Route 66 runs from Chicago to Los Angeles, but did you know this iconic highway was born in Springfield, Missouri?

Springfield is found in the southwest corner of Missouri, due north from Branson.  A road trip from Austin, Texas, took my mom and I through Oklahoma into the birthplace of Route 66. The battle of the highway atlas vs. Google maps began as the 80-year-old world traveler that likes to plan out her route using a $25 road atlas, and her daughter (me) set off on an adventure. Our ultimate destination, a wedding in town taking place over the weekend, gave us time to drive, see, laugh, explore and simply enjoy being together for a week. If you decide to fly to the local airport, you will need a rental car for this destination as most activities are not within walking distance. When I say you can stay so busy you need to go home for a vacation, I mean it.

Stay Springfield Style 

Hotel Vandivort is a boutique hotel on Walnut Street in what was once a Masonic Temple. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places and has many extra special touches that make it memorable. When taking a ride in the glass-backed elevator you can see the painted floor numbers on what may have been the original brick wall. At check in you will receive small Askinosie chocolates (read on for the significance of this). The rooms are spacious and the bedding soft and comfortable.  End the day with a Walnut Street Smash or Can I Call You Rose cocktail in either The Order  lobby bar or at Vantage on the rooftop. If you have any spare time you may want to spend it just relaxing in the lobby library with a good book.

A Day of Adventure at Bass Pro Shop’s Wonders of Wildlife 

The first stop on your itinerary simply must be the Bass Pro Shop. I will admit I was skeptical about spending part of my trip in this big box store. I don’t hunt or fish so what could possibly be there that would interest me? What I learned upon arrival is that Johnny Morris, owner of Bass Pro Shop, is not only an outdoor enthusiast but also a philanthropist interested in conservation. This location includes the Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium.

Inspired by Johnny Morris’ lifetime spent in nature and his deep admiration for fellow hunter and angler conservationists, the Wildlife Galleries educate visitors on the importance of wildlife habitats and management. Enjoy a full day of learning and entertainment for the whole family. There are 12 exhibits in the Wildlife galleries. I really enjoyed the Native American Hall where there is an Instagram-worthy opportunity to run from a herd of bison. My next favorite exhibits were the National Parks and the Great African halls where you are among real animals that you would find in these habitats. It is the next best thing to actually being able to travel to the amazing locals.

In 2024, the Aquarium was voted “America’s Best Aquarium” for a record-breaking sixth time since opening in 2017. This is saying a lot if you know the aquariums in New Orleans and Atlanta. Whereas all the animals in the Wildlife Museum are taxidermy, the animals in the aquarium are live. Sharks, penguins and jellyfish, oh my! There are 17 exhibits on the underwater life of oceans, rivers and swamps. I could have sat mesmerized for hours in the Coral Reef exhibit.

There is literally something for everyone. Animals? Check. Race cars sponsored by Bass Pro Shop? Check. Fishing Halls of Fame? Check. Fishing boats that belonged to Ernest Hemingway and Zane Grey? Check. This is the number one tourist destination in the state.

Purchase a one day ticket ($46 adult/$24.95 child) and plan to spend a whole day there.  In the morning, enjoy the Wildlife Museum, take a break for lunch and return to spend the afternoon in the Aquarium. There is a store for shopping if your legs will allow it after walking around the exhibits all day.

Springfield’s Cultural Arts

Within walking distance from Hotel Vandivort, and located on the square where a duel between Wild Bill Hickok and Davis Tutt became the first documented shoot-out of the Old West, the History Museum On the Square is an interactive experience that will delight adults and children alike. 

The highlight for me was the history of how Route 66 came to be. Other fun activities are driving a trolley through the decades hearing varied stories about events and people related to the city, like Brad Pitt. Hop on the train as a passenger and watch the Missouri scenery go by. As with other attractions in the city, start with an exhibit on the Native Americans that lived in and passed through Springfield on the Trail of Tears. Tickets are $16 adult/$10 children and the museum is open Wednesday – Sunday.

John Goodman of Rosanne and The Big Labowski fame attended Missouri State University in Springfield and has a theatre named for him. If you find yourself in town during one of their productions, make time for this. In the summertime they have what is called Tent Theatre at the John Goodman Amphitheatre and it is truly a play under a circus sized tent. We saw Mystic Pizza as a musical, and I was surprised at the quality of the performers.  We could have been at a NYC Broadway production of mostly university students.  

Explore Springfield’s Splendor

With over 6,000 known caves, Missouri is often called “the cave state.”  Fantastic Caverns is a short 15-minute drive from downtown Springfield. Accessible to all via jeep-pulled trams, you will take a drive through this majestic underground nature-made cavern. Your tram driver will stop to educate you on what you are seeing. Without manmade light you would never know what lies underground in the dark. Even though I’ve visited various caves over the years, I am always in awe of the structures created by dripping water and the minerals left behind. The tours run every 30 minutes ($32 adult/$17 children).

