As the summer comes to a close and the school year is fast approaching, it may be time to take one last trip to close out the season.
The questions is where to go and what to do. A person could travel around the state looking for large-format murals on city buildings; communities with unique histories, attractions or sculptures; or just quick jaunts near Columbia or down in the Ozarks.
For wine enthusiasts, the state has several wine trails. For those more interested in history, the state also is home to a section of Historic Route 66.
If one really wanted to “get their kicks” they would combine both and “go through Saint Looey/Joplin, Missouri” in the immortal words of Nat King Cole.
For anyone interested in taking this journey, these are the wineries along the route, stops in-between, and maybe an off-the-beaten-path backtrack.
Route 66 follows the same general path as Interstate 44, per the Route 66 Mother Road travel guide website. This is then cross referenced with winery locations provided by the Missouri Wines website and some side trip stop ideas from the Missouri Tourism and Recreation department.
Missouri wineries along Route 66
This proposed itinerary takes a westward pathway from St. Louis through to the Joplin area. Not all vineyards will have wine-tasting rooms and not all wineries will have nearby vineyards. Route 66 also intersects with the Meramec River wine trail in the area of St. James, so a majority of the vineyards and wineries along the route are in this community. It is a good idea to check vineyard and/or winery websites, where available, for hours of operation and in case appointments are required.
Claverach Farm and Vineyards
Where: 570 S. Lewis Road, Eureka, MO 63025
What you’ll find: This vineyard grows Norton, Petite Verdot, Chambourcin, Seyval and Vignier grape varietals. A unique feature is the clover ground cover in the vineyard, which enriches the soil and “is central to (the vineyard’s) sustainable farming philosophy,” Missouri Wines notes. Claverach is Welsh for clover. Wines are bottled with minimal filtration or other intervention and are available from wine shops in the St. Louis area. Wines are not sold from the vineyard except during farm dinners, which are not happening in 2024, or at private events. Learn more at claverachfarm.com.
Eagles Landing
Where: 200 N. Jefferson St., St. James, MO 65559 or 105 S. Main St., Webb City, MO 64870
What you’ll find: Sparkling, red, white, rosé and dessert wine types are sold by Eagles Landing, though a majority are red Chambourcin varieties. Owners are sommelier Eric Taylor and wine chemist and mixologist Casey Stuck, who are lifelong friends with two farm-focused restaurants where wines are featured for tasting, per Missouri Wines. Their offerings are described as “approachable and balanced.” Learn more at eagleslandingwine.com.
St. James Winery
Where: 540 State Route B, St. James, MO 65559
What you’ll find: St. James is among the most prolific Missouri wineries as their wines can be found at gas stations, grocery stores, liquor stores and more. There are upward of 50 places St. James wines are found in Columbia, for example. Nearly every Missouri grape varietal is made into wine at St. James. It produces more than 200,000 cases of wine each year, which are distributed throughout the Midwest and South. Learn more at stjameswinery.com.
Spencer Manor Winery
Where: 15064 Missouri Highway 68, Saint James, MO 65559
What you’ll find: This winery is relatively new to the scene. It was founded in 2019, though wines were produced even before that. The winery also has a restaurant featuring a variety of small and large plates, sandwiches, desserts, their wines, cocktails and beers. Learn more at spencermanor.com.
Prairie Barn Winery
Where: 17301 State Route B, St. James, MO 65559
What you’ll find: The winery also serves as a Christmas tree farm. Outdoor and indoor seating is available and tours are available, per Missouri Wines. The tasting room offers a variety of wines. The winery website was inaccessible when the Tribune attempted to visit it, but a Facebook page and Instagram account are available for more information.
Tyler Ridge Vineyard Winery
Where: 7325 N. Farm Road 171, Springfield, MO 65803
What you’ll find: The winery tasting room is in a refurbished farm house built in 1905 just six miles north of Springfield. It is open only 1-5 p.m. on weekends. Guests also can stroll through the vineyard, picnic or relax on the shaded deck, or enjoy a rest in the arbor swing, per Missouri Wines. Learn more on the Tyler Ridge Facebook page.
Pennington Wines
Where: 11822 Elm Road, Carthage, MO 64836
What you’ll find: This small family farm winery has a variety of wine blends, fruit-based wine and a couple of wines from Missouri grape varietals. Outdoor seating is available and tours are offered, per Missouri Wines. The winery’s website is dedicated to local area pick-up or delivery orders, so learn more by calling 417-237-3316 or visiting the winery’s Facebook page.
Stops along Route 66
A trip along Historic Route 66 in Missouri does not only have to focus on visiting the seven vineyards and wineries along the corridor, as there are many other diversions and communities along the way.
