An enormous arch representing the gateway to the West. A zany museum full of caves, slides, and a bus teetering over the sting of a roof. Toasted ravioli and gooey butter cake. Whereas many individuals solely know St. Louis for the arch, there are such a lot of extra issues to do throughout a weekend in St. Louis, Missouri which can be bizarre, fantastic, and fully distinctive.
From exploring the luxurious Forest Park (double the dimensions of Central Park), testing one in every of their many museums, and consuming some decadent native delicacies and a few actually forward-thinking delicacies, St. Louis is a midwestern gem value taking the time to discover.
The primary time I visited St. Louis I used to be stunned by the huge cultural and creative range of the town, with lots of the museums (together with the artwork museum and zoo) completely free to the general public. St. Louis is a superb place to go to, and there’s a lot you may pack in a weekend in St. Louis, Missouri!
Psst: Planning a visit to the midwest? Listed here are another superb posts:
On the lookout for extra USA inspiration? We now have a MASSIVE journey information for all our favourite locations within the US and useful recommendation, packing ideas and journey guides. Click on the hyperlink under to obtain!
The Excellent Weekend in St. Louis, Missouri FAQs
Listed here are a few of the issues which can be good to know on your weekend in St. Louis!
The Finest Time to Go to St. Louis, Missouri
One of the best time to Go to St. Louis is in April or Could, or September or October. St. Louis has some brutally sizzling and humid summers (the primary time I visited in August – it was tough), and a few chilly lengthy winters, so it’s greatest to hit that candy spot!
September is a greater time to go to for those who hope to see the flora of the town in full bloom, together with the Missouri Botanical Backyard, as a result of in April and Could the backyard (and its huge lily pads) usually are not rising but.
The way to get to St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis form of feels smack dab in the course of most cities – 5 hours from Nashville and Chicago, 4 hours from Louisville, and two hours from Evansville, making it a simple highway journey for those who’re within the midwestern space.
Flying into St. Louis is an possibility as properly, and the St. Louis Lambert Worldwide Airport is barely about quarter-hour from downtown, making it a simple possibility.
The way to get round St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis has a sequence of buses and trains, known as MetroLink and MetroBus respectively, that may get you across the metropolis fairly usually. The practice solely actually travels East and West, although it does department as much as the north to the airport, making it simple to take you into the town.
Utilizing ride-shares or a rental automotive could also be the best choice if you wish to get round a bit of extra shortly. Simply be sure to obtain ParkMobile to simply and shortly pay for road parking.
The Excellent Weekend in St. Louis, Missouri
A weekend is the right size to go to St. Louis Missouri, and also you’ll be doing issues like consuming native delicacies, visiting some superb museums, to going up within the one and solely Arch!
Weekend in St. Louis: Friday
As we speak you’ll be arriving in St. Louis, and having fun with an informal dinner at a brewery and taking in probably the most iconic St. Louis actions: A St. Louis Cardinal Recreation!
Dinner at 4 Arms Brewing Co.
When you arrive in St. Louis and get settled in your lodge (lodge suggestions on the finish of the article), you’ll head over to 4 Arms Brewing Co., an informal, but scrumptious, brewery that occurs to be solely .07 miles from Busch Stadium!
4 Arms Brewery & Tasting Room is spacious and rustic, with stunning wooden accents, wallpaper with hops on it, and arcade video games on the second ground. And we can not neglect the star of the present – beer! 4 Arms brews an intensive collection of beer, from their Fountain Sodie, a simple IPA with Citra hops, to their Ripple Wheat Ale, an ale with orange, to their Sparkler Laborious Seltzer that tastes like popsicles out of your childhood, and plenty of, many extra!
Their meals goes simply as onerous as their beer too, with an in depth menu of elevated and actually scrumptious bar meals. The buffalo cauliflower, nachos, and pretzels make wonderful starters, and their (big) spicy fish sandwich or frisco soften actually hits that greasy and beer-complimenting spot. Let’s simply say, that is the place to pre-game earlier than a sports activities occasion, and fortunately, that’s precisely what you’ll be doing subsequent…
Cheer for the Cardinals at a Baseball Recreation
Rising up as a theatre child, I didn’t spend a lot time doing or watching sports activities. So how might I do know that baseball, particularly in a giant stadium with a significant league group, might be so theatrical? The cheering, the announcer, the gamers, the beer, the recent canine… There’s a number of power throughout a baseball sport, and it’s infectious!
