So, if you are one of those people and if you are traveling to Pulaski County, Home of Ft. Leonard Wood, we have the solution.

Pulaski County Tourism Bureau is very excited to introduce our app – Pulaski County, Missouri – a free, interactive mobile application that allows smart-phone users to carry Pulaski County tourism info in their vehicles, pockets or purses.

There are gazillions of travelers motoring on Interstate 44, with many of them destined for Ft. Leonard Wood for business purposes, to see their soldier graduate basic training or to tour the wonderful Mahaffey Museum Complex . Or maybe they are stopping in Pulaski County because of (attention foodies!) the unique dining establishment at a real restaurant in a real cave some sweet BBQ, real hot chicken wings or delicious ethnic food.

Whatever the reason to travel to Pulaski County, it just got easier to get around.

Enjoy a beautiful drive on Route 66 in Pulaski County.

Travelers might be following the antique trail or driving on Historic Route 66  trying to find that blasted Devil’s Elbow, looking for a (The) Drynk, exploring the historical attractions along the way or they are escaping the big city looking for a relaxing cabin get a-way or scenic campsite along the Gasconade or Big Piney rivers.

Historic Route 66 travelers will enjoy the all-new audio tour, available for download from the app. It is specifically designed for those tourists wanting to explore the original 33 miles of Route 66 in Pulaski County on their own.

The tourism app easily allows access to mapping and contact information for tourism-related businesses, such as places to stay, dining, night life, shopping, attractions, and things to do for our guests in Pulaski County.

Our community calendar with event information for festivals, such as Route 66 Fests and Frogtoberfest, can also be found there as well as info about concerts, performances and local programs.

The free app is downloadable from our mobile website, PCinMo.mobi or the tourism website, VisitPulaskiCounty.org.

Written by Karen Hood, Marketing Relations Manager for the Pulaski County Tourism Bureau

Personal items are scattered throughout the castle-like home of John Homer Bothwell.

Snooping around a grand old house can be a wonderful way to spend a couple of hours, especially if the long-gone owners were interesting people, and all their stuff is still there.

I recently had the opportunity to investigate two such residences: the castle-like home of John Homer Bothwell, just north of Sedalia; and artist Thomas Hart Benton’s home in the Westport area of Kansas City. Both are now state historic sites and open to the public for tours.

You can’t miss Bothwell’s home; it’s perched on a bluff looking down on Route 65. Bothwell, a lawyer and businessman, built the home in four phases, using native limestone; the last segment completed in 1928.

Bothwell’s life had a tragic turn. He married his law partner’s sister, but she died two years later, after giving birth to a stillborn child. He never remarried, never had children. Instead of being consumed by grief, Bothwell opened his home to friends and relatives; the 10 guest bedrooms often were filled on weekends.

After his death at age 80, Bothwell left the estate to a group of 38 friends and relatives for the creation of Bothwell Lodge Club. When the original 38 fell to below five in number, the will stipulated the house and land go to the state for charitable and educational purposes. The house was opened to the public in 1991 as the Bothwell Lodge State Historic Site.

Visitors today find the home much as it was when Bothwell died. Without a woman’s touch, the interior looks like a gentleman’s hunting lodge. A trophy sailfish, brought home from a trip to Cuba, hangs in the dining room. The library includes some 1,000 books – Bothwell required his visitors to wash their hands before reading.

Bothwell loved innovation. The cellar has a bank of batteries and a generator for electricity. He tried to provide air conditioning by venting cool air into the house, from a cave in the bluff up a stairway. The music room includes a player piano and a top-of-the-line radio. A ladder leads from Bothwell’s private office to the roof of the castle’s turret, where he could enjoy a sweeping view of the countryside.

Personal items are scattered throughout the home. Bothwell’s straw hat rests on his battered suitcase, as if ready to go. Suspenders, a starched collar and shirt, a ring and a woman’s photo sit atop a bedroom chest. A pair of lady’s nylon stockings hangs to dry in the bathroom.

Peeking into someone’s life can be fascinating.

Thomas Hart Benton was Missouri’s premier 20^th century artist. In 1934, he was on the cover of Time Magazine. After living for 22 years in New York City, he returned to his home state in triumph when he was commissioned to paint the monumental mural that still graces the House Lounge in the State Capitol, in Jefferson City. He was paid $16,000 for the work, which was more than the yearly salary of the governor.

