16 Best Things to Do in St. Joseph, MO

June 20, 2020 - Updated

The city of St. Joseph, Missouri is well known as being the place where the famous Pony Express started and where the life of notorious outlaw Jesse James ended. St. Joseph is also home to the Training Camp of the Kansas City Chiefs, amazing architecture noted on the country’s National Register of Historic Places, twelve annual festivals, and thirteen distinct area museums. The city also boasts numerous opportunities for outdoor recreations, including outdoor concerts, the 26-mile scenic parkway, and almost fifty parks.

1.Patee House Museum

The Patee House Museum today is a National Historical Landmark and a museum of transportation and communications. Originally built by John Patee as a hotel, the building has been used as a hotel, a girl’s college, and a shirt factory for over eighty years. The Patee House even served as the Pony Express headquarters back in 1860. Visitors can explore a wide variety of items on display inside the two-story Patee House Museum, including a railway mail car, an 1860 locomotive, a 1920’s-style service station featuring a Model T, a 1921 race car, antique cars, and much more.

1202 Penn St, St Joseph, MO 64503, Phone: 816-232-8206

2.Pony Express Museum

On April 3rd of 1860, a single rider, the first rider of his kind, departed from the Pikes Peak Stables in the town of St. Joseph, Missouri. This marked the beginning of the famous Pony Express, a network of brave riders who carried saddlebags full of the dreams and hope of the country, traveling over two thousand miles to California. The stables today house the educational, interactive, and modern museum dedicated to the legend and history of the Pony Express. The museum features state-of-the-art exhibits, images and stories, and a sixty-foot diorama depicting the diverse terrain traveled by the riders.

914 Penn St, St Joseph, MO 64503, Phone: 816-279-5059

3.Glore Psychiatric Museum

The Glore Psychiatric Museum in St. Joseph, Missouri has been recognized as one of the country’s “50 Most Unusual Museum,” due its collection of numerous intriguing and unique exhibits. The interesting museum has also been mentioned on several television networks and in national publications, such as The Science Channel, PBS, The Discovery Channel, and The Learning Channel. This award-winning museum shares the history of mental health treatment and the State Lunatic Asylum No. 2. The Glore Psychiatric Museum Museum is open from 10:00am until 5:00pm Monday to Saturday and from 1:00pm until 5:00pm on Sundays.

3406 Frederick Ave, St Joseph, MO 64506, Phone: 816-232-8471

4.Missouri Theater

The Missouri Theater first opened its doors in the town of St. Joseph in June of 1927, showing Rough House Rosie as its main feature. The unique structure of the theater was added to the United States’ National Register of Historic Places later in 1979, and while numerous movie palaces were being torn down across the country to build more contemporary movie theaters, the residents of St. Joseph banded together to prevent the Missouri Theater’s destruction, preserving one of the few examples of the Hollywood-Oriental style in the nation. The theater was shut down and reopened as a performing arts center.

717 Edmond St, St Joseph, MO 64501, Phone: 816-271-4628

5.Krug Park

Established back in the year 1902, Krug Park can be found at the north end of the town’s St. Joseph Parkway. Often noted as the town’s oldest park, Krug Park features colorful flower beds, extensive landscaping, Italian Renaissance structures, and much more across the more than 160 acres. Visitors to Krug Park can also enjoy picnic areas, off-road biking trails, scenic walking trails, a playground with Italian-style castle, rose gardens, a large lagoon, and an amphitheater. During the Christmas season, the park grounds “light up,” transforming Krug Park into the Holiday Park, home to Northwest Missouri’s largest outdoor light display.

3500 St Joseph Ave, St Joseph, MO 64505, Phone: 816-271-5500

6.Jesse James Home Museum

The Jesse James Home Museum in St. Joseph is the former home of Jesse James. The infamous outlaw was living at the house when he was shot and killed by Robert Ford on April 3rd of 1882. The Greek Revival-style, one-story residence still contains many items that were owned by the outlaw, as well as by his wife and children. The Jesse James Museum features exhibits that deal with his life and death, such as one based on the 1995 grave exhumation that includes several artifacts, including a pin that was worn by Jesse James, a bullet, photographs, and coffin handles.

1201 S 12th St, St Joseph, MO 64503

7.Robidoux Row Museum

Robidoux Row Museum consists of several different living units that were once rented by the area’s early settlers when they passed through the city of St. Joseph, Missouri. Built by Joseph Robidoux, the founder of the city, during the 1840’s these buildings met the temporary housing needs during the country’s westward expansion and the pioneer era. Open Wednesday through Saturday from 1:00pm until 4:00pm, exhibits at the Robidoux Row Museum feature the history of the Robidoux family and the early history of St. Joseph, along with a number of rooms that have been restored to depict their original purpose.

219 E Poulin St, St Joseph, MO 64501, Phone: 816-232-5861

8.Wyeth Tootle Mansion

St. Joseph, Missouri is known for being home to an extensive amount of beautiful mansion constructed during the latter part of the 1800’s and the city’s Wyeth Tootle Mansion is certainly a prime example. WIth over forty rooms, a tower, and three floors, the mansion today stands as one of the city’s best examples of the late nineteenth century opulence and wealth, featuring imported stained glass, hand-painted ceilings, and gorgeous woodwork. The Wyeth Tootle Mansion is open to the public from the month of April through the month of October on Fridays and Saturdays from 10:00am until 4:00pm.