I used to be fortunate sufficient to attend a Cardinals vs. Dodgers sport on Could 18, 2023, after they hit their most dwelling runs in a sport ever with seven! I didn’t actually fathom what was taking place – it simply appeared like each 2 minutes the gang was going WILD with unhinged cheering. It was electrical, I used to be excited, I didn’t know why, however I cherished it!
All this to say, for those who love baseball, you’ll love going to a Cardinals sport, and for those who don’t, you in all probability find it irresistible anyway! Simply you’ll want to test their schedule to know what time their enjoying.
It’s solely the primary night and it’s already been a giant day! Time to return to your lodge, relaxation up, and prepare for day two!
Weekend in St. Louis: Saturday
Hope you’ve rested properly, as a result of it’s time for one more thrilling day that includes an area delicacy, two museums (together with one the likes you’ve by no means seen earlier than!), and a very good dinner.
Seize Espresso and a Gooey Butter Cake at Park Avenue Espresso
Gooey. Butter. Cake. Sure, you learn that proper. As we speak you can be beginning your day not solely with espresso, however with probably the most decadent, scrumptious native delicacies any metropolis has to supply.
Think about you made a cake with a skinny, flaky crust and the cake itself was custard-like in consistency, with the primary word of butter and sugar coming by means of. That’s Gooey Butter Cake, and it’s actually like consuming heaven for breakfast. The desserts are available in different flavors, however Mother’s Conventional offers you a style of one in every of St. Louis’s specialties.
There are Park Avenue Espresso places across the metropolis, however I recommend the Lafayette Sq. location because it’s nearer to your subsequent vacation spot!
Get Misplaced within the Metropolis Museum
Now that you simply’ve had sugar for breakfast like a toddler, it’s time to essentially really feel like a child once more…
For those who’ve by no means heard of the Metropolis Museum it doesn’t sound very thrilling judging by its title alone. However beneath the relatively plain title is a very strange ever-evolving artwork museum meets playground.
What was as soon as an previous shoe manufacturing unit in Downtown St. Louis has been remodeled into an artwork house that features sculpture, mosaics, slides, a bus that has been welded within the air, an airplane, a Ferris wheel, and a lot extra. Does it sound chaotic and onerous to outline? It positive is! Getting misplaced is a part of the magic of this museum, and with no maps, you’ll!
The Metropolis Museum was the brainchild of Bob and Gail Cassilly, internationally famend sculpture artists who needed to create interactive artwork on a giant, big scale! As we speak there’s over 600k toes of house on this museum, and it’s always being constructed upon by fellow sculpture artists.
A few of the coolest spots to search out within the museum are the caves, a 10-story spiral slide that was a shoe field chute (there are over 30 slides in all), the world’s largest pencil, an enormous assortment of taxidermy butterflies, moths and bugs, an actual circus you may watch, and the rooftop with a Ferris wheel with gorgeous views of the town and a bus that teeters over the sting of the constructing!
The Metropolis Museum won’t ever actually make sense until you go see it, and it actually is without doubt one of the most original museums ever constructed. Whereas youngsters love the museum, it’s nice for adults too! Simply be sure to don’t climb into any small areas you may’t get out of (and there are many these!)…
Lunch at The Fountain on Locust
The Fountain on Locust just isn’t solely scrumptious and near the Metropolis Museum (which is clearly a pre-requisite), however is Artwork Deco themed and is like stepping again in time to a 20s/30s diner with numerous attractive accents and aptitude!
Below the painted blue ceiling with gold and black swooping accents and large geometric lamps, you’ll discover a cozy and informal ambiance that can have you ever someplace between desirous to make your silent film debut and doing the Charleston.
The meals right here principally consists of soups and sandwiches, which is fabulous as a result of they do them very properly. For a starter, attempt the Lottie Briscoe Bruschetta with candy balsamic, a barely chewy bread, feta cheese and contemporary tomatoes (I’m drooling fascinated by this). To your primary get a decide two, with their Signature Polish Dill Pickle Soup and their unimaginable Fig, Ham & Gouda Grilled Cheese.
