As natives to Missouri, the Cave State with over 6,000 surveyed caves, our family has come to enjoy many cave tours on our road trips and vacations. The kids enjoy the adventurous tales we hear on the tours, and my husband, a former spelunker, is willing to settle for the tourist's version of caving as long as we have three children in tow.
On our trip to St. Louis, we took a bit of a detour and went through Meramec Caverns (800.676.6105), the largest commercial cave in Missouri. Meramec is at the center of some of the most beautiful campgrounds in the state, with a beautiful river for canoeing and a new zipline tour through the hills. I have great memories of canoeing the Meramec, especially scenic in the fall, and hope to take the girls in the future. But this trip was reserved for a cave tour.
For families looking to explore a cave that is safe, large, and approachable, Meramec is perfect. The complex mineral formations and colors of the cave have been preserved and the sights are truly exquisite.
Our tour was led by a guide who told the stories of the ancient limestone "Wine Table" and how an entire 7-story mansion were built underground. But the most exciting tales on the tour were those of Jesse James and his use of the cave as a hideout.
The tour includes science as well with explanations of caves and how they grow, the animal life native to caves (the girls were disappointed that we did not see any bats on our tour), and descriptions of the formations and minerals.
Mom Tips:
- Meramec Caverns is open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas. Guided-walking tours depart every 25 minutes starting at 9:00 am. Cavern tour takes one hour and twenty minutes to complete covering one mile round trip.
- The tour takes 80 minutes. The cave is bright and colorful and interesting and you don't stay in one spot very long. However, keep this in mind when considering it for your family. Are your children up for the walk and will it hold their interest? My girls enjoyed it very much.
- Meramec Caverns is wheelchair accessible. Of the 80 minute tour, the first 50 minutes covers flat terrain with the last 30 minutes containing one flight of stairs. Stairs can easily be by-passed through use of a nearby ramp, but requires the assistance of a physically fit person. However, strollers are not allowed in the cave. For infants, it is wise to use an infant carrier.
- Touching caves actually causes deterioration, so children are discouraged from touching and everyone is asked to stay on the well lit path.
- The cave is a constant 58 degrees. Be sure to dress appropriately and wear good walking shoes (tennis shoes are best). You will walk the entire time and the tour is designed for the public, so you don't have to worry about getting dirty or muddy.
- Bring your camera! There are many beautiful sights in the cave.
- Have no fear. At times the tourguide does turn off all the lights so you can experience "total darkness." This is brief but really adds to the experience. You may need to warn young children. This cave is the largest commercial cave in the state, and as such you won't have to worry about small spaces. Everyone can walk upright throughout the tour. While we did not encounter bats, bats do live in the cave, but they are perfectly harmless to humans and pose no concern. There are no bathrooms in the cave, so take children before the tour begins.
If your family has always been intrigued by the mystery of caves, this is a great cave to explore and learn!