What to do in St. Louis for a few days?

Question

I am staying at St. Louis from April 1-3. I already have a hotel at the Hyatt. What are some good things to see, do, and eat in St. Louis? Do you recommend renting a car? Can the Metro station go from the hotel to Washington University?

I am staying at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis and it is connected to the MetroLink.

Answer 1

The metro does run near Wash U I have no idea how close it is to your hotel. I do believe there is a stop very close to your hotel if you go to www.metrostlouis.org
you can look up all of the stops of the metro link. If you want to use the metro as your primary transportation be ready to walk! There are a lot of stops but you will find that you have to walk a block or more to get to your destination. This is good if you are going to be in a position where driving is not the best idea. We do also have cabs here which is another good option here are some of the numbers:
ABC Cab Co.
[phone]
Allen Cab
[phone]
Yellow Cab
[phone] or (314) 993-TAXI (8294).
Laclede Cab Co.
[phone]

They are cheaper than NY I can say that! Since I don't know your age I will just put some general things here about what to do, there is plenty in Forest Park, we have a FREE zoo that is just wonderful, the science center is also free. The boathouse has a cafe (they also have adult beverages) you can sit and enjoy the sites or rent a boat and paddle out onto the lake. There is also the Art Museum again free and the Jewel box. For night life near Forest Park there is the central west end. I recommend Cafe Balaybans for dinner or drinks, nice place good music. There are also a lot of restaurants, cafe's and coffee houses down there. McDuffs is a good Irish bar.
The hill is your Italian place good food all round not one bad restaurant that I can think of there, right down from the hill is Ted Drew's Route 66 icon and best frozen custard around!
You can also go down to the landing, there are different clubs and restaurants down there if you drive parking is like $8 for all night. Safe place. St. Louis Fish Company is located on the landing nice seafood, good service. The is also the Spaghetti Company STL tradition, neat place. For something different the Royal Dumpe dinner theater is also located on the landing. Good time you can watch the women beg for salt, and they give you a bagger!
The arch is interesting nice museum and a good movie on how the Arch was made. Interesting, I live here and I try to go at least once a year.
The Cards will be in town so STL will be hopping, check out visitor centers web site, they post special events going on downtown when the Cards are in.
The City Museum is fun for all ages, you can run play and have a great time (yes they have adult beverages). Neat place check out their website, trust me it is not a museum of art but of play! Washington Ave downtown has just been remodeled and now there are several cool places. Try out Kitchen K great food, wonderful service. Different for STL.
Have a great trip I hope this helped!

Answer 2

Using the metro (bus) will limit your mobility around town. I think you'd be better off renting a car for the 3 days.

There are a couple great free things to do in St. Louis that I feel you have to experience. One is the StL Art Museum and the other is the St.L Zoo. Both are located in Forest Park. Forest Park was the location for the 1900 (02 or 04?) World's Fair.

Even if you are not a big art lover, it is still fun to walk through the Art Museum. The architecture, the building itself, is grand. You can spend as little as an hour or as much as 8 hours strolling around. The cafe in the Art Museum is just average. There is a nice gift shop.

The zoo is a hike down the hill from the Art Museum. You may want to drive down to the parking lot (signs lead the way). The zoo covers a huge area. You may want to just pick a couple of areas to visit.

If you really want to "do" the St. Louis thing then go up the Arch. There is a museum underneath the arch that is very interesting - about the pioneers going west. You get a great view of the city from the top. It's a very unique experience.

These are some tried and true things to do about town and things that you can talk about to prove you really visited the city. Enjoy your stay and have fun.

Answer 3

In St. Louis I'd recommend renting a car. In theory, you could get by without one, but having a car would make life a lot easier. For things to do, you could go to the Hill neighborhood for great Italian restaurants. Do a search for 'the Hill St. Louis' and it'll tell you where to go. Also, near the Hill and Wash U is the Central West End, which has some cool places to eat and shop. St. Louis has a world-class zoo also, which is near all of these things. The St. Louis Cardinals home opening day is the 1st against the NY Mets. They play them again on the 3rd also.

Answer 4

there are a few things you could do you can go to Forest Park they have a Zoo the science center a boat house were you can rent paddle boats they have a couple museums actually Forest Park has a lot to do you could make a day out of just being there- there is the Arch and Riverfront-Lacledes Landing has a lot of clubs bars and restaraunts and it's close to the Hotel your staying at if it's the Hyatt downtown there is also the Delmar loop it has stores bars,clubs retaurants etc.. and the metrolink can get you most places you just might have to walk a little bit but there is a metrolink station not to far from Wash U

Answer 5

St. Louis is a GREAT place to go on vacation. There is SO much to do, for people of ALL ages. The Arch, the St. Louis Science Center (which is HUGE and amazing, by the way), the City Museum (interactive museum... really fun), the St. Louis Art & History Museums, the St. Louis Zoo, Six Flags in Eureka, MO (opening in May), the Courthouse (where the Dred Scott case was held), the Botanical Gardens, and multiple malls (the Galleria, the St. Louis Mills, South County Mall...). Not to mention the most TO DIE FOR restaurants. There is such a wide variety... expensive, cheap, Italian, German, French, American... trust me, you'll be glad you went to St. Louis!