I do know this all sounds superb, however one of many actual stars right here is their dessert. They’re the house of the Ice Cream Martini, which is strictly what it seems like – delectable liquors blended with ice cream in a martini glass! I personally love the Espresso Martini, however they’ve 20 flavors to select from!
In addition they tout the World’s Smallest Ice Cream Cone, which is about as large as your thumb in a sugar cone with a tiny scoop of ice cream. It’s so kitschy and enjoyable and you’ll even get a complete flight of various flavors.
For those who sit in a sales space (request one!), a few of them have old-timey telephones with a radio drama you may pay attention to love you’re truly within the Twenties!
Take Instgrammable Photographs at Partitions Off Washington
An ideal place to take a bit of cease on the best way to your subsequent exercise, is the Partitions Off Washington, a big assortment of over 25 thought-provoking wall murals by native, nationwide, and worldwide artists. It’s simple to take a self-guided strolling tour of the murals, strolling previous colourful renditions of wildflowers, cartoon characters, and tales and individuals who hailed from St. Louis.
Among the best murals celebrates the lifetime of Josephine Baker, who was a St. Louis native and went on to change into a significant stage star within the Twenties, ultimately shifting to Paris the place she turned the toast of the city. She was known as the “Black Venus” and ultimately renounced her US citizenship after marrying a Frenchman, since Paris was a complete lot much less, you recognize, racist than America was.
Partitions Off Washington is a good way to faucet into the inventive group of the town, and study extra about its colourful previous. You’ll want to cease within the Excessive Low Espresso Store within the Kranzberg Arts Basis, and take a look at their free gallery!
Discover Forest Park and the St. Louis Artwork Museum
Simply an 11-minute drive from the Fountain on the Locust is the St. Louis Artwork Museum, which includes driving by means of the completely gorgeous Forest Park.
Forest Park was devoted in 1876, was dwelling to the 1904 World’s Honest, and is over 50% larger than Central Park at 1300 acres. Let’s simply say this park has some historical past.
Earlier than or after the museum, take a look at a few of the most stunning elements of the park – just like the Jewel Field, an Artwork Deco greenhouse with flowers inside and a lily pond out entrance, and Artwork Hill, the expansive hill outdoors of the artwork museum which is nice for a stroll or a picnic.
The St. Louis Artwork Museum constructing itself is a shocking piece of artwork, the neo-classical structure designed by Cass Gilbert for the 1904 World’s Honest with its columns and arches overlooking the grassy slope. Inside, you’ll discover an expansive, and FREE museum, with the most important assortment assortment of German works outdoors of Germany, ja!
You may take a look at works by Matisse, Cassatt, and one in every of my favourite Monet items I’ve seen in individual. In addition they have an exquisite Egyptian exhibit with a shocking sarcophagus, medieval artwork, and loads of up to date and rotating displays to make you assume.
Although the museum is free, there’s a small price to park, however value it for a few hours at this excellent spot. After you’re accomplished on the museum, take a look at extra of the park or head again to your lodge for a bit of relaxation earlier than dinner!
Dinner at The Fortunate Confederate
When touring to a very cosmopolitan and fascinating metropolis like St. Louis, it’s important to make time (and a bit of money) for a pleasant dinner out. We’re speaking about chef-created, regionally curated, and completely scrumptious meals. And I’m not speaking about meals so frou-frou it leaves you wanting extra since you’re hungry, however meals so decadently delicious you need extra as a result of it’s scrumptious. The Fortunate Confederate delivers on this promise!
Situated near the stylish Soulard neighborhood, The Fortunate Confederate is an area as whimsical as it’s delicious. With hues of teal on the partitions, graffiti artwork, and chandeliers, this place provides off trendy-yet-classy vibes. However the true star in fact, is the meals!
The Fortunate Confederate has a 7-and-10-course menu with elective drink pairings, so what they really serve is as much as the chef and what’s in season. They do have an exquisite bar menu nonetheless, if you need one thing a bit of extra lowkey (and fewer expensive).
