Let's take you there...

Teal blue water peaks out from between breaks in the trees and underbrush. The road in front of you curves, a bridge of leaves creating a lush green tunnel so thick it nearly blocks out the sky. Windows down, hair blowing in the spring breeze, the only sounds are your tires on the road and the river water rushing nearby. You find a clearing and pull in. Soft grass instead of rough gravel meets your feet as you step out and head toward the water. The air smells like rain but the birds are singing loudly, not taking cover. Gnarled tree roots make steps down to the water, an open invitation to the rivers edge. You climb down, take a seat, and breathe.

"They call it misery for a reason" - the most bold comment on a video I posted about flipping a coin to move to a new city. Heads was Athens, Georgia, tails was Springfield, Missouri and no matter what that coin flipped.... I wasn't looking back. People say when you flip a coin you'll know what you want it to land on while it's in the air. At least, that's what people have said to me. But while the light flashed across that silver coin rotating higher, higher, higher- I realized I had no idea what I wanted.

So when the coin landed Athens up I was filled with excitement for two things:

1. My new move, back to city where I had built a beautiful life once before and

2. The visit I would be taking to Springfield, Missouri to make an opinion of it it for myself

   
   
   
   

When & Why to Visit

I landed in Springfield in the month of May when the sky still sprinkled rain down frequently, all the plants had turned a lush green, peonies were about to be in bloom, and the chill of spring was still present enough to keep the weather in the 60's - low 70's for most of my visit. I did have the upper hand on this trip. I'm friends with a local who showed me an entire different side of Springfield- the side beyond the city buildings.

What I noticed about the negative comments of this city is they were all from young adults still looking for that downtown nightlife and excitement. When it comes to city living that's not what I need, nor is it what I look for. I want city amenities but access to nature. A quiet, slowed down life with the ability to get out and about if I'm feeling it. Quite frankly, Springfield is the perfect combination of a nature lovers' oasis and big city amenities. You just have to know where to look.

Top Five Places to Visit in Springfield, MO

Farmer's Market of the Ozarks: Specifically the one in the Farmers Park Pavilion. There were so many goodies here it was hard to not buy something from every stall. Live music plays on one end and peppers roast in real time on the other. I got sucked into a booth with tamales and the best green colored soup I've ever had. I can't remember the name of it but when you see the tamales and they offer you the soup- don't pass it up. Another local vendor was selling flavored pizza crusts- I'm obviously not saying no to pizza crust. There are few meals in existence I could eat daily and pizza just happens to be one of them. Once topped and baked, they all turned out amazing.

Joe Crighton Access: This is where you'll find river water as blue as the sky and so clean you can see through to all the rocks in the bottom. I spent a morning wandering the river bank and was convinced if I could start every morning here there's no way I'd ever have a bad day. The road winds along the river and breaks off into gravel pull-offs for easy parking (no 4-wheel drive needed). You can get right down to the waters' edge- just watch out for snakes and other critters. I found a rope swing and picnic table with beautiful views during my walk. There were only two other people hanging about. It was really peaceful and a place I would visit again for a picnic.

Mama Jean's Natural Market: Slogan- we believe you shouldn't have to worry about what's in your food. I'm lucky to have a friend that knows me well enough to tell me to visit a market because this is the kind of place a tourist would probably typically skip. My suggestion is go here for brunch. There's a deli/cafe within the market with an entire menu of food that sounds finger-licking good. While I can't eat an entire menu, I did try a fresh sandwich and a latte.

Latte: Purple Rain

• but I swapped the mocha for vanilla (because they were out of mocha)

Sandwich: The Goat

• ham, goat cheese, blackberry jam, picked red onion, jalapeno honey, and mixed greens grilled on focaccia bread

It was, in fact, finger licking good.

Bass Pro Shops: I know what you're thinking. There must not be sh*t to do in Springfield if Bass Pro Shop made the list. Which is fair because that's absolutely what I thought. I didn't understand why the heck this kept coming up on all the itineraries... and now here it is in my recap vlog under "Top 5 Places to Visit". Here's the thing- this isn't just Bass Pro Shops. It's the Granddaddy of Bass Pro Shops, home to the #1 ranked aquarium in the US and the biggest Bass Pro in the US until they built the pyramid one in Tennessee.

I'm not a fan of these stores in general but this one is really neat. There are live fish, turtles, an alligator, an alligator gar bigger than my entire body, and the decor left no detail out. Even parts of the ceiling are painted like you're under a lake. I didn't even go to the aquarium and was blown away by how incredible this store was. Creeks in the floor, waterfalls through the walls, an entire archery museum...enough said. If you can't make it their yourself but want a quick video vlog of the experience I put one together for you here.

Lake Springfield: 158 acres of park area, trails, and beautiful blue waters. This location did get it's own short video on my other platforms because it was just so pretty. The entire time I was in Springfield I couldn't get over how clean all the water was (I'm a sucker for clean water). There's a cliff overhanging the lake off one of the trails that leads back down to the boathouse. It's a great spot to stop and take in the views. Take a walk lakeside to see fishermen casting out of canoes, vibrant flowers, and ducks swimming close to the shore. Before I forget to say this- make sure to check yourself for ticks when you get home and don't forget those booty cheeks. Those things will bite into anywhere.

So... Misery or Magic?

I can't imagine anyone visiting a place like this and referring to it as misery- but maybe that's the rural raised, small-town girl in me talking. My thought is that when it comes to "city living" I'm looking for something different than what that term typically means. I'm happy to be in Athens but as far as a forever home goes - the search continues...