Naturally meramec
Unique Unique is the word for this wine-tasting pit stop on your tour around Hermann area. Unique Setting: Across the river from Hermann, meandering through exceptional scenery and, once there, surrounded by beautiful gardens. Unique Service: Again exceptional, as owner Gary Hoover and staff passionately present the liquid culinary fare. And, of course, Unique Wines:
Read the full postWhether you take the scenic route on Highway 8 or the scenic route on Highway 47 to 10454 Pond Creek Road, Bonne Terre, you will find yourself at scenic Chicken and the Hare Farm. Once you get there, drive on up the lane to the Hen House Cannery and Goods, LLC. Owner Brandi Boyer will
Read the full postSpring is springing all over the place! Time to get out into these beautiful Ozarks, so come on out of your hibernation, shake off the cobwebs and get moving! A super, duper place to do this is Boiling Spring Campground up Dixon way. This place has it all—floating, camping, cabins, fishing, picnicking, hiking—well, you get
Read the full postPumpkins and mazes and games, OH MY! Agriculture (n.) the science or practice of farming, including cultivation of the soil for the growing of crops and the rearing of animals to provide food, wool, and other products. Now, who would have known that “other products” would include FUN? Rowe Crop Farm Pumpkin Patch and Corn
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Ready for your daily dose of delicious???? Tuesday through Sunday you can find it in Cuba’s Uptown Historic District, right close to Old Route 66 and, of course, the Burlington Northern (originally Frisco) Railroad. 121 Smith Street. Frisco’s Grill and Pub is the name, and trains are the game. Trains and delicious, knock-your-socks-off food. The
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Now, Cheryl had a vision… Quaint little store. Local goodies. Items not on consignment, but purchased from area artisans and sold to shoppers who are lucky enough to see and buy it first. Cheryl Keeton, that is. And the store—Eclectic Originals in Waynesville. Small space, but BIG on variety! Local folks provide the “Voodoo that
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Picture it…. You wake early, don your fishing duds, grab your favorite pole and exit your tent or RV. You are greeted by the clean, crisp, Ozark-morning air and a sunrise that speaks not only to your eyes, but to your very soul. You soak it in, walk a few yards over to the lake
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Something for Everyone. If you are looking for a full-service resort, look no further than Bass’ River Resort near Steelville. It’s one thing to be offered a quality lodge, cabin, house or camping facility, but this recreational retreat doesn’t stop there. You will also find a swimming pool, country store, volleyball courts, basketball court, horseshoes,
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“If you haven’t been to the Bird’s Nest Lodge lately, you haven’t been to the Bird’s Nest Lodge!” Meramec River Resort, the former Bird’s Nest Lodge, is under new management and the new owners are out to make their mark. The Bell and Norman families have purchased the lodge and are currently updating the 26
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Wow! Just – Wow! If you are into history, hiking, or habitat, you CANNOT NOT GO to Washington State Park. Honestly, this incredible recreational acreage has something for everyone. Not to be missed are the Petroglyphs (rock carvings) preserved in the park that were left by prehistoric Indians. This unique interpretive display conjures up the
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Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner. Just about every small town has one. That place where locals gather to solve the world’s problems over coffee, biscuits and gravy, chicken-fried steak or a chef salad. If you really want to know what America is thinking, go there. One such is Country Bob’s Café, St. James. Comfort food extraordinaire! Extensive
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They call them “Functional Art.” And art they are! Made of (and I quote) “1085 Blue Tempered Spring Steel. 0.85% carbon, allowing for edge holding ability at a low temper making sharpening easy with a stone, steel, or ceramic stick.” Beautifully-carved handles are shed deer/elk antlers. Richardson Knives are well-known in the Meramec Region, and
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Tactile (adj): My Thesaurus says: Tangible, palpable, perceptible, physical, concrete, solid, demonstrative, touchy-feely (I love that one!) Yep. That explains it. Now, if you want, you can go online and shop for that unique antique/boutique item but it is just not the same as holding it in your hands and knowing that some discerning aficionado
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Nooks and crannies were created for those looking for the unique, and I was on a quest. It was a cold, grey, wintery day, and I just needed a cozy place to be. And I found it! Cellar 66 in Waynesville was just a bit hard to find, but well worth the search AND the
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Authentic is hard to beat. Go into a lot of “soda shops” today and replica items abound. At Pop Scherer’s Café Creamery in Steelville, that is not the case. Most of the décor is truly authentic 50’s and 60’s accoutrements. Cute as a button! Close your eyes and think. Paper straws, red and white or
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It’s tucked away down one of those scenic, wild-flower-flanked country drives that tells you there is something simply transformative at the end of THIS byway. And, certainly, there is. Indian Springs Family Resort offers really great facilities for you and your family for camping, lodging and/or floating on the Upper Meramec River. From the unique,
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Red Velvet. Cherry Cheesecake. Butterscotch Salted Caramel. Birthday Cake. Candycane. Cappuccino. Peanut Butter Chocolate. And the list goes on…… Not talking about cupcakes, here, folks. These are just some of the wonderful flavors of fudge you can get at Creekside Fudge and Gifts in Steelville. Lip-smacking! This cute-as-a-button store also offers a huge supply of
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Experience. Some businesses are based upon years and years of hard work, creativity and good old-fashioned know-how. One such is Lange General Store, Steelville. Todd and Alicia Rehmert had considerable experience from which to draw when they restored the old Puckett General Store on the main thoroughfare of this Crawford County settlement, and launched the
