Need a Getaway? How about Hermann, MO?

At the end of March, my husband and I were anxious to have a short getaway so decided to take a weekend trip to some of the wine country in Missouri.  Traveling to Chicago in the past, we had seen signs for St. James Winery and talked about returning one day to visit some of the wineries in the area.  I had also seen an article in an old Southern Living magazine about the wine trails of Missouri, so I began to research a little bit. We had visited the wineries in Altus, Arkansas and had a day trip, so we thought why not see what Missouri has to offer and make it a weekend getaway.

Where to Go for the Getaway?

As I did some research, I found Hermann, MO. Since the travel opportunities were just beginning to open back up, I wanted a small place that wouldn’t have lots of exposure and would allow us (really, me) to get used to being out and about among people again.

We left on Friday, March 26 and drove the 5 hours or so to Hermann. It is a quaint, beautiful town located on the Missouri River. We could see the river from our room and from just about any place in town.

First Night of the Getaway

We checked in at the hotel, the Inn at Hermannhof, which appeared to be on the main drag (237 East 1st Street), and also where we would have complimentary breakfast. Our actual room was at the Weinert House just a few minutes away. The cottages/houses sit atop the hill and provide an amazing view of the town and the Missouri River. One inside the house, we went up some steep steps to our rooms. Since I booked at the last minute, we had to take what was available. There was a space with twin beds and then another room that had a queen bed. For the life of me, I cannot remember the “name” of the room we stayed in (that is why I should take notes instead of relying on memory).

Parking was a little tight but, overall, the accommodations were great. I will say that my husband noticed that the area under the bed hadn’t been cleaned very well. When we brought that to the attention of the clerk at checkout, she was very apologetic and said they would get it fixed. She asked if we wanted a free bottle of wine to make up for it. I said no, but not sure why. Maybe because I had bought enough during our stay :-).

Disclaimer

The Inn at Hermannhof also is diligent to make this disclaimer on their website and in their confirmation emails: “Just as a reminder, Our Inn is a historic building and is conveniently located across the street from the Amtrak train station for our guests who decide to travel by the rails. It is also possible you might hear or feel the train ride through town while you stay at our Inn.” We were staying up the hill from the main “Inn”, but my husband still heard the trains when they came through. I didn’t while sleeping.

Friday night we had a delicious meal at The Tin Mill Restaurant (you can see the restaurant in this picture taken from the window of our room). I had the Seafood Spätzle & Cheese that was soooo good and a glass of Vidal Blanc. My husband ordered a beer sample flight of Tin Mill Brewery beers and the prime rib. Loved the atmosphere and the service was excellent.

Saturday of the Getaway

On Saturday after eating breakfast at the Inn (which was very good!) and getting coffee at Stomp’n Grounds Espresso Bar, we walked around the town a bit because, after all, it was morning and a little too early to start tasting adult beverages. We stopped in a few shops. At one shop called Topiaries, we bought a lovely moon, sun, and star wind chime to hang around our front porch area. We stopped in at Back Home Again and perused the collection of Nutcrackers, steins, mustards, jams, and much more. There are several antique stores in town as well, and we stopped in a couple of those. We really just enjoyed walking around and seeing the town, soaking in the beautiful sunshine, and feeling the crisp morning air.

First Wine Tasting

We visited the G. Husmann Wine Co first. Very interesting history of this winery, and we were disappointed that the Hermann Farm Museum and Tours were closed (partially due to renovations and partially due to COVID and the time of year we were there), but we learned a little about the history from the woman pouring the samples. One wine that particularly caught our attention was the Blackberry Rhapsody (a little too sweet for me, but I still liked it).

Next, The Distillery

Next, we visited the Black Shire Distillery (the one at First and Gutenberg in downtown Hermann) and tasted an assortment (well, my husband tasted most of them and I only did a couple – too much for me). The hostess was very helpful and we (he) enjoyed the samples. What I really liked was the blackberry whiskey lemonade drink they had available that was so delicious! Sharing one of those drinks, we sat out in the sun at a table in the patio/outdoor area.

