Spouse/Guest Tours

Columbia is home to several nationally recognized boutiques and galleries specializing in fine crafts and fine art. They include Bluestem Missouri Crafts, named Niche Magazine's 2005 Top Retailer of American Craft and Poppy which placed in Niche's Top 100 listing. Orchids and Art, Alleyway Arts and the Columbia Art League Gallery also offer works by local and regional artists.

Bluestem Missouri Crafts, located in The District, began 21 years ago as a partnership of five women artists. The partners include a painter, a potter, a clay artist and two fiber artists. Bluestem has a three-room gallery featuring the works of more than 250 craftspeople from Missouri and its eight neighboring states. The evolving collection includes works in clay, glass, wood, metal and fiber, with eclectic styles ranging from fine traditional to contemporary. www.bluestemmissouricrafts.com 573/442-3223

Since 1981, Poppy has offered contemporary craft and folk art from around the nation, including works in clay, glass, fiber, metal and wood. Also located in The District, Poppy is well known as the place to shop for whimsical wall art, innovative jewelry and decorative pieces. In addition to Poppy's "Fun Art," the company has added "Poppy Fine Art," a new sales gallery focusing on fine art. This gallery features exhibits of two-dimensional art, sculpture, wood, mixed media, ceramics, and jewelry. www.poppy.biz 573/442-3223

The Columbia Art League Gallery, hosts juried exhibits throughout the year that showcase the work of local and regional artists. Paintings, pottery, glass works, prints and jewelry are offered for sale in the gallery. Their "Sparkling Arts Show & Sale" is a two-month long holiday tradition with original works available in many price ranges. cal.missouri.org 573/443-2131

Alleyway Arts is the working studio of David Spears. Several commissioned works by Spear's are on permanent display at two local restaurants: Addison's and Sophia's. The studio, located in The District, is open by appointment. www.alleywayarts.com 573/489-0469

Orchids and Art is located in Columbia's "savvy southside." Displays by local and regional artists are surrounded by flowering orchid plants, all of which are for sale. The gallery collection changes often. It includes prints, mixed media, paintings, drawings and photography. 573/875-5989

Historic Missouri Theatre, 203 S. Ninth Street
Contact: David White, 573/875-0600
The Missouri Theatre is central Missouri's only pre-depression era movie palace and vaudeville stage. Built in 1928 and designed after the Paris Opera House, the theatre is listed on the National Historic Register. Much of the ornate baroque and rococo detailing survives, including Belgian marble wainscoting, plaster relief, stained glass art panels and an 1,800 pound Italian auditorium chandelier. As restoration continues on this grand old theatre, several surprises from the past have been discovered.

Boone County Historical Museum & Maplewood
Contact: Deborah Thompson, 573/443-8936
The historical museum features a sampler exhibit of the lives and events that shaped the settlement of Boone County - from Daniel Boone and his Boone's Lick Trail to the establishment of the University of Missouri. The group can also go next door to tour Maplewood. This 19th Century rural farmstead features a gracious two-story home and original outbuildings.

Miller's Professional Imaging, 1712 East Pointe Drive
Contact: Jason Becking, 573/875-5093
Miller's Professional Imaging began as a small family business in 1939. Today, the company has two locations in the Midwest - the home office in Pittsburg, KS and the state-of-the-art lab facility in Columbia, MO which opened in March 2001. This ultra modern facility is designed to support the digital photographer. It routinely receives over 70,000 files a day. The Columbia facility supports web hosting, proofing, package photography, album templates and finished prints. The lab also offers a full array of other print finishing services such as mounting, coating and texture. The free tour takes 30 minutes to an hour depending on the size of the group and level of interest in the various operations of the lab. One months advance notice is appreciated.

Columbia's vibrant dining scene offers culinary delights too numerous to mention. However, "foodies" looking for a special treat should plan a quick tasting tour of "Uniquely Columbia" items offered by these businesses.

The Candy Factory, 701 Cherry Street,
Contact: Donna Atkinson 573/443-8222
Central Missouri's only Old Fashioned Candy Shop where fine chocolates are made fresh on the premises daily. Visitors can enjoy samples while browsing the retail shop, which features gift items, collectibles and candies of all kinds, or they can go upstairs to see the cooking kitchens. If chocolate is in production, guests can watch the chocolate enrober and view the workings in the chocolate molding room.

Sparky's Ice Cream Parlor, 21 South Ninth.
Contact: Scott Southwick , 573/443-7400
Sparky's makes small-batch ice creams, using original recipes with no artificial flavors or colors. Locally procured products are used in some of Sparky's signature flavors. Freshly roasted beans from The Coffee Zone go into the espresso chip ice cream. Columbia's Uprise Bakery supplies the brownies and chocolate chip cookie dough for two creations. Wine from nearby Les Bourgeois Winery is combined with premium chocolate chips to create "Riverboat Red Wine & Ghirardelli Chocolate Chip" ice cream.

Lakota Coffee Company, 24 South 9th
Contact: Skip DuCharme, 573/874-2852
Coffee lovers will appreciate the flavor of free-trade coffee roasted in-house. With its original 1920s brick walls, hard wood plank floors, hand- crafted Old Hickory chairs, bar stools and rockers, Lakota ha a rustic atmosphere that is conducive to team building, clinching business deals or just enjoying time with friends and colleagues.

Main Squeeze Natural Foods Cafˇ, 28 S. 9th Street
Contact: Leah Lockhart, 573/817-5616
If all that chocolate, coffee and ice cream leaves the group wanting something a little healthier, an organic smoothie or fresh juice drink at Main Squeeze may be just the ticket. Since 1998, Main Squeeze has been serving beautiful and tasty organic foods. The owner makes every effort to run an environmentally conscious business, including composting, recycling and using degradable "To Go" packaging. The restaurant's off-site garden is fertilized with rich compost derived by recycling the establishment's food waste. Most ingredients for the almost exclusively organic menu are purchased from local farms and producers.