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It’s an institution! I can’t remember a time over the years that I visited Steelville and it wasn’t standing there—mega ice cream cone beacon—enticing me to slow down a bit, pull on over and enjoy a meal or a morsel. Dairy Isle is aptly named. A little island of goodness all wrapped up in a
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It’s not always the devil that’s in the details! Take Sybill’s in St. James. Here, the details are heavenly. Meticulously appointed, vast culinary selection and impeccable service make this one for your “list-of-local-places-I-can’t-miss.” Now, I have a weakness for antebellum, Southern plantation-style houses. Consequently, it is super fun that one of my favorite local restaurants
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Call me old fashioned, but I really enjoy those eating establishments that appeal to all my senses. I walk into Soda and Scoops on Route 66, Rolla, and smell, taste, feel, hear and see the same elements that were present in our local soda shop when I was growing up. I am transported to another
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Ever notice how some places just get it right? “A Friend, A Pint, A Session” is more than a motto at Public House Brewing Company, St. James. What a great place to kick back and enjoy some wonderful farm-to-table cookery with the beer or wine of your choice. That Pub Burger—heavenly! And, of course, The
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What’s green, yellow, red, black, white and DELICIOUS? Give up? It’s The FourWay restaurant in scenic Cuba, MO. Sitting right smack-dab on Old Route 66 at the junction of Hwy. 19, this little culinary point of interest incubated as a service station in 1932, owned by Paul T. Carr. The property was purchased by Bill
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Sometimes you just know when you walk in the door that more than bricks, mortar, boards and supplies went into a business. White Mule Winery is one of those places. The Schlottachs have clearly put a lot of family and love into White Mule Winery/B&B. These fine folks took a prime piece of turn-of-the-century farmstead,
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Move over “Greatest Showman!” Admit it. There are not many places you can still go to see sights such as a “Fire Manipulator,” “Monsters of Calcutta,” “2-Headed Bull Shark” and such these days. Uranus Sideshow Museum has all these and more. Dubbed as “freaky and crazy,” and “unbelievable, but true,” the wonders, oddities and curiosities
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It’s more than just a building, although the building is great! Travelers through Pulaski County are certainly in good hands when they stop at the Pulaski County Tourism Bureau and Chamber of Commerce in Saint Robert. Friendly, knowledgeable staff greet visitors as they enter and direct them to one of several rooms. Travelers can acquire
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A chain, but new to Rolla, is Dickey’s Barbecue Pit. This Texas-style barbecue establishment offers slow-smoked meats, rubbed with Dickey’s rib rub and lots of sides to choose from. All of this comes with a Texas-size “Hello” when you come in the door and a laid-back friendly staff to serve it all up. They offer
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Tell me now. Where can you go to stay in a beautiful, unique Bed and Breakfast, don your muck boots and milk a cow. Oh, and by the way, you can also adopt a cow or sample some yummy, artisan cheeses and wine and perhaps get a first-hand lesson in local lore! Well, M &
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Love, love, love those great little stores that feature locally-grown products! Shelves and shelves of wonderfully-packaged dry goods and boxes, bins and baskets of amazing fruits and veggies! A great environment for the tactile-addicted. Reinkemeyer’s Touch of Dutch Country Store in Waynesville is on my list. This is a bulk foods store, offering organic and
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Looking for something LOCALISCIOUS? Look no further! Matt’s Steakhouse, located between Rolla and St. James along I-44 is your place. It’s almost like a pilgrimage for me. I have to go there fairly often to have their KC Strip, cooked just right, baked potato with all the fixin’s and their amazing salad! (I could just
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Been to Uncle Ernie’s in Bourbon yet? Known as the “home of the famous big Ernie burger,” this quaint, laid-back piece of culinary real estate is an enjoyment to the gastronomic senses. Recently stopped by there on a beautiful Ozark snowy day and was greeted by a unique décor boasting creative use of old utility
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There are just some of those places…… This one just keeps calling me back. If you haven’t been, you are truly missing out. Devil’s Elbow offers a unique opportunity for visitors to step back in time and enjoy scenic spectacles and culinary delights. Strategically located on Missouri Route 66 near Waynesville, Devil’s Elbow
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Sometimes there are just those places. You know—great scenery, great staff, great wine…… Red Moose Vineyard, tucked away on Highway VV in that picturesque area between Steelville and Salem, is one of those. Two brothers (Red and Moose Leitner) started the winery in 2006. They, along with their wives and other family/friends, have built the
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If you are an angler….. Located at the head waters of the Current River, Montauk State Park is a paradise for anyone who can’t get near water without casting a line. The park offers three fishing areas: Catch-and Release Only Area; Fly Fishing Only Area; and Artificial Lures and Natural Bait Area. If you are
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What a gem! Salem and Dent County are blessed to have a tremendous storehouse for area historical and natural resources in the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center (ONCRC). Packed full of information on everything from bugs to iron ore, the ONCRC, 202 S. Main, Salem, is a treasure trove for visitors and citizens alike.