From the bar menu, attempt the focaccia and/or the cornbread to begin, each of that are extraordinarily flavorful and decadent, and so they have a large assortment of pickles and meat and fish like San Daniele prosciutto, tinned mackerel, and nation pate. One in every of my favourite issues is the rooster thigh with cabbage, smoked chili oil, and peanuts. It’s like one of the best rooster satay you’ve ever had.
Ensure that to get out their cocktails too, as they undoubtedly don’t disappoint. Attempt the Carry the Beet Again with dill infused vermouth, bleu cheese washed vodka, and beet peppercorn shrub, which I do know sounds wild, however is scrumptious and really pink.
After dinner, relaxation up, as a result of Sunday is correct across the nook!
Weekend in St. Louis: Sunday
As we speak we’ll be exploring the expansive Missouri Botanical Gardens, the long-lasting arch, and one other deal with that’s well-known in St. Louis!
Scent the Flowers on the Missouri Botanical Backyard
In case you are a plant and flower lover, the Missouri Botanical Backyard is like stepping right into a gorgeously curated Backyard of Eden – we’re speaking big lily pads, sweeping rose gardens, and even a 14-acre Japanese Backyard!
You possibly can simply spend a complete day within the gardens, however getting right here very first thing within the morning and spending a number of hours is certainly one of the simplest ways to take them in. Within the heat morning gentle, hop on a tram tour that takes you round a lot of the gardens with commentary. You’ll study how the moon gate of the Chinese language backyard is from St. Louis’s sister metropolis of Nanjing, how the Japanese Emperor planted a Japanese maple within the backyard, and the way over 100,000 bulbs are planted within the gardens a yr.
Earlier than you allow, ensure to take a look at The Climatron®, an enormous geodesic dome opened in 1960 that encloses over half an acre of dense tropical rainforest, together with 2,800 vegetation alongside waterfalls, bridges, unique fish, and a dense forest cover.
After you have your fill of plants (is that potential?) then you definitely’re going to go only a few minutes away to seize brunch!
Seize Brunch at Boxwood by Area of interest
From a botanical backyard to a plant retailer and restaurant inside an previous Twenties automotive warehouse? Sure, that’s proper! Now you may dine among the many vegetation inside a beautiful restaurant that might solely be described as a Pinterest dream.
As you may think about, Boxwood by Area of interest is vibrant and welcoming, permitting you to photosynthesize just like the vegetation round as you eat a scrumptious brunch worthy of any Instagram submit. Attempt the eggs benedict with sourdough toast, prosciutto, poached eggs, hollandaise, chili flakes, potatoes, and blended greens salad, or the cacio e pepe eggs that are gentle scrambled with pecorino & black pepper, sourdough toast, and blended greens salad.
For those who’d like to begin the day with some omega 3s, order the trout rillette with smoked trout, crème fraîche, chive, roe, crackers, and lemon. In addition they have a big collection of cocktails for a bit of brunch enjoyable, just like the Bowood 75 with 1220 gin, seasonal fruit, lemon, and glowing wine.
Within the hotter months, you may sit outdoors on the luxurious patio, simply be sure to make a reservation for this fashionable brunch spot!
Now it’s time to get excessive within the sky on the emblem of St. Louis!
See the Metropolis from the Arch
Nothing is extra iconic to St. Louis than the Arch, looming like an enormous silver boomerang over the Mississippi River. It’s a kind of visible emblems of America that’s onerous to overlook, and might be probably the most well-known monument within the Midwest!
It’s additionally the nation’s tallest monument standing at 630 toes, and although it doesn’t look it, it’s 630 toes from leg to leg at floor stage. This sounds very mathematical and spectacular, and I’m positive it’s. All I do know is that the Arch is supposed to symbolize the “Gateway of the West”, which can also be what the town of St. Louis is named, and sits on the nation’s smallest nationwide park.
Contained in the free Arch museum (which opened in 2018) you will see all types of interactive and ADA-accessible displays that specify the symbolism, conception, and constructing of the Arch (and extra about that pesky math). It additionally explains the settlement of the St. Louis space, westward enlargement, and doesn’t shrink back from telling the tales of the Native Peoples just like the Cheyenne Tribe and Lakota Nation which had been devastated by the colonization of America.
