St. Louis Visit

[FighttheGoodFight]

Going with the wife to St. Louis next week for a few days.

Anyone have any recommendations on where to go? Eat? Can't miss spots?
- We are staying next to Forest Park at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel (Central West District)


So far we have a few recommendations from friends

The City Musesum - CITY MUSEUM - Index
The Arch
Imo's Pizza - Imo's Pizza | The Square Beyond Compare
St. Louis Zoo - Home :: Saint Louis Zoo
Pappy's Smokehouse - Pappy's Smokehouse: Memphis Style St. Louis BBQ Restaurant

[Mr T]

Missouri Botanical Garden!

[OkieHornet]

there's a neighborhood called "the hill" which is an italian neighborhood that has some great italian restaurants.

schlafly taproom is a good brewpub that has really good beer and food in an old building.

[adaniel]

Ted Drews Custard, Pi Pizza, Blueberry Hill in University City. Would second Schlafy Brewery as well.

While there aren't any things you can actually visit, Lafayette Square is a beautiful area and worth the photography potential.

[KenRagsdale]

there's a neighborhood called "the hill" which is an italian neighborhood that has some great italian restaurants.

schlafly taproom is a good brewpub that has really good beer and food in an old building.

Charlie Gitto's, on "the Hill."

Charlie Gitto's Italian Restaurant (On the Hill) in St. Louis, MO 63110

St. Louis Cardinal baseball

The Official Site of The St. Louis Cardinals | cardinals.com: Homepage

[okclee]

Charlie Gitto's, on "the Hill."

Charlie Gitto's Italian Restaurant (On the Hill) in St. Louis, MO 63110

St. Louis Cardinal baseball

The Official Site of The St. Louis Cardinals | cardinals.com: Homepage

I will second "The Hill" neighborhood and also a Cardinals baseball game or a stadium tour. I'm not a big baseball fan, but this stadium is amazing.

[gjl]

I'd have to get a bag of sliders from White Castle at least once and probably twice.

[stlokc]

First of all - kudos on your hotel choice. The Central West End is the most cosmopolitan neighborhood in St. Louis. Lots of charming shops, restaurants, etc. especially up and down Euclid Ave. Take time to go to the Cathedral Basilica, a couple blocks from the Chase on Lindell. It's been called "the most beautiful church in the Americas" and I don't doubt it. For a nice cocktail happy hour, I recommend Scape restaurant and especially it's courtyard patio.

You're right by Forest Park. Depending on your taste or your time frame, the art museum, history museum, science center and zoo are all in the park. Also The Boathouse, which is a great venue for food/drink and a paddleboat. Lots to see and do all over the park.

Another great neighborhood is the Delmar Loop, just opposite the park from the Central West End. Delmar Blvd west of Skinker is an awesome street to walk down, blocks and blocks of really funky stores, cafes (the aforementioned Blueberry Hill is here) and some of the best people watching you can imagine.

Some of the cool neighborhoods in the city include Soulard, Lafayette Square and South Grand. Photo opportunities, great architecture.

Downtown, I would highly recommend the City Museum, especially if you have children with you. Washington Avenue is a great restaurant/bar strip. City Garden is a cool, interactive new urban park. Obviously there's the Arch (although they are doing construction and it's kind of hard to get to at the moment). Ballpark Village/Cardinals has already been mentioned. The Anheuser-Busch tour is really cool, it's about a mile south of the Cards stadium on the edge of Soulard.

The Hill is amazing for Italian food. It's mostly a residential and food neighborhood, though. Go to eat but you'll be disappointed if you want shopping there.

Botanical Garden is a great stop if that's your thing. It's really beautiful.

I'm in a hurry to get back to work so I'm sure I'm missing a bunch, but you'll enjoy your visit. If you want other recommendations, PM me.

[FighttheGoodFight]

Great suggestions everyone! I really appreciate it.

As far as getting around town is all good to walk places? The hotel has bikes as well we can rent. Do they have rail transit in St. Louis and is it easy to navigate?

[Anonymous.]

I echo Ted Drews.

Also the Zoo will take you all day. Gigantic.

[stlokc]

There is a train (Metrolink) that goes on an east-west axis from downtown through midtown, the west end and Forest Park. Touches the extreme east end of the Delmar Loop. If staying in this corridor, train is great. Ultimately, you may want a car for some of the other neighborhoods and sights. It's more urban than OKC by far, but ultimately it's a Midwestern city not named Chicago.

[Roger S]

Be prepared to stand in a line if you go to Pappy's.

The Line at Pappy's

[whatitis]

Going with the wife to St. Louis next week for a few days.

Anyone have any recommendations on where to go? Eat? Can't miss spots?
- We are staying next to Forest Park at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel (Central West District)


So far we have a few recommendations from friends

The City Musesum - CITY MUSEUM - Index
The Arch
Imo's Pizza - Imo's Pizza | The Square Beyond Compare
St. Louis Zoo - Home :: Saint Louis Zoo
Pappy's Smokehouse - Pappy's Smokehouse: Memphis Style St. Louis BBQ Restaurant

Pappy's is Good. Everyone will tell you to go to Imo's pizza. Don't do it. My previous boss lived in St. Louis for Years and told me the same thing everyone will tell you to try it but don't do it. Well what did I do. I ordered a pepperoni pizza and toasted ravioli. Came out to $35 and it was disgusting. It wasn't just "ok" it was gross. Worst pizza I've ever had. Couldn't eat more than a slice. Wife and I were going to the Rams game that night and decided we would rather eat hotdogs at the game rather than the rest of that pizza.

Second. Pappy's is very good and worth the wait.

Budweiser brewery tour is pretty interesting and you get a few beers afterwards.
After Budweiser go to gus' pretzels Gus' Pretzels

I also want to say go to Pi, for pizza. It was fantastic. Some of the best deep dish in town.

