Whitewater championships, a radio tower, and a 7-UP heiress
Day Trips for Southeast Missourians
Events, trails, shops, restaurants, museums. All an easy drive away. In your inbox, every Thursday.
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"But, soft, what light through yonder weekend breaks? It is the Southeast, and local day trips are the sun." -Billy Bob Shakespeare
On the events front, we've got the Annual Missouri Whitewater Championships (Eeeee!), a wildflower walk, weird ice cream, and more reasons than normal to visit Paducah.
Day Tripping - Kimmswick, MO.
Founded in the 1850s, with a current population of only about 130 people, this MO town was revived and restored by the 7-UP heiress in the 70s.
Does your day-tripping heart pine for a walkable downtown, girlie shops, boutiques, historic buildings, a cafe, restaurants, museums, antiques, a winery, a riverfront, and nature trails?
If you said "duh", Kimmswick, MO, is the place to go, and it's only about a 1.5-hour drive from Cape Girardeau.
Steal our itinerary:
Sleep late. Everything opens at 11.
Storm the Historic Kimmswick Visitors' Center for a town map/guide/brochure thing. Think to yourself, "After all that work I really deserve a bite to eat," and head straight to lunch to pore over the brochure and plan your day.
Eat. Looks like the big three lunch spots are the Blue Owl Restaurant & Bakery, the Dough Depot, and Lachance Winery & Restaurant. We ate at Lachance Winery & Restaurant because I'm all about that Ben-Franklin-would've-had-a-beer-here aesthetic. Built in 1770, y'all. That's six whole years before the Declaration of Independence was signed. And only 10 years before Mick Jagger joined the Rolling Stones. Ba dum tss 🥁. Get it? He's old.
LaChance Winery & Restaurant, Kimmswick, MO., March 2026
4. Shop hop! Take your full belly and amble around town, popping in and out of quaint shops. According to Go Kimmswick, there are TWENTY FIVE shops. From boutique clothes to antiques and artisan handiwork, there are gift stores so cottage-core, they look like they were peeled off a trad wife's Pinterest board. It's all comfortably walkable on a (pretty much) 3x3-block grid.
5. Get outside. Drive the 1.5 miles to Mastodon State Historic Site in Imperial for some fresh air. There’s a short trail and a creek situation (Rock Creek) where you can contemplate how you'll pay off your credit cards from your Kimmswick shopping spree. Take the Spring Branch Trail(0.8 miles). It's flat, easy, and ideal for “we ate too much but still want to feel outdoorsy.” When it’s warm, families bust out their foldable camping chairs and hang out here for creek time. Go dip your dawgs.
Why do I look like I'm about to hand wash your clothes in that creek?
Despite Kimmswick being teenie weenie, it was BUMPING. So, not "hidden gem" status. Very well-known gem...one you should check out. That's the whole reason the 7-UP heiress saved it, for all of us to enjoy. Go make her carbonated philanthropic heart in heaven happy.
What town would you save if you inherited a soda fortune?
Freelance Graphic Designer for a Short Project
Backroad Weekly is on the hunt for a local graphic designer who can pull a merch idea out of my head and put it on a shirt. I’ve got the concept, I just need someone with the skill and vision to make it real.
There is a time and place for gen AI, but that is not now nor here. I want someone with a portfolio, a point of view, and experience creating work that holds up in the real world (and on a real shirt).
SO, do you have ties to Southeast Missouri (from here, moved here, or SEMO alum)? And do you do freelance graphic design work on short-term projects?
If that’s you (or you know someone), hit reply and send a portfolio.
Local History, sponsored by VisitCape
Have you ever driven into Cape on Highway 61 and seen the old KFVS tower?
That skinny tower on the hill is one of the original KFVS radio transmission towers, used in the early days of broadcasting, back when radio ruled.
The tower hasn't been used since 1947. And while the newer (and much bigger) TV tower gets all the attention, this one has hung out, in a field, on a hill, turning into a landmark... So much so that locals still call that stretch “KFVS Hill.”
With Highway 61 turning 100, it's a great year to take a drive, see the tower, and reflect on how this was Cape's only way of broadcasting its loveable weirdness to the outside world. We went from radio towers on a hill to streaming over wireless networks in under a century.
Thanks to VisitCape for sponsoring this week’s local history.
