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by Nichole Butler

It is kind of amazing how much Missouri has to offer. Seriously, people who live in the St. Louis area really don’t have to hop on a plane or a cruise ship to experience a great summer getaway

Take Hannibal, Missouri for instance. Only a two-hour drive from Florissant, Hannibal is a charming little town along the banks of the Mississippi River that has much to offer.

Every July, Hannibal hosts the National Tom Sawyer Days, a week-long celebration in honor of the famous children’s novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, written by Hannibal’s own Mark Twain. Everything from a Tom and Becky Look-a-like Contest, to a Fence Painting Competition, and a Frog Jump Relay takes place right there in the center of town.

The streets in Hannibal are lined with museums, sweet little shops, a variety of restaurants, and is home to the great Rockcliffe Mansion, Mark Twain Riverboat, and The Mark Twain Cave – three must-do attractions when visiting the town.

For those Mark Twain enthusiasts planning a trip to Hannibal, a stop in Florida, Missouri, may be called for. The birthplace of Mark Twain, Florida is 45 minutes west of Hannibal and home to the Mark Twain Birthplace and Museum, situated directly on the banks of Mark Twain Lake. Inside the museum is the actual cabin that Mark Twain was born in and spent his earliest years as a child. Many of his furniture and life-long artifacts are also on display.

Hannibal has something for everyone. It’s a great place for a day trip or a long weekend stay.

Mark Twain used his childhood hometown of Hannibal as the setting for the town of St. Petersburg in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. It isn’t hard to see the resemblance when you visit, and the novel literally comes alive in Hannibal, Mo.

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