4 Awesome Road Trips Every St. Louisan Should Take

To the north of St. Louis: Springfield, Il.

Nothing introduces you to a town quite like local, hole-in-the-wall dining, so start your Springfield getaway at Cozy Dog Diner (2935 S. Sixth Street, 217-525-1992; www.cozydogdrivein.com). Park under the spinning sign, cut past the wall-to-wall Americana memorabilia, step up to the long counter and order a corn dog. It's probably better to call it a Cozy Dog, because this is where corn dogs were invented, or so the owners claim. The dogs are $2.05 each. Cozy also runs specials on a dozen for $20.75. That's probably overkill, but who are we to judge? Photo by Doyle Murphy.

Lincoln's tomb is less than five miles north of Cozy in the Oak Ridge Cemetery (1441 Monument Avenue, 217-782-2717; www.lincolntomb.org). Pause inside the gates and pay your respects to Roy "Mr. Accordion" Bertelli. Photo by Jenna Murphy.

The rebellious musician was a local legend who played with Lawrence Welk. That was an impressive credit back in the day, but what keeps the squeezebox master relevant thirteen years after his death is the ostentatious mausoleum he built as an everlasting "screw you" to Oak Ridge's overlords. Get details on the story here. Photo by Jenna Murphy.

As for Lincoln's tomb, it's a quick and interesting introduction to the many remembrances in Springfield. A statue of him out front is dull bronze except for the gleaming nose, polished by the hands of thousands of visitors. A heavy door at the base of the tomb provides (free!) access to curved, marble hallways adorned with more Lincoln statues and plaques engraved with excerpts from his speeches. You eventually come to the burial chamber. Lincoln's remains lie ten feet below the floor, and his wife, Mary, and three of his boys are in crypts along the south wall. Photo by Jenna Murphy.

From there, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum (212 N. Sixth Street, 217-558-8844; www.illinois.gov/alplm) is just two miles south. Tickets are $15 for adults and $6 for kids ages five to fifteen — one of the more expensive Lincoln things you can do but worth it. Among other things, this place has legit, Tupac-would-be-jealous holograms and a theater that rattles, flashes and booms with such force you'll flinch.

Not enough Lincoln for you? Check out the Lincoln Home National Historic Site (426 S. 7th Street, 217-492-4241; www.nps.gov/liho). Then grab a beer at Obed & Isaac's Microbrewery and Eatery (500 S. Sixth Street, 217-670-0627; www.obedandisaacs.com) and a nightcap at Bob's Butternut Hut (215 N. Second Street; 217-789-7777). Bed down at the Country Inn & Suites (3092 Stevenson Drive, 217-544-5151; www.countryinns.com). Photo by Doyle Murphy.

You may have had your fill of Lincoln-themed attractions by the next day, which isn't a problem. Go to the Dana-Thomas House (301 E. Lawrence Street, 217-782-6776; www.dana-thomas.org) designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It's a free (donations suggested) and fascinating look at one of the visionary architect's prairie-style homes. Tour guides lead visitors through a dizzying number of levels, often adorned by "art glass" windows designed by Wright. Photo by Doyle Murphy.

There is one more thing you have to do before leaving town: Eat a horseshoe. The cheese fry/meat sandwich mashup is Springfield's answer to St. Louis' slinger. D'arcy's Pint (661 W. Stanford Avenue, 217-492-8800; www.darcyspintonline.com) has a good one. Roll to your car and come back to St. Louis overfed and full of historical trivia. Photo by Doyle Murphy.

To the south of St. Louis: St. Francois Mountains

Need an escape from the concrete jungle? Whether you're looking to zen out in front of vistas and waterfalls or have a little fun sliding down nature's natural waterslide, the St. Francois Mountains have something for everyone. Photo by Kelly Glueck.

It takes just two hours to drive from St. Louis to the highest point in Missouri, Taum Sauk, listed at a whopping 1,772 feet. The best views arriving at Taum Sauk can be found from a 1949 fire tower (gps coordinates: 37.5688,-90.718758) and the designated lookout just before you ditch your car for the trail (148 Taum Sauk Trail, Middle Brook; www.mostateparks.com/park/taum-sauk-mountain-state-park). The lookout can't be missed. The easiest way to find the fire tower is to turn left when the paved road turns to gravel. Photo by Kelly Glueck.

