Our ARCH-etypical St. Louis trip
I promised last week to tell you more about our spring break St. Louis trip, but then had such a weekend of catching up to do -- and the kids are still on spring break through today, too! But better late than never, right? St. Louis was fantastic, and I highly recommend the trip.
St. Louis is about a four hour fifteen minute drive from Chicago's western suburbs, so we headed down last Saturday, stopping halfway at Cracker Barrel for lunch. (Because that's what you do on road trips, right?) But really, not a bad drive at all.
We stayed at a hotel with an indoor pool, so Saturday night we just got dinner and hung around there and swam. I think the boys might have been more excited about the unlimited access to Cartoon Network in the hotel room than the actual sightseeing, because their mean mom doesn't pay for cable at home. 😉
On Sunday we visited the St. Louis Arch. The area all around it is currently under construction, so if you're heading to St. Louis anytime soon allow extra time to get there. The Museum of Westward Expansion inside the Arch also turned out to be closed during construction, so we didn't get a chance to see that.
You can choose to head up to the top of the Arch in this crazy tiny pod thing -- kind of like Mork's egg -- which goes up the inside of one of the legs. Pre-order tickets online or (during construction) at the Old Courthouse a couple of blocks away: It cost $30 for the four of us: $10 per adult; $5 per child.
Unfortunately Mr. 8 took one look out of the windows at the top and turned out to be terrified of those kind of heights -- then he was not too pleased about going back down in the little pod!
The view, however, was amazing from 630 feet up! See the courthouse in the distance? That's where we're headed next...
We walked through the Old Courthouse, which had just gorgeous architecture and so much history -- it served as the site of the Dred Scott court trials, for one! Some of the museum exhibits were also located there temporarily during construction. Definitely spend some time here. After a wander through downtown, a late lunch, and a trip to a big local mall (yes... the mall... MashupDad forgot to pack a swimsuit), we decamped back to the hotel for more swimming + hot tub fun.
Monday: The St. Louis Zoo! This is a great zoo, and the place really gives Brookfield a run for its money (literally, as it is free.) Free admission, but $15 to park unless you choose from the ample free street parking a little further down.
And by the way? 72 and brightly sunny surprised me at the end of March, so we might have come out of the zoo a little sunburned. Bad mom!
We spent the entire day at the zoo, because it was just a gorgeous day with so much to see. Highly recommended if you are also thinking of a trip to St. Louis!
On Tuesday morning, we packed up and then hit the St. Louis Science Center on the way home. Also free admission, but parking runs $10 (and things like the Planetarium Sky Show or the IMAX cost extra). But for just that $10 parking fee, the four of us were entertained for several hours -- and could easily have stayed longer if we weren't facing that long drive home.
The Science Center is very well done. It's sometimes hard to find places that will keep both kids entertained since they're 4.5 years apart and very different in temperament, but this fit the bill nicely.
We did, however, end up having to divide and conquer to suit different ages and interests. MashupDad hung out with Junior High Guy doing DNA experiments and such, while I ran around with Mr. 8 digging for fossils and examining scorpions.
I'd definitely go back! Such a pretty city, and the downtown was not crowded and easy to walk around, with big public parks, horse drawn carriages, and the stadium and convention center both right there if you wanted to take in a game or other event. We also didn't get a chance to visit the City Museum, which came highly recommended and is on the short list for next time.
We could easily have spent another couple of days here, but overall I think we packed a lot into a four-day visit (given that good chunks of two of those days were spent driving). It also turned out to be a pretty affordable trip: It amazed me that the Zoo and Science Center had free admission, and all four of went up in the St. Louis Arch for less than it would have cost for one adult and one child to hit the Sears Tower Skydeck. (Admittedly, it's a little more cramped up at the top of the Arch, lol...)
Have you been to St. Louis? What else should we see on our next trip? 🙂
The city museum (although I see it's on your list) its a one of a kind expierence and I've never been to anything like it before. Amazing and your kids are the perfect age!
We were really dithering between that and the Science Center, since we didn't have time to do both, but went with science because Junior High Guy is a science guy and Mr. 8 is a big animals guy, so he had had his zoo day the day before. 🙂
When I was a kid (back in the 70's and early 80's), we went to St. Louis almost every summer. We stopped at Meramec Caverns on the way down. Then we'd hit the zoo, the amusement park (is it six flags?) and my dad always had a day at the race track. We also did the arch. I still remember those tiny pods. The funniest was when my mom got pulled over for speeding on the way down and asked the officer where he'd come from, because she hadn't seen him behind her. He told her there was a police helicopter. Still don't know if that's true to this day.
