Nestled along the edge of the Ozark plateau and home to the state’s government, the middle of Missouri is rich in natural beauty and heritage. From the lawful and lawbreaking history of Jefferson City to the caves of Lake of the Ozarks and Columbia’s historic sites, there’s plenty of unexpected activities to enjoy in the region.
Jefferson City
While the main purpose of the capital is maintaining law and order, the city’s newest attraction has everyone focused on the lawbreakers. The Missouri State Penitentiary was the oldest continually operated prison west of the Mississippi River for 168 years, finally closing its doors in 2004. A variety of tours make this the hottest ticket in town for planners, according to Ryan Burns, communications manager for the Jefferson City CVB.
“Interest in the paranormal side has really grown,” she says. “We’ve offered paranormal tours since 2010, and it is a huge historic site that is creepy enough in the dark.”
Planners can choose from ghost tours, which are open to the public, or an overnight paranormal investigation if a group has 10 or more people. There are also historic tours in the daylight, which are led by former employees of the prison, including past guards. Both the ghost and regular tours take guests through some of the buildings, including the gas chamber where 40 prisoners met their end.
Other tours include the lawful side of town, such as a tour through the Missouri State Capitol building, modeled after the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., and known as one of the most beautiful state capitols in the U.S., according to Burns.
“People are always surprised, and they say, ‘I’ve never seen a capitol this beautiful,’” she says.
Highlights include the State Museum on the East Wing’s first floor, several murals by noted artist Thomas Hart Benson in the House Lounge and a number of bronze statues located throughout the grounds, from the Roman goddess of agriculture atop the dome to figures of Lewis and Clark by the grand staircase.
Attendees with downtime can make a day of it with tours of the Capitol, the Governor’s Mansion and the Missouri Supreme Court building.
For an activity that’s truly offbeat, planners can also set up a green living event called “Lunch and the Dump,” which includes lunch at a locally owned eatery, plus tours of the city’s sanitary landfill, the Department of Natural Resources Green Building and speakers from the Recycling Association and Federal Recycling, who will share the latest news and current projects in recycling programs and technology. PageBreak
Columbia
Located east of Jefferson City, this college town is home to the University of Missouri-Columbia, Stephens College and Columbia College, giving planners an ample pool of educational speakers. There are also several historic venues for groups, including the Missouri Theatre Center for the Arts, a 1928 theater restored and run by the University of Missouri. The facility offers a rooftop deck, a spacious lobby featuring the grand staircase and the stage itself. Another unusual pick for planners is the Boone County Historical Society Museum, located in Nifong Park, a 60-acre park that includes the Historical Museum itself, the 1877 Maplewood House, a collection of pioneer-era buildings known as Boone Junction and an art gallery.
“They can do all manner of events there,” says Megan McConachie, web and communications manager for the Columbia CVB. “If a group needs a speaker, they also have a great director who can talk about anything in the museum.”
For a trip through time and taste, the Columbia Star Dinner Train offers up four-star cuisine aboard vintage train cars from the 1930s to 1950s. The experience takes up to three hours round-trip, and four-course meals are prepared in the kitchen car and served in the dining cars. The dinner train has been featured on the PBS network and is available for private group events for up to 224 guests.
Missouri’s agriculture can be explored at Shryocks Callaway Farms, located a few miles east of Columbia. Attendees can navigate the Corn Maze in autumn, go for a hayride and spend the evening around a campfire telling tall tales, roasting hot dogs and chomping down on s’mores. The open air and outgoing staff on this 850-acre working farm makes it perfect for networking and downtime events. PageBreak
Lake of the Ozarks
This vacation region includes seven towns around the Lake of the Ozarks and Lake Ozark. The one thing each place has in common is great waterborne activities.
“When you hold an event at the lake, you must get your group out on the water,” says Lagina Kirkpatrick, director of sales for the Lake of the Ozarks CVB.
There are plenty of pleasure boats for tours and rental, but planners can take the unique tack with The Gypsy Rose pirate ship, which offers private group excursions and themed treasure hunts for team-building exercises. For those who want a little less walk-the-plank and a little more Mark Twain, try Tom Sawyer Cruises, a 90-minute trip aboard a riverboat. Meal cruises and even moonlight excursions are available for groups.
There are also several options for guests who want to get wet, including parasailing, stand-up paddleboarding and a wakeboarding school. Kirby’s School of Wake provides group clinics for newbie boarders, so everyone can get the most out of their lakeside downtime. If some attendees prefer to stay dry, there are also plane, seaplane and helicopter tours of the lake area for small groups.
Although it sounds odd to venture onto dry land and then head underground, the area’s caves make it worthwhile, according to Kirkpatrick.
“We have three wonderful caves to tour and explore, and over 2,500 couples have exchanged vows at one of our caves,” she says.
Bridal Cave is the one that brings the wedding bling, and legend has it that the first wedding ceremony joined a Native American couple in the cave in the early 1800s. Groups can discover a different angle of the cave’s past with the Discovery Tour, which includes outdoor classroom sessions on nearby trails, a flashlight tour of Bear Cave and an in-depth tour of Bridal Cave. The complete tour highlights the unusual and fragile eco-system of the Ozarks and its caves. Other cave tours in the area include Jacob’s Cave and Fantasy World Cave, which has been used in the past as an 1800s-era ballroom and Prohibition-era speakeasy. It also boasts an underground lake and a collection of Native American artifacts found in the cave itself.
Frequent contributor Beth Bartlett spends her summer days hanging out with the other bats in Ozark caves.
