Weekend in St. Louis

Arrival day!

Whether by plane, train, or car STL is happy to have you!

If you don't come by car, renting one is a good idea. There are ubers in the area, but St. Louis is a very car-dependent city with many attractions being spread throughout the area.

For hotels, I would recommend staying in Clayton or Central West End to be centrally located around the attractions. Both of these areas have their little "downtowns" so you still get the city vibe while also being safer than downtown for tourists :)

St. Louis is a very food-focused city so come ready to EAT. Your first stop is lunch at Pappy's Barbeque in the city. The line may be long, but you can also call ahead and take it to go.

After, Forest Park is a great place to walk around and help you digest all that great food. Forest Park is HUGE so if you stay close to there, you can take advantage of all the different trails and attractions in there.

For dinner, head over to the Italian part of town called The Hill. There are TONS of great options down there - Zia's, Mama's, Charlie Gitto's, but my personal favorite is Cunetto House of Pasta. Their ravioli is a deliciously large portion that I still dream about.

Finish your day with a trip to the famous Ted Drewes Frozen Custard and you won't be sorry!

Today is a Choose Your Own Adventure! St. Louis has more to offer than you'd think, so choose from some of the options and create your best itinerary.

For breakfast, go to City Coffee & Creperie in Clayton. Pro tip: get 1 sweet and 1 savory crepe and split with someone else to make sure you get allll the flavors! OR, you can head to Kirkwood for their Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings.

After breakfast, head downtown to see the St. Louis Arch! You'll want to get tickets ahead of time, but it's well worth it for the history and the views. This will take a little over an hour, but feel free to explore the grounds afterwards and take great pictures here!

After, you can make your way to Busch Stadium to see the St. Louis Cardinals play at home OR the adjacent Ballpark Village for lunch and watch any games of any sports on their big screen. Alternatively, check out the St. Louis Blues nearby at Enterprise Center!

If sports isn't your thing, instead go to Laclede's Landing directly north of the Arch. This historical area has many restaurant choices including the local-famous Old Spaghetti Factory.

When you're done, you have a few options.

First, you can go just south to Anheuser-Busch Brewery and do any of their tours. If you're around in the holiday season, highly recommend their Christmas lights. You can follow it up with a trip to Tower Grove Park and the adjacent Botanical Gardens which has great exhibits year round! OR if you want to keep the party going, head just north to Soulard (home of the 2nd largest Mardi Gras in the country) with great bars like Molly's and McGurk's (this area also has a great farmer's market that I would highly recommend!)

If you want to drink but beer isn't your thing, head to Missouri wine country in Defiance, MO, just around 40 min from downtown. I would recommend Chandler Hill Vineyards for great views. Please note the roads in this area are windy - so be smart and safe and plan to leave with a designated driver before dark.

If you're not a drinker at all, head to the historic Grant's Farm. This is the former Busch house and directly next to President Grant's old home. Now, it is home to farm animals including the famous Anheuser-Busch clydesdales! There are plenty of activities for people of all ages here.

No matter your choice earlier, I'm sure you'll be hungry for dinner, and there's no better option than St. Louis renowned Imo's Pizza. Did you know STL has it's own type of cheese? Well now you know!

You'll want to get their regular thin crust pizza and a side fo toasted raviolis that will change your life. Whether dine in or take out for a picnic in Forest Park or at your hotel's patio, you literally cannot go wrong here.

Last day!

Before you head to the airport, head back to Forest Park to explore some of their museums.

For breakfast, stop in at Colleen's in Clayton for some nice treats OR Nathaniel Reid bakery in Kirkwood. For something more hearty, check out any location of the Shack, but get there early to avoid lines!

The Zoo, always free, is a great place to start. Then head to the Art Museum just up the street. If museums aren't your thing, enjoy Art Hill right in front of the museum, a popular spot for sledding in the winter. And you can finish at the History Museum.

For lunch, go to the Boathouse in Forest Park and finish with a paddleboat ride steps from where you'll eat lunch!

If you have a late flight in the summer or an extra evening, consider visiting the Muny outdoor theater for great plays and musicals all summer long.

Hope you have as much fun in my town as I do!