Short Vacation: Hannibal, Missouri
Huck Finn, Tom Sawyer, Widow Douglas — do any of these literary characters stick out to you? Chances are, you’re a Mark Twain fan.
Twain, the famous author and literary powerhouse of the late 1800s, produced dozens of hilarious, thrilling and moving novels throughout his lifetime. He gave birth to the concept of “the great American novel.” And he did it almost entirely from his hometown of Hannibal, Missouri.
Far from just another river town, Hannibal offers some gorgeous scenic views of the Mississippi River, access to great fishing and hunting and some of the most interesting historical sights around. Not to mention, it’s a great stop for RVers and their families. Let’s take short vacation to Hannibal, Missouri.
WHERE TO STAY: MARK TWAIN CAVE CAMPGROUND
Mark Twain Cave Complex boasts a beautiful campground with 99 campsites, ranging from shady and quiet to sunny and social. With a family fun park and convenience store within easy access, it’s a great place to stop your RV for a long weekend with the family that still has all of the scenic amenities you want.
The campground offers full hookups for RV’s, laundry, restrooms and showers, a dump station, a safe playground for kids, basketball area, volleyball court and a brand new official horseshoe area.
MARK TWAIN CAVE
Mark Twain Cave, very close to the campground, is a natural wonder and beauty in itself and is a registered national natural landmark that is not to be missed. The Mark Twain Cave Complex boasts America’s oldest and newest show caves, and offers tours, events, gift shops and more underground attractions.
MARK TWAIN MUSEUM
Aside from natural sights, Hannibal is a great place for immersive history, and the Mark Twain Museum is the perfect place for that. The museum complex includes Mark Twain’s Boyhood Home & Garden, where Sam Clemens (Twain’s real name) grew up, and where the real adventures of “Tom Sawyer” took place.
It also features the Huckleberry Finn house, the Becky Thatcher house, various gift shops and the Museum Gallery, a lovely two-story building featuring interactive exhibits and treasured Clemens family artifacts.
MARK TWAIN RIVERBOAT
There’s nothing that says “Mississippi River” more than a steam-powered riverboat chugging its way down the Big Muddy, and Hannibal has them in spades.
The Mark Twain Riverboat has been a unique feature on the Hannibal riverfront for more than thirty years and offers visitors of Hannibal a unique riverboat experience on the “Mighty Mississippi”. The boat, which was built in 1964 in Dubuque, Iowa, is 120 feet long and can hold 400 people during its one- to two-hour cruises. Its dinner cruises are perfect for couples, and offer excellent food, music, dancing, and beverages.
Hannibal, Missouri is a gem along the Mississippi that offers more than just the typical tourist attractions. It’s full of history, fun family attractions and gives people of all ages the chance to unplug and check out some of the country’s most scenic and interesting natural sights.