When I was in the fourth grade, we moved from a busy suburb in Indiana to a small town in the Ozarks. I thought we moved to Mayberry. Everyone seemed to know everyone. Life was slow paced. No one locked their doors. Sundays were for church and visiting family and friends. It felt like home.
Missouri is a beautiful state. In the Ozarks, we have water falls, rivers, mountains, lakes, and 1.5 million acres of the Mark Twain National Forest surrounding us. We also have over 6,400 caves. 
Missouri is known as the Cave State. One of our caves, Meramec Caverns, was a hideout for Missouri resident Jesse James.
We have great places to visit for cultural enrichment, state history, and unique to Missouri experiences. To the north of us, we have St. Louis. It’s known for the iconic Arch––Gateway to the West–– the tallest man-made monument in the United States. It’s twice the height of the Statue of Liberty. I can’t resist taking a picture whenever we’re near it. The Arch has a museum at the base filled with Missouri history and the expansion of the West. The monument stands next to the Mississippi River. A 19th-century replica paddle-wheel boat, the Tom Sawyer offers daily cruises.
The Hill, a historic Italian neighborhood, is a great place to eat in St. Louis. Toasted ravioli is their specialty. Other foods St. Louis is known for––gooey butter cake, St. Louis style pizza, and the ice cream cone––invented at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair.
Forest Park, next to the Hill, has the STL Zoo, the Science Center, and the Muny. We love our trips to all of these, especially the Muny. It’s America’s oldest and largest outdoor theater.
The Fabulous Fox Theater in midtown St. Louis is also a favorite of ours. We enjoy watching Broadway shows surrounded by ornate architecture and plush décor.
While our state bird is the Eastern bluebird, we root for the Cardinals, one of our major league baseball teams. Whether they’re winning or losing, Missouri fans are loyal to our professional teams. A lot of great players have played for the Cardinals–– Stan Musial, Lou Brock, Albert Pujols, and Ozzie Smith- to name a few.
Traveling south through the scenic Ozark Mountains is Branson. There’s so much to do there. We enjoy going to Silver Dollar City, an 1880 theme park. I’m not big on rides, but the shops, craft demonstrations, and shows are fun. Their iron skillet meals are delicious. There’s even a cave to tour. 
Missourian Johnny Morris, founder of Bass Pro, owns several properties that are popular Ozark destinations. Dogwood Canyon Nature Park, Lost Canyon Cave and Nature Trail, and Big Cedar Lodge. Whether we hike, ride the tram, or drive a golf cart–– the waterfalls, creeks, covered bridges and cave make for a fun outdoor scenic adventure.
While we don’t have an ocean to play in, we have many lakes. 
The Lake of the Ozarks is our favorite. It’s a man-made lake created in 1931. It has more shoreline than the state of California. There’s fishing, boating, skiing, tubing, and public areas provided for swimmers. There’s also resorts, shopping, fine dining, go-carts, mini golf, and all the usual tourist stops found at popular coastal towns. Even though the Lake of the Ozarks is close to home, it feels like a mini vacation when we visit.
Missouri has been home to many Hollywood actors, a US President, Walt Disney, and some of my favorite authors, such as: Mark Twain, Tennessee Williams, and Laura Ingalls Wilder. I enjoyed touring Laura Ingalls Wilder’s home in Mansfield and had fun pretending to paint the replica of Tom Sawyer’s fence in Hannibal.
While I highlighted some of my favorite places to visit, I want to end with what it’s like to live in the Ozarks. People here are friendly. They wave when they pass by in their cars. They smile, nod, or strike up a conversation in the check-out line at the local grocery store––even if they don’t know you.
Missouri has many nicknames, but “The Show Me State” is the one that stands out for me. The state animal is a mule which pairs well with the nickname. Missourians can be stubborn in their beliefs until shown factual proof, and then we may still be skeptical.
We don’t get excited about wild life. Deer, wild turkey, racoons, rabbits, owls, coyotes, hawks, and eagles live in our backyards. We do however, get a little worried when we see or hear about black bear, mountain lion, or bobcat sightings. Tornados and floods are more common than we’d like them to be, but Missourians are good about helping out their neighbors when natural disasters strike.
There’s a Dollar General built on any vacant lot in every small town. Craft fairs, traveling carnivals, and themed festivals fill our calendars along with little league baseball, soccer games, fishing, and hunting. We use the word, “Ope” a lot.
I’m glad we moved to the Ozarks when I was a kid. It’s been a great place to live and raise our family.
Janell Goodrich York is a retired high school guidance counselor. She loves to travel, hang out with her family, and spoil her two dogs. Her first book, The Day Sarah Ran Away, will be published in August 2025.
You can visit her author website at