Explore Walk-About Acres, 6800 N. Kircher Road,
Contact: Vera Gelder, 573/474-8837
An 11-acre family farm with domestic and exotic animals, honey bees, gardens, a greenhouse, gift shop and full-service kitchen. Basic Tour - Includes a "walk about" of the grounds, a visit to the animals and a stop at the gift shop. Guests can also choose to a trip to the greenhouse to pot a plant for taking home, or they can make their own beeswax candle. Boxed lunches and refreshments such as honey lemonade, tea, cookies and honey ice cream are available.

Stroll Shelter Insurance Gardens. 1817 W. Broadway
Contact: Joy Long, 573/445-8441
This award winning garden celebrated its 30th Anniversary in 2005. Discover the sensory garden, visit a replica one-room school house, photograph the rose garden, find solitude near the goldfish pond and waterfall, cool off in the shade garden, and enjoy 5-acres of beauty.

Contact: LeAnn Stroupe, 573/882-6333
Enjoy a student-guided tour of MU's Historic Francis Quadrangle. Explore the history of the first University in the Louisiana Purchase Territory. Visit Thomas Jefferson's original gravemarker and learn about the landmark MU Columns. Optional stops include the Museum of Art and Archaeology and the Museum of Anthropology. The Museum of Art and Archaeology features major works of art, plus ancient art and artifacts. The Anthropology Museum focuses on the native peoples of the country and those in Missouri, as well as the early settlements of Missouri.

(45 minutes northwest of Columbia)
Contact: Kathy Borgman, 660/837-3231. www.friendsar.org

This picturesque village has ties to the Lewis & Clark, Oregon, Santa Fe and Boone's Lick Trails. In 2006, the National Trust for Historic Preservation named Arrow Rock one of its Dozen Distinctive Destinations. Attractions include the 1834 Huston Tavern and Store, 1844 Sites Gun Shop, 1875 Sites House and shops along the canopied boardwalk of downtown Arrow Rock. The Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre is the oldest professional repertory theatre west of the Mississippi. The Arrow Rock State Historic Site Visitors Center focuses on the history of Arrow Rock and the Boonslick Region. This Missouri State Park facility offers a short slide show and exhibits about American Indian cultures, early European settlement and transportation with an emphasis on the Missouri River and historic trails.

(30 minutes west of Columbia)
Contact: Pat Jackson, 660/882-2721 www.mo-river.net

The site of Missouri's first Civil War land battle, Boonville is rich in history and features more than 400 homes and buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. Attractions include the Old Cooper County Jail and Hanging Barn, the lovely Victorian home, Rosyln Heights, Thespian Hall , the oldest theatre west of the Alleghenies and the Isle of Capri Casino. The Katy Trail also passes through Boonville. Crestmead, Ravenswood and Pleasant Green plantation-style homes are also available for tours.

(20 minutes west of Columbia)
Contact: Rocheport City Hall, 573/698-3245 www.rocheport.com

Rocheport began as a trading post on the Missouri River in 1825 and continued to prosper when the Missouri-Kansas-Texas (KATY) Railroad was built through the town in the 1890's. The entire town was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Today, this charming community is a well-known stopping point on the 227-mile long Katy Trail State Park. Several antique and craft shops, cafˇs and B&Bs are available. The Les Bourgeois Winery offers a scenic outdoor wine garden and a fine restaurant overlooking the Missouri River valley. Mighty-Mo Canoe and Kayak offers river excursions from Rocheport to Hartsburg, suitable for ages 7 - 70.

(20 minutes east of Columbia)
Contact: Ray Speckman, 573/642-7692 www.heartofmissouritourism.org

Explore Missouri's British Link at the Winston Churchill Memorial and Library. This attraction honors the legacy of Churchill's 1946 "Iron Curtain" speech which was delivered at Westminster College. Housed in a centuries old church that was relocated from London, the newly renovated museum features the largest collection of Churchill memorabilia in the U.S. Agri-tourism attractions in the community include the Shepherdsfield Christian Community which offers a bakery, country store, farm tours and a variety of other activities. Shryock's Callaway Farms is an 800-acre family farm that provides hay wagon rides and bon fire complete with hot dogs and s'mores (weather permitting) Fall activities include a giant corn maze and pumpkin patch. Other area attractions include Auto World Museum and Crane's Country Store and Museum.

(45 minutes east of Columbia)
Contact: Hermann Tourism Group, 573-486-2313 www.hermannmo.com

German immigrants settled this community on the Missouri River because of its similarity to the Rhine River region. There are numerous wineries in the area including Adam Puchta, Hermanhoff and Stone Hill, the fourth most awarded winery in the country. Other tours stops include the downtown area with antique and craft shops, bed and breakfast, and the Old German School. The Deutschheim State Historic Site offers interpretive tours of two historic homes. Hermann has wonderful festivals and special events throughout the year.

(30 minutes south of Columbia)
Contact: Jill Johnson, 573/632-2820 www.visitjeffersoncity.com

Missouri's capital city offers several tour attractions. The beautiful State Capitol Building offers free tours daily. Free tours of the Governor's Mansion and Jefferson Landing are also available by appointment. The Cole County Historical Museum displays an exhibit of inaugural gowns worn by Missouri first ladies. The Runge Nature Center and Highway Patrol Museum also offer interesting tours. Of course, no trip to Jefferson City is complete without a stop at Central Dairy's old-fashioned ice cream parlor!