Weekend Trip to St. Louis

St. Louis Weekend Getaway

Looking for a quick getaway on a budget? Look no further than the good 'ole Midwest! As a girl who has lived in both the Chicago area and the Indianapolis area, I can say that St. Louis is one of the best big cities in the region for a fun and tourist-y weekend. Here you'll find my travel tips and tricks, along with my weekend itinerary! 

St. Louis Skyline

St. Louis Travel Tips

• Stay in an Air B&B instead of a hotel to live a little more like a local. Our Air B&B was in the Tower Grove neighborhood. We stayed in an entire one bedroom apartment with a full kitchen and bathroom for less than any of the downtown hotels. 

• If you're a baseball fan, plan your trip around a Cardinals game. Baseball season is March-September, not including post and preseason games. 

• Don't let the bad rep scare you away. Before going to St. Louis we were told about all the homeless people we'd see and about how much crime they have there, but we didn't see any homeless people around the tourist areas, and the only time I was afraid was when there was a raccoon on the back porch of our apartment.

• Plan some rest time. Take some time to go back to your hotel room or apartment to grab a snack, take a shower, or just rest for a few minutes. We always plan out some relaxation time during our trips, and we never regret it! 

Weekend Itinerary

Day 1: 

If you are from the Midwest and able to drive, I would highly recommend it. St. Louis does not have a lot of traffic, and the city is pretty easy to navigate. St. Louis does have an international airport, but it's about a 20 minute drive from the action.

Optional - Stop in Casey, IL

If you are driving from somewhere in the northeast (Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania) and taking I-70, you need to stop in Casey, Illinois. This town is home to less than 3,000 people, but is home to the world's largest rocking chair, wind chimes, mailbox, golf tee, knitting needles, crochet hook, wooden shoes, and pitchfork. When we were there in 2018, they were working on constructing the world's largest seesaw! The town also features a multitude of other large items that just don't hold records for being THE largest, like a pencil, an ear of corn, and a bird cage. 

World's Largest Wind Chime

World's Largest Mailbox

12:00pm - Gateway Arch 

With nearly four million visitors a year, the Gateway Arch is the landmark that St. Louis is most known for, and it is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the world. It is considered a National Park and a memorial to Thomas Jefferson for the westward expansion of the United States. It is the world's tallest arch and the tallest man-made monument in the Western Hemisphere. Travelling to the top of the Gateway Arch is a must-do when visiting St. Louis!  

The Gateway Arch in St. Louis

Admission: I would highly recommend purchasing your tickets in advance online at www.gatewayarch.com. They have several different types of tickets that you can buy, all more expensive than the next, but the ticket that you probably want is "Tram Ride to the Top". This ticket will get you into the Arch and up to the top of it. There are also Riverboat Cruises that you can add onto your ticket if you would like. When you purchase your ticket online in advance, you choose a time for your tram ride up to the top of the arch. When you go inside of the arch, you aren't really inside of the arch at all. You'll be in an underground museum. This museum is a great way to kill some time if you're early for your tram ride, but I didn't really find it too terribly exciting or interesting. 

The doors leading into the trams to take you to the top of the arch

To the Top: When I visited the Gateway Arch, it was a Saturday afternoon which is probably the busiest time throughout the week. Although I had purchased my tickets in advance, we still had to wait a very long time before actually getting on one of the trams. When your time frame for riding the tram begins, you can get into a line where they will check your ticket. You remain in that line until you finally get through a doorway where you are given a color and a number. This determines what tram you will be on and who you will be riding with. This is also where it gets tricky for large groups. Each tram only holds five people, so if you have more than five your group will be split up. When we visited, it was just my husband and I, and even then they tried to get us to ride in separate trams and save ourselves about 15 minutes of waiting. While you're waiting for the trams, they show a video and your tour guide gives you a few facts. The tram itself is very crowded, but the ride is only about five minutes long. 

At the Top: When the tram doors open, it's very crowded because there are people trying to get into your tram as you are leaving. When you're at the top, it's a narrow hallway with little windows where you can see the beautiful view of the city on one side and the river on the other. You can stay at the top for as long as you'd like. 

Dining: If you need a quick bite to eat the Arch View Cafe is a waterfront, outdoor restaurant (open April-October) with classic American cuisine, like burgers and chicken strips, for very reasonable prices. 

Parking: We paid and parked along the river, leaving us right next to the cafe, and just a short walk up some stairs to the Arch. There are also parking garages nearby that you may park in for a fee.  

2:30pm - City Museum 

The name City Museum is quite misleading because the City Museum is not just a stuffy old building with facts about the city of St. Louis. It is much, much more. It's basically a random, huge, jungle gym/playground for kids and grown-ups made of junk. I would NOT recommend this for younger kids or older people because it is very easy to get lost, and it is very physically exhausting. If you have a problem with climbing stairs, this is not the place for you. 

City Museum Rooftop

Admission: Tickets to the City Museum can be purchased online. If you are up for staying out later and visiting on a Friday or Saturday night, you can save a few bucks by purchasing a night ticket which allows you to visit between 5pm and midnight. It's an extra $5 for roof access which is totally worth it because they have some awesome stuff up there! 