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It was golf extraordinaire Walter Hagen who said, “You’re only here for a short visit. Don’t hurry, don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.” The Wagon Wheel Motel of Route 66 in Cuba, MO., is one of those “flowers” that you won’t want to miss. Built in 1935, the Wagon
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Ever felt the nostalgia of shaved ice in the summer or a good down home café that does a wide variety of burgers and some pretty amazing fried chicken? Snowensville is the perfect place then with both a diner and a shaved ice/ice cream stand. Located in Owensville, the business started as a summer time
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What a great re-use of a vacant building! Owner Tom Reed has done an outstanding job of redecorating the former Midwest Auto building on Highway 28 in Owensville (Midwest is now down the road) into an open, spacious, restaurant that offers everything from lobster tail to corn dogs, not to mention a long list of
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Sweet menu. Sweet décor. Sweet prices. SWEET CAROLINE’S! Brand new to Owensville and located at 114 N 7th Street, Sweet Caroline’s offers a well-rounded menu. I have to say, I had the Chuck’s Old-Fashioned Thin Burger and that’s the first burger in a long time that I didn’t want to put ANYTHING on. Was delicious
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“Healthier Living Delivered” is not just a motto for CDR Naturals in Bourbon. Hopefully, the folks in Bourbon and surrounding area know how lucky they are to have a health food store in a town of its size, and being paired with a home/office delivery service, they are twice blessed! Jordan Ray showed us around
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Small town + hometown boys + brick oven + entertainment + pizza and wings=SUCCESS! Missouri Pizza Company in St. James is lucky enough to have all these ingredients and more. If you are looking for a relaxing, delicious evening, look no further. Find the railroad track in downtown St. James and you will be close.
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Not sure of any other place in the region that you can go shopping for women’s clothing where you are greeted at the door with a Mimosa to enjoy while you browse! Now, the Mimosas are for special events, but just a visit to the Rosebud Vault in Rosebud, MO is a treat in itself. This
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News Release: For more information, please call: 573-368-8393 “Legends of Conservation: The Tramp and the Roughrider,” a two-man historical re-enactment featuring two American legends of conservation, will take place on May 18-19, 2018, at the Prairie Star Restoration Farm, Bland, MO. The event, hosted by the Prairie Star Conservation Community, will depict President Theodore Roosevelt
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It’s really hard to say what I like most….the delicious food, the great service OR the quaint atmosphere. St. James Marketplace Café is located just a smidge off the beaten path—on Seymour Street, just one block off of the main street through St. James, but well worth the finding! Deb Kleinheider and her crew put
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Have you tried it yet? Mine was a chicken, bacon, ranch. This delectable delight—a savory galette—is the creation of Jessica Boulware, event coordinator at Meramec Vineyards/Winery, St. James. Light, flaky, rich and creamy—check! Jessica tells me that there are five others on the menu, including Mushroom/Thyme/Bacon, Roasted Tomato and Basil Ricotta, Chicken Artichoke, Buffalo Chicken
Read the full postThe Meramec Region is home to hundreds of unique businesses. We know it is hard for you to get around to all of them right away, so The Meramec Traveler is going to visit some of them for you and fill you in on the experience. Perhaps this will give you a glimpse of a
Read the full postWelcome to Naturally Meramec! This site exists to form a movement in the Meramec Region in Missouri that works to capture the uniqueness of the region, making it a destination for both travelers and local residents. The Meramec Region consists of the beautiful and vast counties of Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington.
Read the full postThe Meramec Region is known for its majestic bluffs, wooded areas and dramatic caves. It is seen as a tourist destination for active explorers and adventurers. Naturally Meramec was created in effort to highlight and showcase the agriculture, tourism and culinary businesses or related organizations throughout the Meramec Region and collectively work together to promote
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