When you're planning a road trip from one state to another, you don't have to resign yourself to boring landscapes and eating a steady supply of fast food. Make the trip more interesting by exploring some of the history, culture and fine dining along the way. The drive from Flint, Michigan, to Missouri will take you 10 hours or more, depending on the route you take, and you'll find plenty worth seeing in Indiana, Illinois and Missouri.
South Bend, Indiana: Mansion Tour
- From Flint, head west on Interstate 69 until it connects with Interstate 94. Make your first stop in South Bend, Indiana, along the southern shore of Lake Michigan and is home to the University of Notre Dame. The mighty lake is worth a look, but also check out the Oliver Mansion, a 12,000-square-foot Victorian home complete with a gold dome. Stick with the mansion theme and eat at South Bend's Tippecanoe Place, a casual fine dining restaurant located in a 40-room stone mansion.
Route 66: The Well-Traveled Route
- From South Bend, head west into Illinois and past Chicago to connect with Interstate 55, which will take you into southern Illinois. The area encompasses what was once part of U.S. Highway 66 -- one of the longest highways in the nation prior to the adoption of the interstate system. In Pontiac, stop off at the Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame Museum. The museum is an interesting stopping-off point for the weary traveler that features photos, displays and artifacts from the historic highway.
Springfield, Illinois: Land of Lincoln
- As the home of President Lincoln, many sites in the state of Illinois offer a historic claim to fame. The capital city of Springfield, however, has more than its share. Abraham Lincoln's last home before moving to Washington, D.C., as president is now the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, and is restored to look as it would have when Lincoln left it in 1860. Also check out the Old State Capitol building, where Lincoln tried numerous cases as an attorney and where he was laid in state after his death.
Arriving in St. Louis
- In the northeast corner of the state of Missouri is the city of St. Louis. The city is recognizable by its Gateway Arch, complete with an elevator that takes people close to the top -- but that's not the only thing to see. The city is also home to another attraction worth visiting: the Missouri Botanical Garden. This is no ordinary flower garden -- it's the United States' oldest botanical garden and is on the National Register of Historic Places. On the grounds, you'll find a more than 4,800 trees, a Japanese garden, a children's center, a historic home, a host of rare orchids and an indoor rainforest.
