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Family Fun in the South Central States
The South Central U.S. promises adventure at every turn, from the rugged Ozark Mountains to the rolling Mississippi River to the sprawling Great Plains. Explore one-of-a-kind museums, celebrated halls of fame and quaint towns before heading underground for serious spelunking. Plan to attend a Texas rodeo or marvel at a towering arch. It’s all here in the middle of America.
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Indicates Featured Family Park
Arkansas
Explore primeval forests and lakes in the northern Arkansas Ozarks, but don’t miss what lies beneath: more than 2,000 caves, with several offering tours. Check out the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum in Little Rock, the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame and Heifer Village. Head to Hot Springs, home to fun history, then go hit the water on Lake Hamilton and Lake Ouachita.
Featured Family Parks
Catherine’s Landing At Hot Springs
Hot Springs, AR
Hot Springs, AR
Kansas
We’re off to see the Wizard at Wamego’ OZ Museum, which hosts an extensive collection of memorabilia from the classic 1939 film, Wizard of Oz. Blast off for adventure at the Hutchinson Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center before venturing down to the Strataca Underground Salt Museum, also in Hutchinson. Next up: Dodge City, the Wild West home of outlaws and cowboys alike.
Kansas Featured Family Parks coming soon…
Louisiana
Civil War sites commemorate key battles throughout the northern part of the state. Central and southern Louisiana’s ghostly legends live on at Magnolia Plantation in Natchitoches, Loyd Hall Plantation in Cheneyville and St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 in New Orleans. While in the Big Easy, give the kids a taste of superb Cajun cuisine and discover some of the city’s many kid-friendly activities. Several communities let you see the Bayou up close and experience real swamp culture on an airboat tour.
Louisiana Featured Family Parks coming soon…
Missouri
Take the family out to the ballgame at Busch Stadium and visit the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame Museum, a shrine for any baseball fan. Take a ride over the city’s Gateway Arch—a symbol of the gateway leading to the West—then go west for Kansas City, where thick steaks and a rich Old West heritage await. Travel southwest to Branson for rousing shows and captivating museums.
Featured Family Parks
Basswood Resort
Platte City, MO
Mark Twain Landing
Monroe City, MO
Oklahoma
Welcome to the authentic Old West, home of countless legendary cowboys. Experience a real rodeo at the Freedom Rodeo and Old Cowhand Reunion or the Will Rogers Memorial Rodeo. Visit Indian heritage sites scattered throughout the state, and travel west on the Chisholm Trail, a major route for cattle drives. Catch the beat on the Rhythm and Routes Oklahoma Music Trail, and then drive along historic Route 66.
Featured Family Parks
Marval Resort
Gore, OK
Texas
Everything’s bigger in Texas. Start in the Panhandle Plains and see the world’s largest windmill collection at the American Wind Power Center. Central Texas Hill Country flourishes with cultural diversity, while warm beaches await you on the Gulf Coast. Visit Fort Worth to witness a larger-than-life cattle drive, and time your visit for the State Fair of Texas in Dallas in the fall. Head south to San Antonio, home of the Alamo.