Benton wrote a check for $6,000 for the comfortable home in Westport, where he lived with Rita, his wife of nearly 53 years. The couple had a son and a daughter.

Thomas Hart Benton’s studio remains much as it was on the day he died there in January 1975.

While the home is warm and inviting, the marriage was sometimes chilly. Rita complained of her husband’s long absences on sketching trips, his vulgar language, his habit of spreading cigar ashes around the house. But she also said he was a genius.

Benton said his wife was hard to live with, but added: “Without her, I would have been a bum.”

Benton died in the studio on January 19, 1975, at age 85. Rita died 11 weeks later. Their residence remains just as it was, as the Thomas Hart Benton Home and Studio State Historic Site.

The home has 13 Benton original artworks, but, again, the fun is in the details.

Tom’s corncob pipe is on a nightstand, his glasses resting on an opened book. Rita’s clothes, some of them handmade, hang in the closet. A well-worn teddy bear is on the daughter’s bed. In the studio out back, brushes sit in coffee cans, baby food jars are caked with dried paint, a stretched canvas awaits the artist’s stroke.

Touring a grand old home – reliving the lives of the people who lived there – can be a rewarding way to spend a winter day.

For more information, visit MoStateParks.com.

Written by Tom Uhlenbrock, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Division of State Parks

We all need some adventure in life – but as a growing family, some of the dreamt-of exotic trips are temporarily out-of-reach. That doesn’t mean the fun stops. Instead, it means we look at what is around us, finding more than we imagined right in our backyard.

I chuckled the first time my husband brought up how we should start Saturday Morning Adventures with the kids. First, because at the ages of 1 and 3, every moment out of the house was a special kind of adventure. Second, because my first thoughts of adventure included mountains, an airplane, or an ocean – certainly more than we can tackle in one morning. But our first adventure proved to be well worth the title.

We headed to Pick and Pick farm, located in mid-Missouri about halfway between Jefferson City and Columbia. On a beautiful spring morning, my children grabbed their buckets and we headed out into the patch for our red-berried treasure. We were not disappointed in our search, and my daughter got more than her fill of Vitamin C before we finished the first row.  From then, I was convinced. Saturday mornings would be our family time to explore what mid-Missouri had to offer.

Subsequent Saturday-morning adventures have included Rock Bridge State Park, where my son got a chance to put his magnifying glass to work. We’ve enjoyed Coffee Zone in Jefferson City, where every patron is welcomed as a personal friend of owner Taisir Yanis. We’ve explored Runge Nature Center, Leapfrog Fun Center in Holts Summit, and even Central Dairy ice cream for a yummy, albeit less-than-typical breakfast.

Each time has been special, and my children now ask us, “When will it be Saturday? What do we have planned?”

True,  some adventures have involved cleaning the garage or organizing closets. After all, the to-do list never gets any shorter. But Saturday mornings have come to mean a special time for my family – close to home, easy-to-find and adventures a-plenty.

Written by Laura Holloway, former Missouri Division of Tourism website editor and current explorer of all things Mid-Missouri

Here in Missouri, we’re blessed with so many wonderful people, places and events, we could do a “best of” list every day. But this year has been an especially fun one for MoTravelGuy. Working at the Missouri Division of Tourism and helping to promote travel in Missouri means getting to see a variety of the great tourism assets we have in the Show-Me State. So, I’d like to share with you my favorite 5 Missouri Travel Moments from 2011.

5. Floating the Courtois River near Steelville. Beautiful weather and one of Missouri’s prettiest waterways were on full display during a late-summer trek to Bass’ River Resort. We (MoTravelGuy and our staff photographer, Ben) also got to see our friends Paul Stone and Kenny Rector, from S.S. Guide Service, take a group of anglers out for a trip. Nature’s beauty made the trip memorable; flipping the canoe and losing nearly all of our belongings made it impossible to forget.

4. Standing under the Gateway Arch during a massive thunderstorm. While others were running for cover, I couldn’t help but hold my ground — directly under the 630-foot-tall monument — to see just how close lightning might get. Was that an intelligent, move? Not by any means. Was it exhilarating and remarkable? You betcha. Seeing Mother Nature’s fireworks around one of mankind’s greatest engineering marvels truly was amazing.