Go to the place where the birds are happy and you can walk a zig zag path to escape the evil spirits. The Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Gardens are the oldest part of the Springfield Botanical Gardens. We arrived under a sky threatening to storm but decided to walk through the gardens until the rain began. It ended up just adding to the peaceful ambiance of the gardens. You will not find flowers in this part of the Botanical Gardens.  What you will find is a moon bridge, meditation garden, a tea house and traditional Japanese garden landscape. If you are lucky, you will be visiting on a weekend where they are hosting a special event like the Japanese Fall Festival in September or Gardens Aglow in November/December. They are closed from November through March except for special events so check the calendar before heading over ($6 adult/$4 children).

37 North Expeditions took a group I was part of on a float down the James River in their super comfortable fleet of inflatable but sturdy kayaks. This river has just enough current to make you think you aren’t “exercising” when you paddle. It is calm enough for the novice paddler. This locally owned small business offers other outdoor excursions, too, so check them out and book the activity that you enjoy.  

Award-Winning Askinosie Chocolate

After 20 years as a criminal attorney, Shawn Askinosie decided to switch gears and became a chocolatier. At Askinosie, award winning, ethically sourced, small batch chocolate is made by hand. If you get to visit with Shawn he will tell you about the amazing relationship he has with the cocoa bean farmers in the Amazon, Ecuador, Philippines and Tanzania. The farming of the beans and the making of the chocolate is a true partnership called direct trade. Shawn is approaching two decades of relationships with the farmers that he visits on a regular basis. 

Book a tour of the factory and learn about the process of making chocolate. Askinosie takes the income from tours and reinvests it in community revitalization in the neighborhood where they are located. A book could be written about Shawn and what he does for the community.  Wait, that book has been written and you can purchase it at the shop. Buy and enjoy this exquisite chocolate in various flavors and strengths. This “ain’t your daddy’s” chocolate. While I tried the 100% chocolate, my favorites were the CollaBARation™ Bars.  Support small business and feel good about your purchases at this gem.

Springfield Sips & Savories 

With all the activities in Springfield you will need to fuel yourself to keep on moving.  One of my favorite things about traveling is picking restaurants with their own character, places you would not be able to visit at home. All these recommendations meet that criterion.  From Holland to Japan to, well, Springfield, I will start with breakfast then move to lunch and dinner.

When you enter Van Gough’s Eeterie you will ask yourself, “Am I in Springfield or the Netherlands?”  Found on the Historical C-Street, this place is decorated with Dutch shoes and bikes covered with flowers. I really enjoyed the Rotterdam savory “pannekoeken” and a cup of cappuccino. I wish I knew how to make this dish at home.  A delicious combination of beef shoarma, cheese, curry ketchup, creamy garlic dill, cucumber, tomato, pickled onion and arugula. Are you hungry yet? They have more  traditional American dishes if you aren’t this adventurous. If you are not a “koffie” drinker, they have amazing tea and cocoa as well. Reservations are accepted.

Your first question upon walking in RISE will be “are the ferns hanging from the ceiling real and, if so, how the heck do they water them”? Their good food is made with ingredients from local farmers. All the breakfast sandwiches are served on fresh house-baked brioche buns. My choice was the #2 with pasture-raised eggs, roasted tomatoes, organic avocado and house garlic mayo, yum! Get the fresh squeezed watermelon, lime and strawberry juice for the win. No reservations accepted or needed, and be sure to ask about the ferns!

Enjoy lunch in the birdhouse known as the Aviary Café. Their specialty is crepes in either a sweet or savory form. Do like I did and order the savory Venetian for the main meal and the sweet Limoncello for dessert. Their cocktails are stirred, and their tail feathers shaken. No reservations accepted.

Walking into Tea Bar & Bites is like walking into someone’s home. I expected just light bites like you would have at an afternoon tea service, but they have a full lunch menu that includes local beer like Piney River Brewing Company’s Honeybee Helles Lager.  An extensive tea menu is where their name comes from. Reservations are accepted.

Unassuming from the outside but super sheik inside is Ariake Sushi & Robata. This is fine dining and the ambiance is very serene. I recommend the Hot Rock off the Special Tasting menu. You will receive thinly sliced wagyu and a hot rock. The rock is where you will cook your steak for just a couple minutes on each side along with Yuzu Shoyu (a Japanese citrus based sauce). The sushi rolls are exquisite and works of art. Isn’t this one of the reasons to order sushi? Their dish sizes are small so plan to order several to share with your dinner date (my mom). They have a full sake menu and your server will make recommendations about what goes best with your meal. Reservations are accepted.

At Finley Farms, a historical landmark in the Ozarks, have dinner at Ozark Mill Restaurant on the banks of the Finley River. This property is much more than a place for dinner. 

While waiting for my reservation time I listened to live music in The Workshop, wandered through the urban Farm, and did a little shopping at the Ozark Farmers Market. I walked along the path lined with sunflowers from the farm to the mill.  Reservations are accepted.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Cover photo Josh Beecher

Selena Swartzfager is a travel writer, nonprofit president, an amateur photographer, lover of adventures and life. Her favorite type of travel allows her to learn about history while enjoying things for the first time.  Follow her on Instagram.