Whilst you might spend hours within the museum (and will, it’s actually cool!) the star of the Arch goes up 630 to the highest of the Arch by tram. Now, the tram is much less like a tram and extra like a tiny pod it’s important to squeeze into and matches roughly about 4 folks. Whereas it’s a bit claustrophobic and should make you are feeling such as you’re within the Jetsons or one thing, in 4 minutes you’ll be on the high of the Arch!
Up high of the Arch, you may peek out of small home windows that make you are feeling a bit such as you’re in an airplane, peering over the town of St. Louis on one facet and the Mississippi River on the opposite. When you are solely on the high for about 7-10 minutes, it’s sufficient time to snap some images earlier than you head again down once more. It’s a fairly distinctive and kitschy expertise, that hearkens again to American roadside points of interest. Positively, one thing it’s important to do no less than as soon as in St. Louis!
Seize a Native Delicacy at Metropolis Foundry
The Metropolis Foundry is its personal little metropolis inside itself – with an Alamo Drafthouse, the Metropolis Vineyard, a VR expertise, a supercool putt-putt place, retail retailers, and the center of the Metropolis Foundry, the Meals Corridor that includes 17 native and regional eating places!
Although it is probably not time for a correct dinner but, the Metropolis Foundry is a wonderful place for a snack (or two or three), and it’s an ideal spot to take a look at probably the most well-known native delicacies: Toasted Raviolis.
Toasted Raviolis, or T-Ravs for brief, had been mentioned to have been invented within the Italian neighborhood “The Hill”, the place a drunken chef unintentionally dropped a ravioli within the deep fryer creating the long-lasting dish by chance!
At STL Toasted be ready to attempt some basic toasted raviolis like the meat or cheese t-ravs with marinara sauce, and you’ll select two totally different flavors per order. In addition they have some extra non-traditional takes, like buffalo rooster and the loaded potato t-ravs and often have a t-rav of the day.
They even have candy takes on the savory dish, like the last word St. Louis well-known meals crossover: the lemon blackberry gooey butter cake ravoli!
Take within the Great thing about the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis
When you have time earlier than you allow, take a look at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis which you should have undoubtedly seen many occasions within the distance whereas driving, as it’s huge. The green-tiled dome stands 217 toes over St. Louis, and the Neo-Byzantine and Romanesque Revival structure with towers and domes catches your eye instantly.
It’s actually irrelevant whether or not you’re spiritual or not, as a result of this Basilica is completely a bit of art work in itself. Inside, you’ll be completely surprised by the glittering mosaic tilework on the ceiling, depicting colourful scenes from the bible like Mary in a flaming coronary heart surrounded by the twelve disciples. Enjoyable truth: there are 41.5 million glass tiles in 7,000 colours that cowl 83,000 sq. toes, and so they had been designed by Tiffany and Firm. This cathedral is designer (Catholicism, am I proper?).
One of many weirdest issues my husband and I discovered from a docent after we visited (who was so good and gave us an hour-long tour), is that within the Chapel on the correct if you stroll in has the hats of three Cardinals hung from the ceiling, and those self same three Cardinals are buried within the crypt beneath this chapel. These hats stay hanging because the holy man is in a kind of purgatory, being absolved for his sins till sooner or later the wire breaks (which does occur!). As soon as the hat falls, he has entered heaven!
Within the basement, there’s additionally a small museum (which asks for a $2 donation to go to), the place you may see how they put in the tiles, historic holy vestments (value $2 for this alone), and treasured previous Catholic objects.
Simply be cautious {that a} service could also be taking place as you go to, so be conscious you could not have the ability to enter the primary cathedral at sure occasions.
The place to Keep in St. Louis
St. Louis is a fairly inexpensive and straightforward place to discover a good place to remain, with loads of locations that shall be within the coronary heart of this itinerary. I’ve not included the place the place I had one of many worst lodge experiences (no working AC in August, folks cheerleading under our bed room window at 2am), although that’s an ideal story for one more day!
Listed here are some nice locations to remain:
- Angad Arts Lodge – This can be a fairly primary lodge however in technicolor! Every of the rooms is finished in a stable shade, with 4 decisions – purple, yellow, blue, and inexperienced. The rooms are spacious and the placement is centrally situated, so that you’ll be able to discover!
