Clay: Lakes, History and Living Culture
Accommodation in Clay
Clay combines expansive parkland, lake landscapes and an unusually diverse array of evidence of the region’s history. Anyone planning a trip with nature experiences, culture and culinary discoveries will find a variety of ways to enjoy diverse days here. More than 6,000 acres of parkland are managed by Clay County Parks, Recreation, and Historic Sites. When choosing accommodation in Clay, you can therefore consider whether your trip should be shaped more by water and trails, historic sites, or museums and regional culinary destinations.
Lakes, Trails and Days by the Water
The Camp Branch Trail System includes the Bonebender Trail, the Campground Trail and the Eagle's View Trail. Together, the system is 10.4 miles long. This precise distance is a helpful reference for planning your day if you want to combine nature and exercise. Camp Branch Beach can be accessed by vehicle and from the Camp Branch Campground via the Bonebender Trail. Little Platte Beach can also be reached by vehicle and via the Little Platte Trail.
At Camp Branch Marina, boat rental reservations can be made from May 1 through October 1, depending on the weather. Smithville Lake is a 7,190-acre recreational lake with two fully equipped marinas offering boat rentals. At Watkins Mill State Park, Williams Creek Lake has a boat launch and a free boat dock. Kayaks are rented there at the campground’s control station from April 15 through October 31. Anyone looking for a vacation rental or vacation home primarily as a base for days by the water can take these seasonal offerings into account when planning their trip.
History to See and Experience
Clay is also suitable for travelers who want to learn about history not only through exhibits but at specific sites. At Historic Liberty Jail, a true-to-scale model of the jail illustrates its dimensions and construction. Mt. Gilead School offers field trips with lessons in a historic classroom and a teacher dressed in period clothing. At the Jesse James Bank Museum, visitors see the bank as it looked in 1866. The museum is located at the site of the first successful peacetime daylight bank robbery in the United States.
In Liberty, downloadable and printable self-guided walking tours and maps of historic Liberty are available. The African-American History Tour covers 175 years of African-American history. A tour through the Dougherty Historic District is approximately 1 mile long. The district is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and designated as one of Liberty’s five local historic districts. Also in Liberty, the Garrison School Cultural Center was founded in 1877; it is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
The Jesse James Birthplace, with the world’s largest collection of James family artifacts, and the Clay County Museum, with historical artifacts from throughout the county, provide further insights. Visitors can also view historical documents and articles in the reading room there. At the Jesse James Birthplace, a paved, winding path leads to the farmhouse. Watkins Woolen Mill State Historic Site preserves a 19th-century woolen mill with its original machinery fully intact. Liberty hosts the Historic Walking Tour Series every year.
Regional Flavors and Special Places
Wine and spirits are also part of Clay’s diversity. At Belvoir Winery & Inn, visitors can order locally produced wines and taste the wine “Boo's.” Ladoga Ridge Winery offers wines made from grapes grown in its own vineyard; visitors can taste these wines. Restless Spirits combines distillery tours with spirits tastings and cocktails. Atkins-Johnson Farm and Museum is one of the oldest continuously inhabited homes in Clay County and has a heritage garden with herbs, strawberries and asparagus.
The Excelsior Springs Museum and Archives also presents several temporary exhibitions along with its usual offerings. At Watkins Mill State Park, interpretive programs are offered during the summer months. This allows you to shape your trip according to your interests, with nature, historic sites, museums or culinary stops.
More Places for Planning Your Trip
If you want to compare Clay with other places in the surrounding area, you can also include Liberty, Randolph, North Kansas City, Excelsior Springs, Trimble and Holt in your further search. This allows you to choose your vacation rental or vacation home according to your preferred mix of culture, nature, water and regional discoveries.
For the higher-level travel overview: Missouri.
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