See the Best of Perry County with Curated Tour Itineraries
Discover the best of Perry County with curated tour itineraries for groups of all sizes and ages. Each tour is designed to showcase the region’s rich history, scenic beauty, and unique attractions. Whether you’re here for a day trip or a weekend getaway, you’ll find the perfect blend of outdoor adventure, cultural landmarks, and local experiences.
Tours
December 18 & 19, 2025 from 2:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
What could be more inspiring than touring nearly 40 historic churches during the Christmas season? This unique two-day tour has become a cherished holiday tradition. Voted a “Travel Treasure” by AAA Magazine in 2015, thousands have experienced the magic of our church tour—leaving inspired, delighted, and rejuvenated with the true spirit of the season.
Customize your journey among nearly 40 participating locations scattered across the countryside. Experience rural America by exploring century-old churches, ranging from quaint one-room wooden buildings to grand brick-and-mortar masterpieces. Each church is beautifully decorated to reflect its traditions and culture, including Roman Catholic, Scots-Irish Presbyterian, German Lutheran, and German Catholic heritages.
Highlights of the tour include:
Live music from choirs and solo performances.
Nativity collections and live outdoor nativity scenes.
A Christmas tree exhibit showcasing over 50 themed trees.
This tour is a treasure hunt of art, architecture, history, and culture, making it perfect for families, girls’ trips, or couples. Hop in the car, turn on your favorite holiday music, and explore scenic country roads as you discover the magic of a country Christmas.
While planning your route, make time for some holiday shopping. Find unique gifts at multi-generational stores like Rozier’s Mercantile, Hoeckele’s Bakery & Deli, Buchheit’s, and Stonie’s Sausage Shop. Check out our full list of shopping options for more ideas.
Plan Your Visit Church tour maps and brochures will be available starting October 1, 2025.
This tour is self-guided. If you are looking to bring a coach bus for this tour please see our Group Tour itinerary.
Step outside to enjoy the serene Rosary Walk—a 35-minute stroll featuring flower gardens, natural areas, and a historic WWI outdoor grotto. Along the shaded path, admire hand-carved marble and bronze statues from Italy. Benches, restrooms, and a gift shop are available on-site. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated.
On your way to Perryville’s historic downtown square, stop at the Charles Lindbergh Historic Marker, a unique glass and metal sculpture. Located in a small park near the Shrine, it highlights Perryville’s connection to the famous aviator during his barnstorming days.
Next, pass through Miget Park to view four sculptures, including three rotating pieces from the Perryville Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit. This initiative, launched in 2021, features works by artists from across the country. Additional sculptures can be found on St. Joseph Street near Katie’s Liquor Store and downtown on the southeast corner of the square.
Once downtown, discover large murals depicting local history and heritage on each corner of the square. On the courthouse lawn, view monuments and the Eclipse Sundial, commemorating the Total Solar Eclipses of 2017 and 2024. Take a self-guided walking tour to explore historic buildings marked with plaques, and complete the sculpture exhibit by visiting the piece in front of the Perryville Post Office.
Enjoy lunch at one of Perryville’s many restaurants offering a variety of options, from cafés and delis to hearty home-cooked meals. Satisfy your sweet tooth with homemade pie or treats from the local candy shop.
Conclude your day with a visit to Missouri’s National Veterans Memorial. This site features an exact replica of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C., known as the “Sister Wall.” Designed by Maya Lin in 1982, this permanent replica offers a powerful and reflective experience.
Visit the Lutheran Heritage Center & Museum located 21 miles south of Perryville in the quaint little town of Altenburg, MO. This amazing museum professionally interprets the immigration in 1839, of 700 German Saxon Lutherans to their new home in Perry County. The South gallery of the museum usually has a special exhibit, and in addition, you can tour the Old Log Cabin College and the Loeber Cabin in the park across the street. Open daily 10 am- 4 pm.
The Old Bank Coffee Shop is just what it sounds like. A wonderful coffee stop, with delicious breakfast food and sweet treats in an old bank building. Have a seat in the vault! Or you can plan lunch or dinner at the Saxony Hills Brewery with craft beer and some of the best food in the area.
Tower Rock Natural Area: Take a short beautiful country drive from Altenburg down to the mighty Mississippi River and visit the Tower Rock Natural Area featuring a unique sixty foot geological limestone formation known as Tower Rock. Placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and saved from destruction by Ulysses S. Grant in 1878, the earliest mention of Tower Rock was by French missionary, Jacques Marquette in 1673, Meriweather Lewis journaled in 1803 about it, Mark Twain wrote about it in his Mississippi travels.
