Arrive in Hannibal, MO for a two-night stay at a local hotel.  Tonight, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant followed by a Haunted Hannibal Ghost Tour.  Enjoy a spine-tingling guided tour of many of Hannibal’s most notoriously haunted sites, both past and present.  Each tour includes a guided exploration of the 170-year-old Old Baptist Cemetery where you’ll walk among the graves of slaves and Civil War soldiers to search for signs of paranormal activity. (D)

After breakfast, take a ride on the Hannibal Trolley for a city tour.  Step back into history and relive the adventures of Mark Twain’s days in Hannibal.  On the tour, you will hear about the history of Hannibal, see many sights including scenic outlooks, famous landmarks and beautiful historic homes.

Next, visit the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum.  Discover how a young boy growing up in the small village of Hannibal became one of the world’s most famous authors.  Explore the Hannibal of Samuel Clemens’ childhood and experience the beloved stories he created through the power of his imagination.

Lunch is included today at one of Hannibal’s many great locally owned restaurants.

Returning to the Museum Gallery Building, see how Twain turned his childhood friends into characters in his most beloved novels.  Wander through some of Mark Twain’s most famous novels – ride a raft with Huck and Jim, explore a cave with Tom & Becky, and paint the famous whitewashed fence.  The Museum Gallery features 15 original Norman Rockwell paintings, as well as a wealth of artifacts from Twain’s life.

Also included today is a “Mark Twain” performance.  Through the magic of theater, stage actor Richard Garey brings Mark Twain to life in the Historic Planters Barn Theater.  Returning Mark Twain to the Hannibal he loved, this show captures the man and legend.  Full of humor, comedic sketches, irreverent wisdom and penetrating insight into human nature, Mark Twain HIMSELF is great theater (available Wednesday-Saturday | May – September).

Or you could see “Mark Twain Live” by Jim Waddell at Cave Hollow Theatre, located within the Mark Twain Cave Complex.  Raconteur Jim Waddell reweaves yarns first spun by Mark Twain, the creator of some of our most treasured literature.  This presentation has been lauded by Twainian scholars for its authenticity of deliverance and mannerisms.  (Performances Wednesday – Sunday | April – November.)

End the day with a dinner Cruise on the Mark Twain Riverboat.  See this famous river town from the boat that bears the name of its most famous citizen, Mark Twain.  Cruise includes dinner and live music. (B,L,D)

This morning, tour Rockcliffe Mansion, one of America’s Gilded Age Mansions.  This amazing American castle, built to overlook the Mighty Mississippi, was built between 1898 and 1900, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Homes.  Decorated in the Late Victorian and Art Nouveau styles, most of the original antique furnishings, gas/electric combination lighting fixtures, high-end plumbing fixtures, and personal effects of the original family were preserved and are on display.  Many of the unique architectural features of the Mansion would be difficult, if not impossible, to duplicate today.

Following your tour, depart for home. (B)