After you get your obligatory Instagram photo at Taum Sauk, head down the Mina Sauk Trail counter-clockwise. This is a three-mile loop marked with red blazers. Get more details on the path you should follow here -- and take a look at this photo of a visitor enjoying the view of the St. Francois Mountains atop Mina Sauk Falls. Photo by Kelly Glueck.

After a long day of hiking, we suggest staying at Johnson Shut-ins Campground, which is just a short drive from where you originally parked your car. Then spend your next day at Elephant Rocks State Park and Johnson Shut-Ins. Both can get very crowded in the summer, but the crowds don't typically make it in until noon or a little later because both are popular day trips. Staying nearby will get you there early the next morning to beat the bikers, field trips and soccer moms. Photo by Kelly Glueck.

Start at Elephant Rocks State Park (7406 MO-21, Belleview; www.mostateparks.com/park/elephant-rocks-state-park). These massive red granite boulders slightly resembling pachyderms will test strategy, long jump, body contortioning and your ability to get down from something you were really excited about climbing. Just remember: what goes up, must come down. Two designated trails include a wheelchair-accessible one. However, half the fun is exploring these big boulders on your own path. Photo by Kelly Glueck.

When you've gotten all sweaty from jumping boulder to boulder, it's time to head to the local watering hole Johnson Shut-Ins State Park (148 Taum Sauk Trail, Lesterville; mostateparks.com/park/johnsons-shut-ins-state-park). Full of dips, slips and pools, this is the original waterslide. Formed from years of rushing water and weathering, these volcanic rocks will show you a rough and risky good time.

For those a little uneasy with the gushing waters and jutting rocks, there is a calm pool at the far end of the chaos. Bring water shoes — but if you forget them, a store at the entrance to the Shut-Ins is equipped for all your last-minute needs. Photo by Kelly Glueck.

To the east of St. Louis: Greenville, Il.

Greenville, Illinois, is a hotbed of weird activity. Just ask anybody who's felt the sting of the town's spanking machine. No, the hamlet with the quaint downtown isn't the cornerstone of the region's S&M community (alas?), but it certainly has one of the nation's most interesting cheap thrills in the DeMoulin Museum (110 West Main Street; 618-664-4115). Photo by Allison Babka.

If the DeMoulin name sounds familiar, that's because it's currently the largest and oldest manufacturer of marching band uniforms in the world. But the same company that makes sequin jumpsuits used to be known for products that were a lot stranger, and it only takes a 45-minute drive due east from St. Louis to experience the weirdness. Photo by Allison Babka.

The DeMoulin Museum has collected a large number of these rare, odd contraptions. Curator John Goldsmith leads curious souls through the tiny free museum, showing off both band fashions of yesteryear and amusing frat pranks with a twinkle in his eye. Visitors can touch (and even try out) many of the strange items, and Goldsmith takes every opportunity to create "gotcha!" moments, with a guillotine blade that drops precariously over a victim's neck and a chair that collapses to the floor. But the best part is the famous "goat machines." You can get the whole story on them here. Photo by Allison Babka.

After your museum tour, you'll want to drive ten minutes south to Marcoot Jersey Creamery (526 Dudleyville Road, 618-664-1110), a cheese haven the entire family can enjoy. The Marcoots are a legacy farming family with dairy roots dating back to the 1800s. Photo by Allison Babka.

Visitors can tour the farm and meet the Jersey calves that will grow up to produce milk for the cheese. These babies are as adorable as they are useful. Photo by Allison Babka.

From there, visitors can wander into the milk parlor for an explanation of the milking process and a glimpse at the machines that gently squeeze the good stuff from the bovines. After that, it's into the creamery, where large windows showcase the cheese-making process. In this photo, Beth Marcoot explains the automated milking process to a tour group. Photo by Allison Babka.