Things to Do in St. Louis?

[Anonymous]

Our summer road trip will take us through St. Louis. Any recommendations for interesting things to see, great places to eat, and fun things to do?

[Anonymous]

The Gateway Arch. There's a museum, historical sites, access to riverboats as well as just going up in the Arch itself. The grounds are also next door to the first Cathedral west of the Mississippi.

I've heard good things about the art museum, science center, and zoo, but can't remember if I've been to them. I spent time every summer I was a kid in the St. Louis metro area, mainly on the Illinois side of the river where my mom grew up.

Things I definitely remember going to include:
The Cahokia Mounds site. This is the remains of an old Native American city and a museum.
http://www.cahokiamounds.com/

We also visited some of the the Locks & Dams on the Mississippi River just north of St. Louis. My uncles and parents are all engineering dorks (I am too).
http://www.greatriverroad.com/Cities/EAlton/MelvinPrice.htm

For food, I love hitting The Hill, which is the Italian neighborhood in St. Louis. I also stop by the grocers and delis to stock up on pasta, meats, cheeses, etc. The Missouri Botanical Garden is also nearby.
http://www.thehillstl.com/index.html

St. Louis is a great baseball city. I saw my first game at the old stadium.

Finally, for something a little out of the ordinary, there's always this:
http://www.catsupbottle.com/

[Anonymous]

The PP was quite comprehensive! Just wanted to second the motion about going to the top of the Gateway Arch. It's a great memory for the lifetime travel scrapbook that you should take the opportunity to share with your kids since you'll be there!

[Anonymous]

Definitely the STL Zoo! It's the second best in the country-located in Forest Park. Another fun visit is the west end, similar to Old Town, great restaurants, and if driving around, there a huge mansions along the streets. I grew up in STL and never found the arch interesting, but I can see the attraction.

Don't forget the Anheuser Busch brewery tour. The city block is very gothic, with gargoyles. Soulard, not far from the brewery, is also similar to Old Town, and is fun to walk around.