Once we got to Hannibal, we had to figure out what to do first. The general consensus was to begin with Mark Twain Cave Complex. We all love caves and exploring one that had such prominent history was exciting to say the very least.
You almost feel like Becky and Tom did when they were exploring the cave all those many years ago. Almost.
We began the one hour tour by watching a film in a very small room. There was not enough seating and most of us had to stand, or sit far apart from each other. The film however, was interesting though not at all geared to those under age 9.
Once the tour of the cave began however, you could feel the excitement in the air. The experienced guide that took us on the tour pointed out many of the interesting points that were mentioned in Mark Twain’s writings. The walkways were level and smooth, and although there were a few tight squeezes, there were no steps and it was a rather enjoyable tour with many stops to rest while the guide continued to speak.
Mark Twain Cave is open all year, but is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Memorial Day through Labor Day the hours are
8:00am to 8:00pm
April-May and Sept-Oct:
9:00am to 6:00pm
November – March
10:00am to 4:00pm
When we finished the tour, we got to see the original entrance to the Mark Twain Cave, the one that Becky and Tom entered through. It was really interesting and the guide was extremely knowledgeable and entertaining.
We also had the option of touring Cameron Cave which also sits on the same property, however, we opted out of that one. We were chilly and one cave seemed to be enough for our clan of five kids.
We decided to walk around the complex and were thrilled to find several photo opportunities along the way. Not only could you pose behind wood cut outs of Tom and Becky, but each child could put on a straw hat, grab a paintbrush and stand in front of the white fence and pretend to be Tom’s friends that he talked into painting for him in the famous book, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.
There were also two fun shops on the complex properties, one making home-made fudge that was absolutely delicious and one that featured beautifully hand created candles. We purchased a few for our collection at home and continued on with our visit of Hannibal, Missouri.
Please watch my blog or the travel blog to see more terrific articles about Exploring Missouri and more on our adventures in Hannibal.