Things to do in Springfield Missouri: Fun 1 Day Itinerary

I am a participant in affiliate programs, so basically I earn a small commission if you use any of the affiliate links on this post - at no extra cost to you! Dope right?

Okay, here me out. There are a lot of things to do in Springfield, Missouri. How do I know? Well, because it was an unassuming spot on my Route 66 road trip through Illinois and Missouri. But before we get into it, if you’re new here HI I’M KAY!!! I’m American and I simply love road trips. I’m also a little weird, so it should come as no surprise that I am drawn to the wacky quirk that is Route 66.

And for those new to Route 66 as well, essentially it’s a historic freeway that stretches from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California (2,448 miles/3,940km) and was the first fully paved transcontinental road. The freeway was commissioned in 1926 and finished in 1938, and this time period marked a pivotal time in American history when Midwesterners were fleeing the Dust Bowl in the 1930s in search of a new life (and new jobs) in California.

Then in the late 1950s in the post-World War II economic boom, Route 66 transformed into a family vacation highway, heavily fueling (no pun intended) the growth of roadside diners, neon-lit motels, and gas stations. Lots and lots of gas stations. In short, Route 66 is basically a time capsule of this time and encompasses the feeling of aspirational Americana.

And this year, 2026, is actually the 100th anniversary of Route 66 and the 250th anniversary of this country we called USA. I didn’t plan it like that, or even knew about it to begin with, but it certainly made for a festive road trip experience.

A shame about the genocide and slavery and ongoing systemic oppression of communities both domestically and around the world…but here we are.

All of that to say, I’m going to go through these things to do in Springfield as if you were to arrive in the morning, but of course feel free to adjust as it fits your personal itinerary and timeline.

1 Day in Springfield

I found myself in Missouri in the middle of a rainstorm that led me to the unassuming town of Springfield. No, not The Simpsons Springfield. Though, that one (in Illinois) is also along Route 66 so you could visit both if you were so inclined. But for the purpose of this blog post, we’re just focusing on things to do in Springfield MISSOURI.

You’ll want to start your day on the right foot, which obviously means food and caffeine (if you indulge). For a full meal experience, I highly recommend The Table Restaurant. It’s a classic American restaurant that technically serves food all day, but their breakfast menu is one of the best in town. Y’all know I love a good toast, and I’m STILL thinking about their spiced honey goat cheese fig jam candied jalapeno masterpiece. They also have great drinks.

But if you’re in the mood for something lighter, you can stop into a cafe for a quick bite. Unsurprisingly, I didn’t get to try too many cafes, but of the ones I did, my favorite was easily Eurasia Coffee Co. Connected to a small boutique hotel and a coworking spot, it’s a great spot if you’re a remote worker or traveling as a grad school student.

Yeah, technically I’m still in my grad program, but I didn’t do any homework on this trip hahah.

Anyways, great drinks as well as tasty pasties if you’re not feeling a full breakfast spread. The best part though is the cafe is located right on Commercial Street, which leads us to the next batch of fun things to do in Springfield. Shopping!

This street is full of small little boutique shops, restaurants, cafes, and even bars. I ended up buying a new book at One More Page and a few house blend teas from Chabom Teas. The road isn’t the biggest stretch, but there are a lot of fun spots to dip into. I’d budget for maybe an hour or so just to stroll.

If you had a small breakfast or are hungry now, feel free to skip ahead to the lunch section because one of the best spots is right on Commercial. Otherwise, grab your things, we’re about to hit up Route 66!

Even if you’re not a museum lover, I recommend popping into the Route 66 Car Museum. It’s small, just the space of a car repair shop, but it’s so well done that you could easily spend an hour there – or at least I did haha. They have tons of antique and classic cars on display (you can look, but no touching) with interesting tidbits of information about both the car and the time period it came from. Even my museum-hating boyfriend was entertained.

Clearly being in the birthplace of Route 66, learning a bit more about early American cars and road trip culture is one of the best things to do in Springfield. Oh, what? You didn’t know Springfield was the birthplace of Route 66? Well then, allow me to introduce you to the next activity.

Being as 2026 is the centennial of Route 66, the city of Springfield decided to erect a monument to commemorate. So even if you’ve visited before, this is one of the brand new things to do in Springfield! It explains a bit behind why and how Springfield became the birthplace of Route 66, considering the two ends are in Illinois and California, and it offers a nice picture spot as well.

