The Last of Hannibal

Hannibal, Missouri, turned out to be one of those destinations with endless things to do. Although I’m sure we didn’t hit it all, we did squeeze a lot more into the last day.

After a delicious complimentary breakfast at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites, I was still feeling pretty fatigued, so I sent Brittany and Amanda to check out a few places that required walking through.

They were mesmerized by Big River Train Town and Karlocks Kars and Pop Culture. Both places had families having fun and plenty of picture moments.

There were also lots more photographs for them to take at Rockcliffe Mansion, an American castle that overlooks the Mississippi River.

At the turn of the 20^th century, Mark Twain himself spoke from the staircase that covers the three floors of this perfectly decorated historic building.

They told me the pictures only showed some of its beauty.

We checked out of the Holiday Inn Express & Suites and stopped at Rustic Oak for a bite to eat. I enjoyed the “All you can eat” soup, salad, and baked potato bar.

Brittany drove us to the last of our stops. Lover’s Leap is a must-see site that reminded me of a smaller version of Pictured Rocks in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

The views are fantastic from there and we were lucky to get a clear day to see them from.

From there, we went to the Mark Twain Memorial Lighthouse. Although it was built nearly a century ago, it looks brand new.

The lighthouse was dedicated on Mark Twain’s 100^th birthday, to honor the man who made this town famous.

Although I couldn’t climb the lighthouse, the handicap parking allowed me for a great view, while Brittany and Amanda went up the stairs to get more pictures.

Hannibal will remain one of the most interesting places I’ve visited in the Midwest and I look forward to going back someday soon.

Thanks to the tourism board for arranging our visit quickly, with so many great activities and restaurants.