Cape Girardeau, Missouri is a riverfront city with a small town feeling. It sits along the Mississippi River, between St. Louis, MO and Memphis, TN.
We live about 15-20 minutes from Cape Girardeau, and we end up here almost daily, since it’s the closest shopping, dining, and entertainment we have.
Whether you live nearby, or are passing through on your road trip and need to take a break, read on for all the fun things to do in Cape Girardeau, Missouri with kids.
Indoor Play
Discovery Playhouse
My kids love Discovery Playhouse. It’s an indoor hands-on children’s museum with so much to do! Kids can pretend play here for hours. There’s a pretend bank, farm, vet, nursery, theater stage, salon, and more!
There’s also slides and a tire jungle gym with ropes to swing around it. There’s an airplane the kids can go into, and a firetruck they can sit in. Kids can fully use their imaginations at this museum!
There’s also an arts and crafts area and a Lego building area. A separate play area for little kids is right up front, along with the water play area- which is one of my kid’s favorites!
Discovery Playhouse is one of the most popular places to visit in Cape Girardeau with kids!
Admission:
$8/person, free for babies under 1 year old.
Hours:
Mon: CLOSED
Tues-Thurs: 10am to 5pm
Friday: 10am to 7pm
Saturday: 9am to 7pm
Sunday: 1pm to 6pm
Address:
502 Broadway St.
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
Ultimate Air Trampoline Park
Another place that our kids can’t get enough of! What kid doesn’t love a trampoline? Parents can sit in comfy recliners, or pay for a massage chair and relax while the kids play!
Snacks and drinks are sold here as well.
Admission:
$18.50 for 1 hour of jump time
$22.50 for 90 minutes
$24 for 2 hours
Jump socks are required and are $3.50/pair.
You can sometimes find discounts on admission at their website.
Hours: (correct as of November 2022)
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday – 4pm to 8pm
Tuesday – CLOSED
Saturday – 12pm to 8pm
Sunday – 12pm to 6pm
There are also hours available for Toddler Time, where ages 6 and under can jump without any big kids.
Address:
4240 Nash Road
Cape Girardeau, 63701
West Park Lanes
I’ll be honest, we frequently forget that bowling is an option. But when we do go, my 9 year old always loves it.
This bowling alley has 32 lanes, an arcade, and concessions.
Admission:
$4.75 per person, per game + $3.75 for shoes
Sunday pricing: $4.75 per person, per game + $3.75 for shoes
Specials and discounts can be found here on their website.
Hours:
Monday-Thursday: 1pm to 10pm
Friday-Saturday: 1pm to midnight
Sunday: 1pm to 9pm
Address:
354 S. Silver Springs Road
Cape Girardeau, MO 63703
Get in Touch with Nature
Maybe you are more the outdoorsy type of family, and prefer to spend some time in nature. Here are some options for you and your kids in Cape Girardeau!
Conservation Nature Center
The Conservation Nature Center is located within Cape County Park on the north side.
Inside, kids can view some of the creatures that live there- including a two-headed snake! There is also a few play areas and some cultural exhibits.
Outside, there are 2 miles of trails to be explored. The trails start right outside the Nature Center, one leads to a small pond, and another into the woods and over some wooden bridges.
If you are raising little fishermen, children under 16 can also fish in the kid’s fishing pond out front – no permits needed. Don’t worry if you didn’t bring any gear – it can be borrowed from inside the Nature Center!
Building Hours:
Sunday-Monday: CLOSED
Tuesday-Saturday: 8am to 5pm
Admission:
FREE
Address:
2289 County Park Dr.
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
Trail of Tears State Park
Hiking, fishing, swimming, picnicking, camping. This park has plenty of things to do!
At the visitor’s center, you can learn about the thousands of Cherokee Indians that died on their forced march to Oklahoma in 1838 and 1839. This is where Trail of Tears got it’s name.
Lake Boutin is a small lake open for fishing, swimming (during the summer season), and kayaking. There is a public restroom, sand beach, foot-washing station to remove sand, and a couple picnic tables. There is also a small playground area.
There are several hiking trails, including the Lake Trail, Nature Trail, Peewah Trail, and Shepard Point Trail.
The park also has an overlook deck, looking out over the Mississippi River, as well as some other stops for lookout points.
Park Hours:
Apr-Oct: 7am to 10pm
Nov-March: 7am to 6pm
Visitor Center Hours:
Hours vary by month and day. Check the MO State Parks website for current hours!
Address:
429 Moccasin Springs
Jackson, MO 63755
Animal Encounters
Lazy L Safari
Lazy L Safari is small a walk-through zoo. They have over 40 different species of animals living here. Some of the animals include deer, alligators, camels, kangaroo, and a sloth.
For only $1, you can get a stick to feed the parakeets, or buy a bag of feed for the goats.
For a $5 fee, you can mine for gemstones and fossils.
The safari park also has a small gift shop and snacks available.
Admission:
Age 2-17: $9 each
Age 18+: $11 each
Children under 2 are free.
