Thomas J. Elpel is a wilderness educator, author, and founder of Green University in Montana. He completed a five-month, self-supported expedition down the Missouri River. His work focuses on plant identification, survival skills, and sustainable living, blending hands-on experience with ecological awareness. Q. What inspired you to start learning and teaching wilderness survival skills? My grandmother mentored me in learning edible and medicinal plants. She cooked on an antique wood-fired cookstove and had a library of wilderness survival books, including Larry Dean Olsen’s Outdoor Survival Skills. Olsen founded the program […]

The post Thomas J. Elpel, Author, Builder, Wilderness Educator and Conservationist appeared first on Dave's Travel Corner.

With Missouri’s official launch into legal sports wagering in 2025, the Midwest’s entertainment map has shifted. The Show-Me State’s arrival in the regulated gaming arena puts it shoulder to shoulder with neighboring heavyweights like Illinois, Kansas, and Iowa. But legality is only part of the story. For sports fans, weekend travelers, and casual gamers alike, it’s about the full experience, convenience, pricing, culture, and game-day energy. From St. Joseph to the Bootheel, and across state lines into neighboring metros, the borderlines define more than geography. They now shape how and […]

The post On the Border: Missouri vs. Neighboring States for Sports Fans and Gamers appeared first on Dave's Travel Corner.

Brent Huff is an award-winning actor, writer, and director best known for his recurring roles in Shameless, The Rookie, The Rookie: Feds, Pensacola: Wings of Gold, and Black Scorpion. His early career took off in the 1980s when he starred in the French cult classic The Perils of Gwendoline. Over the years, Brent has been recognized with several honors, including awards from the Stony Brook Film Festival, the International Family Film Festival, and the Studio City Film Festival. Q. I am a big fan of The Rookie. So, I want […]

The post Brent Huff, Award-Winning Actor, Writer and Director appeared first on Dave's Travel Corner.

Explore Exciting Attractions, Outdoor Adventures, and Unforgettable Memories in the Heart of Missouri BRANSON, Mo. – (March, 2025) – Branson, Mo. consistently ranks as one of the top family-friendly destinations in America. Besides being filled with fun and memorable things for families to do, it is also considered to be within a day’s drive for nearly half of the country. Those who want to take a road trip must look no further than Branson to experience plenty of family fun opportunities. “We are thrilled to be a part of all […]

The post Discover Branson: The Ultimate Family Adventure Awaits at WonderWorks and Beyond! appeared first on Dave's Travel Corner.

November 2024 – Choosing among 1,371 entries, the 27 judges at the University of Missouri School of Journalism conferred 120 awards on editors, writers, photographers, podcasters, social media experts and videographers in the 2024 Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Competition. The awards were announced today at the SATW annual convention in Istanbul, Turkey. Professor Jennifer Rowe and Carol J. Loomis, faculty fellow, along with Professor Heather Isherwood and newsroom coordinator Ellie Newberry-Wortham, of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, oversaw the judging. “The work produced by travel writers this year […]

The post At 40, SATW Foundation Announces 2024 Recipients of the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Awards appeared first on Dave's Travel Corner.

I stopped in Chicago, one of my favorite food and wine towns in the entire country. I enjoyed some exceptional wine and food at the Greek Restaurant Avli on the Park on top of a tall building just up from the waterfront. I headed south that evening, arriving in South Chicago. It was very dark. I arrived on a street filled with people running around, yelling, drinking and cars double parked. I felt out of my element. My desired space for the night was a corner located run down building […]

The post Exploring the Midwest of the United States of America appeared first on Dave's Travel Corner.

LAKE OF THE OZARKS, MO – It was announced during a press conference that the Lake of the Ozarks will make a second attempt at breaking the current record for the largest official boat parade in the world on Saturday, June 11, 2022. The current record, according to Guinness World Records, stands at 1,180 vessels and was set in Terengganu, Malaysia in September 2014. Over the years, there have been many attempts to break the record by different cities, including last year’s attempt at the Lake of the Ozarks, but […]

The post Lake of the Ozarks sets its Sights on Breaking the World Record for the Largest Boat Parade appeared first on Dave's Travel Corner.

