Koinania Cottage at Koinania Ranch

In my last tip I suggested finding a quiet place to get away from it all. But where?

This is where we, the Pusateri's, have gone the past 4 years.

Koinania is nestled in a valley surrounded by the foothills of Mark Twain National Forest about 2 hours southwest of St. Louis, MO.

Is it quiet? There usually isn't more than a handful of cars daily driving by on the gravel road, oh, the school bus and the mailtruck - but you could count those on that hand. Airplanes - hmmm, is that an airplane or a satellite way up there? Well, I must confess, sometimes jet fighters do come over and dog fight way up high - but that is so much fun to watch.

It is so quiet there that you can stand a football field apart and usually still be able to hear each other and understand!

Ok, but what is there to do? Swim in a crystal clear river, great for wading and places deep enough to jump in, where you can grab the Wilt's noodles and float down lazily. Hiking is just up behind the fields - follow fresh springs up to the starting points. Along the way your kids might just find a box turtle sunning itself, a frog hopping along, a pilated woodpecker pecking away.....

Here's the link - see why we love Koinania Cottage.