This Weekend’s Happenings
Fri, March 27
Missouri Whitewater Championships (Downriver Race), Fredericktown, MO - It's finally heeeeeere! Racers fly down the St. Francis River in a fast-paced downriver event. A great evening to set up at Millstream Gardens and watch the action. Starts 4:30pm.
Puzzle and Guzzle at the Riverhouse, Scott City, MO - Teams of four race to finish a puzzle while fueled by pizza and sangria. 5:30-8:30pm. $23.60/person.
Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre, Arcadia, MO - A four-course dinner and a live, interactive mystery where you might end up a suspect. The theme is “The Gothic Flapper”. 5:30-8:30pm. $45.
Crazy Ice Cream Flavor Weekend, Caledonia, MO - Visit one of the prettiest little historic towns in Missouri, and the Old Village Mercantile, known for its old-timey general store, bakery, and creamery. They are serving up six weird ice cream flavors like popcorn, taco, and sriracha. Wander the village, then stop in to sample them all and vote for your favorite. 10am-5pm. Free.
Coffee on the Cache, Cypress, IL - A laid-back monthly meetup at the Cache River Wetlands Center to swap trail updates, wildlife sightings, and outdoor ideas with fellow nature-lovin' folks. 9-10am. Free.
Southern Illinois Outdoor Summit, Makanda, IL - A full day at Touch of Nature with workshops, speakers, and demos all centered around the Southern Illinois outdoors. Starts 8:30am. Registration required.
Cross Rivers Blues Festival, Cape Girardeau, MO - Scout Hall hosts a full night of blues and roots with multiple bands and live sets rolling all evening. Doors open at 6pm, music starts at 7pm. $25 advance, $30 day of show. (Sponsored)
Abstraction Spirits Shuttle to Paducah + Distillery Tour, Cape Girardeau, MO - Catch a shuttle to Paducah for a guided distillery tour, tasting, and a full afternoon to explore downtown. Leave from the Osage Centre in Cape G at 9am, return around 5pm. $80/person.
Crazy Ice Cream Flavor Weekend, Caledonia, MO - Six strange flavors are back at Old Village Mercantile. Spend some time exploring the tiny historic village, then head in for samples and cast your vote. 10am-5pm. Free.
Jog Your Memory 5K Color Run, Poplar Bluff, MO - A colorful 5K benefiting the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, where runners start in white and finish covered in bright powder along the course. 9am at McLane Park. $30 registration.
Spring Wildflower Walk, Marion, IL - A guided walk with a retired Fish & Wildlife Biologist to spot early spring blooms at Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge. Meet at Rocky Bluff parking lot at 9am.
River to River Trail Hike: Easter Basket Arch, Simpson, IL - A guided 5.4-mile loop with a short bushwhack and stream crossing. Moderate hike for experienced hikers. Meet at 10am at New Simpson Hill School. Free.
Climbing 101 with Ninja Nicole, Paducah, KY - An American Ninja Warrior competitor is teaching the basics of climbing - gear, technique, and safety - in a hands-on session in HER gym. About a 1.5-hour drive from Cape, and a pretty cool way to try something new.
Beginner-Friendly Gravel Ride, Poplar Bluff, MO - A 14-mile out-and-back ride along Pine Cone Road to Uplika Pond, with a midway break before heading back. Beginner-friendly, no-drop pace, but come prepared and bring what you need. Starts at 3pm.
Spring Market Day, Farmington, MO - A full lineup of local vendors with handmade goods, gifts, and spring finds. 10am-3pm.
Watercolor Workshop with Julie Killian, Sikeston, MO - Learn watercolor techniques and create your own finished painting in a guided workshop at the Malone Park Center for the Arts. All supplies are included, so just show up ready to paint. 3-5pm. $40 suggested donation.
Crazy Ice Cream Flavor Weekend, Caledonia, MO - Last chance to try the Mercantile’s weird lineup of ice cream flavors like taco and sriracha. Pair it with a wander through Caledonia’s shops and historic streets. 10am-5pm. Free.
The Hound of the Baskervilles, Paducah, KY - A fast-paced Sherlock Holmes stage adaptation with humor and suspense. Catch it at The Carson Center.
For each event, you’ll find more info at the link. *Because these events are upcoming, they have not been vetted. That would require a time machine, and we don't have the funds. Party at your own discretion.
WORD SCRAMBLE ANSWER: DOWNTOWN
Welp, (*slaps knees), we better get goin'. A big thank you to our sponsor.