Hours:
November-February: CLOSED FOR THE SEASON
March-May: Open Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 10am to 6pm
June-August: Open daily, 10am to 6pm
September-October: Open Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 10am to 6pm
Address:
2763 County Road 618,
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
Visit the Peacocks
Inside the Cape County Memorial Park Cemetery, there’s a peacock enclosure! You can stop by, and for only a quarter, you can feed them.
This isn’t an activity that’s going to take up a ton of time, but if you’re already visiting Cape County Park or the Conservation Nature Center (right across the road), it’s definitely worth a few minutes of your time!
You can even purchase peacock feathers for $1 a piece.
Admission:
FREE
Hours:
Daily, 8am to 8pm
Address:
2315 US-61
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
For the History Lovers
There are several historic places in and near Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
Fort D Historic Site
Fort D was on of 4 forts built in Cape Girardeau in 1841 and was manned by soldiers throughout the Civil War.
Although Cape Girardeau did come under attack from Confederate forces in April of 1863, Fort D never actually was attacked. Fort B was involved in much of the fighting, and along with Fort A and C, is now gone.
At the site, there are many informational signs to read about the history. A lot of them were fun to listen to for my kids. Some of them told about the soldiers making their own bowling games out of boredom, digging shelters into the hillside, and putting up fake cannons.
Admission:
FREE
Hours:
Open daily during daylight hours
Address:
920 Fort St.
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
Missouri Wall of Fame
Along the riverfront is the flood wall, protecting Cape Girardeau from the Mississippi River. The 500 foot flood wall is painted with murals of famous people who were either born in Missouri, or achieved fame while living here.
If you need a stop to stretch your legs, park your car at one of the downtown public parking areas and maybe grab and ice cream from the walk-up window at Port Cape’s Old Town Ice Cream. Walk along the Wall of Fame, and then through the gates to sit down on the steps to watch the barges (and possibly a riverboat!) go by.
Bollinger Mill and Covered Bridge
Bollinger Mill is located about 20 miles outside of Cape, in Burfordville, but is totally worth a stop if you’ve never been. And for sure make it a stop if you’ve never seen an old covered bridge!
This water-powered mill was built in 1867. Visitors today can take a tour and see the corn being ground into cornmeal, just like it was so many years ago.
The Burfordville Covered Bridge sits right next to the mill, and stretches across the Whitewater River.
Picnic areas and public restrooms are available.
Admission:
FREE
Mill Hours:
April – October:
Monday: CLOSED
Tuesday – Saturday: 10am to 4pm
Sunday: Noon to 4pm
November – March:
Monday-Wednesday: CLOSED
Thursday-Saturday: 10am to 4pm
Sunday: Noon to 4pm
Address:
113 Bollinger Mill Road
Burfordville, MO 63739
Beat the Heat
Cape Splash Aquatic Center
If you’re in Cape Girardeau with kids for longer than a couple hours, you can’t miss the waterpark!
Cape’s waterpark has a splash pad, lazy river, zero depth entry pool, and several slides. There’s also a pirate ship play area for younger kids.
It can get really busy here, especially on the weekends. Once the waterpark is at capacity, a line will form outside and visitors can go in as others exit.
There are a lot of chairs, so usually it’s not too difficult to get one, although it might not be in the area you were hoping.
There are public restrooms/changing area, lockers, and concessions.
Admission:
Under 12 Months: Free
Child (13 & Under): $9
Adult (14-59): $10
Seniors (60+): $9
Hours:
May 25 – July 31:
Monday – Saturday: 11:00am to 6:00pm
Sunday: Noon to 6:00pm
Address:
1565 N. Kingshighway
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
Capaha Park Splash Pad
Capaha Park has a little splash pad area right next to the playgrounds. It’s perfect for cooling off when you don’t want to pay for the waterpark, or don’t have a ton of time to spend.
To activate the water features (if they aren’t already on), just place your hand on the hand print pedestal.
Admission:
FREE
Hours:
May 1 – October 3: 9am to 9pm
Address:
1400 Broadway St
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
Cape Girardeau Playgrounds
When we go on road trips and are looking for a quick leg-stretch, a playground is usually what we look for. If you’re visiting Cape Girardeau with kids, a playground might be a great option! There are parks all over Cape Girardeau, so I’m going to list only our family favorites!
- Levi’s Adventure Trail in Cape County Park South
- Melaina’s Magical Playland in Cape County Park North
- Capaha Park
- Arena Park
- Kiwanis Park
Best Eats Downtown
Cape Girardeau has a ton of dining options. I’m going to list a variety of great options that are all in the downtown area. All are kid-friendly.
- El Sol (Mexican)
- Mary Jane’s Smokehouse (BBQ)
- Port Cape (BBQ)
- Trio (Vegan)
- Broussard’s (Cajun)
- Pagliai’s (Pizza)
- Sugar Chic Creamery (Ice Cream)
- Buddy’s Rolled Ice Cream (Ice Cream)
- Rice Noodle Cai (Chinese)
- Bella Italia (Italian)
- Hamburger Express (Burgers, Hotdogs, Etc.)
I hope you found all this information useful! Whether you live in town, or you’re visiting Cape Girardeau with kids, I know you can find something in this guide for your family!
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