• The Gateway Arch is the tallest national monument in the U.S.St. Louis Arch image by twhighbanks from Fotolia.com
  
  Touring by bus in Missouri reveals the state's bustling cities, scenic views and historical sites to the curious traveler. From St. Louis to Kansas City, many bus tours include informative and experienced guides who narrate along the way. Specialized tours are also available throughout the state. Branson, a city in Missouri's southwestern corner of the state, has a tour specifically for country music fans.
  
  

Branson and the Ozarks Tour

• This three-hour, narrated tour exposes passengers to the sights of Branson, which is located in the heart of the Ozarks. The tour rides through the city's historic downtown and along Country Music Boulevard with its many live music venues. For those who want to venture beyond the city limits, the bus rides through the Lakes Area where Lake Taneycomo and Table Rock Lake are nestled among the wooded, elevated terrain.
  
  

Branson Escorted Bus Tour

• This five-day bus tour, sponsored by Country Music Travel, highlights Branson's thriving country music scene. The tour includes reservations for seven shows, fours nights of hotel accommodations and the accompaniment of an experienced guide. Also included in the tour is an excursion into the Lakes Area and complimentary breakfast and dinner each day of the tour. If guests need round-trip hotel transfer from Springfield Airport, that is also provided.
  
  

Grand Tour of St. Louis by Bus

• St. Louis Tours offer this five-and-a-half-hour tour, which gives passengers the choice to stop off at either the Anheuser-Busch Brewery or the Gateway Arch. During the tour the bus passes by Laclede's Landing, Union Station and the historic Soulard District. Passengers also have the option of disembarking for 90 minutes at either the Missouri History Museum or the St. Louis Art Museum, both of which are located in Forest Park, the site of the 1904 World's Fair.
  
  

Kansas City Gangster Tour

• This tour lasts an hour and a half and drives by homes of gangsters who operated in Kansas City in the early 20th century. It also offers views of mob-related crime sites like the Union Station Massacre. The tour runs year-round but only operates on Saturdays.