St. Louis, Missouri

Get in

By car

St. Louis can be accessed by Interstate 70 West from Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and points eastward, I-64W from Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and points southeastward, I-55N from Arkansas, Tennessee, and points southward, I-55S from Illinois, I-44E from Tulsa, and I-70E from Kansas City. There is a loop around St. Louis which is I-270.

By plane

• Lambert St. Louis International Airport (STL), 10701 Lambert International Blvd, +1 314 426-8000.

• Spirit of St. Louis Airport, 18270 Edison Avenue in Chesterfield, +1 636 532-2222.

By train

• Amtrak - +1 800 USA-RAIL, 551 S 16th St, offers five daily arrivals from Chicago, two daily arrivals from Kansas City and one daily arrival from Los Angeles/San Antonio/Little Rock with many smaller intermediate station stops on each route.

By bus

• Greyhound Bus Lines, 1450 N 13th St., +1 314 231-4485.

• Megabus - +1 877-GO2-MEGA. Discount bus company offering service to St. Louis from Chicago and Kansas City, fares start at $1. Once in Chicago, it is possible to make connections to Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Ann Arbor, Detroit, Toledo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Columbus, Cincinnati, and Louisville.

By boat

The Mississippi River forms the eastern boundary of the city, separating it from Illinois. The Missouri River runs into the Mississippi through St. Louis.

Get around

• MetroLink, +1 314 231-2345 - A light rail system with much room to grow. It runs from Lambert-St.Louis Int'l Airport (STL) in Missouri to Scott AFB in Illinois.
• Metro Buses - Crisscross the bi-state metropolitan area.
• Car is extremely useful here.
• Scooters - There is one scooter rental establishment in the Central West End neighborhood of the city. $35 a day will get you around. This is an ever-growing method of travel for residents and tourists alike.

See

Landmarks

• Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, 4431 Lindell Blvd. (at Newstead Avenue in the Central West End neighborhood), +1 314 373-8200 - Open 7AM-7PM. This Roman Catholic church contains the most mosaic art in one site in the world--83,000 square feet, installed by a family of artists who used more than 41 million tiles with more than 7,000 colors.

• Eads Bridge - This bridge was the first to cross the Mississippi and represents one of the greatest engineering achievements of its time. This overlooked landmark is worth checking out for the Eiffel Tower-like iron lattice that still holds up cars and the Metro-link to this day.

• Old Courthouse, downtown It is the site of the Dred Scott case.

• Forest Park - Is one of the nation's largest city parks with 1,293 acres, open to the public for golf, tennis, baseball, bicycling, boating, fishing, handball, ice skating, roller blading, jogging, cricket, rugby and more. The park is also home to the St. Louis Science Center, the art museum, the zoo, and a history museum. Forest Park is really at the heart of St. Louis. It was also the site of the 1904 Louisiana Purchase World's Fair, which lays fame to serving the first hot dogs, hamburgers, and ice cream cones.

• The Gateway Arch, Riverfront, +1 877-982-1410, - Daily 9AM-6PM, (Summer 8AM-10PM). Designed by Eero Saarinen, it's the world's tallest national monument, built to be a symbolic gateway to the west. The icon of the city, the Arch is located in the Jefferson Expansion National Memorial Park by the Riverfront. You can ride a unique elevator - essentially it's a cross between a cable railway and a ferris wheel - up to the top. There is also an innovative historical museum under the Arch. Don't miss the movie, "Monument to the Dream," about the building of the Arch--it is an exceptionally well-made and memorable tribute to how a vision was made tangible. The Arch was designed as a parabola scaled from 21 inches of string held 7 inches apart. Its foundation is anchored 60 feet underground.

• Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, +1 314 577-9400, +1 800-642-8842 - A place of serenity, beauty, and fun amid the bustle of the city, the Missouri Botanical Garden is open every day except Christmas Day (Dec 25). Stroll the grounds, explore the home gardening resources, or enjoy one of the many events throughout the year. This is a "must see."

