We all love to hit the resort cities but sometimes it is great getting away from it all and traveling someplace where you can relax and visit the quiet sounds of an area.  We recently stayed at the Orchard Inn Bed and Breakfast in Lawson, Missouri.

Located about 40 miles north of downtown Kansas City, it is the perfect place to stay for a few days to unwind from the hustle-bustle of city life.  Ted McKinzie, the owner is actually from the area but moved to Chicago and worked there for a few years before returning to the greater Kansas City area.

The B and B is located on 80 acres so there is a lot of privacy.  Actually Ted built the huge estate  himself! 

He did have a few day laborers come in from time to time to assist him with the major work but other than that, he did most of the work himself.  It is an Arts and Crafts themed house. He offers five uniquely decorated rooms and suites.  In keeping with their orchard theme, their rooms and suites are named, Plum, Cherry, Berry, Pear and Grape.

They of course each have their own private bath with double shower heads for the romantic wet time together.  All rooms are equipped with wireless internet, television,  Satellite TV, DVD/video players, CD player, clock radio, refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker, snacks and hair dryer.

A full hearty breakfast is served everyday and we mean hearty!

Besides being a great host, Ted has a wonderful personality. He pays very close attention to every detail of the business.  Since it sits on 80 acres which has a pond, guests can take leisurely walks all over, sit on the huge porches on two sides of the house or take advantage of the gazebo.

They have 3 acres of beautiful gardens, a six person hot tub, stocked pond with bass and catfish, berry and fruit picking in season and walking paths.

Amenities  include coffee, drinks, snacks, movie library, book library and music library.  Actually, Orchard Hill is much more than just a Bed and Breakfast.  It is a stylish and beautiful venue uniquely situated to host special events.  Their open grounds and extensive gardens provide an enchanting and beautiful setting for weddings, commitment ceremonies and other special occasions.  Their grounds are perfect for large parties or receptions.  It makes a perfect place for family reunions and is perfect for meetings and Corporate retreats.  It is such a peaceful  place, we really didn’t to leave, but as they say, all good things must come to an end and there  are new places to find in our travels.

There are several side trips that we took and the most interesting was to Lexington, Mo. about 25 miles southeast where we visited the Civil War Battle Sites, museums and toured the historical old Ante-Bellum houses.  It was built on the bluffs of the Missouri River and has a population of about 4,500.

The Court House actually has a cannonball in the pillar that was shot into it during the Civil War.

Lexington is noted for it’s architecture.  In the 1850’s  Greek Revival architecture was the fashion and many of the public buildings were designed in that style.  Most notably is the Lafayette Country Courthouse built in 1847 and is still in use.  It is the oldest courthouse in  continuous use west of the Mississippi.

The Gothic Revival Christ Episcopal Church, built in 1848 has an interior finished in walnut and a ceiling ornamented with a Gothic truss arch.

Lexington is still home to over 150 homes and public buildings built before the Civil War  and annually holds well-attended tours of its historic homes and buildings.  

We want to thank our good friends, Abigail and Fred for hosting our stay there and giving us a wonderful tour around town.

Just to the west of Lawson a few miles is Kearny, which is where Jesse James was from (at left) and you can visit all sorts of museums and places relating to him including the Jesse James Farm,  the Watkins Mills which is America’s only surviving woolen mill from the 1860’s and the Kearney Historical Museum.

Orchard Hill Bed and Breakfast is located at 15684 Fishing River Road .

Check out: www.orchardhillbedandbreakfast.com  to visit their website and to make a reservation  and  http://www.historiclexington.com/  as well as http://www.kearneychamber.org for places to visit in the area.

Always remember to have fun when traveling, meet new people and talk to everyone!