Huckleberry Finished (22 page)

S
ometimes known as America's hometown, Hannibal is thoroughly modern while retaining its historic charm. Most of the attractions in the area, appropriately enough, center around Mark Twain and his life and work.

The Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum complex includes eight buildings in Hannibal, six of historical significance and two serving as interactive museums. Featured in the museum collections are fifteen original paintings by another master of Americana, Norman Rockwell. Self-guided tours of the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum properties are available and give tourists and literary buffs a chance to explore the Hannibal of Samuel Clemens's childhood and experience the beloved stories he created as Mark Twain through the power of his imagination. To discover how a young boy growing up in the small village of Hannibal became one of the world's most beloved authors, start by visiting www.marktwainmuseum.org.

Numerous riverboats stop at Hannibal on excursion cruises up and down the Mississippi River, and the Mark Twain Riverboat, with its home port in Hannibal, offers one-hour sightseeing tours of the river, two-hour dinner cruises, and special jazz cruises. More information is available at http://marktwainriverboat.com.

The caves that served as the inspiration for scenes in
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
are located near Hannibal. Now known as Mark Twain Cave and Campground, this natural attraction was first opened to the public in 1886 and is a registered natural landmark. The cave is cool and comfortable and the tours are easy to walk, but because of the narrowness of the passages it is not wheelchair accessible. A visitor's center, gift shop, fudge shop, and rock shop are also located at the cave complex. In Cave Hollow Center, noted actor and Mark Twain impersonator Jim Waddell performs in “The Life and Times of Mark Twain.” Check out http://marktwaincave.com and www.MarkTwainLives.com for more information.

Dinner theaters in Hannibal include the Planters Barn Theater, featuring performances of “Mark Twain Himself” (http://marktwainhimself.com) and the Spratt Family Theater (http://sprattfamilyjubilee.com). All the attractions in Hannibal can be visited by hopping on one of the sightseeing tours conducted by the Hannibal Trolley Company, the Twainland Express, or the Mark Twain Clopper (a horse-drawn trolley).

The Web site of the Hannibal Convention & Visitors Bureau is located at http://visithannibal.com. Visitors are advised to check with the bureau for the current status of Hannibal's various attractions when planning a trip to the area.