Lastly, You can take a paddleboat cruise, which the wife and I liked(right next to the arch is where you get on/off)
Gateway Arch Riverboat Cruises | Gateway Arch | St. Louis Family Attractions, Events and Activities District

gotta check out the crown candy kitchen. not a good part of town but an old school soda jerk and ice cream shop.
Crown Candy Kitchen | Malts & Shakes | Soda Fountain and Candy | Old North St Louis, MO | 314.621.9650

Lastly. The old Union station was made into a mall. Pretty neat really. Which I believe there's a whispering wall in it.
St. Louis Union Station :: 1820 Market Street, St. Louis, MO. 63103 :: 314-421-6655

[Dennis Heaton]

Bring back as many White Castles as you can, then meet me at the corner of Hefner and Council around 2 A.M.

[Roger S]

Bring back as many White Castles as you can, then meet me at the corner of Hefner and Council around 2 A.M.

I'll get in on this deal too!

[FighttheGoodFight]

Be prepared to stand in a line if you go to Pappy's.

The Line at Pappy's

OKBBQ,

I trust you as a connoisseur of BBQ. Is Pappy's the best to go to? Other better options? My wife loves BBQ and if it is worth the wait we are going!

[stlokc]

Pappy's is phenomenal, but you do have to get there early and stand in line. There are other good BBQ places: notably Bogart's and Sugarfire. There are others too.

As far as Pappy's, I mean it's very, very good. But if you live in OKC, it's not SO much better than you're used to that it's worth a long wait. Just my opinion.

If you do a paddleboat, do it at Forest Park rather than the Arch, just my opinion. Much better atmosphere.

Kudos to the poster that mentioned Gus's Pretzels. That's true insider knowledge there. Bonus is that it's a really cool urban hood that's probably not on everyone's radar screen. But don't bother with Union Station unless you happen to be walking by. It's a beautiful building but they are redoing the whole mall and there's not much "there" there at the moment except for a pretty lobby and the whispering wall.

[stlokc]

Oh yeah, I totally agree with the consensus about Imo's. I definitely don't get the appeal. It's like ketchup on a cracker. For some reason the "natives" love it. I have no idea why. It's kind of one of those tests - if you like Imo's you must be a native. I've made it very clear that I'm not!

[rlewis]

One thing that I would add is that I would avoid the Arch on the weekends if possible. Every time I've tried to go up in the Arch on a weekend day, the lines have been crazy long, and as a bonus they spill outside into the stifling heat of summer. It wasn't until my family and I were traveling through there on a weekday that we finally were able to go up into the Arch. We got there late in the afternoon, and the wait was less than 30 minutes. In fact, most of the wait was for the time that it takes the tram to go up to the top and come back.

I agree with some of the previous posters about the Anheuser Busch brewery tour. It was very interesting, and the samples at the end were very satisfying.

The last thing that I would add is that my family and I went to Union Station, and while it is an impressive building, the place was almost completely vacant (this was back in 2012). However, there was a neat store in the food court area where an employee animatedly demonstrated how to make fudge. I don't know if it is still there though.

[Tritone]

"Lastly. The old Union station was made into a mall. Pretty neat really. Which I believe there's a whispering wall in it.
St. Louis Union Station :: 1820 Market Street, St. Louis, MO. 63103 :: 314-421-6655" Glad whatitis mentioned the station. The whisper gallery is right inside the north entrance. Beautiful old building. If I recall correctly AMTRAK now uses a metal building...

[Roger S]

OKBBQ,

I trust you as a connoisseur of BBQ. Is Pappy's the best to go to? Other better options? My wife loves BBQ and if it is worth the wait we are going!

I have not made it to St. Louis yet myself but Pappy's regularly makes best of lists and there is the line and most of the time lines don't form without good reason. So I would have to guess they are making pretty good Q.

When my sister was there. They did not have time to wait the line at Pappy's so they went to Sugarfire. She said it was ok but nothing to get excited about.

Bogart's is the other St Louis Q-raunt that I always hear mentioned as one of the best in St Louis.

I would think Pappy's or Bogart's would be pretty safe bets for good Q. Let me know how you liked whichever you visit.... Sorry I can't give you more solid advice. KC and St Louis are next up on my list for a road trip but it will be some time in the fall or winter before I get to take it.

[whatitis]

I've been to StL fairly recently but not to the mall in Union Station. I wasn't aware it being so vacant now. The people making fudge was definitely a good show and the whispering wall is pretty unique. \\

Something else I wanted to point out(if you're driving) is to catch the purina farms
Purina Farms - Purina®

It's great for kids or the animal lover. Went with just me and the wife and we really enjoyed it. They had dogs doing an obstacle course and jumping into the pool for distance. Best part was they had a big pot bellied pig who thought he was a dog that they let run the course. his fat belly knocked over every stick he was supposed to jump over. and he snorted a bunch at the end like he was so proud of himself.

Maybe the last suggestion I have(if I think of anything else I'll update this)
The butterfly house
Butterfly House
outside of St. Louis but it's pretty cool. There are thousands of butterflies that just land all over you. It's warm in there but it's nice.

[ctchandler]

Pietro's is a nice Italian restaurant on "The Hill".
C. T.

[FighttheGoodFight]

Thanks again all! Now I wish I was staying more than three days. Going to be a great time.

[FighttheGoodFight]

Well I am back from the small vacation.

We did a lot and all of the suggestions on here were just great.

I highly recommend the Central West End for anyone visiting. The park has a ton to offer and we walked about 10 miles around it seeing various things. The food and local shops on Euclid are awesome as well. All in all a great trip.

White Castle at my house tonight come on over.