3. Spending time at The Lake. During a summer outing to The Lake of the Ozarks area, our traveling party (including MoTravelMama and the artist formerly known as CapeWoman) was treated to a sightseeing tour aboard the 80-foot Celebration Cruise yacht, spent time at Ha Ha Tonka State Park, saw all the offerings at Big Surf Waterpark, had great meals in the Lake Area, and took in a wonderful performance at the Main Street Music Hall.

2. Playing croquet in Platte County. If I hadn’t seen it, I wouldn’t have believed it. A professional croquet player (who knew?) outside of Parkville has turned his backyard into a professional croquet course, called Kactus Creek Croquet Club. The course is open to the public. Our group had the opportunity to play a real game (with actual rules in place, as opposed to how most of us probably played growing up) that was so much fun, I didn’t want to leave. Oh, and my team beat MoTravelMama’s. Not that I’m competitive or anything, but I do believe the phrase “nah-nah-na-boo-boo” was uttered in her direction.

1. Opening Day at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. As a lifelong Cardinals fan (except for that rebellious period when it was cool to like the Mets only because mom hated them so much), it was an amazing experience for KatiesTrail and I to see the Cardinals play on Opening Day. Clydesdales. A flyover. Lots of good food. Stan the Man. More food. Shook hands and said hello to former Cardinals center fielder Jimmy Edmonds. Who knew, on that day, what October would hold? Rally squirrels. Twittering Tortoises. And #11in11. And now, Albert Pujols is an Angel. Wow. What a year.

Just a note to the Cardinals front office, and I’m not trying to score free tickets for life or anything,this is just FYI: Every year I attend opening day, your team wins the World Series. Just saying.

I am hopeful you and your family have had a safe and enjoyable 2011 and I wish you all the best for 2012 and beyond. Safe travels to All!

The new expressway begins at the Osage River Bridge in Lake Ozark and reaches all the way to Linn Creek. This expressway helps both visitors and locals get to their destinations with ease and much less congestion. For everyone who is used to the old Highway 54, the highway is still the same in many ways.

Once you get off on the first exit, you can stay on the old highway to have access to the same businesses as before. The 242 Highway is new and makes traveling into Lake Ozark easy from the new expressway. The 242 extends the Horseshoe Bend Highway all the way to the Business 54 exit by the Osage River Bridge. No matter where you are going, you will find the new expressway will get you there quickly and without all the traffic.

Due to the central location of the Lake of the Ozarks, many people from all over visit the Lake for a variety of reasons. One reason is because of all the great events that are going on all year, making the Lake a fun year-round vacation spot for all ages.

Enjoy Eagle Days at the Lake of the Ozarks.

The Lake of the Ozarks Eagle Days is Jan. 7-8, 2012, with activities at both Willmore Lodge and Osage National Golf Club.  This is a great event for the family and anyone who simply loves nature. You can view the eagles in the wild and get an up-close look at live eagles and other birds of prey from the World Bird Sanctuary. Naturalists will be on hand to answer questions. High-powered spotting scopes will be available for eagle viewing. For more information, call Willmore Lodge at 800-386-5253.

Another great event is the Lake of the Ozarks Mardi Gras Pub Crawl.  Sorry kids, but this event is for all of those ages 21 and older; it takes place Feb. 11, 2012, at various Lake Area restaurants. Buses safely transport participants to around 17 bars and restaurants; the buses start running at 4 p.m. The cost is $5 per person and includes drop off/ pick up at participating hotels. This is a safe, fun event for many looking for Mardi Gras but not able to make it down to New Orleans.

If you are a music lover, mark your calendars to join us for the premiere Beatles tribute Band in the country, the Liverpool Legends, appearing at the Main Street Music Hall at the Main Street Landing (off of Osage Beach Parkway) for two performances, Friday, March 2, 2011, and Saturday, March 3, 2011, at 8 p.m.

