As much a museum as it is a place to hide from bookies, anyone who is not a total jerk would love this cave. Please enjoy the bullet points below. *Sam Clemens, who we all know grew up to be Jackie Robinson, played in this cave as boy. *Much of Tom Sawyer, and a little of the far superior Huckleberry Finn took place here. *It was once used to perform experiments on how to preserve human corpses. The owner's daughter was left there in a cylinder for two years as part of the experiment. *It was likely used a hiding place for Confederate weaponry. *Jesse James hid there and left his signature. *Hundreds of others signed and dated a spot on the cave for a period of well over 100 years. *I saw a bat! read more

Growing up on the Mississippi River I felt like I had already experinced much of the same stuff Mark Twain described in His :Adventures of Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn" So when I was 12 yrs old my parents took me here to see the caves Mark Twain used to play in. The guided tour was very exciting quite a story. The whole adventure was remarkable and towards the end they even let us kids take off and run around hiding from each other in the caves. A great place for a family pit stop. Check it out @ http://www.marktwaincave.com/ read more

A cave tour? For claustrophobic me? I was definitely not excited about this. But I decided to just go for it. And I totally enjoyed it! It was one of the coolest things I have done. I could not believe the passageways and all the twists and turns in this cave! I was also intrigued by all the names of the people who signed the cave walls as they went through it. (You can not do that now. You will be fined for it!) Some of them are from the late 1800's, so it is just amazing to think about how many people have explored this cave! This cave is equipped with electricity and the guides do carry a walkie talkie and a flashlight should anything happen! But I thought it was just crazy when they turned the lights out and lit up one single light (that is as bright as a candle) to show us how it would have been exploring it with a candle! Oh my! I would not have come into the cave with just a candle! I would still be lost in there!! The story about the doctor Joseph Nash McDowell who actually tried to petrify the remains of his deceased daughter was creepy and interesting all at the same time! Jesse James (the bank robber, not the serial cheater) hid out in the cave and even signed his name on the wall! Our tour guide, Erin, was amazing! She was funny and really shared the history of the cave in a fun and memorable way! read more

The cave was cool for historical purposes, but otherwise was the crappiest cave I've been into. It's totally dead on the inside and all the graffiti is mind blowing. If you want to do the tour for the historical value, definitely do it! Our tour guide did a great job of incorporating some of the cave's history and some of the "Tom Sawyer" relevance into the tour, which was really fun. But if you want to do the tour to see a beautiful cave with remarkable geological features (thinking Onondaga or Meramec), definitely pass. read more

$15.95 for a 45 min tour is about double what it should cost. The history of the cave and Hannibal is more interesting than the cave itself. If you are looking to be wowed by the cave itself, prepare to be disappointed. There are no stalactites or stalagmites, in fact the one stalactite they did have was knocked down when they blew up the rock to make the entrance. The small section of soda straws is disappointing. read more

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From a cool/new/odd thing to do it was pretty awesome. The guide really made you imagine the life of Tom Sawyer and all the people who were involved in the life. The history is undeniable and you forget that you are hundreds of feet below ground. the only issue we had is there is a section of the cave that is no bigger than 18 inches wide. And while they warn you about the close quarters (and being claustrophobic) before you go into the cave, they don't warn you about this. And if you are a bigger person, you will have a hard time getting thru that part. When I told the workers of this after they fact, they got defensive and said "well we can't mention that, and possibly look at people and tell them they may be too big to get thru" and I said well then include it in the video you watch or something. If it wasn't for that one part, I would have rated it a 5. read more

This was fun to do with the whole family. Tour guide Morgan was great and dropped jokes every chance she got. It was a great value for the tour you are receiving. I highly recommend this cave tour if you're in the area. read more

This cave has been played in and explored by the general population since its discovery in the 1800's. Boyhood memories of it inspired the stories of Mark Twain. So, expect a well-used cave FULL of signatures dating up until the 1970's when it was finally preserved and a tour heavy on the folklore and light on the geology. The tour takes about a 45 minutes and begins with a short film about the history of the cave. I went with a class of 7th and 8th graders and was a bit weary by that point of our two-day trip so that may account for how annoying I found our guide to be. He was trying to be folksy and funny - I hope - but at that point I'd had my fill of wise-ass snarking masquerading as humor. I think a venue hoping to promote Twain's legacy can do a little better in that regard. The tour ends in the gift shop and there is a small winery across the way. read more

