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Springfield is a beautiful city located in southwestern Missouri. This beautiful city is home to incredible destinations that visiting will make your trip memorable. During your visit, you can start by stopping at the farmers’ center to meet the locals, buy local souvenirs, taste local dishes, and even get to know the culture of the region better. Additionally, you can get up close and personal with various animal species such as Asian elephants and Malayan tigers at the zoo. You can also visit the museum to get to know more about the history of the region. If you love beer and would like to get more details about the beer-making process or even sample some locally brewed beer, you can make a stop at the breweries in the region.
Moreover, you can also take an underground tour by taking a jeep-drawn tram ride at the Fantastic Caverns. Are you into vintage or classic cars? Well, during your trip to Springfield, you should never fail to stop at the Route 66 Car Museum, where you will find vintage cars, trucks, and batmobiles on display. There are parks and botanical gardens that you can visit. You can use trails to stretch your muscles by hiking, strolling, or just walking. You can also visit the lake to take on water-related activities such as canoeing, kayaking, and fishing.
Springfield, Missouri, covers an estimated area of 214.9 square kilometers with an elevation of 396 meters. The number of people residing in this beautiful city as the 2019 report is estimated to be 167,051. The area code is 417. There are multiple destinations, attractions, and landmarks in this beautiful city that visiting will make your trip memorable and worthwhile.
Here are the best things to do in Springfield, Missouri.
# 10 – Discovery Center of Springfield
Suppose you are visiting Springfield, Missouri, with kids, and you are wondering which destination to visit to have fun and have the kids engaged. In that case, your destination should be 438 E. St. Louis Street, where the Discovery Center of Springfield is located. The discovery center is a hands-on, cool, fun, interactive museum that will inspire learning for you and your kids through exploration and discovery. Inside the Discovery Center, a variety of fascinating exhibits, programs, and displays are presented. The presentations are fun and serve as an inspiring educational resource for the development of critical thinking skills. Additionally, there is a range of subject matter ranging from science and technology to art, history, and culture that are covered and will provide you with multiple opportunities to explore. The multiple opportunities provided include exploring the inner workings of an eyeball, digging for dinosaur bones, and getting more details about other creatures.
Furthermore, you will get a chance to ride the HighWire bike. There are multiple events such as Earth Day, Pi Day, Nano Day, and scout nights hosted. Finally, the facility also offers a range of educational outreach programs.
# 9 – Springfield Art Museum
Springfield Art Museum was founded in 1926 by a small group of women, making it one of the oldest cultural institutions in Springfield, Missouri. The art museum was established to inspire and educate the preservation and appreciation of art. Springfield art museum is one of the beautiful destinations in the city worth visiting if you are into arts and would like to view some fine art pieces. Additionally, this art museum is one of the best destinations in the city that you can visit with the children. Inside the art museum, more than 10,000 works comprise both permanent and rotating collections. There are also traveling exhibitions that you may get a chance to see during your visit to the art museum. The permanent collection in this museum span numerous periods.
Moreover, there are special collections such as the Art of the Midwest, American water media, and printmaking, plus other collections from Europe such as pottery and ceramics that you will get to see during your visit. There are multiple largescale sculptures on display throughout the outdoor Sculpture Garden at the art museum grounds. Last, art classes for teens and adults and Docent-led tours of galleries are among other events and activities in the museum. Springfield Art Museum is located at 1111 E. Brookside Drive, Springfield, Missouri.
Official site: http://www.sgfmuseum.org/
# 8 – Fantastic Caverns
Fantastic Caverns was discovered in 1862 by John Knox and his hunting dog. This attraction is an underground cave carved out by an ancient river, and it is located along H Farm Road 125, around 10 miles northwest of downtown. During your visit, you will get a chance to explore the Fantastic Caverns on a 55-minute jeep-drawn tram ride that will take you through the cave system. Additionally, you will be able to soak up the magnitude of the splendor and tranquility of the cave thanks to its quiet setting and nature. You may also get a chance to encounter columns, soda straws, and cave bacon while touring Fantastic Caverns. Due to the underground setting of the attraction, its temperature remains at a comfortable 60 degrees Fahrenheit all year round.
Official site: http://www.fantasticcaverns.com/
# 7 – The Air and Military Museum of the Ozarks
The museum was established in 1989, and it is dedicated to both the men and women who fought and died in the Armed Forces, preserving America’s freedom. The main aim of establishing this museum in 1989 was restoring, preserving, and displaying the military history and memorabilia of the Ozarks for the public. During your visit to this museum, you will find over 5,000 objects of military history. Some of the military objects that you will get a chance to see during your visit include a Cobra helicopter, a T-33 jet aircraft, and Army jeeps and trucks. Additionally, you can take an imaginary flight in a Cobra Helicopter, type a message on an old typing machine or have a personalized dog tag made during your visit. There are also multiple activities such as field trips for students and birthday parties that take place and are hosted in the museum. The museum is located at 2305 E Kearney St, Springfield, Missouri.
