my husband has been reading a lot lately about following the Lewis and Clark Expedition on travel adventures. It looks like there is every type of trip including river cruises and guided adventures. Has anyone done this trip in any variation? I would love to hear if it is as good as it sounds and which type of trip you did? Thanks ahead of time.

Next Friday I'm driving from Ohio to Yellowstone while listening to "Undaunted Courage" on CD. Does that count? Not following their trail though.

At Easter I drove to RMNP while listening to "Nothing like it in the world", which was pretty cool since I-80 follows the route of the Transcontinental railroad fairly closely.

There is lots of interest in the 1804 Corps of Discovery led by Lewis & Clark. Last weekend we were at the bicentennial of the arrival of the Corps at St. Charles (at the time larger than St. Louis and the last town before heading up the Missouri).

This was a gala occasion with fife and drum corps and the arrival of the ships. I gather that the explorers stayed about a week and the townsfolks were glad to see tham cast off! A week earlier we saw a wonderful exhibit in the History Museum (Forest Park in St. Louis) along with another exhibit of the 1904 World's Fair. I recommend this for anyone.

Other towns in Missouri and further west are having their own celebrations. I know some people are retracing the route taken in 1804-5 in coming months. There are some tour groups, too. It is a fascinating bit of history and perhaps many have read Stephen Ambrose's book.

Bill in Springfield, MO
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Undaunted Courage is the best book I have ever read! I could not put it down!
Anyway, we have done self tours in the Pacific NW.
One day I will have time to do much more of it...
I'll be interested to see any responses!
Oh, also... check out National Geographic's website to find an Omni theater near you showing the epic on the BIG BIG screen!

http://www.lewisandclark200.org/index.php?cID=

I always say I'm from the St. Louis area, as almost no one from elsewhere knows where St. Charles is. It's an interesting town though and should definitely be on any Lewis and Clark agenda. The town itself has old Main Street and Frenchtown, near the Missouri riverfront. Built in the late 1700s with the cobblestone streets, preserved old buildings (shops and such within) and the 1st Missouri capital building.

They have had project down in that area where they re-constructed the same keel boat that was used in the expedition and then sailed off on her. Very interesting.

PS - Daniel Boone's final home/farm is in St. Charles county too. Mark Twain's home, among several well saved buildings and the famous fence, is in Hannibal about 1.5 hr country drive away, and various Jesse James sites about the same distance in another direction if you enjoy various periods in history.

Better than "Nothing Like It in the World" is "The Empire Express". Both books deal with the building of the trancontinental railroad.

I do not know if "The Empire Express" is on tape but it is a better read.

Yes, Clifton, St. Charles is possibly the most charming town in Missouri. At the time of Lewis & Clark it was larger than St. Louis (about 450 as to about 250) and the jumping off place for the Corps of Discovery. I understand that after five days in town the folks were happy to see the explorers off!

Today St. Charles does have a nice restored historic old main street with shops and eateries and such. You mentioned Hannibal and I would add Weston and Arrow Rock as worthwhile destinations. Also such places as Independence for Truman Home and our own Springfield for Bass Pro en route to Branson (but I don't usually promote Branson).
Ozarks Bill

Great suggestions Bill. I'd forgotten about Arrow Rock!

St. Charles doesn't come up often as a travel subject but I do enjoy sharing information about it. I can imagine that such a small population were happy to be free to return to normal life. A couple of other trivia items about the town:

Jean Baptiste Point Du Sable, a Haitian who's considered the founder of Chicago, is buried in St. Charles Borromeo Church Cemetery.

St. Rose Philippine Duchesne, worked with Native Americans and is buried in St. Charles. I think, if I'm not mistaken, that she was the first "American" canonized. I use quotes because she originally immigrated from Grenoble.

And if you hadn't spotted it, Elijah Lovejoy's abolishionist print shop is just up main street and opposite the old state capitol building.