Planning a trip to Missouri...LIW sites to see

Hey everyone! We're seriously thinking of going to Missouri this summer...mainly to visit St. Louis. It's my son's Senior year and we want to do a fun trip, where we don't have to travel for too long. We have a trailer and with gas prices, we don't want to do the trip South that we originally were thinking. This would only be about a 7 hour drive. So we were talking about camping outside St. Louis and going more toward the Lake of the Ozarks...I've discovered that there are a lot of caves to explore around there and my boys would just go nuts!! So anyway, all of a sudden it hits me, "HEY, we're in Little House territory!" :cabn: Mansfield is about a 3 hour drive from St. Louis (not too bad), and I'm just curious if anyone here knows of the sites to see....Rhonda, you've been to the Rocky Ridge farm, right? The downfall is, my boys (ahem, ALL of them) will throw a little hissy fit about having to do "Mom's Little House expedition"....they're not exactly into it, you know? But hey, we'll be in Missouri for crying out loud...I just HAVE to go visit!!!! And also, has anyone ever been camping in that area? It would be helpful to have a suggested campground, rather than just picking one without seeing first! We usually just go camping every summer in Northern Michigan, so this is really venturing from home for us! It's not 'etched in stone' yet, but I am getting excited about it!

The Divas will be at the Rocky Ridge Farm on July 25th (I believe, haven't checked my notes) We will be going to Independence, KS the day after. We would love to see you Amy if we could all plan on being there the same day. So far there will be Beth Ingalls, Lorrie and I plus a few others from PT. Susie hasn't been to the diva site in forever so I don't know if she is still planning to go or not. I can't wait. I have been to the house before and I agree with Rhonda, you need to go and see Eureka Springs, it is amazing!!!

Share your pics with us! I'm pretty sure I'll never know LIW homesites...I'm to far of them. :unsure:

Vanesa.

Oh my gosh, are you SERIOUS?!?!?! Well, I am officially freaking out!! LOL! IF we go (and it's still a big 'if') it will be the last two weeks of July!! I'll tell you what, my hubby (and sons!) would be THRILLED if I met up with my Little House friends and spared them all the tour! LOLOL!! And Rhonda, YES...you & I could finally meet after all these years!! OMG!!!

I've had a bit of a damper put on the whole idea of going though...my friend who has visited there before has said that Missouri is often known as 'Misery' beause of it's very humid summers. I didn't realize this! She said one of her worst camping memories was there during a humid heatwave (she said way worse than the hottest humid day in Michigan....which is pretty yucky!), and she said the mosquitos there were just horrible. I just don't know now!! What do you all think?

*EDIT*...Oooh, I just went to a "Eureka Springs" website and it looks so neat!! Yep---it might be a 'must-do'!

Wow Amy, the official freak!! LOL!! This is really cool about your trip to LIW's homesite. We are all excited for you. It would be so cool if you can meet up with Rhonda and The Divas. The Divas are a bunch of wild women, so you'll fit right in. :Hahaha:

Yes, Lily...I am the official freak---although we already knew that! Don't get too excited though...it's still 'in the works'! But gosh, site-seeking with the Divas?!?! Talk about an adventure!! Now if they could make Dean Butler join us on the tour...ahem...I am SO there!

Well, Savannah, that is certainly good to hear that your grandma likes it there! If you wouldn't mind asking about the specific weather last summer, I would definitely appreciate it! This is a big decision...I just don't want us to all be miserable...I don't mind heat, but humid heat is the worst!! I was thinking the same thing about my friend, that maybe they just had an unusual heatwave the year she went or sth. Thanks for helping Savannah!

I hope you get to go, Amy! I would love to go see all the LIW sites. That would be so much fun!

I Sure Hope you get to Go and Meet Rhonda and The Divas My Brother Once was in Missouri With a Semi but of course he did't tell till he was back And he went to Northdakota a Coupel times and Passed a Sign Saying Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum That Way what ever way that then was lol But he Did't tell me till he was back

Amy wrote:

Yes, Lily...I am the official freak---although we already knew that! Don't get too excited though...it's still 'in the works'! But gosh, site-seeking with the Divas?!?! Talk about an adventure!! Now if they could make Dean Butler join us on the tour...ahem...I am SO there!

I'll keep my fingers crossed for ya. :goodluck:

Thank you so much, Farmer Girl, Jacob & Lily! My fingers are crossed to!

Add mine to them! :goodluck:

Vanesa.

Thank you Vanesa!

Hope you can join us Amy. The Divas have been planning this meeting for 2 years and now that it is getting closer, we are definately getting excited. I can't wait!!!

Aw, Marilyn, you are SO sweet to ask me to join you all! I really don't want to rain on anyone's parade though! After all, I'm no Diva! I'll keep you updated as to whether this all pans out or not...I'm certainly hoping so!

Hey, what better time to "just meet up" at Laura's house. I don't think the divas would mind if you were there on the same day as us.

Thank you, Marilyn!

Definitely take lots of pictures!!

We went to Rocky Ridge in August several years ago. I don't remember the humity or the mosquitoes being bad then. We also drove to the LH site in Kansas and spent some time in Independence. On the way home we stopped at Merramack Caverns (not sure if I spelled that right) which isn't too far from St. Louis. We also went up in the St. Louis arch. It was a great vacation.

I wish I was you! I read a lot about Rocky Ridge, but I don't know much about Kansas city. How do you like Independence? I only saw two or three pics from there... :think:

Vanesa.

Lori that sounds great! I'm so glad to hear you didn't think the humidity was bad...I'm hearing from more and more people not to vacation in Missouri, so I'm worried! But I'm sure you'd remember if it was humid or if you were eaten up by mosquitos! Where is Marrameck Caverns? Is it a campground?

I did a quick search since I was sure I had spelled it wrong. It is Meramec Caverns. It isn't that far from St. Louis, but I don't remember how far. There were a lot of billboards for it. When I did the search, a Meramec State Park came up. I would assume the caverns are near or in it so you could camp there. It was an awesome cavern! We hadn't originally planned to go there, but we were making good time and we kept seeing the billboards so we decided to stop. We were glad we did. We weren't dressed for it though. The kids were in tank tops and it was about 50 degrees in there. So make sure you have a jacket!