Thanks for the clarification, Liz. Could have sworn we paid last time, but it was several years ago and I must be wrong.

Grant's Farm is a great place to visit. Even in the heat, it's shady enough to not be too hot and exhausting.

Didn't notice this original post was so old!!

Maureen,I think Grant's Farm has always been free, but you used to have to make reservations in advance, and then they would give you the "secret password" for the day. And, then you had to try to remember it, and then, nobody ever asked for it anyway.... So maybe you are rembering that there was a hassle factor involved in going to Grant's Farm. Glad that the entrance policy is more user friendly now.

I should always look at the OP date, but admit, I do not. What's up with people topping such an old post. I don't get it.

To me, it doesn't matter if the posts are old. I often do a search on places I'm planning a trip for - so the "old" information works well for me, too.
Regarding Grants Farm - we went a couple of years ago. It was free and no reservations necessary. Those Clydesdale horses are really amazing. Not only are the beautiful animals, but the male anatomy had my little ones confounded!

I visited Mark Twain Cave this past weekend and can't recommend it. Particularly if you have visited some of Missouri's beautiful caves.

This one is more of a big crack through the earth and you are mostly looking at plain sandstone or limestone. The very few places where there were more interesting things like flowstone, stalagmites, stalactites, soda straws, etc., earlier visitors to the cave removed nearly all of them.

Definitely not worth $15 a person.

Keith

I don't know what I would think if I went to Hannibal today, but I did go with my family on a weekend trip when I was a kid probably 25 years ago. It is one of the most memorable trips I went on - and that's in comparison with vacations all over the US. Not sure what my parents thought, but I loved it. (I had also just ready Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn so it probably resonated with me)

The drive between St Louis and Hannibal is a series of local speed traps. Be careful!

Wonder why we are talking about Hannibal when the original poster was going (or went) in May? Also comments about St. Louis etc? Having said that I don't think Hannibal is that great but it is good for a brief encounter with Huck and Tom and the gang.

A "yes" to St. Louis where we've lived and visited often including Grant's Farm.

ozarksbill

Make that May 2004 for the original post.

Right - it was 2004! We skipped Hannibal on that trip. We did, however, make a stop in Mansfield, MO on the way home for a Laura Ingals Wilder pilgramage. If you're a "Little House" fan and are ever in the neighborhood, it's worth the trip! (They actually have Pa's fiddle there!)

"Wonder why we are talking about Hannibal when the original poster was going (or went) in May?"

Because people continue to read these and make decisions based on the advice. This thread had encouraged me to visit the cave in November.

julesjayhawk, my friend who visited the cave with me had also been there as a child. Her opinion then echoed yours. Her opinion as an adult echoed mine.

Keith

Thank you all, who contributed! As I'll be going in October 2007, I think I can use all the info... especially when the search is not working!

I had a good giggle reading this because I was flooded with memories of all of those horrible camping trips (I'm not a fan of camping) we made to Hannibal when I was younger!

DH and I went back last spring and were less than impressed, with the exception of the ice cream/fudge shop on main street of course! I know this post is really old, and I don't think Hannibal is that bad but there are certainly better and/or far more appealing places to visit in Missouri imo.

Tracy

We did stop in Hannibal on one of many of our family road trips. On the way, we listened to the Tom Sawyer book-on-tape to get us in the mood. It made the visit really fun for all of us. We even did the cave tour and a little musical. Good cheesy fun.

Mark Twain is actually quite the philospher, so there's a deeper side there if you look for it.

Tracy: which places?

(2 ladies of a "certain age" interested in history and appreciate the views if they are easily accessible )

Faina, if it were me I would head to Hermann or Augusta or some of the other towns along the wine region, as the area is just really pretty. http://www.hermannmissouri.com/

Another good place to visit that has a great deal of history is Ste. Genevieve, in southern Missouri about an hour from St. Louis. It was settled in 1735, making it one of the oldest towns in the region. http://www.saintegenevievetourism.org/
From Ste. Genevieve you can easily take the bridge over to Chester, IL, home of the Popeye creater, and get your picture next to the Popeye statue!

Where all will you be going?

Tracy

I did find two restraurants in Hannibal worth visiting last fall:

Accidently hit the "post" button.

To finish:

LulaBelle's Restaurant & Bed & Breakfast. The 90 year old former bordello had an interesting menu and very good food. I had a fried catfish club sandwich (something I had never heard of before) that I would have again.

The 60 year old Mark Twain Restaurant isn't as nice as LulaBelle's, but still interesting with their own root beer, good onion rings and another interesting selection of entrees.

Keith

Keith, if I run out of money, is it still possible to make some in that bordello

Tracy, it will be October 14-23, with the first week in St Louis Elderhostel program, after that I'm free.

That Genevieve sounds tempting, but Hannibal is the other way, we'll have to backtrack to go to both On the other hand, Genevieve can be combined with Cahokia... oh, choices, choices

Now, where is that little house on the former prairie, this may be the tie breaker

Sorry, it won't be the bordello for us.

2 posters on TripAdvisor complain on the noice from trains all night, and the room was old and dirty, etc...

Positive reviews on the restaurant, though.