LOL! It's a six flags -- it wasn't open for the season yet when we went though.
Also if you can fit in a Cardinals' game, do it. Busch stadium is so NOT like Wrigley Field. Busch is so family oriented. A sea of red and is not like the bar atmosphere that Wrigley is.
Also which mall did you hit and what hotel did you stay at? Would you recommend the hotel you stayed at and how close to the arch was it?
We stayed at the Embassy Suites downtown (credit card points, so I'm honestly not sure how much it actually costs). The pool was small, so if you're going in the summer you might instead pick one of the ones with an outdoor pool. It did have a free continental breakfast + the omelets made to order thing, and a "reception" every night with snacks (basically: chips and salsa and some veggies) + free pop for the kids/drinks for the adults. Both were fairly crowded with long lines, but that might have been a spring break thing. It was walking distance to the arch.
Oh and we went to the Galleria Mall after we didn't run across anywhere to buy swim trunks downtown. It was past the zoo maybe a couple miles? Near a Whole Foods and Target.
I L-O-V-E the Missouri Botanical Garden and so does DS (6). Admission is $8 for adults and kids 12 and under are free. Great to run around and they have an amazing playground with tree houses, a general store, a splash pad, sand box area, large climbing rock, plus more. Admission is $5 per child and adults are free. Off the climatron is a free kids area where there are art activities, dress up like an animal build your own campsite, reading area and more. Also, there is a maze (free) made out of bushes and a fountain (free) to run through during the summer. Have the kids bring their bathing suits if they plan to run through the fountains or go to the splash pad. Besides all the things to do there are the gorgeous plants and flowers. Parking is free and if the lot is full you can find free street parking. If you are a member of the Chicago Botanic Garden you should be able to get into the Missouri Botanical garden for free through their reciprocal program (we did a few years back, before we moved to St. Louis).
I agree the Botanical Gardens are spectacular. Kids will even enjoy it. Another cool place is Grant's Farm. Free admission. It may not be open right now. We go during the summer. They have animals, tram rides through the park and you can see the Clydesdale horses, feed some camels. Fun times. Ted Drew's is great, but Silkies is on our top priority list when we go there. St. Charles also offers a neat little shopping town with a Lewis and Clark museum. A very quaint town with a free trolley ride too. And for the gourmet foodies- Dressel's Pub. This was on Diners Drive in and Dives. YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED. Crown Candy is also wonderful.
We are going this summer mans are staying by Forest Park which i think is right across the street from the zoo-- we are spending a day downtown to see a Cubs cardinals game - doing the city museum - six flags also
Thanks for your tidbits
Any restaurants you would recommend?
We liked Pizzeria Pi (it was across the street from our hotel). Anyone else? That, I want to explore more.
We generally don't eat downtown and DH dearly misses Chicago food, but these places are pretty good and family friendly.
Pappy's Smokehouse
Bogart's Smokehouse
Blues City Deli
Adriana's--sandwiches salads, soups. The sandwiches are huge and could be easily shared.
Crown Candy Kitchen--sandwiches milkshakes and candy--St. Louis icon although a sketchy neighborhood.
My favorite places to eat:
Ted Drewes--frozen custard
The Cup--cupcakes--Their specialty flavors that rotate are great, but their standard ones are nothing special
Order toasted ravioli or gooey butter cake if you see them on a menu--both St. Louis foods!
Try some st Louis style pizza (imos, Cecil Whittaker's). It's way different than Chicago style. Served on a cracker crust and topped with provel cheese which you can basically only find in st Louis. It is a love it or hate it kind of pizza but I Love it. Another place to eat is on The Hill which is very close to where you are staying. It's the "Italian part of town" and has some great options.
When you go to the city museum wear jeans or some other type of pants that won't be prone to ripping since there is a lot of climbing around. The roof is worth the extra $5 (awesome view, go in the school bus hanging off the roof, Ferris wheel) but I don't recommend the aquarium. So many nooks and crannies in this place. they are always expanding it-currently working on the castle outside and a new slide. The most claustrophobic place to climb through is near the whale into this well looking hole that can take you under the floor. You'll want to allow a lot of time here.
