St. Louis Missouri Travel Guide

On the west bank of the Mighty Mississippi River is the venerable city, St. Louis, Missouri. Famed explorers Lewis and Clark began and ended their Expedition here at the turn of the nineteenth century. Imagine how they would look at this great city today, with its iconic Arch, interstate highway system, and innumerable St. Louis, MO hotels, restaurants and shopping malls!

Located at the intersection of major interstates I-44, I-55 and I-70, St. Louis is an easy 3-4 hour drive from cities in nine surrounding states. Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (STL), with many affordable St. Louis, Missouri hotels literally minutes away, offers non-stop service to over 50 destinations as well; it’s easy to see why so many visitors choose St. Louis over and over again! Additionally, the area experiences four distinct seasons, making each visit to St. Louis unique. Most people choose to have a car to get around, but public transportation is available as well, including the Metrobus and Metrolink light rail.

Area attractions are plentiful in this large metropolis. You might begin your visit at Forest Park with its Art and History Museums and the Science Center, named one of the top five in the nation. It features life-sized animated dinosaurs and an OMNIMAX theater. The Art Deco style Jewel Box greenhouse is located here as well as The Muny, where you can enjoy outdoor musical theatre. While in this area, you might consider a tour of the Cathedral Basilica, housing one of the world’s largest collections of mosaic art and the Missouri Botanical Garden, acres of incredible beauty.

The downtown area is punctuated with the Arch and the new Cardinals Baseball stadium, along with a variety of discount hotels of every caliber, businesses and restaurants. The Attractions tab at the top of this page will allow you to read about these and other attractions ahead of time. The Edward Jones Dome, where you find the St. Louis Rams football games and major concerts, is located nearby. Afterwards, take the family to one of the many excellent restaurants, or take a quick drive to The Hill for authentic Italian cuisine. If you are feeling lucky, some of the local casinos are happy to shuttle you to and from your hotel. Complimentary tours of Anheuser-Busch are always a great time.

Look no further than Grant’s Farm, considered the 7th best overall family attraction in the nation. You can see those lovable Clydesdales from the Budweiser commercials here! The Zoo is always fun and it is free! Six Flags amusement park is located in nearby Eureka; it offers Hurricane Harbor waterpark as well. For shopping, there are lots of boutiques along downtown’s Washington Ave., or try The Galleria, an excellent suburban mall for hundreds of stores, delicious dining options and plenty of nearby discount hotels at great prices.

St. Louis, the Gateway to the West, offers a great number of historic attractions and entertainment venues. Plan to spend a few days in this Midwest City; you will be pleased you did!