What to Wear: Definitely wear tennis shoes. Leave the cute shoes at home for this one. You'll be climbing up ladders and on ropes at this museum and the last thing you'll want to worry about is losing a sandal. When we visited Labor Day weekend, it was very hot, and I was very sweaty, so keep that in mind when you're packing. 

Climbing up a narrow staircase at the City Museum

Exhibits: There aren't really exhibits in this museum, but there are some super fun things I would like to highlight. From the first floor, you can start climbing through the caves. These caves seem to go up forever, but if you have small children be careful because it is very dark and easy to get lost. There is also a big fish that is fun to climb around in. The second floor had an aquarium that was kind of empty or maybe under construction while we were there. The strangest thing about this place is that there were a lot of parts to it that looked unfinished, which hopefully means that they'll be adding more cool stuff in the near future! The third floor looks the most like a museum. It has a circus, some art, and a small cafe with some food. The fourth floor had another art gallery and looked a little bare and unfinished when we visited. The rooftop was really neat. After climbing a million stairs to get there (I wish I had worn my Fitbit this day!) we finally arrived on the rooftop where there were a ton of things to climb, slide down, and explore! There was also a Ferris wheel and a bar serving alcoholic drinks! They have something fun for everyone! 

Fun chairs on the Rooftop

Parking: There is plenty of parking close to the museum that you'll have to pay around $10 for. The parking that the museum advertises is cash only. 

6:00pm - Dinner from Imo's Pizza

Imo's is known as the original St. Louis style pizza. There are several of these restaurants in the St. Louis area, and if you're exhausted from climbing around the City Museum and can't feel your legs anymore, they will deliver to you. I am a big fan of pizza, and I give Imo's two thumbs up! It is absolutely delicious! 

Day 2: 

10:00am - St. Louis Zoo

The St. Louis Zoo is America's Best Free Attraction. I have been to a quite a few zoos, and for being a free zoo, this is one of the best! I am a firm believer that zoos are for more than just entertainment, they are for education, scientific research, and conservation.

Sea Lions at St. Louis Zoo

Exhibits: The St. Louis Zoo has 6 Zoo Zones that feature all different kinds of unique habitats and over 600 species of animals. While admission to the zoo is free, there are extra activities that you can do at the zoo that will cost you, such as safari tours, carousel rides, and the sea lion show. The zoo also has some very pretty, park-like areas and gardens in the back near the birds that are less crowded and more tranquil.

Bird Gardens at St. Louis Zoo

Dining: There are several different places to get food from at the zoo, and yes it is overpriced as expected. They have everything from alcoholic drinks in pineapples to Starbucks to Asian stir-fry. We weren't too shocked by the price of sharing chicken strips and fries though, since our last trip was to Disney World. If it's a super hot day, like it was when we visited, you can find some indoor dining options.

Parking: While the zoo's website advertises $10 parking, we arrived at the zoo early and were able to parallel park along the zoo's wall for free!

2:00pm - Anhueser-Busch Brewery

The Anhueser-Busch Brewery is home to the Budweiser Brewery Experience. This brewery was founded in 1852, and it is now the largest and oldest brewery site. The best thing about this brewery, is that you can just go hang out in the Biergarten, or you can pay to get an official tour. The most important thing is that you get a drink.

Anhueser-Busch Brewery

Attractions: The Biergarten is a bar that anyone can enter and choose from a huge menu of all sorts of Budweiser drinks. I got a special frozen flavored Lime-A-Rita from a special machine that they have, and it was delicious! There is a complimentary general brewery tour that anyone can take, but it is first-come, first-serve, and often sells out on busy days. You can reserve a spot for $5 ahead online. There are also several other tours that you can take ranging from $10-$35. While most attractions are available to children, there are a few tours that you must be 21 or older to participate in. The interior of the main building is almost like a small museum and has a great gift shop. When we were visiting there was a car show and a live band going on outside. This was a really cool experience, and if you're on a budget you can just walk around and look at everything for free!

Anhueser-Busch Brewery

4:00pm - Grant Farms

Grant Farms is located about ten miles from the city, and is home to the Budweiser Clydesdale horses, along with many other animals. They have a petting zoo, carousel, animal shows, and camel rides! Admission is free, but many of the activities cost an extra fee. Summer hours are extended until 8pm, but if you are visiting September-April it closes at 3:30 so you will want to visit Grant Farms before the brewery.


6:00pm - Dinner at the Shaved Duck

Located in the Tower Grove neighborhood, the Shaved Duck is one of the top rated restaurants in St. Louis. When we visited, they were insanely busy and have very limited seating. We were also disappointed to find that they were out of ribs when we got there. We still got to try some of their award winning BBQ on the smothered fries and pulled pork flatbread. If you're in a hurry, do not go here, but if you're looking for yummy, unique food and live music, check out the Shaved Duck.

Day 3: 

Get brunch at one of the many different breakfast restaurants in St. Louis, before heading home! Check out this article from the Riverfront Times for some delicious spots for brunch.

Updated by Lauren on 12/28/2018

Have you visited St. Louis? Comment below and let me know your favorite place to visit!

Xoxo,

Lauren