1100 Charles St, St Joseph, MO 64501, Phone: 800-530-8866

9.Phil Welch Stadium

The Phil Welch Stadium in St. Joseph, Missouri originally opened in 1939 as the home field of the St. Joseph Saints, an affiliate over the years of the Chicago Cubs, the St. Louis Browns, the New York Yankees, and the St. Louis Cardinals. Hall of Fame players such as Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle have played games at the Phil Welch Stadium during their days of rising through the baseball ranks. The baseball stadium has been the home field of the St. Joseph Mustangs since 2009. The Mustangs are a collegiate summer team that competes in the M.I.N.K. League.

2600 SW Parkway, St Joseph, MO 64503, Phone: 816-279-7856

10.Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art

The Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art acts as a center for the cultural arts in Northwest Missouri, home to one of the Midwest region’s finest collections of American art from the eighteenth century through the twenty-first century. Formerly the home of William Albrecht, the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art features works by Albert Bierstadt, Gilbert Stuart, Thomas Hart Benton, Marry Cassatt, and several others. The art museum, which also offers a gift shop and cafe, is open to the public from 10:00am until 4:00pm Tuesday through Friday and from 1:00pm until 4:00pm on the weekends, with the exception of holidays.

2818 Frederick Ave, St Joseph, MO 64506, Phone: 816-233-7003

11.East Hills Mall

The East Hills Mall is considered one of the premier destinations for dining and shopping in northwest Missouri. The shopping center first opened its doors back in 1965 and features Gordmans, Dillard’s, and J.C. Penney as anchor stores. Other stores located within the East Hills Mall in St. Joseph includes Christopher & Banks, Bath & Body Works, Maurice’s, Buckle, Off Broadway Shoes, Victoria’s Secret, as well as numerous contemporary clothing stores, jewelry stores, children’s apparel stores, and sporting goods stores. The Center Court offers several places to eat, an old-fashioned carousel, a play area for children, and much more.

3702 Frederick Ave, St Joseph, MO 64506, Phone: 816-279-5667

12.Lovers Lane

A winding, beautiful street, Lovers Lane was immortalized in the poem “Lovers Lane, Saint Jo,” which was written by the poet Eugene Field. The street today is the site of several fine houses, however, Lovers Lane was once a remote country road back when Eugene Field was courting Julia Comstock, his future wife, in a horse-and-buggy. There is now a monument that commemorates the poet, which can be found at the intersection of Lovers Lane and Northwest Parkway. There is also a primary marker, as well as banner and entry signs that identify and interpret the poetry and history of Eugene Field.

St. Joseph, MO

13.Schweizer Orchards

Schweizer Orchards is situated in the bluffs that overlook the Missouri River and has been producing and packing high-quality River Bend Apples for more than four generations, along with providing reliable service. The family-owned and operated orchard business continues the long traditions at its retail market as well in the city of St. Joseph. Schweizer Orchards offers a variety of edible treats, as well as the chance for visitors to spend some time outdoors picking their own fruit, which varies by the season. Freshly picked fruits, in addition to other produce, can be bought in the market as well.

5455 SE State Rte Ff, St Joseph, MO 64507, Phone: 816-232-3999

14.Beattie Mansion

Often affectionately referred to as the “House on the Hill,” the Beattie Mansion is an incredible house that boasts a rich history. Built by Eliza and Armstrong Beattie back in the year 1854, the home originally only includes the east wing. In 1878, Armstrong died in the home rather mysteriously after a sudden “bout of cholera,” followed by Eliza’s death in 1880. The now “haunted house” was used as a Home for the Friendless, a Memorial Home for the Aged over the years, and a group home for substance addicts and the mentally ill over the years.

1120 Main St, St Joseph, MO 64501

15.Frederick Inn Steakhouse

A part of the St. Joseph community for more than thirty-four years, the Frederick Inn Steakhouse has received the “Beef Backer Hall of Fame Award,” giving the dining establishment bragging rights as the town’s finest steakhouse. The restaurant serves slow-roasted, mouth-watering prime rib au jus, along with its aged, hand-cut filet mignon, top sirloins, ribeyes, and Kansas City strips. All of the dinner entrees at the Frederick Inn Steakhouse come with an all-you-can-eat salad and soup bar, in addition to all-you-can eat homemade cinnamon rolls and dinner rolls. The steakhouse is open every day except for Sundays.

1627 Frederick Ave, St. Joseph, MO 64501, Phone: 816-364-5151

16.Barbosa's Castillo

Barbosa's Castillo in St. Joseph, Missouri is a family owned and operated eatery that has been a part of the local community since 1960, well known for its tacos, red pork chili, and homemade flour chips, all made fresh every day. The restaurant has been awarded as the area’s best Mexican restaurant for many years, as well as the areas “best place for tacos” every year from the St. Joseph News-Press Readers' Choice Awards since they opened. Located in downtown St. Joseph, Barbosa's Castillo boasts a rooftop dining area and an amazing ambiance, as well as a wide selection of drinks.

4804 Frederick St, St. Joseph, MO 64506, Phone: 816-232-0221

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