nolan pierce author at My Family Travels
Article
A Missouri Working Farm Lets You Meet Clydesdales, Tour The Barns, And Watch Foals In Rolling Country

A working farm in Missouri has become a destination for anyone who wants to get close to some of the most recognizable horses in the world.

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Missouri Reservoir Is A Kayaker’s Paradise With Glassy Morning Waters And Herons Gliding By

The surface is so still at dawn that the trees on the far shore are reflected perfectly, each branch a mirror image in the glassy water.

Read More    7 min read

Article
The Sprawling Independent Missouri Plant Warehouse Serving as the State’s Go-To for Discount Pottery

There is a place in Missouri that feels less like a garden center and more like a sprawling treasure hunt. This independent plant warehouse has been serving the region for over...

Read More    9 min read

Article
These Are the 8 Most Fascinating Missouri Ghost Towns Where Time Stands Still

Some towns fade slowly, their buildings emptying one by one until only the ghosts remain. Others are abandoned suddenly, frozen in time like a photograph that never developed.

Read More    8 min read

Article
11 Missouri Lake Towns That Get Overpacked and Crowded Every Summer Weekend

Summer weekends in Missouri come with a guarantee. The lakes will sparkle, the grills will fire up, and the towns that hug the shoreline will turn into a beautiful, chaotic mess.

Read More    11 min read

Article
This Missouri Cave Inspired Tom Sawyer and Still Feels Like a Real-Life Adventure

A cave that inspired one of America's greatest writers sounds like the kind of place you should visit at least once. This Missouri cave did exactly that, serving as the backdrop...

Read More    8 min read

Article
This Tiny Missouri Train Station Drops You Into One of the Ozarks’ Most Scenic Hidden Escapes

A train ride is already a good start. But when the train drops you at a tiny station tucked into the Ozarks, the adventure really begins.

Read More    10 min read

Article
This Fairytale Missouri Red Mill Sits on a Glowing Turquoise Lake Fed by an Underground Cave Network

Some places look like they were painted by someone with a vivid imagination. A cherry red mill standing at the edge of water so blue it seems to glow, surrounded by the kind of...

Read More    8 min read

Article
This Missouri Town Feels Frozen in Time With Homemade Pie, $5 Movies, and Old-Fashioned Charm

This Missouri town does not try to impress you with flashy attractions or trendy boutiques. It simply sits there, quiet and unhurried, the kind of place where time seems to have...

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Historic Missouri Train Station Feels Like a Step Back Into the Golden Age of Rail Travel

The first thing you notice is the scale. Soaring ceilings, massive arches, and a grand hall that could swallow a city block. This...

Read More    9 min read

Article
Missouri’s Most Underrated Natural Oasis Has Electric-Blue Water and a Riverside Trail

Electric blue water does not belong in Missouri. That is what you will think the first time you see it, a shade of blue so vivid that it looks like someone tinted the water for...

Read More    8 min read

Article
This Massive Missouri Antique Mall Is a Maze of Vintage Finds Where You Could Spend an Entire Day Exploring

Some antique malls are pleasant detours, the kind of stop where you spend twenty minutes browsing and leave with a small trinket. This one is not that.

Read More    8 min read

Article
This Enormous Missouri Thrift Store Is So Packed With Treasures, You’ll Spend Hours Digging Through It

The moment I stepped through those doors, the sheer scale of the place stopped me in my tracks. Racks of clothing stretched as far as I could see, and shelves of housewares curved...

Read More    6 min read

Article
The 9 Legendary Missouri Bakeries Serving The Absolute Best Gooey Butter Cake

St. Louis gave the world gooey butter cake, and Missouri has never been the same since. This glorious creation sits somewhere between a cake and a cookie, with a dense, buttery...

Read More    9 min read

Article
11 Budget-Friendly Missouri Towns That Make Easy Living Feel Real Again

You pay your rent and still have money for dinner out. That simple math is becoming rare, but in these eleven budget-friendly Missouri towns, easy living does not require a second...