Oh, I almost forgot...

The new Busch Stadium (baseball), Scottrade Center (hockey stadium and concert/event ampitheater), the Fox and Muny Theatres, riverboat tours... the list goes on and on. Have fun in St. Louieee!

Answer 6

Off the beaten path a little bit go across the river and go south on Rt 3 to a village of Cahokia not very far from the bridge. In Cahokia there is a old church, By the name of Holy Family the Church there is open for visitors and is one of the oldest in the country. It was built in 1699 and it is free, Afterward stop off at the Micky Ds on the river It is built on river barges and looks like the old river boat than go back across the river follow the sign to Our lady of the Snows this is a wonderful place in the late fall at night with all of the Christmas lights these are just a few but there is also Grant's farm just south of the city

Answer 7

No sure about the metro, but i think it goes close to Wash U. you may have to walk a few blocks. The College can probably inform you better on this. However, visit the Zoo. It is in Forest Park and just beautiful, and free the park also has other sights to see.

Answer 8

You should rent a car. Our public transportation is limited. Try and go ta a Cardinals game, check out the arch. We have one of the best zoos in the country. The science center is right next to the zoo. Overall, its a pretty boring city.

Answer 9

The Arch, Anheiser-Busch Brewery, Forest Park, and The Riverfront.

Answer 10

As a lifelong resident of St. Louis and always willing to lend a hand let me take some of these suggestions one step further and organize somedays for you. Do rent a car - you'll maximize your sightseeing time by not having to depend on taxis and the metro. Its fairly easy to get around.

Suggest you see if you can find a Riverfront Times Newspaper (free newspaper) you can probably find at the hotel or in the lobby of just about any restaurant. Has a lot of great info on concerts, events, clubs, restaurants in St. Louis. SAUCE Magazine - also free and in lobbies - provides St. Louis restaurant info.

Let's divide the sites by location/area and that should help you as well.

Hyatt hotel is downtown and these will all be within a 5 -10 minute drive from your hotel:
- The Arch, Old Courthouse, Old Cathedral & Riverfront - Arch museum and ride up to the top; you can take a sightseeing ride on a riverboat, but nothing really exciting to see. Old Cathedral 1st west of Mississippi. Old Court House is where Dred Scott case was held.
- Laclede's Landing - just north of the Arch - restaurants, bars, amusements, casino.
- Washington Avenue - great new restaurants from the river to about 17th street. Clubs starting around 12th street.
- International Bowling Museum and Cardinal Baseball Museum - near the Stadium (really pretty interesting)
- Busch Stadium - see a ballgame. You're right next door.

SOULARD NEIGHBORHOOD 5 mins by car s. on broadway:
- Soulard Farmer's Market - oldest west of Mississippi
- Lots of great bars and restaurants
- Anheuser-Busch Brewery - take the tour, its free, interesting, and they offer you free samples of their products after the tour

FOREST PARK/WASH U. AREA: I-64 W to Skinker Ave. exit, then right. Wash U is about 1 mi down Skinker on your left and Forest Park will be on your right from the time you turn off of the interstate. Easiest entrance to Forest Park is across from Wash U. Follow the signs to The Art Museum (excellent), Zoo (truly world class), The History Museum, The Jewel Box (botanical exhibit), and Science Center (interactive and interesting - museum spans across the interstate throught a walkway. All of these have free admission and you could probably spend 2 days just visiting
these sites.

When its time to eat get back onto Skinker and head north (away from the interstate) to Delmar. Make a left onto Delmar. The stretch of Delmar to the gates of University City is known as the Delmar Loop and full of eclectic shops, great places to eat, and entertainment. Blueberry Hill is a must.

Wash U. take either Forest Park Blvd. or Wydown into Clayton (a business district with great restaurants) Try BARcelona for Tapas, Cafe Napoli for Italian, Portabello or Remy's. Take any street in Clayton west and it will intersect into Brentwood. Turn South on Brentwood toward I-64. Galeria Shopping Center and other interesting shopping all around the Brentwood -I-64 intersection.

CENTRAL WEST END - I-64 West to Kingshighway North to Forest Park Blvd. Turn right then left onto Euclid (get into the left turn lane as soon as possible) Full of a variety of restaurants, bars, some clubs, antique shorps & entertainment. Fun place to walk around in nice weather.

THE HILL (Italian) NEIGHBORHOOD & MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDENS - I-44 West to Vandeventer exit then right and follow signs to Botanical Garden (entrance fee but well worth it). Make sure to visit the Climatron. The Hill Neighborhood is back to Vandeventer Ave and take it across Kingshighway and you're there. This is where Yogi Berra and Joe Garagiola grew up & is known for its restaurants. Can't go wrong at any restaurant you choose.

Have a great stay!