The late George Harrison’s sister, Louise Harrison, has handpicked this incredible Beatles tribute band. In season, the Liverpool Legends perform in Branson and this will be the third time they have held this special concert at Mainstreet Music Hall. We sold out last year, so get your tickets early. In their very first year in Branson, 2006, the Liverpool Legends were voted Best New Show and Best Band. In 2007, they once again received Branson’s Critic Fan’s award for Best Band as well as the prestigious Branson Critic Editor’s Choice for Best Show in Branson. The quality of the music and vocals from the Liverpool Legends is amazing. Tickets will be available from Tri County Lodging Association and the Convention & Visitor Bureau. For more information, call 573-348-1599.

Once April rolls around and the cabin fever is too much, the Dogwood Festival provides a welcome cure. This event is hosted annually in Downtown Camdenton and features a parade followed by days of fun for the entire family, including: a craft show, pageants, food vendors, entertainment, rides and much more. For more information, call 573-346-2227.

If you’re looking for some fun in the sun, and you’re ready to welcome warmer weather, the Spring Harbor Hop event is for you. Bring the kids and try your luck by trying to get the best poker hand by boat. The event will be May 5, 2012; kick off the summer season by enjoying a poker on the water and dozens of participating waterfront establishments.  Lots of great prizes are given to the winners!  For more information, contact the Lake of the Ozarks Convention & Visitor Bureau at 573-348-1599 or go to www.FunLake.com.

See an amazing collection of cars at Magic Dragon Street Meet Nationals.

The Magic Dragon Street Meet Nationals is a unique show for all makes, models, and years of cars, trucks, and motorcycles. With record-high attendance last year, this event attracts more than a thousand vehicles and even more spectators. This event will be May 4-6, 2012, on the Bagnell Dam Strip. For more information, please call 800-386-5253.

As you start to plan your weekends and decide what to do and where to go, just remember the Lake of the Ozarks is only a short drive away and offers many fun activities. There are a variety of events that can appeal to anyone who loves to boat, enjoy music, watch eagles and more. It truly is the year-round-event destination for all.

For a more detailed event schedule, visit FunLake.com.

Written by Heather Brown, director of member services, Lake of the Ozarks Convention and Visitor Bureau

Enjoy the light displays at Silver Dollar City on your next Missouri adventure.

Christmas is 10 days away, which means you need to do two things: 1) Finish your shopping; 2) Enjoy the fun events happening around Missouri during this season of celebration.

In every corner of the Show-Me State, celebrations of all sorts take place as 2011 winds to a close and 2012 draws near. Whether you’re interested in drive-thru light parks, how holidays were celebrated in days past, appearances by the Jolly Old Elf, religious services, or cultural celebrations, you’re sure to find it in Missouri.

There are dozens of places to enjoy holiday lights in Missouri, perhaps none more famous than Branson. One of Branson’s largest attractions, Silver Dollar City, has been named to several national “Top 10” lists for seeing holiday lights, and has been recognized by Yahoo! Travel, MSN and Mainstreet.com, to name a few. Other wonderful light displays are found at Fort Zumwalt Park in O’Fallon and in Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza.

If your inner Scrooge isn’t afraid of journeying to Christmas past, be sure to visit the First Missouri State Capitol State Historic Site in St. Charles for Christmas Traditions. The historic site will host a concert on Dec. 17, a special event that includes a reading of “The Night Before Christmas” on Dec. 18, and an event with interpreters dressed in period clothing on Dec. 21 and 23.

Looking for a chance to give Santa your wish list? Look no further than Kingsville and the beautiful Powell Gardens, which hosts Holiday Fun with Santa from 9 a.m.-noon on Dec. 17. This event includes a breakfast, a chance to meet Santa, make crafts, enjoy storytelling with Mrs. Claus and then take an outdoor mini-train ride (weather permitting). Reservations are required, so act fast. Call 816-697-2600, ext. 209 for details.

If your celebrations of the holiday involve more spiritual pursuits, visit Missouri Botanical Garden for Chanukah: Festival of Lights, from noon-4 p.m. on Dec. 18. This traditional Jewish holiday celebration will include Israeli music and dance and a menorah-lighting ceremony. Congregation Beth Shalom, in Columbia, also will celebrate Dec. 18, with a Hanukkah celebration beginning at 4 p.m. You’ll also find special events celebrating the official beginning of Hanukkah/Chanukah, Dec. 20. Among them is a Hanukkah Concert from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. at BSKI, 1107 E. Linden Ave., in Richmond Heights.