On the other side of the street, there’s another photo opp spot at Rail Haven Motel (more on that later) with a Route 66 birthplace sign.

AND ALSO on the same street, maybe like a stone’s throw from the monument, there’s a “musical highway” portion that sounds like “America the Beautiful” when cars drive over the groove. It’s really cool and if you have a car, I recommend trying it out once or twice or thrice.

I…may have even done it more than that hahah.

Anyways, after that the next quirky thing to check out is to find the World’s Largest Fork By Mass! It’s randomly in a commercial business park and…I don’t know why it’s there but is there anything really explained about Route 66?

Okay by now if you haven’t already, now it’s time for lunch. Seeing as I just came from Peru, I was ecstatic to see there was a highly rated Peruvian restaurant in town. Also as a Virgo, I couldn’t wait to judge it now that I’d tasted Peruvian food from Peru. So I headed over to Café Cusco to see what was up.

We actually were still pretty satiated from breakfast, but we both ordered appetizers. Of course, I HAD to get the ceviche….and it was GOOD!! Probably one of the better Peruvian ceviches I’ve had stateside, so kudos kudos. My boyfriend got a soup, and honestly that was delicious! Definitely wish I had the stomach space to taste more of their menu.

For the Insta-inclined, go to Pythian Castle for a cute photo spot. The weather wasn’t really cooperating on my visit, but if you want a lil medieval vibe, that’s the spot.

Now then, the next on your list of things to do in Springfield is to visit some caves! After all, Missouri is called the Cave State for a reason. Head on over to Fantastic Caverns. Unlike a lot of other caves around the US, Fantastic Caverns is actually open pretty late, which is really adaptable to a lot of itinerary timelines.

As someone who does not wake up early on vacation, I appreciate it.

Another unique thing about it is that Fantastic Caverns is America’s only ride-through cave tour, so you get to sit comfortably in a tram while exploring the massive underground cavern system. It’s so nice that you don’t have to constantly watch your footing and duck around avoiding bumps. The tram also makes visiting one of the most accessible things to do in Springfield.

It is smaller than a few of the more famous caves in America, sure, but it’s still a good time.

Since I had a smaller lunch, I was starving by the time dinner rolled around. And NOW it’s time for one of the best things to do in Springfield: eating at Mama G’s Kitchen. No joke, it has become one of my absolute favoriteeee soul food restaurants in the country. I can’t even pick a favorite because everything is good, but I do have to give a special shoutout to their wings. I ate them so fast I didn’t even get a picture. The staff is super great too. 10000/10.

Staying Overnight?

Now thennnn, if you happen to stay overnight, one of the coolest things to do in Springfield is to stay at the same hotel Elvis stayed at when he was touring. Or rather, motel. Bringing it back to Rail Haven Motel. Yanno, for someone who really has no personal attachment to Elvis, I keep on running into him as I explore more of the country hahah.

There’s only ONE room that Elvis stayed in, Room 409, so you’ll have to be sure to specify at booking. Thankfully, I was able to snag it and it really lived up to the kitsch. The motel preserved the room exactly as it was when he stayed, featuring 1950s decor and memorabilia, like a pink Cadillac bed, tons of posters, and framed vinyl records.

Is it worth staying if you don’t get the Elvis suite?

If you want a super affordable stay, I’d say yes because every other room was less than half the price hahah. It’s also right along Route 66 and really convenient for those doing or even just interested in the freeway. I enjoyed the people working the front desk and it wasn’t far from the other things to do in Springfield. Though, to be fair, nothing is really that far in Springfield.

For another option, there’s also Culture Boutique Hotel for more of a traditional hotel feel with the added bonus of being attached to a dope cafe and right on Commercial with lots of restaurants and bars.

Conclusion on things to do in Springfield

And boom, there’s your full day in Springfield, Missouri! Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised with my visit! Granted, I wasn’t expecting too much from a small town in the middle of a state in the middle of the country, but it was really quite nice. I think the food especially sealed it for me, especially Mama G’s. If you’re just passing through quickly, you MUST eat there at the very least.

There was also more things to do in Springfield than I expected, but if you’re on a road trip, I think one night is enough. Maybe two if you want a day to truly relax as the town is a quieter vibe that won’t keep you out late.

If you’ve been to Springfield, what other things would you recommend for visitors? And what are your thoughts on Route 66? I only have the Arizona stretch left, then I can officially say I’ve driven the entirety of Route 66 – though not all at once.

Unless….???

Pin these things to do in Springfield

Sharing is caring!