Mark Twain State Park, Missouri

Mark Twain State Park is a place where you can finally unleash your Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer, a place where you can roam, discover, think, write, and release your inner woodsman or woodswoman. Here, in the Salt River Hills, the dramatic, jagged bluffs, rugged woodlands, and steep hillsides will set the tone for your very own explorer-inspired week.

After you visit Mark Twain’s birthplace and first home, you’ll want to invent your own pen name and get writin’, especially after all your grand adventures. Chronicle the day you explored the 18,000 acres of water, fished for largemouth bass, and discovered unchartered coves, nooks, and crannies. If you’ve happened to come boatless, hop on over to Tom Sawyer Lake where you can fish on the shore, picnic, hike, and nature-watch. Just bring along your most well-loved novel and you’ll be good to go.