Day 2 in Jefferson City didn’t start exactly like we planned (donuts + sunrise… we were late, of course), but we still packed in a full, budget-friendly family travel day. First up, we headed to Runge Nature Center, and honestly, it surprised me in the best way. The indoor exhibits are super in-depth with full sections on Missouri biomes, tons of taxidermy hidden throughout, and the staff was really knowledgeable. The girls loved the scavenger hunt (sticker win), and we squeezed in a quick hike to the fire tower—spoiler alert, you can’t go all the way to the top. After that we grabbed lunch at Prison Brews, which is themed around the Missouri State Penitentiary. The atmosphere is the main reason to go—each booth feels like a jail cell, there’s memorabilia everywhere, and we even learned some of the artwork was done by prisoners. Then it was time for the big one: the Missouri State Penitentiary history tour. We couldn’t film video (only photos), but the tour was absolutely worth doing—especially once we got moving through the housing units, the dungeon/solitary area, and the lower yard where the gas chamber is. Tickets were $25 per person (any age), so it adds up fast for families, but it’s a unique, real-history experience that pushed our kids a little outside their comfort zone in a good way.