On this dreary, cloudy, chilly, snowy, blustery sort of day, here in the middle of Missouri, I can’t help but let my mind wander to all the activities I’ve already got mentally marked on my calendar for this upcoming summer. I love the beach and I love the mountains, but there’s just something about a Missouri summertime that gives me a simple, laid-back kind of inner peace and joy. So, without further ado, I present my Top 10 Reasons Why I’m Looking Forward to a Missouri Summer.
Lazy River Days
For me, a Missouri summer is synonymous with a boat ride on the river. There’s very few memories of summertime I have that surpass my memories of spending lazy days out on the river. It’s long been a hobby of the hubs and I to spend afternoons out on the Osage, Moreau, or Missouri Rivers. Now that we have children, it’s their hobby too. The rivers are close to home and are less crowded so it’s great to take the kids out and park on a sandbar and just let them play the day away while we relax, basking in the sun.
Hiking
Missourians are lucky enough to live in a state with abundant trails ranging in a variety of lengths for any level of hiker. We have State Parks, conservation areas, and nature areas in every nook and cranny and the Ozark Trail to boot! When it’s too early to be out on the water or too late in the season to be out on the water, there’s nothing better than hitting Missouri’s own scenic trails to catch the first or last glimpse of the season’s foliage and sunshine. Two of my personal favorite hiking spots are Ha Ha Tonka State Park and Rockbridge State Park.
Camping
I don’t know what’s gotten into me over this long, long, dreadfully, forever-lasting long winter but I am too, too excited to take the big kids camping this summer! (I don’t think my little 1-year-old Denver is quite ready for a camping adventure just yet). I haven’t camped in a hand full of years but I am longing for a weekend trip under the stars roasting marshmallows. Several years ago, we had a small camper but it didn’t give the whole camping experience the true justice it deserves. When you’re staying in a camper on a camping trip, you inadvertently spend more time than you should inside. There is something to be said about enjoying the purely rustic experience that can only be achieved by pitching a tent under the clear Missouri summer night skies. Again, Missouri’s numerous State Parks provide endless opportunities for a weekend of tent camping, just as it should be.
Golfing
I’m not really sure how it happened that an uncoordinated, non-sports playing, Mid-Missouri gal ended up loving golf so much but there it is. I love golf. I admittedly know nothing about the game except that in points, less is more. Robby still has to tell me which club to use and how to aim but on a hot day with the sun beating down, I love putting around the range with a cold beer and a chance to wind down and bond with my hubby. Although it’s a tough one with lots of hills, the views at Eagle Knoll Golf Course in my backyard (Hartsburg) make my even poorer game of golf worth it to me.
Kayaking
I may have kayaking as the fourth on the list but it’s # 1 in my heart! I would take a relaxing day of kayaking over any of these other activities any day. The best kayaking spots to me are those that are more off the beaten path. You know, the ones we’ve really worked to find! I love packing a cooler with some cold drinks, getting a fresh package of sunflower seeds, and heading to the creek to while the day away. Missouri creeks have unique bluffs, a variety of fish, gravel bars, foliage, and wildlife that is sure to keep the float trip interesting from start to finish. Some of our favorite spots are the Moreau River (up river because it’s more muddy the closer to the Missouri River you get), Cedar Creek (check out my article about our last kayak trip here), Sugar Creek, and the Tavern Creek.
Grilling parties
You can’t go through the summer season without having a couple grilling parties. “The grill” is a great chance to have friends over, enjoy your back patio, drink a couple adult libations, and catch up on life. I’m lucky enough to have a hubby who has embraced the art of the grilled meat and is a bit of a grillmaster when it comes to smoked pork butt (I don’t know how to say that any nicer because that’s exactly what it is) and BBQ pork steaks. Mmmm…… my stomach is growling just writing about it. So fire up the grill, break out the badminton set, and clear the table!
Gravel-roadin’
If you haven’t read my About Me page, you should, as it explains the story behind this blog, The Gravel-Roadin’ Guru. When I was in high school, I spent some of every weekend piled into somebody’s car, or behind the wheel on my own teal-green Ford Escort, tearing through the gravel-covered, county roads of Callaway County. A gravel-roadin’ trip with no scheduled destination opens the heart and the mind to explore and discover places yet unseen. Some of the neatest places I’ve found are those I just happened to come across while out for a “Sunday drive”. In my adult years, Robby and I have found awesome creeks that we returned to later for kayaking, I’ve found some of the quaintest towns, I’ve found unique boutique shops, and I’ve found nothing. All of those are glorious finds in my book.
Hanging at Coopers Landing
There’s no better heading to follow up “gravel-roadin'” than “Hanging at Cooper’s Landing” because you can’t get to Cooper’s without a long, gravel-road drive. I can’t tell you the address or even the town that Coopers resides in but there is no where, I repeat, no where, in Missouri that you can eat fresh Thai food, watch hippies roam the campground, enjoy live, local music, and take in the most spectacular Missouri sunset you have ever seen, all in the same spot. Cooper’s Landing is located directly on the Missouri River between Columbia and Ashland and draws a pretty large crowd on weekend evenings. Chim’s Thai Kitchen has a food trailer parked to the side and serve up a pretty mean Thai menu. Cooper’s itself is a campground (I would only recommend staying here for camping if…… well, I just wouldn’t recommend it honestly. Don’t camp here). Once the sun goes down, the staff start a fire in the fire pit while everybody dances to the music. Because it’s located outside any city limit, miles down gravel roads, plan your time accordingly because it’ll take a bit to get there. It’s worth the drive in every way. Follow Cooper’s Landing on Facebook for regular updates to the live music lineup.
Playing in the creek
I love the river. I will always love the river. But with a trip to the river, there is stuff to pack, a boat to load, blah, blah, blah. When you head to the creek, it can be a simple trip that you take on a whim. Pack up a small cooler, ask the kids to grab a towel, and off you go! We’re so fortunate to have a wonderfully beautiful and clear creek with running water all summer long nearly in our backyard (Hartsburg really is the best place on Earth). The creek we drive to has a great swimming hole and plenty of gravel bars to accommodate all the other Southern Boone County folks that need a day out in nature cooling off in the fresh creek water.
Biking
Mid-Missourians have really caught on to this bike movement that is happening (well it’s been happening for several years now). With the Katy Trail just down the hill from our house, we can throw the bikes onto the UTV and head down to the trail on some of the early Spring days when the sun is finally out in full force and the kids are obviously needing to blow the stink off ’em (as my Momma would say). The Katy Trail runs from Clinton, MO to St Charles, MO and has visitors from all across the USA that come to enjoy. Nearly every time the hubby and I have a run on the Katy, we come across people from out of state that are here to bike the trail of its entirety. We’ve learned that biking with the kiddos is a fairly easy, yet enjoyable way to spend time with the kids, enjoy the nice weather, and get some exercise at the same time!
So tell me, what’s your absolute favorite Missouri summer activity? Happy Travels, Pan