Read More    9 min read

Article
The Underground Mega-City Hidden in a Limestone Cave Where Roads, Warehouses, and a Whole Business World Exist Beneath Your Feet

More than ten miles of roads hum beneath your feet while a city of warehouses hums in the dark. That is the surreal reality of SubTropolis, an underground mega-city carved from...

Read More    7 min read

Article
12 Breathtaking Short Hikes in Missouri Where Every Trail Feels Like a Hidden Postcard Waiting to Be Found

You lace up your boots and step onto a trail that begs to be explored. Scattered across Missouri, twelve breathtaking short hikes are waiting to be discovered by anyone craving...

Read More    10 min read

Article
This Two-Mile Missouri Boardwalk Trail Takes You Through a Hidden Bird Sanctuary Most People Drive Past

You zip past the unassuming entrance a hundred times without ever slowing down. That is exactly the point. Just off the highway...

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Enchanting Missouri Tea Room is a Real-Life Fairy Tale for Pastry Lovers

You will Instagram your fork before you even take a bite. That is the power of this enchanting Missouri tea room, where the pastries look like tiny works of art and taste even...

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Missouri Beach is Ranked One of the Most Underrated in America, and Locals Love it That Way

A beach in Missouri sounds like a punchline until you actually see it. That is the quiet joke locals tell themselves about this hidden gem, recently ranked one of the most underrated...

Read More    8 min read

Article
This Hidden Missouri Park Is So Peaceful, It Feels Like the World Slows Down for You

The only rush you feel here is the gentle breeze off the lake. That is the quiet magic of this hidden Missouri park, where the world seems to remember how to breathe slowly.

Read More    6 min read

Article
10 Under-The-Radar Missouri State Parks Hiding Historic European-Style Castle Ruins That Feel Like A Bygone Fairytale Kingdom

Missouri has a secret that most travelers completely miss. Hidden in the woods of ten under the radar state parks are crumbling stone ruins that look like they belong in the Scottish...

Read More    10 min read

Article
This Missouri Arts District Turns Old Warehouses Into One of the Coolest Creative Scenes in the Midwest

Kansas City has a secret hiding in plain sight. A collection of old warehouses that once held goods and machinery now holds something far more interesting, one of the coolest creative...

Read More    10 min read

Article
These 12 Volcano-Carved Missouri Shut-Ins Pair Cold Crystal Pools With Nature’s Best Slides

Volcanoes are not the first thing that come to mind when you think of Missouri. Cornfields, sure. Rolling hills, absolutely. But ancient volcanic activity?

Read More    12 min read

Article
These Are the 11 Best Missouri Towns Where Time Feels Like It Stopped Decades Ago

Missouri has a way of preserving things. Not in museums, not behind glass cases, but right out in the open where you can walk down Main Street and feel like you have slipped through...

Read More    11 min read

Article
The Missouri Museum Where You Can Walk Through a Life-Size Titanic Experience

The Titanic sank over a century ago, but its story has never lost its power to fascinate. One Missouri museum in Branson decided to bring that story to life in a way that books...

Read More    8 min read

Article
The Missouri Drive-In Flea Market Where One Man’s Trash Turns Into Pure Gold

A drive-in movie theater seems like an unlikely home for a flea market. But one Missouri spot transformed that old school venue into something entirely different, a sprawling treasure...

Read More    8 min read

Article
This Dreamy Botanical Sanctuary In Missouri Looks Straight Out Of A Fairy Tale

Missouri has plenty of attractions, but one of them feels like it drifted in from a different world entirely. A dreamy botanical sanctuary sits in the heart of the city, looking...

Read More    10 min read

Article
This Massive Underground Missouri Museum Is Full of Surreal Curiosities

Some museums live above ground, content to display their treasures under fluorescent lights and polished glass. But one Missouri museum took a different path, burrowing deep into...