# 6 – Dickerson Park Zoo, Springfield, Missouri
Dickerson Park Zoo is a great destination to visit if you love animals and want to get more details about the animals in the region during your trip to Springfield, Missouri. The zoo is located at 1401 W Norton Road, and more than 500 animals representing over 160 different species call it home. Some of the animals that this zoo that you will get the chance to see during your visit include western diamondback rattlesnakes, black swans, North American black bear, Asian elephants, spider monkeys, maned wolves, cheetahs, and a Malayan tiger. Additionally, there are various zoo events and summer camps all year round that you can attend or take part in during your visit. You may also get the chance to get up close and personal with a variety of animals such as elephants, tigers, or reptiles by taking part in “Animal RendZoos.”
Official site: https://dickersonparkzoo.org
# 5 – Springfield Conservation Nature Center
Springfield Conservation Nature Center is one of the best destinations in Springfield to visit if you are an outdoor enthusiast who is nature-oriented. The nature center covers over 80 acres of natural landscape that features woodlands, forests, meadows, prairies, and Lake Springfield. Additionally, there are around three miles of hiking trails that you can use to hike and a visitor center stacked with interpretative exhibits. You can get a chance to take part in special programs and events that take place at the visitor center during your visit. Further, there are various wildlife and bird species within this nature center that you will see while hiking. You can also visit Lake Springfield for an array of recreational and outdoor activities such as kayaking, fishing, and canoeing. The hiking trails include the Greenways Trail and the Greater Ozark Audubon Trails.
Moreover, there are events that take place in this nature center that you may get a chance to attend during your visit. Some of the events include Eagle Days in winter, Native Plant sales and Seminar in spring, Insect-O-Rama during August, and Halloween-based events in October. The nature center is located at 4601 S Nature Center Way, Springfield, Missouri.
# 4 – Mother’s Brewing Company
If you love beer or you want to get more details about the beer-making process, then you should head to Mother’s Brewing Company. This brewing company is a locally-owned brewery, and it produces and distributes craft beers. The brewery is located at 215 South Grant in Downtown Springfield. During your tour of this brewery, you will get more details about the processes of beer making, bottling, and distribution. Additionally, you can then wind up by tasting various beers produced at the brewery in the tasting rooms. Some of the beers produced in this brewery all year round include Towhead, Three Blind Mice, Winter Grind, Spring Batch, and many more. You can visit this brewery every Saturday afternoon.
# 3 – Missouri Sports Hall of Fame
If you are a sports enthusiast and want to know more about the history and the achievements of the athletes in Missouri, the best place to visit is the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is located at 3861 East Stan Musial Drive, and it is home to more than 4,000 items of sports memorabilia that are showcased in a range of displays and exhibits on the two floors. The exhibit in the hall of fame presents hands-on experiences like racing in a NASCAR simulator, batting against a Major League Baseball pitcher, and throwing football passes. There are statues of renowned sports figures.
# 2 – Wonders Of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium
This museum and aquarium is considered the largest fish and wildlife attraction globally, and it was opened in 2017. There are over one-and-a-half million gallons of water which is home to thousands of live fish. Additionally, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals call this national museum and aquarium home. You will also be able to admire some river monsters during your visit to this facility. The wildlife galleries at the museum are displayed in detailed 4-D wildlife dioramas. Each 4-D wildlife diorama features incredible attention to detail plus added effects. Moreover, the showcasing in this facility are in distinct themes such as an ocean shipwreck, an Ozark forest, a Louisiana swamp, and the Amazon rainforest. Wonders Of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium is located at 500 W Sunshine Street, Springfield, Missouri.
Official site: http://www.wondersofwildlife.org
# 1 – Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park
There is something for everyone in Springfield, Missouri. Suppose you are an outdoor enthusiast who is nature-oriented and wondering where to visit during your trip to this city to have quality time. In that case, your destination should be Nathanael Greene/Close, Memorial Park. Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park is an over 110-acre manicured space located at 2400 S Scenic Avenue in Springfield, Missouri. Additionally, this is one of the fantastic destinations in the city that you can visit with kids to have quality time. During your visit to this facility, you will find a 12,700-square-foot Springfield Botanical Center. The 12,700- square-foot botanical center features around 21 different garden beds, more than 100 varieties of flower species, and the Dr. Bill Roston Native Butterfly House. At the Dr. Bill Roston Native Butterfly House, you will find multiple species of colorful insects, and you will see and learn about all the stages that these creatures go through.
Further, there are vast green spaces, lush trees, and many more within the Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park that you will be able to see and stroll through during your visit. There are more than 2.8 miles of trails around the banks of Lake Drummond, located within Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park that you can go to stretch your legs during your visit by biking, jogging, or just walking. Moreover, this destination is one of the beautiful places in the city that you can go picnicking. You can also take a stroll to Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden that is conned to the Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park. The stroll garden is an extra tranquil setting that you can visit to get some peace of mind. At the Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden, a traditional Japanese garden landscaping spans more than 7 acres, a meditation garden, moon bridge, a large koi lake complete with stepping stones, a traditional teahouse, and an aesthetic Zig-Zag Bridge.
Official site: https://parkboard.org/261/Mizumoto-Japanese-Stroll-Garden
