Skip to content
BusinessesGrow
Springfield, Springfield, MO

Photo: Raschmidt87, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingFamily Favorite

Springfield

· Springfield, MO

Why you should go…

Springfield, Missouri sits in the Ozarks in the southwest part of the state and is recognized as the birthplace of Route 66. It's also home to the original Bass Pro Shops flagship store and its attached Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium.

  • #route 66
  • #bass pro shops
  • #ozarks
  • #springfield mo

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Springfield, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium

    $25–$50

    See aquarium habitats and detailed wildlife dioramas in a huge conservation museum next to the Bass Pro Shops flagship store.

    1.9 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Shopping
    Free

    Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World

    Free

    Wander the original Bass Pro Shops store with its aquariums, indoor swamp, waterfalls and free museums of outdoor history.

    2.0 mi awaySwitch it up: Shopping

  • Sightseeing
    Family Favorite

    Branson

    Free

    Ozark Mountains entertainment town packed with live-music theatres, lakes, and family attractions.

    37 mi awayMore like this

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    Silver Dollar City

    $50+

    Ride roller coasters, watch craftspeople at work and tour Marvel Cave at this 1880s Ozarks theme park.

    37 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Sightseeing
    Outdoor Adventure

    Table Rock Lake

    Free

    Ozark reservoir near Branson lined with marinas, resorts, and fishing coves.

    41 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Free

    Christ of the Ozarks

    Free

    Stand beneath a seven-story white statue of Jesus with outstretched arms on Magnetic Mountain above Eureka Springs.

    60 mi awayMore like this