Missouri, the Show Me State, has a lot to show from the Mississippi River in the east to the Missouri River in the west. It has a rich history that includes being a destination of French exploration and settling, a pivotal state in the Civil War, a starting point for western expansion, and a significant location of Native Americans history. Missouri has five distinct vacation destination regions: Northeastern, Southeastern, Central, Southwestern, and Northwestern. Each region has something special for tourists, but each region has incredible rivers, wineries, historical and culture features, and outdoor adventures.

Northeastern Missouri has the Mississippi River as its eastern border and St. Louis, its largest city, which has the Gateway Arch that is over 600 feet tall on the Mississippi Riverfront and symbolizes that St. Louis was the historic gateway to western expansion. Visitors to St. Louis enjoy its opera, museum, professional baseball, theatres, gardens, Old Cathedral, gourmet restaurants, and casino on the Mississippi River. Northeastern Missouri and St. Louis have special historical and cultural significance because of the Dred Scott Trial as well has being the birthplace of Scott Joplin. Samuel Clemens (a.k.a. Mark Twain), whose pen name reflects the Mississippi River heritage, used Hannibal, Missouri as the home of his fictional characters Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn.

Central Missouri is the premier lake and resort region within the State with Lake of the Ozarks. Although the region is known for its trophy rainbow trout, its malls and factory outlets provide visitors with a year-round shopping destination. The wineries in the region are well-known. Truman Lake is the largest impoundment in the Midwest with fishing, sailing, and water skiing. The terrain and waterways of Central Missouri are perfect for hiking, camping, backpacking, canoeing, biking, kayaking, and birding. Visitors to this region are intrigued by the 80 year-old castle at Ha Ha Tonka.

Southeastern Missouri has the first national scenic waterway, bubbling springs, sparkling rivers, and hills with forests perfect for exploring, paddling, splashing, camping, trekking, river floating, climbing, and canoeing. For outdoor adventurers, there are outfitters throughout this region. Agri-tourists in this region enjoy the varieties of farmland and quaint turn of the century country villages. In towns like, Cape Girardeau, Bonne Terre, and St. Genevieve, founded in 1735, tourists can learn about the unique French heritage of Missouri and visit art museums. Other natural areas include the Mark Twain National Forest, Grand Gulf State Park, which has a mini-Grand Canyon, Ozark hills with their giant red boulders, and other areas with caverns and rock carvings. In southeastern Missouri, there are beaches and marinas where scuba diving is one of the popular water sports. The Trail of Tears State Park remembers the forced migration of the Cherokee from the eastern states to Oklahoma. Gaming is available on board the floating casino in the Mississippi River.

Southwestern Missouri has year-round live entertainment and family fun at Branson, and at Silver City, there are turn of the century crafters. Springfield is the largest town in the region with good shopping, museums, galleries, and a zoo. RV camping also is available in this region as well as the other four tourist regions in Missouri. When tourists yearn for the outdoors, they can go trout fishing and explore caverns. Young children always enjoy visiting the Laura Ingles Wilder Museum and Home in Mansfield.

On the Missouri River, Kansas City, home of blues and jazz, is the largest city in northwestern Missouri. Kansas City is the home of a colorful city market, theatres, good restaurants, and the Steamboat Museum. Independence, Missouri is the home of President Harry S Truman. Visitors to the region enjoy visiting the Jesse James Bank Museum, location of the first daylight bank robbery. The historic Pony Express Riders started in northwestern Missouri. Bird watchers go to this region and its wild life refuges to watch wild geese and migrating waterfowl.

Accessing Missouri is easy because its cities are served by major airlines and the interstates cross the State.