Kansas City Trip Idea: On the Barbecue Trail

Barbecue’s been a mealtime staple in Kansas City since the 1920s. The sauce recipe varies from one joint to another, but the meat’s always slow-smoked—you got it, nice and slooow—over wood, creating that distinctive rich flavor and fall-off-the-bone texture.

You can find great ‘cue all over KC, but you can't go wrong with Oklahoma Joe's, the joint that tops Zagat's survey of the country's best BBQ, not to mention that gets the locals' nod in the Kansas City Star reader poll. It’s no-frills spare ribs, beef brisket, pulled pork, sausage or chicken, smoked over Missouri white oak and served with “the best sauce on the planet.” (Apparently someone figured out that modesty gets you nowhere.)

Midwest Outdoor Escapes: Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri

Opened to the public on May 31, 1931, the Lake of the Ozarks in central Missouri was the largest man-made lake in the world. Stretching 92 miles end to end, the lake's 1,150 miles of shoreline are lined by flowering dogwood, Missouri's state flower. Six of the 17 dogwood species in North America grow naturally in the "Show-Me State."

Photo credit: Missouri:Missouri Division of Tourism