Die Kleine Schule: (The Little School) in Frohna, Missouri requires a reservation before visiting. This little German schoolhouse built in 1898 served the Frohna community as a day school where the children of the Concordia Lutheran church were taught “reading, riting, and rithmetic.” Some of the children who attended learned English as their second language here. Please call Denise Morrison at 573-824-5605 for an appointment.
Saxon Lutheran Memorial: Take a driving tour through the picturesque Saxon Lutheran Memorial. Located in Frohna, Missouri just across the street near the Die Kleine Schule. Imagine what it would be like to live in Missouri in a log home during the 1800’s. The Memorial features four log homes, including a two-story cabin and a double cabin. The log homes are laid out as they might have been found in a small settlement of the day. The main feature is the last remaining homestead of the period, including a log barn and granary. A machine shed with antique farm equipment, a blacksmith and carpenter’s shop, and a Visitor Center. You may call ahead to see if an in-person tour is available at 573-824-5404.
Embark on a customized journey exploring two heroic immigration stories and the faiths that sustained them. Travel through Perry County’s picturesque countryside, visiting remarkable houses of worship built by early pioneers. Hear their diverse accounts of immigration, witness their humble beginnings, and gain a deeper understanding of their quest for religious freedom and new opportunities.
This culturally rich and inspiring tour includes visits to historic sites such as The National Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal and the Lutheran Heritage Center, among other significant locations.
Choose from five destinations to create a personalized experience. Enjoy an authentic German meal, browse unique shops, and engage with knowledgeable site guides.
If you a group tour planner, we would love to help!
For more details, contact Trish Erzfeld at 573-517-2069 or trish@perryvillemo.com.
Spend the day traveling through the beautiful countryside, tracing the footsteps of five immigrant groups who sought religious freedom, new opportunities, and a brighter future. Leaving their homelands behind, they ventured deep into the American wilderness, crossing the Mississippi River into the land of opportunity.
Discover their remarkable journey, the churches they built, and the lasting legacies they left behind. Admire stunning art and architecture, stroll through serene gardens, and immerse yourself in the rich history and artifacts that tell their story.
The tour offers the flexibility to visit historic churches such as St. Joseph, Trinity Lutheran in Altenburg, or Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, allowing you to explore the sites most meaningful to your group.
Enjoy an authentic German meal, explore unique gift shops, and engage with knowledgeable site guides.
If you a group tour planner, we would love to help!
For more details, contact Trish Erzfeld at 573-517-2069 or trish@perryvillemo.com.
Perry County has many great locations for school / educational field trips.
The Lutheran Heritage Center & Museum
In 1838, approximately 700 German-Lutherans left their homes, farms, businesses and all they knew behind to embark on the dangerous sea voyage to America. Discover their hardships, tragedies, and triumphs, and explore the families, churches, farms, and businesses they established.
Call (573) 824-6070 to make a reservation.
The Perry County Courthouse
The first courthouse in Perry County was built in 1826. In 2015, the courthouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Over the last 100 years, the present-day courthouse has conducted the county and state business dealing with land records, birth and death records, court proceedings, laws, and elections.
Call Trish Erzfeld at (573) 517-2069 to make a reservation.
The American Tractor Museum
This museum has some of the most innovative tractors made in America. Travel back in time and see one of a kind machines such as the 1896 threshing machine made by the Cape Mfg. Co. and our 1911 steam engine tractor manufactured by the Avery Company. We even have tractors from "Walk the Line" - a movie about Johnny Cash's life.
*Children's ticket fee will be waived for field trips but all adults with the group will be charged the $8 group rate
Call Alicia Wibbenmeyer at (573) 547-1097 to make a reservation.
The Perry County Museum
The museum was opened in May of 1990. As each room was completed, a new phase began. The four major rooms are : Children, Parlor, Kitchen, and School/Medical. Displays are also found in the hallways and stairway. You will be surprised by the vast amount of items on display.
Call Jim and Cheryl Hart at (573) 547-6383 to make a reservation.
The Faherty House
The Faherty House, built between 1827 and 1831, is just a block off the courthouse square. The four room brick and stone home has been restored to two different time periods. The kitchen is located in the cellar and the stone bedroom above is doen in the era of 1828 - 1840. The two brick rooms were added in 1854 and are decorated in the 1870's style.
Call Bill Hart at (573) 768-2470 to make a reservation.
The National Shrine
Saint Mary's of the Barren Church is decorated with beautiful paintings, stained glass windows, and intricate design work on the walls and ceilings. The heritage of the church comes from our Vincentian family and those who serve. The Shrine is a national center for Marian devotion.
