Missouri River Lore & More

September 18—24, 2011

Long-time Menno Travel escort Judy Cunningham and Cardinal driver Fran Eldridge invite you along on the Missouri River Lore & More tour in September.  The early history of Missouri is tied to the Mississippi River and this tour visits the best, from Mark Twain’s Hannibal to the first Missouri capital at St. Charles, St. Louis with Forest Park, the Great River Road, and Sainte Genevieve to visit historic French America. 

If you enjoy history, scenery, and travel with friends, you’ll want to join Judy, Fran, and all your friends along the Mississippi River in Missouri in September.  Book now—last year’s Vermont tour sold out early and we don’t want you to miss out on all the fun and camaraderie! 

Sunday, September 18 – Today we will travel west through Illinois to Hannibal, Missouri for our Welcome Dinner at TJ’s Supper Club.  Overnight stay at the Quality Inn & Suites in Hannibal, MO. 

Monday, September 19 – Our morning will begin with a tour of the Mark Twain Boyhood Home, Museum and Cave Complex.  We will then enjoy lunch at the Ole Planters Restaurant, known for their homemade pies and acclaim by the Food Network.  This afternoon we will have a guided tour of this marvelous river town including Hannibal’s Historic District.  After some time to relax, we will enjoy dinner on the Mark Twain Mississippi Riverboat.  Overnight stay at the Quality Inn & Suites in Hannibal, MO. 

Tuesday, September 20 – Our morning will begin with breakfast and then travel to Florida, Missouri where we will tour the birthplace of Samuel Clemens.  We will have the opportunity to view the original handwritten manuscript of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.  We will continue to Mexico, Missouri for our guided tour of the American Saddlebred Horse Museum.  Following lunch, we will drive to Fulton, where we will tour the National Churchill Museum and Library.  This historic site houses the permanent exhibit dedicated to the life and works of Sir Winston Churchill, the Clementine Spencer Churchill Reading Room and also a piece of the Berlin Wall.  We will then visit the Auto World Museum, home to    historic automobiles including their oldest vehicle, the 1903 Humbrette.  This evening we will enjoy dinner at Marlene’s Restaurant.  Overnight stay at the Holiday Inn Express in St. Charles, MO. 

Wednesday, September 21 – This morning we will have breakfast before visiting the First Missouri State Capital Historic Site.  We will take a group photo before our guided tour of Historic St. Charles.  We will tour the Lewis and Clark Boathouse and Nature Center, viewing learning exhibits about Lewis and Clark and the Missouri river ecosystem.  This afternoon we will have a guided tour of St. Louis including the Gateway Arch Riverfront, Forest Park and a tour of the Anheuser-Busch   Brewery.  The brewery tour includes the Beechwood Lager Cellars, the historic brew house and Bevo Packaging Facility.  This evening we will enjoy an Italian dinner at Favazza’s.  Overnight stay at Hampton Inn Riverfront Arch in St. Louis, MO. 

Thursday, September 22 – Our day begins with a visit to the beautiful Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis.  Called the “outstanding cathedral of the Americas” by Pope Paul VI, the Basilica is home to the largest collection of mosaic art.  The Basilica offers more than 41 million pieces of tesserae in 8,000 colors that fill more than 83,000 square feet.  This afternoon will be free for you to enjoy Union Station, where you will have time for lunch and shopping.  This evening includes dinner and a murder mystery at the Bissell Mansion Restaurant and Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre.  This will be a 4-course meal to die for!  Overnight stay at Hampton Inn Riverfront Arch in St. Louis, MO. 

Friday, September 23 – Today we will travel the Great River Road to the French colonial country.  We will travel to Ste. Genevieve, the region south of St. Louis that was once claimed by France after an expedition by Louis Joliet and Jacques Marquette.  Ste. Genevieve has more than 150 pre-1825 structures and offers the largest concentration of French colonial architecture in the North America.  Our guided tour includes the Great River Road Interpretive Center, the 1792 Bolduc House   Museum and the Jacob Philipson House.  We will enjoy a farewell lunch at historic Ste. Genevieve before continuing to Springfield, Illinois.  Overnight stay in Springfield, IL. 

Saturday, September 24 – This morning we will visit the wonderful Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.  We will learn about the life and historical events of our 16th President.  After lunch, we will continue to Indiana sharing the fun memories of the great times we had! 

Book early to avoid disappointment!  Reservations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Your Tour Includes: 

Roundtrip deluxe motor coach transportation 

Six (6) nights’ accommodations 

15 meals:  Six (6) Breakfasts 

                 Five (5) Lunches 

                 Four (4) Dinners 

Admissions and sightseeing per itinerary 

Menno Travel Escort 

Departures: Middlebury, Goshen, Elkhart 

Optional Insurance: Please contact Tara for rates and complete details 

To confirm your space on this tour, or for questions, contact Tara Nisley:
(574) 975-7766 or (866) 606-6198 or tara@mennotrav.com