Forest park is great. There is free street parking (but if it's a particularly gorgeous weekend, you may have to park far). The science center has free parking at the north entrance. The at museum and history museum are also free (but not as awesome as the zoo). The outdoor theater, the Muny, has free seats. Some shows they are doing this year are Hairspray, Into the woods, & beauty & the best. You have to get the early and wait in line for the free seats; bring dinner to eat in line. When I saw B&tB a few years ago, they were handing out roses to us for free. When I saw Peter pan they had the characters roaming around before the show and you could take (free) pictures with them. There is also an ADA playground near the history museum. Oh, also check and see if there are special events in the park (which changes the parking situation). For example, since the arch grounds are under construction they moved fair st Louis to forest park. That's the big fourth of July celebration with free concerts and activities and, of course, fireworks. You can rent paddle boats, for a cost, in the park as well.
The magic House in Kirkwood is the children's museum, it does have a cost to it. It is definitely better (& bigger) than the kohls children museum. I don't know how it compares to the children's museum in the western suburbs. You could spend tons of hours here.
Six flags has a free water park, just like great America. There is also a very similar batman ride which has really short lines (especially compared to Chicago). This park isn't as clean as great America but there are a bunch of great rides.
TL;DR- st Louis is a great budget vacation.
Parking across the street from the Science Center at the Planetarium is free. You just walk over the inside bridge/overpass to get to the Science Center. It is also fun for the kids, because you get to radar the cars traveling on the highway below.
I did not know that! Cool. We did walk over the bridge (Mr. I Don't Like Heights Now 8 did not appreciate the windows in the floor over the highway, lol) but I didn't know you could go in that way.
We lived in STL for 3 years and absolutely loved it there, except for all the Cards fans.
Weird. The rest of my comment didn't post. I strongly recommend the City Museum as well. Your boys will love it there, just make sure to bring knee pads for the adults! We also love going to Grant's Farm. Some of our favorite places to eat are Fitz's in University City (not far from the zoo) or Joanie's Pizza in Soulard.
go eat at pappy's for bbq then Ted drews for custard!!
cahokia mounds are amazing! They aren't in St. Louis but somewhere around there. Also, the Muny is an amazing outdoor theatre in the summer. They have free seats in the back.
Funny we went to St Louis the week before you. We did the Arch, Riverboat(bought tickets ahead for both online for discount) Science Center and the History Museum which had a special exhibit actually showing the Louisiana Purchase document on loan from the Washington DC Archives. Went to The Hill--area with restaurants and a great bakery--The Missouri Baking Co. Restaurant recommended to us only open lunch and was dinner time so opted to go back to St Charles, MO where we were staying and eat at a Smashburger since none close to us. Biked on the Katy Trail and shopped in quaint brick lined streets of St Charles MO. My parents were on a Mystery tour that week and went to St Louis and the tour bus went to the bakery too. Great bakery!!!
My mom grew up in St. Louis so lots of holidays spent down there. Last year we went to my cousin's wedding at Busch Stadium. They were married at home plate when the Cards were up here playing against the Cubs. The stadium is beautiful. It was clean and new and really nice.
Grant's farm is one of the kids favorite places to go. They have animals and animal shows and free beer samples for the adults. The Magic House museum is a great kid's museum they have down there. It would keep the kids busy for hours.
Budweiser tour! I went with my three children on the tour specifically to see the Clydesdales. The tour turned out to be really great too with free samples at the end (soda for the kids, beer for the adults).
I third or fourth the city museum. A little pricey but well worth it and paying extra for the roof top fun was also a one of a kind experience! You could spend ALL DAY there!
If you like Indian food -Near Airport --Nice Indian Restaurant- http://indiapalacestl.com/
Lunch buffet weekdays $8.95 .
You MUST make time for the City Museum next time. The best museum ever for kids of all ages. My kids could spend 10+ hours there in one day if we let them. It is better to go on a good weather day so you can experience the whole roof top (which does cost a bit extra but so worth it).
We just got back from a quick overnight trip to Chicago and now I am thinking of a future trip to St. Louis! We have always wanted to take the kids to the City Museum. Thanks for the post!
Rachel, Did you get the Journey to the top tickets to get into the Arch? It is showing $13 for adult and $10 for child online. How did you get yours so cheap? Thanks.
We went over a year ago, so it's possible the price went up since then?