Call Dewanna Chappius at (573) 768-7012 to make a reservation.
Missouri National Veterans Wall
The Missouri National Veterans Wall is identical to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. The campus also includes The Honor Flag Memorial, which is a large concave structure stretching 49 feet along the Welcome Center. It also includes The Guardians of Freedom Monument, which is dedicated to all United States Military Special Operations. There is also an indoor military museum on-site.
Call (573) 547-2035 to make a reservation.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 1
Day 2
Continental breakfast at your hotel before departing.American Tractor Museum
Opened in 2020, this museum celebrates the iconic machine and backbone of America. Tour this amazing collection walking you through the evolution of the machine that plowed, planted, and harvested the American dream for centuries. See one of hte most unique and largest collections of its kind featuring rare manufacturers such as Rumely, Waterloo Boy, Case, Illinois, Indiana, Huber, Plymouth, Avery, and many more. Guided tour available.
Missouri's National Veterans Memorial
If you have never had the opportunity to visit the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C., here is your chance. This awe-inspiring EXACT full-scale sister wall to the Vietnam Wall in Washington, D.C. offers veterans civilians, and those currently serving a place in the Midwest to reflect on the sacrifices of all service men and women. A museum and gift shop are on site. Guided tour available.
Lunch
Preordered buffet lunch or bag lunch at the previous site.
The Lutheran Heritage Center & Museum
This site professionally interprets and beautifully preserves the history of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod religion and the German descendants of the Altenburg and Frohna area since 1836. It highlights their quest to get here and their trials, tribulations, and triumphs. The historic Log Cabin College was the first college west of the Mississippi. Tour the museum, college site, and more than 100-year old Trinity Lutheran Church.
Dinner
Dinner in Altenburg. Enjoy an authentic German home-cooked meal featuring several favorites of the area. This meal is served family style with a food guide telling you about the dishes, their traditions, and how they became favorites. Learn how to spread cooked cheese on homemade baked bread the way it was meant to.
Day 3
Nationally recognized, the Shrine and church have welcomed visitors since 1818. It's designed as a 1/3-scale replica of the motherhouse in Cistrio Rome that serves as the hisoric seat of the American Vincentians. The shrine is decorated with beautiful paintings and intricate design work on the walls and ceiling to make it a masterpiece. Don't miss the candle room of thousands of lighted candles in prayer.Rosary Walk is a 35-minute walk option for visitors. Easy stroll, flower gardens, natural areas, WWI grotto, plenty of benches, shade, and breathtaking marble and bronze statues from Italy.
All meals / menus can be arranged through Trish Erzfeld, Director of the Perry County Heritage Tourism. Click the button below, and let us know when you want to visit!
Group Tour
Since the 19th Century, German immigrants have tamed Missouri’s wilderness as they made homesteads, created communities, and grew cities. You can discover our rich German heritage through our history, music, and food, creating a memorable authentic experience. Step back into time at one of our many museums exploring the past, stroll the grounds and be awe-inspired by our Shrines, and indulge in a feast of German deliciousness and wines that will take you back to their motherland of Germany.
Nestled in a rural agriculture setting, visitors will be amazed and delighted traveling among the picturesque countryside, walking their beautiful historic downtowns; with local architecture and emerging themselves in the downhome hospitality that Hermann and Perryville are famous for.
Wir Konnen es kaum erwarten, Sie zu sehen! … We can’t wait to see you!
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Christmas Country Church Tour – December 18-19, 2025
2:00 PM – 9:00 PM Each Day
This beloved holiday tradition has welcomed visitors for years, offering an authentic and inspiring journey through the countryside. Recognized as a “Travel Treasure” by AAA Magazine in 2015, the Christmas Country Church Tour invites you to experience the warmth, beauty, and faith-filled history of nearly forty historic churches across four counties.
Customize your route as you explore century-old churches, from humble one-room wooden chapels to grand brick-and-mortar masterpieces. Each church is adorned with festive decorations reflecting the traditions and cultures of the congregations, which include Roman Catholic, Scot-Irish Presbyterian, German Lutheran, German Catholic, and more.
Beyond the breathtaking churches, enjoy special holiday experiences, including:
A Christmas tree exhibit featuring over fifty beautifully themed trees
Live nativity scenes
A treasured nativity collection
Make your visit even more special by starting with a custom noon lunch and enjoying a personalized holiday shopping experience before or after your tour.
Plan your next holiday tradition today! If you a group tour planner, we would love to help!
Contact Trish Erzfeld at 573-517-2069 or trish@perryvillemo.com for details.