Pros: Nice cave, wonderful storytelling Cons: Cave not as rich in formations as some more recognized cave systems This is a fun tour through the cave that Mark Twain depicted in Tom Sawyer. There are some nice formations. The cave itself is not a stunner, though. It is nothing in comparison to something like Carlsbad Caverns. What made the tour entertaining was the tales provided by the guides. The stories are about Tom Sawyer and life in Hannibal. Bottom line the cave is beautiful, but don't come expecting to see mounds of crystal formations. Caves are all different and this one has less formations but more local history behind it. read more

First thing I have to say is I love caves! The presentation provided by the tour guide was funny, but there has been so much damage to the cave over the years (before it was a national monument) that I don't really see this as a "living" cave. By living I mean that there was very little evidence of water still coming into the cave to keep the cave growing via stalagmites and stalactites. I almost feel like they should open up other areas that have more of a living cave feeling. With that said, this is the second time I've done the tour, so it can't be so bad. My one real criticism of the tour was in the script of the tour guide. After telling us that it's illegal to write on the walls of a national monument she then proceeded to tell us that she'd turn her back and wouldn't know if this happened. Why add that? It's illegal, don't write on the walls, period. (Though there are thousands of names there). One suggestion, could you make an adult only tour for people who don't want to deal with inconsiderate parents that have rude, disrespectful children. I would have waited for a different tour if that was possible. read more

I think they may have tour every hour. We joined the 5 P.M. tour. It was really nice. Read the adventures of Tom Sawyer before you come if you can. read more

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Watch out when getting the 2 cave deal if the first tour runs late they dont even want to give the time to get a drink or use the restroom in outside nasty out dated outhouse....maybe they still had to carry water up from the creek idk.... I took my group of 9 to tour the mark twain cave on 6/28/20 we were one of the last tour groups of the day we get the 2 cave deal for like 40.00 each at the ticket booth I ask at the start if we would have enough time to do both tours they are like sure the first one starts at 3:30 second cave will be at 4:30 ok $300.00+ later we rush thru the first cave in a group of like 30 when we are supposed to be 6 ft social distancing so spread of we look like a herd of cattle cant hear anything the tour guide is saying plus trying to rush to grab pictures as I'm walking not getting a chance to stop look at anything so get that done right at 4:30 so were like can we get a second to grab a drink and use the restroom tour guy is like gotta go right now so my 50+ yr old mother goes uses restroom anyway this make guy so mad he starts speed walking up the gravel hill across the parking lot to the other cave so I just say forget it my kids knowing their hometown heiritage I just end up asking for a refund for the second tour and didn't even get a chance to do the fun one read more

I probably cannot imagine someone traveling to little Hannibal, MO to visit the Caves, but if you are in the area definitly worth a stop by. Its only like 15.00 for a guided tour, and its worth every penny. It just goes to show how many cool things there is to see in in the US. I never knew there was ever such thing as a "dead cave" until then. read more

This is one of the best attractions around the area! My family loves this place! We try to make it up to Hannibal at least every other year, the two hour drive is totally worth it in my opinion! Not only do they have a cave they have a souvenir shop. You are able to purchase a bunch of different merchandise(both for children and adults)to have memories of your time there....I got a coonskin hat... haha its sooo awesome! read more

a brilliant, historical and captivating experience. i would recommend that people take their kids there to embrace the history of mark twain and his creation of the classic HUCK FINN. a very great experience. lots to look at and experience. after you go through the caves, go home and read huck finn again. seeing twains old stomping grounds makes you be able to connect better to the book. read more

We stopped here unexpectedly (saw billboard). It was awesome. Very cool tour - our guide Logan was awesome. This is something you may never think of doing but is well worth it - takes about an hour and costs $16 per adult. I know it sounds like a lot but it is well worth it for an amazing piece of American history and folklore. Perfect for any Twain or Sawyer fans ( makes me want to read the books!!). Cool photo ops but just an amazing experience. read more

It's no Meramec, but the caves are still impressive. If you're in Hannibal, I recommend the tour, especially if you're a Twain fan.