Missouri Tourism has two different Route 66 itineraries, one that takes a person from St. Louis to about St. James, and the other from St. James to Joplin.
There are some highlights among both:
One can’t not stop at Ted Drewes Frozen Custard in St. Louis to kick off the journey. There are two walk-up frozen custard stands at 6726 Chippewa St. and 4224 S. Grand Blvd. in St. Louis. Just down from the Chippewa location at 6708 Chippewa St. is the Ted Drewes gift shop. The first Ted Drewes shop in Missouri was opened nearly 95 years ago. It’s a “popular treat for St. Louisans and tourists to enjoy after visiting the Arch, the Fox and Muny Theaters, the St. Louis Zoo or a Cardinal’s baseball game,” the website notes.
After getting your fill at Ted Drewe’s, a roughly 20 minute jaunt by car will get a person to Kirkwood, where the National Museum of Transportation is located at 2933 Barrett Station Road. The museum is open year round and currently is in its summer phase through Labor Day. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There are separate admission fees for children, adults, and for seniors, military or first responders, which all include trolley rides when in operation. Tours generally are self-guided among the roughly 190 exhibits of rail, auto and other transportation forms.
Wanting to learn specifically about Route 66? Well another roughly 20 minute car trip will take a person to Eureka and Route 66 State Park. This Missouri State Park at 97 N. Outer Road, Suite 1, also is a chance to sit back and relax among its many amenities, such as the various picnic sites and trails are sprinkled throughout. The park’s visitors center features various historic displays and is the former Bridgehead Inn, a 1935 roadhouse that sat on the original Route 66.
For those who are more adventurous, a trip to Meramec Caverns at 1135 Route W in Stanton may be in order as well. Guided tours are available and take roughly 80 minutes covering a 1 1/4-mile round trip on well-lit walkways. It’s a good idea to book a tour ahead of time. Many other amenities are available as well, such a restaurant, gift and candy store and zipline tours. The Jesse James Wax Museum temporarily is closed.
If taking a multi-day trip, a night at the Wagon Wheel Motel at 901 E. Washington St. in Cuba may be in order. It is the oldest continuously operated motel on Route 66.
The “stone tourist court still beckons travelers to stop and rest from the busy life,” the motel website notes.
After spending the night, a person could pick back up the winery tour, particularly in St. James. After that, though, another roughly 20-minute drive puts you in Rolla, home to a half-scale Stonehenge Replica at 1870 Miner Circle. It was created by using water-jet technology at Missouri University of Science and Technology, Visit MO said.
Looking for a quick photo opportunity? About 30 minutes west of Rolla is a large-format metal Route 66 Shield outside of the 1903 Route 66 Courthouse Museum at 303 Historic Route 66 East in Waynesville, which features displays on the Trail of Tears, the U.S. Civil War, World Wars I and II, local history and collections of quilts, farm equipment and antiques.
Continuing the focus on Route 66 history, another 30 minutes on the road takes one to Lebanon where there is the Route 66 Museum at the Lebanon-Laclede County Public Library at 915 S. Jefferson Ave. The self-guided museum “offers a glimpse into the history and progression of Route 66, with an emphasis on local Route 66 history and touches of nostalgia,” the library website notes.
With all the driving, a person may need to take a chance to stretch their legs. There is a perfect opportunity to do that at Jordan Valley Park at 635 E. Trafficway St. in Springfield. The park has a sculpture walk, the Ozarks Stream and Fountain and the Jordan Creek Greenway can take one across downtown Springfield to the nearby Founders Park.
One final stop that is not exactly adjacent to Route 66, but still is fairly close is Grand Falls at 5400 S. Riverside Drive in Joplin. It is known as the largest continuously flowing natural waterfall in Missouri and is “a must-stop-photo op” for visitors, Visit MO says.
More: These 17 unique Missouri roadside attractions are worth venturing off the beaten path
An off-the-path backtrack
Apart from the various Missouri wine trails, the state also is home to wine regions. These are specific grape-growing parts of the state and there is one not too far from Eureka. So after a stop at Claverach Farm and Vineyards and the Route 66 State Park, one could take a 40-minute backtrack to the Augusta American Viticultural Area.
From westbound I-44 drivers will take the exit onto Missouri Highway 100, which will go back east to Augusta, which claims it is the U.S. first AVA, according to Visit Augusta.
While there are many wineries and vineyards in Augusta, there also are few other locations, such as in Defiance or Marthasville, per the Greater Augusta Chamber of Commerce.
More: In these Missouri towns, murals paint pictures of history and culture
Charles Dunlap covers local government, community stories and other general subjects for the Tribune. You can reach him at cdunlap@columbiatribune.com or @CD_CDT on X, formerly Twitter. Subscribe to support vital local journalism.