Read More    7 min read

Article
9 Wonderfully Bizarre Missouri Roadside Stops You Need To See To Believe

Missouri is full of surprises, and that means something wonderful in the best possible way. Road trips through the Show-Me State keep delivering moments that make drivers slow...

Read More    9 min read

Article
Locals Quietly Complain This Popular Missouri Hub Has Become Too Commercialized To Recognize

Fame changes things. A quiet town gets discovered, the tourists start coming, and before anyone can blink, the landscape looks completely different.

Read More    9 min read

Article
This Island-Themed Missouri Lazy River Offers A Relaxing Slow-Motion Float Through Lush Greenery

Missouri does not have an ocean, and everyone knows it. But that has not stopped someone from building a little slice of island paradise in the middle of the state, complete with...

Read More    7 min read

Article
The Best Summer Night Out in Missouri Happens Under the Stars at This Iconic Route 66 Drive-In Theatre

The sun dips below the Missouri horizon and something magical stirs in Carthage. Car doors open. Blankets unfold. A giant white screen glows to life, ready to tell stories to anyone...

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Secret, Off-Grid Missouri Town Has A Candle-Lit Amish Market Where You Can Fill A Wagon For Under $20

There is a small store resting along a quiet Missouri highway that feels like it belongs to a different century entirely. No electric sign flashes for attention.

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Easy Missouri Trail Leads to One of the State’s Most Unique Natural Swimming Areas

Water has a sneaky way of finding the soft spots in solid rock. Give it a few thousand years and it will carve out something magical, something that looks like nature decided to...

Read More    10 min read

Article
11 Missouri Smash Burger Spots That Rival Any Big City Burger Scene

The big cities like to brag about their burgers. New York has its corner spots. Chicago has its griddles. Los Angeles has its food trucks with hour long lines.

Read More    10 min read

Article
This Missouri Lakeside Restaurant Belongs on Your Spring Bucket List for Views, Fresh Air, and Relaxed Waterfront Dining

Spring in Missouri brings longer days, warmer breezes, and a sudden urge to eat every meal outdoors. One lakeside restaurant in Branson understands this urge better than most,...

Read More    7 min read

Article
These Charming Missouri Towns Feel Like You’ve Walked Straight Into a Feel-Good Movie You Never Want to End

You know that feeling when a trip slows you down in the best way, and every block feels like a scene you want to live inside? That...

Read More    9 min read

Article
12 Scenic Missouri River Towns That Make You Want to Slow Down and Stay Awhile

There is something about a river town that rewires your internal clock. The pace drops. The shoulders relax. And suddenly, you...

Read More    11 min read

Article
The Mysterious Magic Chef Story Comes Alive Inside This Opulent Missouri Mansion

Opulent mansions usually come with predictable stories. Wealthy families, lavish parties, the occasional scandal whispered among the staff.

Read More    7 min read

Article
12 Missouri Swimming Spots With Crystal-Clear Water Worth the Drive

Clear water is hard to find these days. Most swimming spots leave something to be desired. Murkiness. Crowds. The vague feeling that you should probably shower immediately after...

Read More    12 min read

Article
This Missouri Museum Is Home to One of the Most Unsettling Collections of Medical History in the World

You like weird, right? Not fake haunted house weird. You like the kind of weird that sticks to your brain and makes you say...

Read More    10 min read

Article
One of Missouri’s Most Beautiful Botanical Gardens, and Hardly Anyone Knows It Exists

The parking lot holds six cars on a perfect Saturday morning, which feels like a glitch in the matrix. Just outside St. Louis, this sprawling garden hides in plain sight, full...

Read More    8 min read

Article
This Tranquil Nature Park Turns a Simple Walk Into a Full Escape From Reality

The parking lot feels ordinary, just gravel and a sign and maybe one other car. Then you step onto the path and everything changes.

Read More    7 min read

Article
Missouri Has a Museum That’s Part Art Maze, Part Haunted Playground, and Part Dark Labyrinth Straight Out of a Tim Burton Dream

What even is this place? That question will pop into your head about twelve times during your first visit. Missouri has a museum that refuses to behave like a museum.

