I Go Back

This is so long overdue it's not even funny.  I feel like we have been on the road perpetually this summer and in reality, it has been just shy of 4 weeks.  Craziness.  But Fun.

We hit the 'Lou again to see my people.  We lucked out on weather most of the time we were there and my kids begged me to stay a few extra days.  Sure sign of another successful road trip.

St. Louis is a great town for kids - a ton of super cool stuff to do and the majority of it is free.
As much as I love NC, there aren't a lot of fun/free/cheap things to do for kids in terms of museums, zoos, etc.  Tradeoffs.

If you visit STL and only do one thing, make it the City Museum.  

Impossible to explain but your children will thank you later.

The rooftop of the City Museum is uber cool - a huge slide, ferris wheel and other assorted climbing apparatus.  A child's heaven.

View from the Ferris Wheel ride with Squeezalicious...

Said Ferris Wheel...

Monkeys...

We hit the Zoo, the old standby.  We hadn't been there in 2 years due to insanely hot temps last year so we did it all this time - children's zoo, train ride, sting rays, penguins, sea lions.  

The whole kit and caboodle.

We hit museums we hadn't seen before…Lewis and Clark and the Lock and Dam.  If you grew up near or on the "Big River", these things are really cool.  If not, well, your loss.

Above, Squeezalicious is hanging with the Piasa Bird, an old Indian legend.  

Inside the type of boat used by Lewis and Clark…very neat.

We "ran up" the River Road, as my dad would say.  He's been going up to these small river towns for more than 55 years or so.  He's been taking me since birth.  No trip back feels complete without this drive.  We ate fresh fish, watched a bike rally and pooped around in the antique shops.

There is also a great little park in the town where maybe I'll retire some day - Elsah.  

Kids caught frogs with local children, splashed in the creek and played tag.  Great day.

Another part of my childhood now passed down to my own little people is swimming/floating on the Black River.  Southern Missouri is its own special kind of pretty.  Windy roads with names like Highway W and Highway KK lead you to crystal clear water, cold from the springs that feed it.  Awesomeness.   My kids didn't want to leave.  They snorkeled, letting the gentle current carry them down.  They fished.  They built rock forts for minnows and tadpoles.

Are these guys tired, or what???

And then this.  I think she was letting me know they didn't want to leave.

Great visit with family and dear friends.  In fact, I caught up with a friend from way back - 6th grade.  We literally had not seen each other in 30 years.  My Gawd…am I old or what?

Looking forward to our next visit!