On Christmas Eve, the National Shrine of Mary, Mother of the Church, in Laurie (near Lake of the Ozarks), will have a special holiday concert, Wonderful World of Christmas Music, at 6:30 p.m. leading up to the Christmas Eve Mass, which will begin between 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The National Shrine of Mary, one of the many spiritual centers in Missouri hosting Christmas Eve services, features a 14-foot stainless steel sculpture of Mary, along with the world-famous Mother’s Wall of Life. Christmas Day Mass at the Shrine begins at 9 a.m.

Dec. 26 begins the seven-day celebration of Kwanzaa, an African-American and Pan-African holiday celebrating family, community and culture. Kwanzaa continues through Jan. 1, 2012. The name Kwanzaa is derived from a Swahili phrase meaning “first fruits” and it focuses on seven principles designed to contribute to building and reinforcing family, community and culture among African-American people, as well as Africans throughout the world African community.

Missouri Botanical Garden will host Kwanzaa: Festival of the First Fruits, from noon-4 p.m. on Dec. 28. The event will feature craft and jewelry displays, storytelling, and authentic African drumming and musical performances. Springfield also will be the site of a Kwanzaa celebration; Dec. 29 the Ladies Civic League is sponsoring an event at Washington Avenue Baptist Church, 1722 N. National Ave. The event begins at 6 p.m. and will feature music and guest speakers.

As you can see, there’s no shortage of things to do in Missouri during the holiday and celebration season. We encourage you to travel safely, and we extend to you our sincere wishes for fun and memorable experiences in Missouri.

Winter offers a chance to enjoy the fruits of the past year's harvest.

If you think wineries are only for the warmer months, think again! I find them to be a great oasis to escape the hustle and bustle, finish shopping, warm up and relax. Decorated for the holidays, and ready to greet you, are more than 100 wineries throughout the state. As the vineyards go into hibernation, the wines ferment and the bounty of last year’s harvest is ready for the tasting – this is a great time to explore Missouri Wine Country.  Many wineries are located in or near charming towns, great for exploring during the holiday season.

I like to get together with special friends and catch up on the year’s happenings, although I may see them only once a year, a winery is the perfect setting to reconnect. Or maybe you need a spot to host a holiday party or entertain your family; since it’s the slower season, the wineries have greater availability to accommodate your group.

A great gift for the hard-to-buy-for person on your list.

Sharing is caring. I like to collect unique wines throughout the year and give to the people on my list.  And then there are the “I-have-no-idea-what-to-get” people on your list, or maybe “just-to-say-thank-you” people on your list, for which wine is the perfect gift.  One case can cover 12 people or maybe just one VERY special person.  Wineries often offer discounts when you buy a case, just ask for their specials.  Don’t know what kind of wine they like? You can’t go wrong with a “one-size-fits-all” gift card.

How to keep them entertained? If you’ve been wondering what to do with all the out-of-town guests, take them at a winery. This time of year wineries have more time to spend with you one-on-one and give you the VIP treatment that’s sure to impress your guests.

Shop local, sip local. Keeping it local is another reason to support your Missouri wineries. The industry has a $1.6 billion annual impact on Missouri’s economy. Supporting local farmers and businesses is sure to keep money in your community. Local grapes make great wines, with unique varietals such as Norton, Traminette, Vignoles and Vidal.  Unique wines showcase the craftsmanship that we have to offer.

Count down to 2012. No New Year’s Eve celebration would be complete with our sparkling wine to toast and ring in the New Year! Missouri has several wineries making sparkling wines, not to mention many who are hosting NYE celebrations, check the events tab at www.MissouriWine.org for the details.

2011 has been a great year, cheers to 2012 and the adventures it holds!

Written by Danene Beedle, marketing director for the Missouri Wine and Grape Board

Some folks treasure the start of trout season. For others, it may be baseball’s opening pitch in spring. For me, one of the grandest days of the year is when I awake to a blinding sun reflecting off the first snowfall of winter. Prime time for a hike.

