Meramec Caverns
Missouri
My husband and I visited Meramec Caverns before we had children. Meramec Caverns is in Stanton Missouri. As you are getting close to its location, you can't miss the signs leading you in the right direction. Meramec Caverns is a tourist attraction where you can take guided tours inside the large cave that was once a hide out to Jesse James. At the entrance of the cave you will buy tickets and wait for your tour guide. The tours start every 20 to 30 minutes and the tour itself takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes. At the beginning of the tour, you will walk past a large underground banquet and dance hall area that is used for larger events. You can also smirk at the extremely large pyramid of plastic chairs that they have stored in this area. The tours take you on well lighted, handicapped accessible pathways throughout the cave as your tour guides tell you stories and information about the cave and the wondrous mineral formations that you will see, such as the stage curtain and the wine table. The wine table formation is the world's rarest cave structures. The stage curtain is at the end of the tour. Everyone in your group will sit on theatre style benches and watch as your tour guide operates a light show onto these formations which resemble a stage curtain. The little light show is accompanied by patriotic music. The inside of the cave is a constant 58 degrees year round. Also, as a side note, strollers are not allowed on the cave tour, so very young children need to either walk or be carried. The cave tour is for people of all ages. It is not scary or dark and you will not feel claustrophobic. Tours are operated year, accept on major holidays.
Outside Meramec Caverns there are also some other attractions. There are riverboat rides where you can take a 1/2 hour ride on the Meramec river on a canopy covered boat. There are also canoe and raft rentals for floating down the river. There is a place where kids can pan for gold at the adjacent Meramec Mining Company and a Dino Dig area, also for kids.
At Meramec Caverns there is also a restaurant, which we ate at. I remember the restaurant being good and being fairly good size. It seemed to be able to seat a lot of people. There is also a snack bar and a place where you could get ice cream that had 28 flavors.
When we visited Meramec Caverns, we camped at the campground there. It was the Meramec Caverns' La Jolla Natural Park/Campground. It wasn't the best campground. I would recommend staying at the Meramec State Park instead. The campground was not huge and the people staying there were not the best types of people. We were a little out of our element. The campground had restrooms and showers, but they were in a kind of mobile unit set-up. The bathroom situation was a little gross, but we survived. The Meramec river is right behind the campground and by the Meramec Caverns Cave. It is posted that swimming is not recommended, but just about everyone in the campground was in the water and hanging out in the water. There is a current, so you have to be careful and cautious of what you are doing. The Meramec Cave and tours is right across the parking lot from the campground. There is also a Meramec Caverns Motel across the road. It looks like a 1 or possibly 2 star, at the very most, motel. The campground and the motel is open from April 1st to October 31st.
Pets are allowed in the campground, but not inside the cave tours. Meramec Caverns does have kennels outside that you can put your dog in while you go on the cave tours. For $5 they give you a lock and key and you can lock your animal up yourself, so it is safe while you are briefly gone. You just have to bring your own food and water and whatever else your pet may need.
If you are in this area of Missouri, the Meramec Caverns tour is an ok adventure. I would not recommend staying in the campground, but would recommend staying somewhere else or camping at another area state park.
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