Tour the world’s largest cave with 426 miles of passageways and marvel at the Frozen Niagara at Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky. We took part in cave tours along with taking a few hikes to see springs and a small cave on our own. The cave system is 426 miles so there are quite a few tours you can choose from that even start at different entrances.  OVERVIEWS OF CAVE TOURS All tours begin at the Visitor Center located in the Central Time Zone. Tickets must be picked up 30 minutes prior to tour time. No refunds for no-shows or late arrivals.  The Historic Entrance is near ..read more

Visit Louisville, KY to search for fossils at Falls of the Ohio State Park or learn about bat construction at the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory. FALLS OF THE OHIO STATE PARK Fossil hunting at The Falls of the Ohio State Park is just across the river from downtown Louisville in Clarksville, Ind. We stopped here on our way into town. The 390-million-year-old fossil beds are among the largest exposed Devonian fossil beds in the world. Pictured: Visitor Center at the Falls of the Ohio State ParkInterpretive Center Closed for the day when we were there. According to the website, the cente ..read more

Take a hike along a rocky creek on the Busch Greenway then cross the Daniel Boone Bridge for far-off Missouri River views. This 5.4-mile out-and-back hike involves crossing the Interstate 64 bridge along a pedestrian walkway to go from St. Charles County to St. Louis County. The trail surface is mostly paved with a Katy Trail gravel section. Elevation gain is 361 feet as you go up and down from along the river. Sign by the trailhead provides information about the area.Start of the Hike I parked at the Busch Greenway: Missouri Research Park Trailhead at the end of Research Park Drive. The Busch ..read more

The Gateway Arch in downtown St. Louis stands at a height of 630 feet and is constructed from stainless steel, forming the world’s tallest arch. It is also the tallest man-made monument in the Western Hemisphere. If you walk the grounds of the Gateway Arch National Park, it can look different from how you view it through woods, along lakes, or even by the Mississippi River. History of the Gateway Arch Built to commemorate Thomas Jefferson’s transcontinental United States and was formerly known as the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. In 1948, a nationwide design competition determined wha ..read more

Take a walk in the prairie grass field and then go to the medieval castle-themed McAuley Playground with the kid. This is part of a day at Colleges Meadows Park and Hansen Park. Park sign and parking lotCollege Meadows Jaunt First, I walked that gravel and mowed grass path at College Meadows Park. A gravel parking lot is located behind the St. Charles Community College campus off of St. Peters Cottleville Road. Look for a brown sign that says College Meadows: St. Charles County. At the trailhead After parking, I headed out on the gravel trail to the left of the parking lot. Loop begins I came ..read more

Hiking alongside a brook and discovering frogs in a swamp made for a delightful day with my child at Broemmelsiek Park in Defiance, Missouri. This park has more than 9 miles of paved and unpaved multi-use trails to explore. It is a 494-acre park in west St. Charles County and only about four miles off of Interstate 64. We explored this park with my son and our dog. Information board by the trailheadCattle Ridge Trail We first explored the 1.1-mile Cattle Ridge Trail parking in the large lot for shelters 2 and 3. Trailhead sign The trailhead lies between the two shelters. Crossing the bridgeSta ..read more

Oak Knoll Park is a picturesque destination, featuring a serene pond surrounded by bald cypress trees and vibrant tulips that bloom in the spring. A .7 paved walkway can be found here along with a short trail done in wood chips on the east side of the park in the woods that includes sculptures. Oak Knoll Park entrancePaved Loop Walk I parked in the main lot of Big Bend Boulevard. I walked to the entrance of the park to begin my stroll. Planted here were pink and yellow tulips. Next, I walked around the parking lot to the Uchitelle Garden. Purple and yellow tulips greeted me here with differen ..read more

Hike along a short ridge above a pebble-filled stream and by baseball fields at Peruque Valley Park in Wentzville. This is a 1 mile hike with 33 feet of elevation gain. It is paved in two parts with the middle area being gravel. Start of the hike heading east.Start of the Hike I parked on the east side of the large lot and headed to the cement path. I headed to the right along the path following the trail as it curves towards the east side of the park. Large rocks were found along the trail. At .1 miles I came to an area where the paved path goes between large rocks. You can shorten the walk b ..read more

A hike through wooded hills down to valleys with rocky brooks is part of the day at Rockwoods Range Conservation Area on the Fox Run Trail. The natural surface hike is 7.6 miles long with 1,247 feet of elevation gain so it crosses up and down quite a few hills. Map at the trailhead of the area and the hikeStart of the Hike I parked in the gravel lot. The trail begins uphill to the right. A map can be seen next to the trailhead that shows the conservation area, the Fox Run Trail, and other connecting trails and lengths. Small waterfalls form through the rocks. A pool along this stream is the ma ..read more

In Westhoff Park, you can find a playground that has a “bug’s life” design with blue caterpillars and green centipedes. If you have a young kid, like my son Andrew, this is a whimsical play area to explore. The park is in O’Fallon, Mo., north of Interstate 70 on TR Hughes Boulevard. BRENDAN’S PLAYGROUND The playground is all-inclusive and has boardwalks that connect to ramps that are wheelchair accessible. It is dedicated to Brendan Schmitt who lives in O’Fallon. Despite a rare genetic disease that affects his bone and skin structure, he still wants to enjoy a playground and see other children ..read more