- Ultramodern Studio Loft – For those who favor extra privateness with a rental, this attractive loft is vibrant and ethereal, with loads of lounge room and large home windows overlooking the town. It’s additionally centrally situated, and able to be the right dwelling base for the weekend.
- 4 Seasons St. Louis – In order for you a critically ballin’ weekend in luxurious, the 4 Seasons is an ideal possibility. Whereas not low cost, the amenities and rooms are attractive, with views of the town or the Arch itself (the lodge is correct by the river). Cinder Home is a superb place to seize a meal, and their outside pool and bar overlooking the Arch is gorgeous.
About The Writer: Richie Goff is a Louisville, Kentucky native with an ideal love of the outside. When he isn’t rising flowers for enjoyable, he’s the Editor-in-Chief of Sensible Wanderlust and Let’s Go Louisville. He has been a buddy of Lia’s since highschool, and so they have taken loads of their very own disaster-prone adventures collectively!
What are you most excited for throughout your weekend in St. Louis, Missouri? Remark under!
Psst: Planning a visit to the Midwest? Listed here are another superb posts:
FOLLOW US!
Psst: Save this submit for afterward Pinterest!
Disclaimer: This submit was created in partnership with Discover St. Louis. All opinions and tremendous corny jokes are 100% our personal and completely not their fault.
Our High Journey Suggestions & Assets
- Reserving Flights: To attain flight offers, search on Google Flights or Kayak. Cash-saving ideas: fly mid-week or on the weekend; fly carry-on solely on a price range airline; and take red-eyes or early morning flights.
- Lodging: We often keep in budget-friendly trip leases, boutique inns or non-public rooms in hostels. We use Reserving.com to e book inns (we love their versatile cancellation coverage) and Hostelworld to e book hostels (low deposit, simple change/cancellation, and wonderful critiques). For trip leases, we favor to e book utilizing VRBO as a result of they have decrease charges and higher help than Airbnb, and we’re not followers of Airbnb’s unethical monitor file. You may as well e book trip leases on Expedia and Resorts.com. We additionally use TrustedHousesitters as each hosts (for our dwelling and our fur-child) and vacationers!
- Journey Insurance coverage: We at all times, at all times, ALWAYS purchase journey insurance coverage for worldwide journeys, and we STRONGLY recommend it – go to our Journey Insurance coverage Information to search out out why. We advocate both World Nomads or SafetyWing for worldwide journey insurance coverage. SafetyWing is without doubt one of the few insurance policies that covers Covid-19, and so they have wonderful month-to-month insurance policies which can be excellent for Digital Nomads and long run vacationers!
- Journey Credit score Card: We e book all of our journeys on our favourite journey bank card. Not solely will we earn money again that we are able to spend on extra journey, however the card affords incredible journey perks like journey insurance coverage, journey delay and cancellation protection, misplaced baggage reimbursement, and rental automotive protection, which helps shield us on our travels. Be taught extra right here.
- Vaccines & Meds: We use the journey guides on the CDC web site to analysis beneficial medicines and vaccines for worldwide journeys. We at all times advocate getting each vaccine beneficial by the CDC! You may get them at your main care physician’s workplace or a walk-in pharmacy.
- Excursions: We love reserving guided excursions, particularly meals excursions and strolling excursions, to get an area’s perspective and a historical past lesson whereas sight-seeing! We e book our excursions utilizing Viator and GetYourGuide.
- Transportation: We use Rome2Rio to determine tips on how to get from place to put, and e book native transportation on-line utilizing Bookaway wherever we are able to. Once we e book a rental automotive, we use DiscoverCars to match rental corporations and discover one of the best deal.
- Baggage Storage: At any time when we’re testing early or profiting from an extended layover, we use LuggageHero to securely retailer our baggage whereas we’re working round. Use the code PRACTICALW for two hours of free baggage storage on us.
- VPN Service: A VPN retains your digital data (like web site login particulars, financial institution information, and so on) protected, even if you’re linked to an unsecured community whereas touring. Plus, it permits you to use Netflix & different streaming websites overseas! We use NordVPN. Use the code WANDERLUSTPROMO if you join!
- What to Pack: Listed here are the journey necessities that we convey on each journey. We even have packing lists for sizzling climate, chilly climate, and plenty of extra. Check out all of our packing guides!
