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I had to wait for the exhibit to go through so while I waited, there was a jazz fest going on that I listened to good music, had good food, and also saw a movie over at the shopping area. Had a great time

There are tons of things to do and see, but make sure where your going or you can get lost and in a bad area like any city your unfamiliar with.

Of course practice common sense with jewelery or money involved and not flash in public.

First let me tell you there are plenty of Free things or at least reasonable things to do

St. Louis Art Museum. 1 it’s FREE. 2 special exhibits do have an admission fee, except on Tuesdays, when they are also FREE. The museum is open late Tuesdays, as well. It’s part of

Forest Park. There’s not really one specialty, but it’s a good all-purpose museum.

St. Louis Zoo. Again, FREE. Also part of Forest Park. Make sure to walk across the street to

Turtle Park while here.

Laumeier Sculpture Park. Okay, this one is a bit of a drive, but again, it’s FREE. Great for a picnic.

Anheuser-Busch Brewery. Free. Plus You get to see the Clydesdales.

City Museum. Okay, this one is not free. But it’s nice for kids and fun for adults, too.

Saint Louis University. This one’s free if you don’t do the museums. More fountains than any campus in the U. S. Oldest university west of the Mississippi. Home of the Billikins.

The Arch. Nothing need to be said there…other than hey that defines St Louis.

The Courthouse. Where the Dred Scott trial happened & has a good display of the history of St. Louis, also.

Science Center. clock the cars on Highway 40 and has different exhibits throughout the yr.

Soulard Farmers Market. It’s a good excuse to walk around Soulard, & has great produce. Hodaks is good place for yummy chicken there. Later, you should go back to the Venice Cafe. in the area live music and decent food to boot.

The Loop. Not really a loop, but it was where the streetcars turned around. Walk down, check out the stars on the St. Louis Walk of Fame, do some shopping at Vintage Vinyl. See a movie at the Tivoli and eat at Riddle’s, where a lot of the dishes are created from local organic produce and some real good homemade ice cream. Genesis Coffee House & Art Gallery is a great place for coffee or tea. blue berry hill/ Best burgers around, live music, and large selection of domestic and imported beers

The Botanical Gardens. Used to live just blocks from there and I worked at a daycare and would on occasion take the little ones over there. Is a great garden and supposed to have the largest Japanese garden outside Japan.

Dressel’s Pub in the CWE: traditional Welsh pub, with pictures of writers on the walls.

Duff’s in the CWE: eat outside, and if they have strawberry-rhubarb pie that day, get it.

Someone told me about it and I would agree 100% on that tip.

Where to eat:

Riddle’s: already mentioned.

Blueberry Hill: also on the Loop and has a good setup for playing darts. Great hamburgers, and board games are available, plus many times live music.

Fitz’s: also on the Loop. St. Louis’s own root beer.

Crown Candy Kitchen: in North St. Louis. It’s all about the dessert.

Pho Grand: good cheap Vietnamese on South Grand. So Grand is good for Vietnamese or a lot of different ethnic food in general.

Cafe Manhattan: very comforting food in a sort of 1950s juke-box-inspired setting.

Koppermann’s Deli: best Sunday brunch, but be prepared to wait. Pricey, but worth it.

Uncle Bill’s Pancake House: on the South Side, it’s the best place to eat in the middle of the night.

Rigazzi’s: on the Hill if you go on the night of a Cards game, expect a crowd. Get the toasted ravioli—I love those things, plus it’s a tradition.

And if you like Panera Bread, go while you’re in St. Louis. Before they went all national, it was known as St. Louis Bread Co., and so it’s still known around these parts as “the BreadCo.”

West Port Plaza: not so much for shopping, but plenty of places to eat. Great place to watch sports is Ozzies (Ozzie Smith named after and owned)

St Louis Mills mall: Plenty of shopping and there is a ice rink where the Blues practice at times.

Union Station downtown is also good shopping as well as has a Hard Rock Cafe. (The brownie sundae is huge. My sis and I couldn’t even finish it)

Imo’s another tradition for St Louis. Thin crust with St Louis cheese Provel.

Gus pretzels

Ted Drewes, which is St. Louis’s famous frozen custard stand. They have two locations. One is supposed to be on Old route 66. I am not sure if that is the one on Chippewa or the one on Grand.

Places to stay. I would stay either in St Charles or in Earth City. I hear they are building up downtown, but I still wouldn’t want to stay there.

I have lived in the city, south county, St Ann/ Bridgeton, St Charles, & Chesterfield. I prefer Chesterfield and St Charles or even Earth City if visiting.

Also if you go over to St Charles as well there are plenty of things to do there as well.

Including: Katy Trail, casino, main street has so many places to eat and all kinds of shops.