St Louis to Branson MO drive: Distance, time & best stops
The distance from St Louis to Branson MO by car is 252 miles, with a 3h45m driving time. The road trip stops on the St Louis to Branson MO drive are Six Flags St Louis, Meramec State Park and Springfield MO.
Planning a St Louis to Branson MO road trip itinerary
The St Louis to Branson MO drive takes you through Missouri from the Mississippi River to the theatre capital of the Ozarks.
St Louis is one of America’s great crossroads cities. The major landmark is the 630ft-tall Gateway Arch, which visitors can go to the top of. Other top attractions include the Cathedral Basilica of St Louis, the Missouri Botanical Garden and Busch Stadium.
Good St Louis experiences include highlight-packed trolley tours, true crime walking tours and small group tours that include going to the top of the St Louis Arch and a Mississippi River cruise.
For St Louis accommodation with personality, try the Last Hotel or the Pennywell.
Branson MO is a holiday town in the Ozarks with a massive array of attractions and – in particular – shows. Hugely popular options include the Titanic Museum, the Dinosaur Museum and the World’s Largest Toy Museum.
For shows, you can watch several tribute acts at Legends In Concert, try to work out the tricks of illusionist Rick Thomas and see amazing acrobatics at the Grand Shanghai Circus Show. Pick from several more options here.
There are scores of tour options, too. Among the more interesting are off-road adventures, ziplining through the woods and wine-tasting.
St Louis to Branson MO distance and driving time
By car, the distance from St Louis to Branson MO is 252 miles. That makes for a driving time of around three hours and 45 minutes. The quickest route is down the I-44, then US-65.
The best stops to add to a St Louis to Branson MO road trip itinerary are Six Flags St Louis, Meramec State Park and Springfield MO.
St Louis to Branson MO road trip attractions: Six Flags St Louis
Six Flags St Louis in Eureka MO is one of the top theme parks in the States, and it offers a good mix of rides for all ages. It doesn’t quite have the top tier thrill rides that some of the other Six Flags parks have, although inverted coaster Batman: The Ride ramps up the screams. The real strength lies in classic-style wooden rollercoasters. Entrance to the Hurricane Harbor water park is included in the ticket price.
Best stops between St Louis & Branson MO: Meramec State Park
The highlight of Meramec State Park is Fisher Cave. Tours into the cave include narrow passages cut by the stream, massive chambers with 30ft calcite columns and bear claw marks preserved in the cave walls.
Not part of the state park, but next to it, are the Meramac Caverns. Again, you can take a tour of the caves, but there’s also plenty more on offer – including riverboat cruises, panning for gold and ziplining.
St Louis to Branson MO drive: Springfield MO
Springfield is the third biggest city in Missouri, and packs an impressive amount in. Top of most visitor’s lists is the Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium. The aquarium is the best section, but the rest is a quirky celebration of model animals. It flits from penguins in the Antarctic to elephants on the African savanna.
Other options include the Route 66 Car Museum, the Dickerson Park Zoo, the Mizumoto Japanese Garden and craft beer tours.
For something totally bizarre, head to the Pythian Castle, built in 1913 by an order of knights. You can visit on a history tour or a nighttime ghost tour.
- For more attractions, check out the guide to the St Louis to Springfield MO drive.
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