Local Attractions and Food

Getting around

You probably want to rent a car. Even its most ardent partisans admit that the public transit is "not very developed."

St. Joseph Parkway

This is a tree-lined walk and bike trail that snakes through the most beautiful parts of the city. Great for bird watching, it also has mountain bike trails for the more adventurous visitor. Start the trail on Ashland and Northeast Parkway.

Loess Bluffs

Then, check out the birds at Loess Bluffs. You can experience this ten-mile nature path in a car, on bike, or on foot. You will see herons, storks, frogs, and Missouri's various poisonous snakes. Some snakes will explode out of the bushes and land in the water.

Mokaska Coffee Company

Cute coffee shop downtown. Always worth a visit. Check out their website, where we stole this picture from.

Pronto Cafe

While Mokaska is more chic, visit Pronto for a “grandma” alternative (Hannah’s words). Hannah used to barista here so she can say that.

River Bluff Brewing

This cute brewery for beer (or whatever) can round out, or kick off, a fun afternoon.

Mark Youngdahl Urban Conservation Area

Another excellent nature trail to explore in the heart of the city (website here). Great for birdwatching; the hideous website photo belies its true beauty.

Boudreaux’s Louisiana Seafood and Steaks

Best local restaurant. Cajun par excellence with views of downtown. There are fried bell peppers and mashed potatoes for the vegetarian gourmand (website here).

St. Joseph Museums

You can find a list of St. Joseph museums here . We particularly recommend the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art and the Remington Nature Center. After touring the nature center, check out the river trail or 🎰🎰🎰 CASINO 🎰🎰🎰.

Il Lazzarone

This Neapolitan pizzeria gets our official seal of approval (website here).

Kansas City, (and this is key) Missouri

The largest city in Missouri is only a medium-length drive away from St. Joseph. With a population of 2.4 million, it’s probably the most populous city in the U.S., but it’s 37th most-populous city in the U.S.

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

In Kansas City, this world-class museum boasts a sculpture garden, a dazzling Impressionist collection, and Hannah’s favorite, an exhibit on the works of Noguchi. Conveniently located near the Country Club Plaza, America’s first outdoor mall. The Plaza has a place for craft cocktails that we should put on this list, called Monarch Bar.

Kris & Kate’s Ice Cream

Though this giant ice cream cone is missing an apostrophe from its name, it’s still a giant cone where you can get a giant cone. Don’t miss this place!