School's back in session, meaning the relaxing style of summer has been replaced with soccer practices, parent meetings and dance classes. Making memories can be a challenge in this hectic time of year, but don't get lost in the shuffle.
Here's a glimpse at a few family-friendly travel destinations just far enough away to feel like a vacation but within a four-hour drive of Jefferson City, making a perfect afternoon or weekend getaway.
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield, Illinois, is known as the home of Abraham Lincoln, but the capital city of Illinois is also a stop on historic Route 66.
At just more than three hours away, Alicia Erickson, marketing specialist with the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the city has many unexpected things to offer.
"We are a capital city with many great museums, but one that is often overlooked is the Illinois State Military Museum," Erickson said. "This museum collects, preserves and interprets the military artifacts associated with the citizen soldier of Illinois, from the Revolutionary War through the Global War on Terror. It contains rare and unusual items such as Santa Anna's wooden leg and a target board shot at by President Abraham Lincoln."
The city offers the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, allowing visitors of all ages an intimate look at the nation's 16th president. The Lincoln Family Pew, which was rented by the Lincoln family for 10 years, is even on display at the First Presbyterian Church.
The city is also home to Camp Butler National Cemetery, a one-time site of a Union Army training camp along with a Confederate prison. More than 1,600 Union and Confederate soldiers have been buried in the cemetery.
Don't forget to stop at the various war memorials for World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. There is also a Korean War National Museum, with storyboards and artifacts, a hands-on children's area and an extensive library for research.
"People may know our most famous Frank Lloyd Wright house, the Dana-Thomas House, but we also have the Lawrence Memorial Library/Mata Simpson Resource Center also designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and still used today at the Lawrence Education Center," Erickson said.
St. Joseph
While St. Joseph, Missouri, is steeped in history, there are plenty of sight-seeing opportunities and adventures to make it worth the three-and-a-half-hour drive from Jefferson City.
"The Pony Express Museum & Pony School, Patee House Museum, Remington Nature Center would be my picks for most popular with kids," said Beth Conway, director of communications for the St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau. "In the fall, we also have PumpkinFest, which is a great fall family festival the second weekend in October."
The city offers something to do anytime of the year. With 12 annual festivals and buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places, St. Joseph also is home of the Kansas City Chiefs Summer Training Camp as well as 48 parks and 26 miles of parkway.
St. Joseph is only 30 minutes north of Kansas City, which makes it a quick stop from larger metropolitan areas where your family may enjoy a longer vacation.
"On the overlooked side, I would say are the Albrecht Kemper Museum of Art and Robidoux Row Museum. Robidoux Row is one of the oldest buildings left in the state that give a good example of how people lived during the early 1800s," Conway said. "Fort Smith is also a great park with Civil War connections and a wonderful view of the city."
Lake of the Ozarks
It's easy to overlook things right in front of you. Don't let the Lake of the Ozarks be one of them.
Just a 50-minute drive from Jefferson City, the Lake of the Ozarks offers a variety of activities, both on and off the water, for children of all ages.
Large family attractions like Big Surf Water Park, Miner Mike's Indoor Family Fun Center, outlet shopping, and all-time favorites like go-carts, skee ball and bumper boats are sure to attract great reviews from your loved ones. Some of the most overlooked Lake of the Ozarks area attractions promise the same appeal and rave reviews.
One out-of-the-way adventure sure to be a one-of-a-kind experience is the Swinging Bridge. The old, wooden bridge is made out of 400 feet of planks that cross the Auglaize Creek. Families often enjoy a walk across the bridge, as well as a picnic or fishing. The bridge is still open to traffic, so be sure to keep a close eye out.
The 3-mile-long Tunnel Dam and Whistle Shallows Lake Niangua at Tunnel Dam is found at the end of the Big Niangua River. This location is better known than the Swinging Bridge, though not often frequented by many people at one time. Fishing is great here, though swimmers and others wishing to enjoy the area may make catching a "big one" harder to accomplish.
The Lake of the Ozarks area offers numerous camping sites for both RVs and tent campers. The various state parks offer outdoor lovers all they can handle with fishing, hiking, horseback riding, camping, water activities and more.
The Lake of the Ozarks' namesake state park is the largest in Missouri at more than 17,441 acres. The park offers numerous outdoor activities as well as spots for friendly games of football, softball and more. Though the picnic and camping spots tend to fill up fast on weekends and holidays, there is typically plenty of space for everyone to enjoy a day or weekend at the Lake.
Many campsites, especially those using electricity at RV sites, recommend reserving spots far in advance. Some campers even reserve weekend posts as far as six months out, though non-state-affiliated camping locations may not fill up as fast. Prime camping season is late March through early October, though many camping locales are open nearly year round.