One of the world’s greatest travelers, Mark Twain once said, (we won’t reference the common Twain quote here) “…nothing so liberalizes a man and expands the kindly instincts that nature put in him as travel and contact with many kinds of people.” During our International travels we sometimes come across Mark Twain monuments indicating his prior visit. The man got around. Mark Twain was born in what is still very rural Missouri. When you inform people that Mark Twain was born in Florida, they automatically think the state and for […]

The post Mark Twain Country, Missouri – October 2021 appeared first on Dave's Travel Corner.

COLUMBIA, MO – Columbia has a reputation for world-class festivals, big-time collegiate sporting events and outstanding outdoor recreation. There’s always a palpable feeling of excitement as the city does everything in style. And, that’s no different for Columbia’s burgeoning hand-crafted beverage industry, which includes acclaimed microbreweries, distilleries, a cidery and an award-winning large-scale winery. “Like many destinations, Columbia’s local craft brews, wine and spirits industry has grown significantly in recent years,” says Megan McConachie, strategic communications manager for the Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau. “What sets Columbia’s scene apart is […]

The post The Spirit of Columbia appeared first on Dave's Travel Corner.

Lake of the Ozarks, MO – In a recent article published by Condé Nast Traveler, the Lake of the Ozarks’ Ha Ha Tonka State Park, located at 1491 State Highway D near Camdenton, was named the most beautiful place in Missouri. The article, which listed the most beautiful and compelling place in each of the 50 states, urges readers to consider the list as a “starting point to the most epic cross-country trip ever.” According to Condé Nast: “Picking just 50 places isn’t easy, but we polled our Facebook followers, […]

The post Ha Ha Tonka State Park Named Most Beautiful Place in Missouri appeared first on Dave's Travel Corner.

Branson has lots of theaters offering live shows with entertainment choices from Broadway songs to country music, Rock ‘n’ Roll, to magic and comedy! A trip to Branson is not complete without experiencing Silver Dollar City, an 1880-style award-winning theme park where you’ll find authentic Ozarks history along with crafts, eateries, six festivals and a brand-new thrilling ride. Visitors can enjoy three Ozark mountain lakes, perfect for fishing and boating, as well as golf, hiking and horseback riding. Branson has a Tanger Outlets Center, an array of specialty stores, boutiques […]

The post What’s New in Branson for 2018 appeared first on Dave's Travel Corner.

Silver Dollar City’s Festival of Wonder Leads this Year’s Events BRANSON, MO. – The all-new Festival of Wonder in April, a new summer concert series and a big new Christmas expansion top the lineup for Silver Dollar City’s 2017 season in Branson, Mo., designated the Year of Food and Crafts. Come celebrate the art of American fine craftsmanship with new handcrafted treasures, new signature dining experiences with bold, innovative flavors and over 200 new specialty foods throughout the season. The new Festival of Wonder opens April 6 with amazing acts […]

The post More of What’s New in Branson for 2017 appeared first on Dave's Travel Corner.

It is hard to predict when the sadness and solemnity will hit you when you visit Pearl Harbor. For me it was when we set out on the Navy vessel across the channel that on a December morning in 1941 turned into hell on earth, a bloody chaos of explosions and smoke and fire and bombs.             December 7 is Pearl Harbor Day, and 2014 will mark the 73rd anniversary of the attack that brought the United States into World War II. Ceremonies will be held at the Pearl Harbor […]

The post Visit Pearl Harbor and be Moved appeared first on Dave's Travel Corner.

DENVER – Spending a long amount of time in the car for a road trip can sometimes be uneventful, but not a road trip through Colorado. The state is home to 25 Scenic and Historic Byways (11 of which are also America’s Byways) celebrating their 25th anniversary in 2014 along with other roads and passes that offer amazing views. Summer through fall is the perfect time of year to travel the byways, roads and passes of Colorado. Following is a sampling of Colorado’s scenic drives with the best views and […]

The post Drive with a View: Colorado Scenic Roadtrips appeared first on Dave's Travel Corner.

JAMAICA – Last Christmas I realized I needed a little sun. I regretted missing two invitations to go to Jamaica — here was my chance! I enlisted one of my best friends to share in the adventure. We chose Negril, the beach resort for locals on the island (it’s their Malibu or Montauk). Negril used to be a hippie enclave and has slowly evolved into a boho jet-set destination with great Chris Blackwell hotels and restaurants — my music video friends go there all the time. With very little research I came across Chippewa […]

The post Jamaica’s Coolest Joint appeared first on Dave's Travel Corner.