REGION'S ATTRACTIONS DRAW DAY-TRIPPERS, OVERNIGHTERS

Mary Miller, directofr of the Cape Girardeau Convention & Visitors Bureau, displays some of the borchures that promote attractions in the area.

It's easy for people to cast a critical eye on their hometown and proclaim that "there's nothing to do here."

After all, when you live in a city, things you see day in and day out hardly seem like tourist attractions.

Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Mary Miller is trying to beat that image. It's her job to promote the area's businesses to tourists, whether or not Cape Girardeau residents think those businesses are exciting.

"As I've gone throughout the state working with travel and tourism people, I find we share the same problem," Miller said. "No one wants to believe their hometown is a tourist destination besides the people in Branson."

She isn't ready to call Cape a tourist destination, but Miller said the city is great for day-trippers or overnighters, her two classifications of tourists.

Overnighters may spend the night in a local motel, take in one attraction and get back on the interstate. Day-trippers often take buses from other cities in Missouri, Illinois and Tennessee to take in Cape County's sights.

Being talk radio star Rush Limbaugh's hometown has done much for the tourist trade in Cape, but his old house isn't the only thing people come to see. Lately, the rage has been churches.

There are several churches over 150 years old in the area. The CVB tour, available only to organized groups, takes people to Ste. Genevieve, Altenburg, Frohna and other spots where old churches stand.

Because it is organized through the CVB, churches still operating can cancel on the tour for a wedding, baptism or funeral.

Other history buffs come to see the Glenn House on Spanish Street, the River Heritage Museum at the corner of Independence and Frederick streets or Bollinger Mill or Trail of Tears State Park.

Group tour planner Kim Groves said she has booked 33 bus tours so far from May to September, the out-of-school months.

"I customize each itinerary, but the destinations depend on the group," she said. "If they're looking for something unique, I'll send them to the steam train in Jackson. There aren't too many covered bridges or grist mills left, so I might send them to Bollinger Mill."

Miller works to lure buses headed for Branson into the "Branson Triangle." On a map, the triangle would have any northern city as a top point, Branson as the western point, and Sikeston as the eastern point.

If people stop to eat at the world-famous Lambert's Cafe in Sikeston, they often head north through Cape Girardeau to get home, and that's how Miller gets them. Cape is thought of as a good place to spend a night.

And if they spend the night, they might be looking for something fun to do. For families, there are dollar movies, a water slide, a skating rink, a video arcade and plenty of other places to spend a few hours and a few dollars.

For shoppers, there are hundreds of stores in downtown Cape, midtown Cape and at the West Park Mall.

If visitors wheel into Cape with no idea of what to do, Miller said they're welcome to call or stop by the CVB and pick up a wide array of brochures, advertising everything from Rocky Holler to The Ice.

TOURING CAPE GIRARDEAU

A few of the places to visit in Cape Girardeau County:

(centered, bold) Educational

(bullet boxes)Cape River Heritage Museum

University Museum

Trail of Tears State Park

Bollinger Mill State Park

Historic

-Glenn House

Oliver House

Cape Rock Park

Massey Log Cabin

Mississippi River

Fun

St. Louis Iron Mountain & Southern Railway

Rocky Holler

Kids World

Cape Skate

Big River Grand Prix

The Ice

Lickety Split Water Slide

Dollar Movies

Chuck E Cheese

Southeast Discount Golf

Capaha Park & Central Pool

Cape Town Safari Animal Park

The Tilt arcade

West Park Bowling Lanes

Shopping

-West Park Mall

Cross Roads

Children's Bazaar

Downtown Cape Shops

West Park Plaza

Town Plaza Shopping Center

West Park Village

Lorimont Place

Plaza Galleria

* Source: Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau