A Day in Saint Louis

St. Louis is a great destination for everyone, because it has something for just about everyone. You can choose between a day at the zoo, sightseeing at the arch, a variety of museums, or a tour of the Budweiser factory. There is also something for every budget.

Quick Tips:

Since there is SO MUCH to do its best to make a plan of what you want the most before you go, but also stay flexible. Once you arrive you'll find out that there is so more that you want to see.

Best Way To Get Around:

Before arriving in St. Louis I spent one night in a Motel 6 in Caseyville, Illinois. The hotel itself was very nice for the price I was paying. Unlike most Hotel 6’s which have outside entrances to the rooms this one was completely inside. The front desk staff were amazing. They were so kind and helpful, even when there were long lines at the desk. They are really great at giving directions for driving or even if you want to try and attempt to take the bus into the city. The hotel is pet friendly. They even offer a basket of dog bones on the side of the check in desk.

The rooms themselves were well above my expectations. I had a single room, so the bed took up much of the space. The bathroom however was huge, and were the cleanest that I have seen and was in really good condition. The bathrooms were also spacious and very well lit. There is ample parking at the hotel. They warn you at the desk not to leave anything in your car, but since I was moving cross country I had very little choice. I parked my car behind the hotel so I could see if from my room, but had no problems leaving my stuff there over night. The best part of the room was the view. It is far enough away from St. Louis that it isn’t in the city, but I had a decent view of the arch and the skyline in the distance.

In the area there are a few places to eat such as a McDonald's and a Dairy Queen. If you want to drive around a bit there are other attractions in the general area. I didn’t bother because I already had to long day of driving behind me. I choose to stay in and have a very peaceful night in my room.

The next morning I woke and drove into St. Louis. The highway exit was right next to my hotel and the drive to my place to stay, which was right downtown, was only about 15 minutes away. So, if you are looking for a place to stay in St. Louis and you find that the process are too high or don’t want to stay in the city this is another option.

The Hampton Inn at Union Station was amazing. The lobby was huge and there were computers with free Internet connection as well as printing available. The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable about the area as well. The hotel was very clean and the rooms were very nice as well. They were a decent size, not to small not too big, and so were the bathrooms. In the rooms there is a mini fridge and a coffee maker as well as a desk and a very soft armchair with footstool. One wall is a huge window. Depending on which side of the hotel you are on you get a very nice view. I was in the back so I got a view of the back streets of St. Louis. Although, if you walk to the end of the hallway there is a huge glass window which gives you a magnificent view of the arch. The parking lot is gated and covered so that I felt safe parking my car there.

In the morning there is a complementary breakfast, which is very good. They serve everything from fresh fruit and yogurt to pastries and cereal. It lasts for several hours so if you are a bit of a late riser then there should still be something there. The other great part about the hotel is that is just a few blocks away from Union Station.

The best part about the hotel is the beds. They are so soft that I felt like I was sleeping on a cloud. I can honestly say that this was one of the best nights sleeps that I have ever had.

The only downside of the hotel is that the pool is locked. You have to get someone from the front desk to call a lifeguard. Then the lifeguard sits and watches you while you are in the water. The lifeguard is kind of creepy. He sat there the whole time with a security guard and talked about hot girls in the hotel that they wanted to screw or have screwed. Being a 24 year-old female I was a little freaked out, especially when I got out of the water and could feel their eyes on me.
Other than that I would say that the goods definitely out weight the bad.

The arch is a must see when you are in St. Louis. I choose to take a ride to the top, which was a great deal of fun. The ticket cost $10.00 and a tram to the top leaves about every 10 minutes. The trams were unlike anything that I have ever seen, since the technology was made especially for the arch. There is a movie that you can watch while at the arch that goes in depth on the building of the arch and the tram system that goes to the top. The tram itself is a small pod that fits 5 people. Once everyone is in, the doors shut, and you are shot to the top. It takes about 5 minutes to go up. Once at the top there are several small windows that you can look out. This is a great opportunity for a photo op of St. Louis. I was told that on a clear day you can see over 30 miles. After looking around for a while I went back down. The ride down only takes 4 minutes because gravity is working for you.

If you are looking to kill some time or don’t want to spend much money there are several other activities available in the base of the arch. First it is very nicely air-conditioned, so on those hot days this is the place to be. Secondly, there is a museum that details westward expansion. They boast the world’s largest collection of Indian Peace Metals, and offer at lot of information about pioneering days. There was even a man, dressed in period clothing, teaching children about the toys of that time period and showing them how to play with them. Don’t be fooled by this. It was so interesting that several of the adults were all too happy to try out the toys too. As part of the museum there is a section based on the architect of the arch. It is very interesting because it tells the story of how it was decided to build an arch. Within the base there is also a gift shop and a small candy shop.

Overall this is a great family activity.

Union Station is beautiful. It offers a great opportunity to shop and take pictures. Inside there are tons of shopping centers and a variety of fast-food places to eat. The station is also connected to a hotel, but the name of it escapes me at the moment. There are a couple of restaurants in the station as well.
Union Station is located just off the highway, and there is gated parking in the back that charges by the hour. I did see security patrolling the parking lot while I was there. One of the fun parts is a huge pond that they have, which is filled with fish. Kids can feed them and watch them jump on top of each other. There are also a couple of turtles hidden among the fish. If you are looking to relax, you can sit at an outside table, next to the pond, and eat.

I spent all day walking around St Louis and was more then ready for a break (the city is much bigger then it looks). I decided to walk from my hotel to the arch, which I could easily see from my hotel, what a mistake. A few hours later and what felt like a walk from one side of the state to the other in about 90 degree heat I made it to my destination a few pounds lighter. The arch is where tickets for going to the top can be purchased as well as Riverboat passes. I purchased a combined ticket up into the arch and on the riverboat as well. The cost comes out to be $10 per each attraction. The other big draw to the arch visitor center is that it is air-conditioned and at this point it was a bigger attraction then the arch itself to me.
The Riverboat Cruise down the Mississippi River is a nice way to relax after a long day. The ride lasts about an hour and allows for views of several attractions along the river and many opportunities to see the arch. The ship is a replica of the 19th-century steamboat named Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher that is in decent condition. Before I got on the crew took a picture me, which I had the option to buy when I got off. The cruise goes down the river in one direction for 15 minutes, backtracks, goes back in the opposite direction for 15 minutes and then goes back to the dock. It isn’t a very exciting trip and all the children, which there are many of, seem to run wild through the three levels of the ship. The captain gives a guided tour of the sights along the way, which are pretty boring. Most of the things to see along the harbor are old factories, a half sunken barge, and in the distance the Chain of Rocks Bridge, which is a major attraction along Route 66.
The ship itself isn’t the greatest. The two bottom levels are considered "inside" and there is a small concession stand. I suggest that you buy water and food before you get on because everything is over priced (water $2, a hand full of fires $3, etc.) The top level is outside. The chairs that are out there are basic lawn chairs. The only plus about this voyage is the amazing views of the Archway; otherwise, I would suggest that you save your money and spend it on something more exciting that St. Louis has to offer.

 

They offer a few different options for the tour. The first is a diner cruise with live music. The second is the sightseeing tour, which is what I took. Finally is the entertainment cruise where you cruise down the Mississippi while listening to music and watching fireworks.