A Weekend Getaway to St. Louis

Before there was the city you see today, St. Louis was the gateway to the westward expansion. Discover its colorful history with a visit to the Museum at the Gateway Arch down on the riverfront. This innovative and interactive attraction celebrates America’s pioneering spirit. 

Cap off your visit with a tram trip to the top of the 630-foot monument and enjoy a breathtaking view of the city.

At the foundation of nearly all genres of music, you’ll find the blues. And if you’re looking for the blues, you’ll find it on Washington Avenue downtown. Experience the living history and make a little music of your own using their technology-driven exhibits. Then sit down in the Lumiere Place Legends Room in the museum and lose yourself in some of the best of the blues around.

Seek – and find – inspiration around every corner at the Saint Louis Art Museum in Forest Park. Browse permanent collections and rotating exhibits, and enjoy special events and programs for kids and special events. And you’re sure to love the building – the last remaining structure from the 1904 World’s Fair.

You might not know this, but the Show-Me State was a pivotal battleground during the Civil War. Learn more about the role we played as you explore the story of the thousands of men and women who lost their lives in the conflict. The museum is one of several history museums located at historic Jefferson Barracks, about 13 miles south of the city.

The city is known for its barbecue, so you’re definitely going to want to try at least one of the best St. Louis has to offer. Sugarfire Smoke House is famous for its Cuban Reuben and boasts they have the best brisket in town. You can choose from five St. Louis area locations.

It’s hard not to feel cool inside Olio, a renovated 1930s gas station in the Botanical Heights area. This modern Israeli restaurant has both old-school charm and a contemporary edge. The cuisine is Mediterranean at heart with nods to the Middle East, southern Europe and North Africa. In the Botanical Heights area. 

Chef-Owner Kevin Nashan and his team at Sidney Street Café in Benton Park have been pushing the boundaries of contemporary American cuisine for more than a decade. Nashan blends his Spanish heritage and his classic French training with his love of the Midwest for a sophisticated and thoughtful dining experience.

When it’s time for dessert – or just a treat – you can’t beat a specialty “concrete” shake from the famous (a Route 66 original since 1929) Ted Drewes in Lindenwood Park, a Route 66 original since 1929. Located in Lindenwood Park, the take-out only location is a perennial favorite.

St. Louis’ oldest soda fountain, Crown Candy Kitchen, is famous for house-made chocolates and extravagant ice cream treats (not to mention their enormous BLT sandwich!). Your sweet tooth is going to love the place.

A great place to start play time in St. Louis is at Union Station’s new aquarium, which features more than 13,000 animals in 44 exhibits, including a rare blue lobster named Lord Stanley in honor of the St. Louis Blues winning the Stanley Cup. 

There’s so much to do here, you can make a weekend of it. Paddle boats on the lake, dine at the Boathouse, play golf, visit the Planetarium, explore the Science Center, browse through the art museum and spend a day (or two!) at the zoo.

The world-renowned zoo in Forest Park is always a top ten in the nation. Go nose-to-nose with a polar bear in a state-of-the-art habitat, experience what it would be like to be surrounded by sea lions and visit our pair of grizzly bears. Best of all, admission is free.

Housed in the 600,000-square-foot former International Shoe Company, the City Museum is a kids’ fantasyland. There are five- and ten-story spiral slides, a working 1940s Ferris wheel on the roof and the world’s largest jungle gym.

This one’s mostly for the grown-ups: book your own Anheuser-Busch Brewery tour. Pick your favorite from a variety of tours offered, like the Day Fresh Tour where you follow the journey of a beer from seed to sip or the Beermaster Tour to see behind the scenes. If you have youngsters along, check out the Horses & Heritage Tour that includes getting up-close with the giant Clydesdales and a sampling for guests aged 21 and older.

For concerts, comedy, dramas, musicals or even architecture, you can’t miss a trip to the Fabulous Fox Theatre in the Grand Center neighborhood.

There’s fun for the whole family when you take them out to the ballpark downtown for a St. Louis Cardinals game. Get there early so you can watch batting practice or you can take a tour of the stadium.

Enjoy the fast pace of the 2019 Stanley Cup Champions – the St. Louis Blues NHL hockey team. A trip to the Enterprise Center downtown for a game is always filled with excitement.

This is a great choice if you want to be in the center of everything … close to the Enterprise Center, Busch Stadium, the Arch and so much more. Plus, enjoy two restaurants, swimming pool and fitness center and the history and  light show in the Grand Hall.

The Last Hotel is the re-imagining of the former International Shoe Company building in the heart of St. Louis’s Garment District. The boutique hotel features 142 eclectic-chic guest rooms and a rooftop pool and lounge.

This restored circa 1900s mansion in the Compton Heights Neighborhood offers four well-appointed guest rooms with luxurious linens and furnishings, jetted tubs, a spa room, a backyard garden and a complete, hot breakfast.