Day Trips and Weekend Getaways Around St. Louis, Missouri

“Summertime and the living is easy…..” Summer is traditionally the time for vacation; getting away from it all for a couple of weeks and then coming back and needing a rest before you go back to work. Unless I’m traveling to Europe or some foreign country, I much prefer to take day trips and weekend getaways. They just seem to be a lot more relaxing and fun without all of the planning and stress associated with longer trips. You might even take an extra day or two off to chill out around the house. If your work allows you to, you can turn those two weeks into a bunch of little “mini-vacations.” Here are a few fun and unique things to do in the bi-state area of Missouri and Illinois, all maybe a couple of hours away from St. Louis:

One of my favorite getaways and fishing spots was Johnson’s Shut-Ins. Sadly the whole area was literally washed away recently when Taum Sauk dam broke and the tiny river that runs through the park suddenly got several more million gallons of water than it bargained for. The park superintendent’s house was washed away and the whole park is now a pile of boulders, but it was in the off-season and no one was seriously hurt. Fortunately most of the surrounding area around the Black River remains intact and just as beautiful as ever. The area abounds with campgrounds, lodges, floating facilities, shops, restaurants, and concert venues. There’s also a Civil War era fort and lots and lots of conservation areas and pristine trails to check out. Find out more at www.experienceblackriver.com

Centennial Farms And Orchard in Augusta, Missouri has been family owned since 1854. They have grown fruits and vegetables since 1969. Right now they feature more than 80 different varieties of herbs. In the fall they are all about pumpkins and some 24 varieties of apples. They also got lots of bees that make some really tasty honey.