I want mine to be the only human footprints in the forest, seen along with the tracks of deer and other local residents. I want to be out in it while the trees and shrubs are still stacked with fluffy snow that will soon scatter with the wind or melt in the warmth of the sun.

A powdery snow is best, although a little icing adds a sparkle to the landscape, like someone hung the branches with precious gems.

I usually go solo. Cajun, my dearly departed yellow Lab, used to be my preferred hiking partner. Once, he spotted a dozen turkeys that were moving black dots at the end of a long, open field. The snow was a foot deep, but he bounded through it like an antelope. The only sound was his wheezing breath as he chased the impossible dream of catching those birds.

Any path will do, as long as there is forest, maybe a little frozen water, and solitude.

Most state parks have hiking trails of varying lengths. In late fall, I discovered two new ones. The Chinquapin Trail at Big Sugar Creek State Park, in the far southwest corner of the state near Pineville, goes for 3.8 miles through open woodlands, following a dry creek lined with huge white slabs of rock (like a sculpture garden).

At Bothwell Lodge State Historic Site, near Sedalia, the Radiant Trail rambles for three miles through fields and forest along a bluff where John Homer Bothwell loved the view so much, he built a castle-like home.

You’ll need layers of clothing, waterproof boots and sunglasses. I pack a balaclava, a fleece hood that leaves only the eyes exposed, in case of nasty wind chills. I recently discovered the magic of chemical warming packets for your hands and feet. They’re cheap, most outdoor shops carry them, and they’ll keep you cozy for up to six hours in any weather.

Hiking in Missouri is best after the first freeze chills down the poison ivy and chases off the nuisance bugs. If I want a taste of the outdoors in summer, my exploring is done by kayak on the state’s bounty of beautiful streams.

Hikers enjoy a winter outing at Castlewood State Park.

Last winter, the first snow found me heading to Castlewood State Park along the Meramec River in west St. Louis County. I was late. Another set of footprints preceded me as I started out on the River Scene Trail.

The 3.25-mile trail offers the biggest bang for the buck in the St. Louis area. It follows the river, then climbs wood steps at the site of an old tourist resort to come back along bluffs that look down on the river valley. Both banks are parklands. The quiet of the sparkling scene was broken only by the horn of the occasional freight train chugging through.

Animal tracks criss-crossed an open field, where smaller critters burrowed beneath the snow, out of sight of the raptors and other hungry predators. Dozens of Canada geese gathered on a gravel bar across the river; the valley resonated with the honking of arriving and departing flights.

Ice had formed on the Meramec and chunks were carried downstream by the river’s flow. At a slight bend, the ice floes crashed together, creating a noisy jam.

The brilliant red of a male cardinal looked like a Christmas ornament in a snow-stacked shrub. A sweeping shadow in the snow belonged to a lone bald eagle that flew low overhead to check out the geese and other potential prey below.

On an overlook on the bluff, I was surprised when a large black dog wearing a red bandana bounded up. It was followed by a group of men whom I recognized as veteran hikers at Castlewood. They were using trekking poles to negotiate the rocky, snow-covered trail.

I stepped aside to let them pass. The last in the lineup said, “It’s beautiful up here, but cold.”

He was right on both counts.

With a little luck, the sun will do its job and the snow will not outlast its welcome, leaving a clean canvas for the next wintry adventure.

Written by Tom Uhlenbrock, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Division of State Parks

Is this young Cardinals fan asking Santa for another World Series win?

The 37^th annual Christmas Traditions festival is in full swing, having kicked off in Saint Charles the day after Thanksgiving.  But fret not, there’s still plenty of time to enjoy this year’s celebration, which continues until the afternoon of Christmas Eve.

As in years past, we have more than 30 Christmas Legends characters roaming about the Main Street historic district, including eight Santas from around the world.  Victorian Santa is an all-time favorite as he’s featured in Santa’s Cottage at the tourism center – 230 South Main – and also makes a weekend appearance at the festival’s Breakfast with Santa event at The Mother-in-Law House.

Breakfast with Santa is a new addition to the festival line up this year … here’s what a family from Miami, Florida, had to say about their experience during opening weekend.  We think it describes the magic better than anything we could begin to muster on our own accord:

Dear Mayor Faith:

     Breakfast with Santa was absolutely wonderful.  We are planning on attending next year and every year after.  It is going to be a new family tradition for (our) family!

