If you've just rolled into Springfield, Missouri for a business convention or as part of a road trip, you may not have done a lot of research into the city beforehand. What are its most famous landmarks? What's the best place to eat? How many malls does it have where you can buy aquarium gravel? If you can't answer any of these questions, you might appreciate our guide on how to spend your free time in Springfield, Missouri. It doesn't cover everything, just the stuff you won't want to miss.

History

No visit to the American South would be complete without a visit to one of the region's famous Civil War battlefields, which are often the sites of re-enactments put on by costumed volunteers. So after your trip to the day spa in Birmingham come to Springfield and visit Wilson's Creek National Battlefield, which is one of the best preserved in the country. You can also see the site of Wild Bill Hickock's final shootout and the Trail of Tears National Historic trail, which chronicles the path of displaced Native Americans.

Kitsch

If you've seen the Disney/Pixar movie Cars or seen any American West films from the 50s and 60s, then Route 66 is permanently embedded in your memory as the ultimate road trip. Winding thousands of miles across deserts, gorges, and beautiful scenery, this old highway is studded with quaint mom and pop diners and kitschy roadside attractions. Though it was later bypassed by a newer highway, the origin point still exists in Springfield, so stop by and buy a license plate cover or a snow globe.

Outdoors

Springfield's park system has earned a gold medal for its mixture of trails, gardens, sporting fields, zoos, and golf courses. The 92 city parks are more than enough to keep you outside all day. If you want a more rugged adventure after a hard day of selling estate jewelry, the nearby national park in the Ozark Mountains has climbing, camping, and biking among other things. You can also go fishing, boating, or swimming in the man made reservoir at Table Rock Lake.

Arts

During the 1950s, before the time of email and web collaboration tools, Springfield became famous for hosting several country music oriented television programs. The theaters they were based out of are still there and the tradition of country music is still alive and well. So take a visit to the Jewell Theater, the Creamery Arts Center, the Gillioz Theater, or the Landoz Theater, some of which are National Historic Sites, or just drop by a local bar for some good old fashioned live music.