• The Saint Louis Zoo, 1 Government Drive, +1 314 781-0900 - Daily 9AM-5PM. Recognized as one of the top five zoos in the nation. The zoo has both indoor and outdoor exhibits as well as a children petting zoo. There are several centers for in depth exploration and learning. Free.

• The Wainwright Building, 705 Chestnut Street - Designed by Louis Sullivan and built in 1890, it is one of the first skyscrapers.

• Cahokia Mounds, 30 Ramey Street, Collinsville, IL 62234 - located just across the river in Illinois, this is the site of the largest pre-Columbian city north of Mexico and has been designated an official UNESCO World Heritage site.

Museums

• The City Museum, 701 North 15th Street. For the young or young at heart. Don't let the name fool you--this place is a blast! The City Museum is a huge playground built in an old warehouse made largely out of architectural artifacts from around St. Louis collected by an eccentric millionaire. There are concessions inside the museum as well as bar service by local brewery Schlafy.

• Saint Louis Art Museum, One Fine Arts Drive, Tel: 314-721-0072. Tu–Su, 10AM–5PM; F 10AM-9PM. One of the leading comprehensive art museums in the nation. They host visiting displays which in the past have included such exhibits as the Angles of the Vatican and the Royal Tombs of Ur. Free.

• Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts, experience modern art in a stunning avant garde structure

• The Saint Louis History Museum, Also located in Forest Park and is free and open to the public as well.

• Saint Louis Science Center, in Forest Park, is a fun hands on learning experince for the entire family. Equipped with an IMAX Dome theater, a planetarium, floors of interactive activities, and several travling exhibits, the Science Center has something for everyone. The museum is free and open to the public daily. The museum consists of two buildings joined by a walkway.

• Contemporary Art Museum, contemporary art museum located in the hip 'loft district' downtown

• Jefferson Expansion National Memorial Museum, Underneath the Gateway Arch.

Major venues and convention centers

• America's Convention Center

• Millennium Hotel, 200 South 4th Street.

• Renaissance Grand Hotel, 800 Washington Avenue.

• Renaissance St. Louis Airport Hotel, 9801 Natural Bridge Road, (314) 429-1100.

• Westport Plaza Sheraton, Two luxurious Sheraton hotels among the fine restaurants, bars, and fountains of the modern Westport Plaza. Centrally located in the suburbs.

Performing Arts

• Fabulous Fox Theater, Built in 1929 and restored to its glory, this rare gem seats 4,500. A performance at the Fabulouis Fox Theater is a "must see." Only two of this design exist, the Detroit Fox Theater built in 1928 has also been restored and seats 5,000. Probably the two most ornate theaters ever built in the US, they were the first to have live sound. They were built for William Fox, the founder of Fox Film Corporation, the forerunner of Twentieth Century-Fox studios. These two original Fox Theaters are still among the largest in the US in terms of total seats and the size of the stage.

• The Muny, America's oldest and largest outdoor musical theater. A popular summer attraction show casing a varity of musicals throughout June, July and August.

• Powell Symphony Hall, Is a magnificent performance center.

• Jazz At the Bistro, no visit to the Gateway City is complete without experiencing its rich jazz and blues heritage

Do

• The Central West End, Another lively neighborhood in St. Louis. The central west end features many local favorite restarunts, late night bars, and all night coffee shops with free wi-fi.

• Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration. The entire day is a major event in St. Louis under the Arch with concerts and festivities.

• Lacledes Landing, Just north of the Arch, and the second oldest neighborhood after Soulard, "the Landing" is what amounts to St. Louis' old town. You are likely to enjoy the cobblestone streets and the shops, restaurants, bars and nightclubs.

• Soulard Market, Although strangely named ("un soulard " means "a drunk" in French.), the Soulard neighborhood, covering the waterfront for several miles south of the Arch, is the oldest in St. Louis. The Georgian (or should that be Louis XVI?) style houses surround a central farmer's market which supplies the city's supermarkets and restaurants with local produce. Individuals are welcome to stop in and shop as well. There are a number of bars and restaurants in the neighborhood as well.

• St. Louis Blues Hockey (NHL).

• St. Louis Cardinals Baseball (MLB), Busch Stadium, 420 South 8th Street, The 2006 World Series champions.

