Missouri
Go for a city break built on barbecue, jazz, riverfront history and the Gateway Arch, with the Ozarks for lakes and caves.
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Missouri is a landlocked state in the Midwest, with Jefferson City as its capital and Kansas City as its largest city. Most trips center on two places: St. Louis, on the Mississippi River, where the Gateway Arch rises over the riverfront, and Kansas City, known for barbecue, jazz and early 20th-century Art Deco skyscrapers downtown. The state is nicknamed the Show Me State, after a saying about wanting proof before you believe something.
The state suits city trips built around food, music and history. The Ozarks add a change of pace, with lakes, caves and music theaters in Branson. Interstate 70 links St. Louis and Kansas City in about four hours, so decide early whether to stay in one city or split your time between them. Fall is usually the most comfortable season. Summers are hot and humid, and spring is the wettest season and brings the most tornadoes, so check forecasts before you travel.
Missouri in five
- Pick one city or drive between twoSt. Louis and Kansas City are about 4 hours apart on Interstate 70. With 4 days or fewer, choose one, and add the other only if you have a car and a spare day.Kansas City
- See the Gateway Arch grounds firstThe Arch and the riverfront are the symbol of St. Louis and part of a national park. The ride to the top uses timed tickets, so check the official page before you go.
- Eat barbecue in Kansas City, not just anywhereKansas City barbecue is its own style, with burnt ends and sweet, tomato-based sauce. St. Louis has its own favorites, including toasted ravioli.
- Rent a car for the Ozarks and Route 66Cities work without one, but small towns, caves and the old highway are far apart. Book a car for a state loop and check one-way fees if you start and end in different cities.
- Plan summer around the heatJuly and August are hot and humid, and storms can roll through. Do outdoor sights in the morning and museums in the afternoon.
Neighborhoods
Kansas City
- Best for: Barbecue, jazz history, downtown walks
- Price band: $$
- KC Streetcar runs in the downtown area
- Power & Light District for evening entertainment
- Kansas City-style barbecue is well known
Skip if you want the Gateway Arch and the Mississippi riverfront.
St Louis
- Best for: First visits, music, history
- Price band: $$
- Gateway Arch National Park is a major sight
- Lambert-St. Louis International Airport serves the city
- Cahokia mound site is a day trip across the river
Skip if you want the Kansas City streetcar and its downtown barbecue scene.
Things to do in Missouri
See all attractions in Missouri
Need to know
- Airports
- St. Louis Lambert (STL) and Kansas City (MCI)
- Getting there
- Fly to either city; Amtrak serves both, and Interstate 70 links them
- Getting around
- Rental car between cities; transit and rideshare inside them
- Best base
- Downtown St. Louis or Kansas City's Power and Light and Crossroads areas
- Time needed
- 3 days for one city; 5 to 7 for both plus a Route 66 stop
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Snowy days
- Days with storms
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryPartly cloudy8 rainy days3 snowy daysHigh4°Low-4°Cold, quietJanuaryPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 4°
- Low
- -4°
- Precipitation
- 67 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 3
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- FebruaryPartly cloudy8 rainy days2 snowy daysHigh8°Low-2°ColdFebruaryPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 8°
- Low
- -2°
- Precipitation
- 62 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 2
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold
- MarchPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh14°Low4°Spring startsMarchPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 123 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Spring starts
- AprilRain12 rainy daysHigh18°Low7°Mild, springAprilRain
Best
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 7°
- Precipitation
- 151 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, spring
- MayRain15 rainy daysHigh23°Low13°Warm, greenMayRain
Best
- High
- 23°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 171 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, green
- JunePartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh30°Low19°Hot, humidJunePartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 19°
- Precipitation
- 149 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, humid
- JulyPartly cloudy12 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh31°Low21°Hot, stormsJulyPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 31°
- Low
- 21°
- Precipitation
- 129 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 1
Hot, storms
- AugustPartly cloudy11 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh30°Low20°Hot, humidAugustPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 20°
- Precipitation
- 126 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 1
Hot, humid
- SeptemberClear8 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh28°Low17°Warm, fewerSeptemberClear
Best
- High
- 28°
- Low
- 17°
- Precipitation
- 98 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 1
Warm, fewer
- OctoberClear9 rainy daysHigh20°Low10°Fall colorOctoberClear
Best
- High
- 20°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 124 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Fall color
- NovemberPartly cloudy7 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh13°Low3°Cool, quietNovemberPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 13°
- Low
- 3°
- Precipitation
- 81 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, quiet
- DecemberPartly cloudy6 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh8°Low-1°Cold, holidayDecemberPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 8°
- Low
- -1°
- Precipitation
- 50 mm
- Rainy days
- 6
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, holiday
Average daily high and low in St. Louis, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Missouri
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
22
- Feels like
- 20°
- Humidity
- 77%
- Wind
- 22 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 3%
Missouri
04:37 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today21°16°3%Monday: Cloudy. High 21°, Low 16°. Chance of rain 3%.