     I cannot explain how wonderful our trip was … in fact, it was the most memorable trip our family has EVER had … really!  I still get choked up when I think about the looks on (our sons’) faces as we walked up and down Main Street collecting character cards.

     Will you please give a very special thanks to Mrs. Claus and Victorian Santa?  They just simply outdid themselves.  For every time they saw our boys, they would address them personally by name.  Amazing!

     Their attention to detail made all of us feel so very special.  The boys truly believe he is the real Santa and not just your typical stand-in “helper” from the local mall.

     Victorian Santa is awesome, funny and wonderful with the children, especially when taking pictures at the cottage. Even though it has been several weeks since our visit, the kids are still talking about our family’s trip to Saint Charles.

     As for Breakfast with Santa?  Please ask your staff to let us know when tickets go on sale for next year, as my husband and I definitely want to be first in line!

Thanks for the memories, and best wishes for a terrific holiday.

Susan G. of Miami, Florida

Two guests pose for a photo with the kindly old elf during Breakfast with Santa in St. Charles.

For more information about Christmas Traditions in Saint Charles, contact the tourism center at 636-946-7776 or toll-free at 1-800-366-2427. A copy of this year’s festival guide is available in an eBook format at HistoricStCharles.com, or you can visit the festival online at StCharlesChristmas.com.  Happy Holidays to you and yours from your friends in Saint Charles … Where Christmas Past Comes to Life!

The Christmas Traditions festival is featured in the December 2011 issue of Midwest Living (Pages 9-15) and more info is available online by clicking here.

Written by Carol Felzien, director of communication, Greater Saint Charles Convention & Visitors Bureau. 

A winter float on the Current River, just downstream from Montauk State Park.

Veteran floaters who relish solitude may not appreciate my sharing this information, but, hey, Missouri has enough sparkling streams for all of us.

My paddling group has regular spring, fall and winter floats. We look for a cold drink, a hot shower and a warm bed at the end of the day, so we book well in advance to get the prime lodging.

In the fall, that’s Montauk State Park, where we get one of the fourplex cabins. Each unit has a full kitchen, two bedrooms, a Murphy bed in the living room and a gas fireplace. Two of the units have hot tubs.

Montauk is home to the springs that start the flow of the Current River. The river was up, and the sky was overcast on the first weekend of November when we put eight kayaks in the river at Tan Vat Hole, just outside the park boundary.

By noon, the clouds had parted like the Red Sea and we lunched on a gravel bar under a cobalt blue sky. We shed gloves, wool hats and layers as the temperature rose to 60 degrees. In two days on the river, we saw just one canoe. A submerged log dumped one of our kayaks, but the owner had spare clothing in a dry bag and only his pride was wounded.

The first day, we floated nine miles from Tan Vat to Cedargrove. Belted kingfishers squawked as we entered their territory, and a lone bald eagle took off from a snag and hop-scotched down-river just ahead of us.

The water was so clear you could see suckers and the occasional flash of a rainbow trout darting over the gravel bottom. Each breeze brought a shower of autumn leaves, which floated like golden boats on the glimmering surface.

The second day was eight miles from Cedargrove to Akers Ferry, passing Welch Spring, which nearly doubles the flow of the river. We paused to visit the stone ruins of the old hospital built over the spring’s cave.

A couple of us detoured down a side chute, only to discover that a beaver had built a meticulous stick dam across our path. No problem, we portaged around, admiring his handiwork.

The lodge at Montauk State Park, one of the state’s popular trout parks, is open only on weekends in the off-season. Because the kitchen closes at 6 p.m. on Friday, and 7 p.m. on Saturdays, we ordered our dinners before heading out in the morning and the kitchen staff had them boxed and ready when we arrived back in the evening.

Friday night we had a fried chicken feast in our cabins, with enough leftovers for lunch the next day. Saturday it was sirloins.

Our next outing is New Year’s Eve. Four couples have reserved the Rock Castle, on a bluff overlooking the Meramec River at Blue Springs Ranch, near Bourbon.

We’re floating Dec. 31, and hoping for snow.

Written by Tom Uhlenbrock, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Division of State Parks