• St. Louis Rams Football (NFL).

• St. Louis Union Station, 1820 Market St., +1 314 421-6655. 110-year-old National Historic Landmark has been restored and redeveloped as a dynamic mixed-use project that includes great shopping, dining and entertainment.

• The University City Loop, Delmar Blvd., Straddles the city limits and University City. A good place to visit if you are in St. Louis. This is the area known as the Loop home to rapper Nelly and a frequented spot by St. Louisian Chuck Berry. You can shop, listen to live music, enjoy a good restaurant, or watch a movie at one of over 120 eclectic spots. Many restaurants feature outdoor dining to take in the bustling street scene.

• Veiled Prophet Parade, July 1.

• West Port Plaza, Over 18 restaurants, bars and entertainment spots.

Buy

• Alton Square Mall, Large suburban mall in Alton, IL. Worth avoiding, somewhat depressing. Many empty storefronts.

• Chesterfield Mall, Large suburban mall in Chesterfield, MO.

• Saint Louis Galleria, The city's largest mall in Brentwood, MO.

• The Hill, The city's Italian district, The Hill has a great selection of Italian restaurants, shops and businesses.

• Hullabaloo, 1908 Washington St., +1 314 241-1969, One of the two or three biggest vendors of used clothing and costumes in the US, Hullaballoo does most of its business by mail order, or at shows in San Francisco, Seattle, and Las Vegas. They keep a store in the Soulard neighborhood of St. Louis, however, so if you are into vintage or goth clothing you should definitely stop in.

• Plaza Frontenac, 1701 S. Lindbergh, Exclusive shopping in an upscale mall.

• South County Mall, Suburbs.

• West County Mall, Suburbs.

• St. Louis Mills, huge shopping center, with some outlet stores.

Eat

Try St. Louis original foods

• Barbequed Pork Steaks, St. Louis Style Boston Butt sliced into steaks, basted with Maull's Barbecue sauce.

• Gooey butter Cake, a type of coffee cake with a bottom layer of buttery yellow cake and a top layer of either egg and cream cheese, or butter and sugar.

• Gus's Pretzels, great hot LARGE pretzels about 1' long and 1" diameter!

• Maull's Barbecue Sauce, a spicy, semi-sweet tomato-based sauce unusual for containing pepper pulp and anchovies. Eight varieties.

• Provel Cheese, a soft, white processed cheese made from cheddar, swiss and provolone.

• St. Louis Style Pizza, made with Provel cheese on a super thin crust.

• Ted Drewes Frozen Custard

• Toasted Ravioli, or really, breaded and deep-fried.

The Hill

If you are a fan of Italian, head over to a neighborhood known as "the Hill", Home of Yogi Berra, the Hill has more Italian restaurants than any other area in the city.

• Adriana's, +1 314 773-3833. Sicilian. Not open for dinner but can boast one of the best Italian veggie sandwiches out there. Lines are long but move quickly.

• Cunetto's House of Pasta, +1 314 781-1135.

• Favazzas, +1 314 772-4454.

• Zia's Restaurant, +1 314 776-0020. One of the most popular restaurants on The Hill, Zia's pastas stand out in St. Louis.

• Rigazzi's Restaurant, +1 314 772-4900. More known for it's fishbowls of beer than its food, Rigazzi's is a great place to get together and enjoy good Italian food in a relaxed environment.

Central West End

• Bar Italia, +1 314 361-7010. Italian. Delightful venue for parties, drinking, picking up lovely ladies and happytimes. Refreshingly, ID's are rarely checked, although this tends to be a bit of a secret, so the crowd is actually happily devoid of drunken teenyboppers.

• Kaldi's. Great coffee in a relaxed atmosphere near Washington University.

• Coffee Cartel, 2 Maryland Plz, +1 314 454-0000. 24 hour coffee shop with free wi-fi.

Delmar Loop

• Riddles, 6307 Delmar Blvd, +1 314 725-6985. A place to eat, drink, and listen to music on the Loop.

