Mexico, Missouri was once a jumping off point for travel to Texas, when Texas was part of Mexico. It was originally named "New Mexico," but later became known simply as Mexico. The town -- with an interesting past -- is very modern, playing host to the Miss Missouri pageant each year. The town is 10 miles north of Interstate 70 and 20 miles from the state capitol in Columbia.
The Country Hearth Inn and Suites seek to offer a comfortable stay. The hotel is on Vance Road, just off state Highway 15 on the south side toward Interstate 70. There are standard rooms as well as suites that have a separate area with a couch and a work area. The hotel has "green" rooms, which use recycled items for the environmentally conscious. Most of the restaurants in town are on U.S. Highway 54, which goes east to west through town. El Vaquero Mexican Restaurant is a locally-owned establishment near the hotel.
The Best Western of Mexico has 48 rooms on two floors, and is on South Clark Street, which is the main street that goes north to south through town. No pets are allowed, but children 17 and under stay free with a paying adult. The hotel offers a free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and has a business center. There are 36 no smoking rooms and two rooms equipped for the handicapped. This hotel is near the intersection of Business-54; the Smoke Shack Barbeque is near that intersection. Porky's Smokehouse is also nearby.
The Days Inn is closest to downtown, and it is close to Teal Lake, a small lake beside the town. The hotel has about 100 rooms on two floors. Free breakfast, a fitness center and a laundry facility are available. This hotel has rooms equipped for handicapped persons. Casa del Sol Mexican Restaurant is beside the hotel, and Diner 54 is within walking distance. There are also fast food restaurants in the immediate area.
For a small town, this area has a lot to offer. In the settler days, it was a jumping off point for those headed west, and to Texas, and now it hosts the Miss Missouri pageant. About 20 miles south at Fulton, there is a Winston Churchhill Memorial Musuem, on a spot where Churchhill gave a speech on a visit to the U.S. Several small parks in the area provide outdoor recreational activities. The town also has a community theater and a performing arts theater.
