Bourbon, MO

Bourbon is a small city in Crawford County, in the eastern Ozark region of central Missouri. With a population of roughly 1,500 residents, it has the relaxed, rural character typical of small towns along the historic I-44 corridor, where quiet residential streets sit alongside woodlands, farms, and the rolling hills that lead down to the Meramec River. The town serves as a convenient base for travelers exploring the Ozark outdoor recreation scene, and it lies approximately 70 miles southwest of St. Louis, a drive of roughly an hour and a quarter via Interstate 44. Bourbon is also a short hop from the county seat of Steelville and from the Route 66 town of Cuba, giving visitors a cluster of small-town stops to pair with their outdoor adventures.

A few minutes east of town, Meramec State Park anchors the local outdoors scene with more than 6,800 acres along the Meramec River. The park is well known for its campground, fishing access, river floats, and a system of caves that includes the guided tours at Meramec Caverns, one of the most visited cave systems in the state. From Bourbon, the main park entrance is roughly a 10- to 15-minute drive east on I-44 toward Sullivan.

A little farther east, near the community of Leasburg, Onondaga Cave State Park is a marquee draw for visitors interested in the geology of the Ozarks. The park's namesake cave is widely regarded as one of the most visually striking limestone show caves in the United States, with guided tours that travel through large, well-decorated chambers. It sits approximately 20 to 25 minutes from Bourbon, and the surrounding parkland adds picnicking, river access, and short hiking trails to the mix.

About ten miles east of Bourbon, the town of Cuba, Missouri has branded itself the "Mural City" and ties its identity to the old Route 66 corridor. A driving or walking tour of more than a dozen outdoor murals on building walls throughout the downtown has become the town's signature attraction, and antique shops, diners, and a handful of restored Route 66 motels make it an easy half-day stop. The Meramec River, which runs through the area south of Bourbon, is itself a destination in its own right, drawing summer crowds who launch canoes, kayaks, and rafts at outfitters in nearby Steelville for slow, shaded floats through the Ozark hills.

For short-term rental owners, Bourbon's appeal rests on the way it combines small-town affordability with steady seasonal demand from outdoor travelers, Route 66 road-trippers, and weekend visitors headed to the Meramec. Its proximity to St. Louis gives it a wide potential guest pool, while the nearby state parks, caves, mural tours, and river floats offer enough variety to fill a long weekend, making the city a practical and inviting base in the eastern Ozarks.