• Blueberry Hill, 6504 Delmar Blvd, +1 314 727-4444. Restaurant and bar. Open till 3AM. Chuck Berry frequently on the calander to play.

• Mirasol, 6144 Delmar Boulevard,314-721-6909. Lunch: Tu-F 11:30AM-2:30PM;

Dinner: Tu-Th 5PM-10PM, F,Sa 5PM-11PM, Su 5PM-10PM. Tapas bar with South American Cuisine.

• Fitz's Rootbeer, 6605 Delmar Blvd. American Bar and Grill, Family friendly, watch the bottle factory go to work as you dine.

• The Melting Pot, 6683 Delmar Blvd., +1 314 725-4141. Fondue.

South City

• The Bevo Mill, 4749 Gravois, +1 314 481-2626.

• Sidney Street Cafe, 2000 Sidney St., +1 314 771-5777. Tu-Th 5PM-9:30PM, F,Sa 5PM-10:30PM.

Downtown

• Tony's, 410 Market St., +1 314 231-7007. Opens 5PM. AAA five-diamond fine dining.

• Kitchen K, 1000 Washington St., +1 314 241-9900. American Bar and Restarunt

• Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, +1 314 621-8811. Cajun Creole cuisine with live jazz and blues.

• BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups, 700 South Broadway, +1 314 436-5222. Name says it all.

• Robert E. Lee Riverboat restaurant docked beneath the Gateway Arch.

• Top of the Riverfront, 200 South 4th St. at the Millenium Hotel, +1 314 241 9500, 28 stories up on top of the Millennium Hotel the restaurant revolves 360 degrees around while you eat. A wonderful view of the city and riverfront.

• Kemoll's, 1 Metropolitan Sq., +1 314 421-0555. Superb Italian cuisine in a stunning setting atop 1 Metropolitan Square.

• Schlafly Taproom, 2100 Locust St., +1 314 241-BEER. Suprisingly good "european inspired pub food", and great microbrew beers on tap in a remodeled brick warehouse.

• Hannegan's Restaurant and Pub, 719 N. 2nd St., +1 314 241-8877. On Laclede's Landing, uniquely St. Louis in nature.

• Harry's Restaurant and Bar, 2144 Market St, +1 314 421-6969. Adjacent to historic Union Station, serving fine food and hosting local live music on the patio.

Greater St. Louis City

• Harvest, 1059 S Big Bend Blvd, (314) 645-3522. Outstanding and unique seasonal menus, a great wine list, amazing foie gras appetizer, and perhaps the best bread pudding in the midwest. If you're kind to your server, they may provide you a photocopy of the recipe on request.

Clayton

• J. Buck's, Jack, Joe and Julie Buck broadcasting family restaurant.

• Kaldi's Coffee, St. Louis's finest coffee roaster. Delicious vegetarian food, bottomless coffee cups, and a relaxed atmosphere.

Suburbs

• Bellaluna Ristorante, 451 S Kirkwood Rd, Kirkwood, +1 314 909-0455. Fine Italian cuisine.

• Kobe Steak House of Japan, +1 314 434-2600. Japanese Steak house.

• Woofie's, 1919 Woodson Road, Overland, +1 314 426-6291. Chicago-style Hotdogs.

• Olympia Kebob House & Taverna, 1543 McCausland Ave, +1 314 781-1299. Greek food near University City.

• Imo's Pizza, multiple locations. St. Louis style thin crust pizza. Locals favorite.

Drink

Most tourists will be familiar with St. Louis' world famous Anheuser-Busch brewery, especially it's signature variety Budweiser, or their best-seller Bud Light. However, unless you are accustomed to American style pilsners, it is unlikely you will find these and other Anheuser-Busch brands suit your palate. For those more familiar with European brews or who have been caught up in the domestic microbrewery explosion interested in sampling a local brewery's product, the Saint Louis Brewery's Schlafly microbrews are more likely to satify.

• == Hair of the Dog 1212 Washington - Downtown ==

Wahington's only dive bar, great atmosphere and cheap drink prices. Cheers type environment, where everybody knows each others name, and strangers are warmly welcomed. Great services is always guaranteed, whether it's Mike, Rick, Dom, or Worm, this place is definitely St. Louis' best watering hole.

