If you’ve got family in town for the holiday or are visiting Cape Girardeau for the big meal, here are 5 things to do after you’ve watched the football game and eaten your fill of Thanksgiving dinner!  

1.  Christmas at the Glenn House

The halls are beautifully decked at the Glenn House for their Christmas tours. This is the perfect afternoon out to get in the holiday spirit as you tour this restored Victorian home with a Christmas tree in every room.  Cookies and hot apple cider are on hand in the carriage house after your trip through the house!  Tour Saturday and Sunday November 28th and 29th from 1-4 p.m. and every Saturday and Sunday in December from 1-4 p.m.  

2.  Fun for Little Ones

Get the kiddos out of the house and enjoy a day at the Discovery Playhouse, open Friday November 27th from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., Saturday November 28th from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sunday November 29th from 1 – 5 p.m.  This children’s museum has a spacious infant play area and hands on fun for older ones up to age 11.  Admission is $5 and guarantees an afternoon of play!  

3.  Get Outside

If it’s pretty out,, enjoy the last few colorful leaves left on the trees on a hike at White Oak Trace outside the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center in Cape County Park North.  This trail system takes you past a sinkhole, over a pond and connects to Cottonwood Crossing and Maple Hollow.  A section of the trail is ADA accessible and takes you to an overlook high up in the trees.  The Nature Center is open Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. too, and features exhibits that all ages will be keen on!

4.  Back in Time

If you’ve got a history buff in your group, take a tour of Bollinger Mill, just a 25 minute drive from Cape Girardeau in Burfordville.  This four story mill dates to the Civil War and is located on the banks of the Whitewater River, where you can walk across one of the only four covered bridges in Missouri!  The grounds are beautiful and perfect for picnicking.  

5.  Parade of Lights

Sip some hot cocoa and wrap up in a blanket to watch this parade that kicks off the holidays in Cape Girardeau on Sunday, November 29th!  All of the floats are lit up with festive lights and play Christmas music.  The parade starts at Capaha Park and heads east on Broadway, ending at Main Street.  

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving in Cape Girardeau!