The cave is a maze, not like any cave I have been on before. There are no grand rooms, and it is a dry cave, no water falls or beautiful colors. That said, it was interesting and fun to see. The owners employ young people to serve as tour guides. Having been on several tours recently, a guide can make the tour. Our guide was friendly and tried hard. However, more life experiences and better storytelling would have improved the tour read more

I was a tour guide for both Mark Twain and Cameron Caves back in the 1980's before I left for college. I still return to tour the caves anytime I have friends or family come in from out of state. It's a great place to go and a fun history lesson! The last time we toured the cave, the guide was Becky Thatcher. Every year, Hannibal elects a young man and woman to be Tom and Becky as ambassadors for the town. It was a real privilege for our tour guide to be Becky! If you have a chance, then read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer before touring the cave and it will make it more meaningful and a better adventure. read more

This cave is way better than Fantastic Expenses and is a deal for the price. My son was very excited as this cave houses one of Jesse James the Outlaw hideouts... My daughter is very into rocks and gems and stones and this cave allowed her to experience them. read more

We took our two boys during Tom Sawyer Days. They loved it! The history behind the cave is interesting. We also chose to purchase the gemstone sluicing experience and that was also a big hit with the boys. read more

Probably the best thing to see in Hannibal. Tour was very interesting, especially if you have read Tom Sawyer. Guide did a good job and we moved right along for the hour tour. Cave was quite cool on a hot and humid summer day. read more

I checked the website for hours of operation and it said open until 6 pm. My friend and I got there at 515pm and started browsing the gift shop. This woman came out of nowhere and shouted that they were closed. I mentioned the hours on the website and she got a major attitude with me, stating that the gift shop closes once the last tour leaves at 5pm (makes no sense to me but whatever). We were shocked and turned to leave, as a couple was walking up to the door. We informed them of the true hours and their response was "the website says they're open til 6." Yeah that's what we thought, too. Really wanted to visit, but I'll be skipping it on my next trip to Hannibal. read more

After touring the Twain House and Museum, of course we had to check out the cave that Mark Twain once explored (and the one he envisioned writing the cave scene in Tom Sawyer). We did the Mark Twain Tour (which has a tour leaving every half hour). NOTE: regardless of the temperature outside, it's 52 degrees in the cave year round, so if you get cold easily (like me) bring a sweatshirt or jacket. Thankfully I was told about that ahead of time and bought a souvenir Mark Twain sweatshirt while I was checking out shops in Hannibal. Our tour guide was Katie and she was amazing. She was very informative. There is a lot of walking on this tour and it gets a little cramped, so if you have issues walking or with tight spaces, this might not be for you. I'm borderline claustrophobic but I did okay during the tour. There are plenty of photo opportunities while you are in there (flash photography is allowed). It's worth a trip to see! read more

We enjoyed seeing this cave, after reading the Tom Sawyer books. My son had never been in a cave, and he thought it was pretty cool but a little scary. Nice tourist location. read more

nice walking tour other than the corny jokes. dry cave so it lacks a lot of the formation for those that enjoy cave exploration.

I came to Hannibal to see the famous caves in the area. I decided to tour Cameron Cave, because it was described as being in a more natural state than the famous Mark Twain cave. It wasn't very clear from the highway that both cave tours originate from the same site; I drove past the entrance some distance looking for another sign, then turned around and decided to inquire. Missing the first tour of the Cameron Cave by mere minutes, I decided to go shop, eat lunch, and come back for a later tour. When I came back, I was sold the wrong tour ticket. Getting a refund & sold the correct ticket, I THEN found out since I was the only one going, I am female & the tour guide was male, we couldn't go into the cave alone. Aaaaa! This whole situation was made more frustrating because the lady taking the money was hard of hearing. It was nearing time for me to head home, so I ended up not seeing any caves while I was in Hannibal. read more