Hey campers—this one’s our 4-day (easy) getaway to Columbia, Missouri, just about an hour to an hour and a half down I-70 from us. We partnered with Visit Columbia and packed the weekend with the stuff we love doing as a family: good food, fun local spots, and outdoor time with the kids and Chip. We kicked things off at the Broadway Diner for a super retro, small hometown-diner vibe—fast service, big portions, and budget-friendly (we fed all of us for about $40). Then we got outside at Rock Bridge Memorial State Park and did the loop with lots of stairs, checked out Rock Bridge, Hanging Creek, and Devil’s Icebox (and yeah… don’t be dumb in the cave—if you go farther, you need the right gear). We also hunted down Boathenge (turns out it’s basically hiding behind a private property sign—thanks, kids), and we went to see the Big Burr Oak, which is just plain cool. Downtown “The District” was a mixed bag—Friday night with the game in town was packed and not really family-friendly for our level of kids, plus parking a bigger truck was rough. But we came back when it was calmer, hit Shakespeare’s Pizza (half cheese, half meat lovers), grabbed Sparky’s Ice Cream, and wrapped the day at the Harvest Hootenanny for a hoot of a good time with food, games, and farm stuff. If you’re planning a weekend in Columbia, this is a solid family RV-style itinerary.