Cicero's', 6691 Delmar in University City, +1 314 862-0009. Cicero's probably derives the bulk of its income from the pizza joint upstairs, which is fair, because the pizza is good. That said the main interest for the traveler is the well equipped bar and the venue downstairs, which hosts touring indie and rock bands.

• Sub Zero Vodka Bar, 308 N. Euclid Av. in the Central West End, +1 314 367-1200.

• Blueberry Hill, 6504 Delmar Blvd, +1 314 727-4444 Restaurant, darts, bar open till 3AM. Located on the Delmar loop.

• Pinup Bowl, 6191 Delmar, Bowling alley and martini lounge open till 3AM.

• Halo Bar, 6161 Delmar in the Music venue The Pagent.

• Venice Cafe, 1903 Pestalozzi St South City area, +1 314 772-5994, A mosaic-covered bar with outside sitting features nightly music.

• The Big Bang, 807 N. Second St. Laclede's Landing, +1 314 241-BANG. Two dueling piano players lead the crowd in a rock 'n' roll sing-along show.

Sleep

Budget

• Hampton Inn, 2111 Market St., Phone: +1 314 241-3200. Near the Union Station. Swimming pool.
• Huckleberry Finn Youth Hostel, 1904-1908 S. 12th St., +1 314 241-0076. Thirty-year history. Separate mens and womens dorms. Beds start at $20 per night plus $5 key deposit.

Mid-range

• Drury Inn Union Station, 201 S. 20th Street, 314-231-3900. Indoor pool, restaurant. Restored historic hotel, near the magnificent Union Station.

• Westport Plaza Sheraton, 900 Westport Plaza, (314) 878-1500. Well appointed full service Sheraton hotel among the 18 restaurants, bars, and fountains of the modern Westport Plaza. Centrally located in the suburbs.

Splurge

• Adam's Mark Hotel, Fourth St. & Chestnut, +1 314 241-7400. Luxury hotel overlooking the Gateway Arch able to accomodate very large conferences.

• Chase Park Plaza, 212-232 N. Kingsway Blvd, Phone: +1 314 633-3000. Luxury hotel in the central west end.

• Frontenac Hilton, 1335 South Lindbergh Blvd., Phone: +1 314 993-1100 (Fax: 1-314-993-8546). Luxury hotel, colonial elegance near the upscale Frontenac Plaza mall.

• Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark, 1 S. Broadway, Phone: +1 314 421 1776 (Fax: 1-314-331 9029).

• Millennium Hotel, 200 South 4th Street, Phone: +1 314 241-9500 (fax: +1 314 516 8149). Luxury hotel, stunning contemporary overlooking the Gateway Arch.

• Renaissance St. Louis Airport Hotel, 9801 Natural Bridge Rd., +1 314 429-1100. Luxury hotel, contemporary style.

• Renaissance Grand Hotel, 800 Washington Ave., Phone: +1 314 621-9600. Luxury hotel, historic downtown flagship.

• The Roberts Mayfair - A Wyndham Historic Hotel, 806 Saint Charles Street, Phone: +1 314 421-2500 (fax +1 314 421-0770). Luxury hotel. Join a guest list that includes Irving Berlin, Cary Grant and Harry Truman. Since 1925, American notables have made the Mayfair Hotel St Louis their St. Louis headquarters and home away from home. Once you experience the special blend of elegance and service, you'll know why.

• Hyatt in Union Station, 1820 Market St., Phone: +1 314 421-6655. A magnificent luxury hotel in the heart of downtown with 550 rooms inside the historic train station lined with trendy tourist shops. Access to the metro link makes this a convenient place to stay.

Stay safe

Tourist areas are generally safe. Like in any other major city, be sure to observe caution.

Get out

• Alton, Illinois is a historic river town just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis. Enjoy wineries, winter eagle watching, 50 antique shops, 9 golf courses, historic sites, fine dining, and elegant bed and breakfast accommodations.
• Nearby St. Charles makes a nice day trip.
• Troy is only a short ride away.