Read More    10 min read

Article
10 Missouri Factory Tours That Make for a Surprisingly Fun Day Trip

You think factory tours sound boring, admit it. You're picturing a monotone guide, uncomfortable safety glasses, and the kind of droning machinery that makes you question every...

Read More    9 min read

Article
The Missouri “Narnia Trail” That Turns a Simple Family Hike Into a Magical Experience

The trail dips into the shade and suddenly the temperature drops, as if someone turned on an air conditioner hidden somewhere in the rocks. Ferns drip from the limestone walls...

Read More    9 min read

Article
The Missouri Lake Patio Everyone Says Has the Best Sunset View in the Midwest

The sun dips toward the water and the whole patio falls quiet, forks pausing mid bite as if everyone silently agreed to appreciate the show. Lake of the Ozarks spreads out below...

Read More    7 min read

Article
Come Eye-to-Eye With Sharks in This Glass Ocean Tunnel in Missouri

The shark glides overhead, close enough that you could count its teeth if you wanted to. Light filters down through the water above, casting blue shadows across the glass tunnel...

Read More    9 min read

Article
10 Easy Missouri Trails Even First-Time Hikers Can Absolutely Crush

You do not need to be a mountain goat to enjoy Missouri's outdoors. You do not need special gear, months of training, or the lung capacity of an ultramarathon runner. You just...

Read More    10 min read

Article
The Best 11 Cashew Chicken in Missouri You’ll Want to Try at Least Once

You might be surprised to learn that one of Missouri's most famous dishes wasn't brought over from China. It was invented right here, in a Springfield kitchen, by a chef who just...

Read More    8 min read

Article
This Small Missouri Town Feels Normal, Until You Find the Old Railroad That Became a Hidden Wilderness Path

This small Missouri town seems ordinary at first glance. A main street with local shops. Neat houses. Folks going about their days.

Read More    7 min read

Article
The 9 Best Toasted Ravioli Joints in Missouri Locals Keep Secret From Tourists

St. Louis gave the world toasted ravioli, a happy accident involving some distracted cook who dropped pasta into hot oil instead of boiling water. The city has never apologized,...

Read More    9 min read

Article
This Tiny Missouri Town Is Home to Burgers Locals Swear By

The building is small. The menu is smaller. And the burgers are absolutely legendary. At this unassuming town in Missouri, a...

Read More    8 min read

Article
This Hidden Underground Lake in Missouri Is So Creepy, It’ll Stay With You for Days

The ground drops away into darkness. Water glimmers somewhere far below, catching faint light from above. And the only sound...

Read More    9 min read

Article
8 Missouri “Gas Station” Restaurants That Are Actually 5-Star Culinary Destinations

Let us redefine your expectations of gas station food. Not the stale hot dogs and questionable nachos of your road trip nightmares.

Read More    7 min read

Article
These 10 Low-Key Burger Joints in Missouri Are So Good, They’re Worth Driving Miles For

Somewhere between a wrong turn and a growling stomach, I found myself pulling into a gravel lot with a hand-painted sign and absolutely zero regrets. Missouri does not play around...

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Wonderfully Quirky Missouri Restaurant Is So Fun, You’ll Never Want to Leave

I have seen some unique dining setups, but I recently found a spot in Missouri that is literally built into the side of a massive rock ledge.

Read More    8 min read

Article
9 Dreamy Missouri State Parks Locals Secretly Hope Tourists Never Discover

Here is the truth about Missouri's state parks. The famous ones are famous for a reason, but the best ones? The locals keep those...

Read More    9 min read

Article
This 75-Year-Old Missouri Steakhouse Is a True Small-Town Institution Still Serving Massive Comfort Meals

Some restaurants barely survive a decade. This one has been going strong since before your grandparents probably met. In the...

Read More    7 min read