- Tue23°12°63%Tuesday: Drizzle. High 23°, Low 12°. Chance of rain 63%.
- Wed18°9°5%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 18°, Low 9°. Chance of rain 5%.
- Thu19°8°14%Thursday: Cloudy. High 19°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 14%.
- Fri15°6°14%Friday: Cloudy. High 15°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 14%.
- Sat16°5°0%Saturday: Cloudy. High 16°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Sun11°7°4%Sunday: Cloudy. High 11°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 4%.
Updated 03:06 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 EUR = 1.116 USD
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Day trips by train
- Kansas Cityabout 4 hours from St. Louis by roadBarbecue, jazz and museums. Better with a night than as a day trip.Read the guide
- Hannibalabout 2 hours north of St. LouisMark Twain's boyhood river town, with a museum and riverfront.
- The Ozarksabout 2 to 4 hours southLakes, caves and rolling hills. Plan this as an overnight with a car.
Before you go to Missouri
We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.
Rules for Missouri, checked
- Most visitors from visa-waiver countries need an ESTA before flying to the US. Check travel.state.gov before you book.Source
- Over-21s may carry an open drink in a plastic cup in Kansas City's Power & Light District. Missouri has no statewide open-container ban.
- Federal law bans selling tobacco to anyone under 21. Some bars and restaurants seating fewer than 50 people set their own smoking rules.
- Possession of up to 10 grams of cannabis for a first offence is not punishable with jail time. Confirm current Missouri law before you travel.Source
- Spring has the most tornadoes, about 35 a year. Follow National Weather Service alerts at weather.gov and call 911 in an emergency.Source
Plan around Missouri
Barbecue, jazz and fountains, 4 hours west
Read the guideNebraskaPrairie states and the Platte River to the northwest
Read the guideMemphisBlues and barbecue down the Mississippi
Read the guidePlan US transportTrains, buses, flights and rental cars
Read the guideAll of the USAStates, parks and cities in one planning hub
Read the guideESTA, explainedWho needs it, the fee and how to apply
Read the guideMissouri FAQ
How many days do you need in Missouri?
Three days for St. Louis or Kansas City on its own. Five to seven days if you want both, plus Hannibal or the Ozarks. Allow half a day for each long drive.
Should I visit St. Louis or Kansas City?
St. Louis for the Arch, museums that are mostly free and the riverfront. Kansas City for barbecue, jazz and a livelier nightlife scene. They are four hours apart, so see both on a week-long trip.
Is Missouri worth visiting?
Yes for a road trip with food, music and history. It is less crowded and cheaper than coastal cities, and the Arch and Kansas City barbecue are good reasons to go.
When is the best time to visit Missouri?
April to May and September to October for mild weather and color. Summer is hot and humid, and winter is cold, so build your plan around indoor sights.
Do you need a car in Missouri?
In the cities you can manage with transit and rideshare. For the Ozarks, Route 66 stops and the drive between cities, a rental car is the easiest way.