We met a very nice couple from the Bull Shoals Lake area. While we all drank our blackberry whiskey lemonade, we talked with the couple. They informed us that they had planned to attend the Hermann Wurstfest which takes place (according to the website) the fourth week of March. Unfortunately, it had been cancelled in 2020 and again in 2021 as places were still in the process of deciding if it was time to open things up again. It looks like a fun time, though, based on what the couple said, and they come to it every year.

Lunch and Second Wine Tasting

We were getting hungry, so we went to the Hermannhof Winery & Deli. All I wanted was the pretzel sticks with beer cheese (which I couldn’t finish) and some water! My husband ordered a Rueben and a Tin Mill Brewery beer. After sitting down outside, we saw the couple we had met at the Black Shire Distillery and asked them to join us. After lunch, we did the wine tasting. Come to find out we had coupons given to us by the Inn at Hermannhof for free wine tasting. The hostess asked us for it, and I remembered that I had put them in my purse! The hostess was great! I liked the dry rosé and the White Lady of Starkenburg (a bottle of this was in our room when we arrived). We bought three bottles (one rosé, one white, and one red).

It’s Only 2:00 – Now What?

The couple had also told us that the Swiss Meat & Sausage Company was THE place to buy great sausages. We decided to drive there and check it out. The variety of different sausages was extensive, and we bought eight different kinds (I believe 4 sausages in each package). Freezing them after returning home, we have enjoyed those when making a roasted broccolini and sausage.

Baseball and March Madness

We went back to our room after returning from Swiss Meat & Sausage Company to take a break and to watch some Razorback baseball. The NCAA Basketball Tournament was also going on at the time, and for dinner we wanted to find a place where we could watch Arkansas v. Oral Roberts University in the Sweet 16. The couple (again) had told us about Wings-A-Blazin as THE spot for wings in Hermann (the only spot??). We figured there would be televisions there with sports broadcasting. When we arrived, there were people waiting outside, and it was at least a 45 minute wait. We decided to wait and caught the beginning of the game watching on my phone while we were standing outside.

Dinner Saturday Night

Once we got in, the place was so loud and crowded (hence, the wait). No one was wearing a mask and the noise eventually produced a headache. It had been almost a year since I had been in such a crowd, in such noise, and in such discomfort. We were seated at a table. Then they asked if we wanted to move to a booth. We did because we could see the television better. It seemed like it took awhile to get our order, but we were watching the basketball game and being in the booth made me feel a little better about sheltering from the crowd (at least that is what I told myself).

The wings were good, but, if I am to be honest, no wings have yet compared to those that we get at The Rail or Parkside in Rogers (same owners of both restaurants). The Razorback basketball team won 72 to 70 over Oral Roberts, so we were happy about that. Davonte Davis hit a short jumper with 2.9 seconds left. Arkansas advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time in 26 years. (Unfortunately, they lost in the Elite 8 to Baylor who went on to win the NCAA Tournament). I digress. By this time, we were spent and went back to the room.

Sunday Morning

Sunday morning we had our breakfast at the main Inn at Hermannhof. The breakfasts were good and were different each morning. Quiche, fruit, yogurt, pancakes, sausage, and bacon along with coffee and orange juice were served. There may have been something else – I just can’t remember.

After breakfast, we bought some coffee drinks at Stomp’N Grounds Espresso Bar and headed for home.

A Lovely Little Getaway

We saw two different bridal parties there, so it appears to be a nice destination for such events. It was a nice weekend getaway, and way back in March, it felt good to have a change of scenery. Hermann, MO has a rich history, beautiful surroundings, and nice people. There are other wineries in the area, but since we arrived Friday evening and left Sunday morning, we only had Saturday to visit and tour. I would recommend staying a little longer if you want to partake in more than two wine tastings and visiting one distillery. That’s quite enough for one day. We had a lovely time on our getaway, and it was a much needed change of scenery.

And, note to self: Take notes while on the trip. Write down the details in your writer’s notebook. Just because you think you will remember everything, you won’t. The thought that “I will write this right after I get back” will not come to fruition. Life happens in between, and poof! Four months have passed since the trip.

Tagged getaway, missouri, travel