Interstate 44

Attractions Near I-44

Although I-44 is somewhat smaller than the giant east-to-west and north-to-south interstates, there are still a great number of things to see and do along the way. It's a great interstate to get off the beaten path as well, where you can find hidden gems in cities like Branson, Missouri. Here are just a sample of fun things you might find along this Midwest highway:

• Gateway Arch Riverboats St. Louis, MO
• St Louis Arch and Museum St. Louis, MO
• City Museum St. Louis, MO
• Anheuser Busch Brewery and Tours St. Louis, MO
• Six Flags St. Louis Eureka, MO
• Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium Springfield, MO
• Silver Dollar City* Branson, MO
• Branson Landing* Branson, MO
• Arboretum and Linnaeus Teaching Gardens Tulsa, OK
• A Gathering Place for Tulsa Tulsa, OK
• Oklahoma Aquarium Tulsa, OK
• Tulsa Zoo Tulsa, OK
• Riverwalk Crossing Tulsa, OK
• Science Museum Oklahoma Oklahoma City, OK
• Bricktown Oklahoma City, OK
• Myriad Botanical Gardens Oklahoma City, OK
• National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Oklahoma City, OK

* 50 minutes Off I-44 *

History

A portion of I-44 existed before the road was designated an interstate. In Oklahoma, a road called the Turner Turnpike already ran between Oklahoma City and Tulsa. This would eventually become a part of I-44.

After the Federal Aid Highway Act was signed in 1956, Missouri conceived the idea for Interstate 44, which would run next to the famous Route 66. During construction of the road, Missouri state officials lobbied the federal government to name it Interstate 66, but federal officials denied that request. Construction of I-44 was completed across Missouri in 1972. Sadly, this ended the usefulness of Route 66, but it also opened the door for millions of travelers to reach the plains and southwest.

States I-44 Travels Through

I-44 travels through two states. It barely misses entering Kansas by about 500 feet, and also falls a few hundred feet short of entering Illinois on its eastern edge.

• Missouri
• Oklahoma

I-44 Major Cities

There are a number of mid-size to larger cities Interstate 44 passes through on its journey. These include:

• St. Louis, Missouri
• Springfield, Missouri
• Joplin, Missouri
• Tulsa, Oklahoma
• Oklahoma City, OK

Major Connections & Interchanges

Because of its location in the United States, and its diagonal stretch across the Midwest, I-44 connects to a number of large interstates. Each year, a considerable amount of goods and travelers reach a vast amount of the continental United States by utilizing this road.

• St Louis, MO I-55 N to Springfield, IL I-55 S to Memphis, TN I-70 W to Kansas City, KS I-70 E to Indianapolis, IN
• Joplin, MO I-49 N to Kansas City, KS I-49 S to Bentonville, AR
• Oklahoma City, OK I-35 N to Wichita, Kansas I-35 S to Dallas, TX I-40 E to Little Rock, Arkansas I-40 W to Albequerque, NM

Information