12 fun things to do this summer

Summer is here and the kids are, no doubt, already complaining of having "nothing" to do. Luckily, there are plenty of fun activities and places to explore in Southeast Missouri and the surrounding area. Here are 12 ideas:

Ozark National Scenic Riverways

More than 1.5 million visitors a year head to the Current and Jacks Fork rivers in Southern Missouri. Water activities such as floating, canoeing and fishing are the big draws, but visitors can also explore the numerous natural features in the region. Big Springs, Blue Springs and Round Spring are spectacular in their own right, and the Alley Springs Mill gives a glimpse of days gone by.

Disc golf

A 10-hole disc golf course opened at Cape Girardeau's Capaha Park in May 2011, and work is underway for an 18-hole course at Cape County Park North. The sport -- like traditional golf, but with rubber discs or Frisbees and a metal basket -- has quickly become a hit with people of all ages. Even better? It's free! There are also disc golf courses at Pere Marquette Park in Ste. Genevieve, Mo., and Engler Park in Farmington, Mo.

Castor River Conservation Area

Located south of Marble Hill in Bollinger County, the conservation area is home to Blue Pond, the deepest natural pond in Missouri. Visitors can explore the conservation area by foot, bike or horse on one of the six multiuse trails. Primitive camping is also an option for true nature lovers.

Yard sales

Harold & Barbara Kinder of Fenton, Mo., at Sam A. Baker State Park. (Missouri State Parks)

Looking for a deal? Check out one of Southeast Missouri's giant yard sales. Every year on Memorial Day weekend, Highway 25 from Jackson to Kennett, Mo., becomes one long yard sale where vendors hawk everything imaginable. The U.S. 61 Yard Sale is another hit every Labor Day weekend. Hundreds of sales are scattered along the highway between Jackson and Bloomsdale, Mo., but the hot spots are often Fruitland and Perryville, Mo. Scott City will also host a citywide yard sale and craft show June 8 and 9. Other cant-miss sales: Zonta Clubs Neiman Marcus of Flea Markets in March or April, which draws a huge line before the doors open at 7 a.m.; community garage sales at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau throughout the year; and the twice-a-year Little Lambs Childrens Sale in Cape Girardeau. Grab some friends and start digging for deals!

Sam A. Baker State Park

Nestled among ancient mountains and towering trees, this state park near Patterson, Mo., is the perfect location for a family weekend. Hike wooded trails that range from easy to difficult then cool off in the waters of the St. Francois River and Big Creek. A lodge at the park serves country favorites to satisfy even the biggest appetite. The park has rustic cabins, a campground and a separate campground for equestrians.

Libraries

Visitors at Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park. (Missouri State Parks)

Public libraries are more than a place to check in and check out -- they're a destination for children's story time, book clubs for teens and adults, summer reading clubs, materials for genealogy research, workshops and educational talks, movie and game nights and more. The Cape Girardeau Public Library opened its newly renovated facility in May 2009 with comfy indoor and outdoor reading areas, a coffee bar, meeting rooms and special areas for kids and teens, complete with cool and colorful seating. Riverside Regional Library has locations in Jackson, Scott City, Benton, Oran, Altenburg and Perryville, Mo. There's also Sikeston Public Library in Sikeston, Mo., and Keller Public Library in Dexter, Mo.

Johnson's Shut-ins State Park

A member of the Capahas Baseball team leans forward to bunt the baseball. (Southeast Missourian file photo)

This popular destination near Lesterville, Mo., has bounced back after being destroyed after the collapse of the Taum Sauk Resevoir. Splash in the shallows of the East Fork of the Black River or explore Mother Nature's own waterpark: the shut-ins themselves. Multi-use hiking and equestrian trails wind through the Ozark Mountains and expose millions of years of geological history. Camping is also available at the park.

Summer baseball

You can't get more American than a summer baseball game with hot dogs and popcorn. And there are plenty of summer baseball leagues to get your fix. The Plaza Tire Capahas formed in 1894 in Cape Girardeau, and they'll play again this June and July at Capaha Park. Another option are the Southern Illinois Miners in Miner, Ill. Catch their home games at Rent One Park. Many communities also claim American Legion and Babe Ruth League teams made up of young athletes.

Mastodon State Historic Site

Excavations at the site near Imperial, Mo., have established that Paleo-Indians hunted the American mastodon here during the ice age. There are interpretative trails and picnic sites dot the landscape and the museum tells the natural and cultural story of the Clovis culture, which existed in the area between 10,000 and 14,000 years ago, with artifacts and a mastodon skeleton.

Farmers markets

The anchor and chain at Columbus-Belmont State Park in Columbus, Ky. (Kentucky State Parks ~ Submitted photo)

There's nothing better than a juicy peach grown right in your neighborhood or a hot glazed doughnut made right in front of you. Get your fix of garden and oven-fresh foods at the weekly farmers markets throughout Cape Girardeau, Scott, Butler, Stoddard, Bollinger, Perry and Ste. Genevieve counties, and some in Southern Illinois, too. Check semoevents.com for listings.

Columbus-Belmont State Park

People make their way April 8 to the 76th annual Easter Sunrise Service at Bald Knob Cross in Alto Pass, Ill. (Laura Simon)

The Mississippi River bluffs at Columbus, Ky., played a strategic role during the Civil War. Confederate forces occupied the river bluffs at Columbus, giving the Confederacy control of the Mississippi River. The Confederates abandoned the site after the fall of Forts Henry and Donelson and Union forces under Gen. Ulyssess S. Grant occupied strategic location from 1862 until the end of the war. Historic fortifications are still recognizable at the park and a section of the chain and massive anchor used to bar the Mississippi are one display. The park also has a campground, picnic sites, trails, putt putt golf course and museum housed in an antebellum home that served as a Confederate hospital.

Bald Knob Cross

You've probably seen Bald Knob Cross from afar -- it stands on a hill 1,000 feet above sea level in rural Union County, Illinois. It's worth the winding drive up the hill, where you'll see the gigantic cross up close and enjoy a panoramic view of the Shawnee National Forest and Illinois Ozarks. Locals began raising money in 1953 to build Bald Knob Cross, meant to be a place of worship for people of all denominations. The cross was completed in 1963 with more than 900 steel panels, a porcelain veneer and 40,000 watts of lighting. A sunrise worship service is held at Bald Knob each year on Easter Sunday.