decide to camp for a few days!

You shouldn’t have to worry about filling up on cheap food in Osage Beach, either. Popular spots include

Sergio’s Taqueria

, the

Cozy Cafe

, and

Pancake House

, to name just a few.

MORE: 10 ways to get cheap car insurance that’s actually good

Why you need good car insurance (and how you can save on the best!)

Wherever you’re headed for the weekend in Missouri, make sure you’re covered by the right car insurance policy before you leave. With the

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All you have to do is download the app, answer some brief questions, and then, once you make your pick, Jerry can even help you set up your new policy and help to cancel your old one. Later, when your car insurance is up for renewal again, Jerry will automatically gather you quotes again so you can make sure you’re still getting the best rate.

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