Only have one day to spend in Hannibal? No problem, here's a quick and easy way to see it all and do it all in less than 24 hours.


If Twain is what you crave, then Hannibal's downtown is the place to go. Take highway 36 to the downtown exit, it's the last exit before you cross the Mississippi river. Park anywhere downtown, all the attractions are within walking distance.

Interpretive Center (used to be the Museum Annex) - Let Mark Twain entertain and inform you with stories of his boyhood in Hannibal. The newly redesigned Interpretive Center allows visitors to explore the roots of Twain's genius through a blend of artifacts and hands-on exhibits.

The Mark Twain Boyhood Home - The Clemens family moved into this house in 1843 and lived there until 1853. This is the house made famous in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer as the home of Aunt Polly, Tom, Mary and Sid. Visitors will feel like they are accompanying Twain as he visits his boyhood home in his thoughts, reflecting on his childhood and remarkable adult life.

Becky Thatcher House - This is the childhood home of Laura Hawkins, immortalized in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer as Becky Thatcher. Upstairs, the parlor and one bedroom are open to the public.

John M. Clemens Justice of the Peace Office - John Marshall Clemens, Mark Twain's father, presided in this building as Justice of the Peace in the 1840s.

Grant's Drug Store - Dr. Orville Grant had his office here and operated a drug store. The Clemens family lived upstairs with the Grants during a lean period between 1846-1847. The first floor houses the restored Grant's Drug Store, a typical drug store of the 1840s.

Museum Gallery (used to be the New Museum) - The museum gallery is located on Main Street two blocks south of the Boyhood Home. The first floor contains interactive exhibits depicting scenes from 5 of Mark Twain's most famous works. The mezzanine level has a replica of a steamboat pilothouse. The second floor features original Norman Rockwell paintings from special Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn editions, as well as traveling exhibits throughout the year.

If you get hungry at anytime during your tour, there are several restaurants to choose from in the downtown area. Lullabells offers good food and an interesting atmosphere. The building was used as a brothel upto the 1950s. Check out our restaurant guide for more information about eating in Hannibal.

After lunch, visitors can burn off any extra calories with a walk up to the Mark Twain lighthouse. The climb starts at the end of Main Street, where the Tom and Huck Statue is located. The statue sits at the base of Cardriff hill. Old stone stairs lead visitors up the hill depicted in several of Twain's novels. At the end of the stairs is the Mark Twain Memorial Lighthouse. It's a little hike, but the view is worth it, and for those who don't want to make the walk cars can be driven right up to the light house.

When you're done with the downtown area, hop in the car and take a drive around the scenic country side. The Mississippi river and the rolling hills make for a beautiful backdrop around Hannibal. Take highway 79 south of town to get a taste of the county side. Just south of town is lovers leap, a cliff overlooking the Mississippi. A bit further south is the Mark Twain cave and Cameron cave, both are off highway 79 and both offer tours.

If there's still time in the day there are a wide verity of other attractions the area has to offer. The Rockcliffe Mansion offers tours, there is also an optical museum downtown, Hannibal's Old Jail Museum, and Molly Brown's birthplace and museum. For a full list of Hannibal and area attractions head to the attractions page.