Many Forest Park attractions owe their conception to the 1904 World's Fair. Over the century, many of the Park's destinations have evolved under the gaze and attention of over 12 million visitors each year. Spanning 500 acres larger New York's Central Park, Forest Park is located within the city limits and offers many of St. Louis' most beloved attractions.

The Journey to the Top is not the only opportunity for fun at the St. Louis Gateway Arch: watch one of the movies on the giant screen and cruise down the Mighty Mississippi on a riverboat.

 Learn about American history at the Museum of Westward Expansion, see historic St. Louis sights on a carriage ride or rent bikes and conduct your own tour around the Arch grounds.

The oldest city on the Missouri River and the first state capitol of Missouri, historic St. Charles is an area full of cobblestone streets and glimpses into American history. Step into quaint shops and breathe in the fresh scents of cinnamon and chocolate. Delight your ears as street musicians serenade you with the folk songs of yesteryear. Enjoy crafts demonstrations and learn what it was like to be a pioneer during one of the most exciting periods in American history.

Laclede's Landing has been a happenin' St. Louis spot ever since Pierre Laclede built a fur trading post here in 1874. The riverfront buildings that once were used as warehouses are now a maze of remodeled shops, restaurants, and bars. Just a few yards away, barges drift down the Mississippi River. The Landing, as locals call it, brims with architectural clues of eras long past, its old-world setting a comfortable package for the modern treats that lie inside.

Despite its moniker, The Loop isn't actually a loop at all. It's a six-block stretch of Delmar Boulevard, west of downtown and bounded by Skinker and Big Bend. Don't let its small size fool you--The Loop is one of the richest sources of true St. Louis culture, featuring more than 140 restaurants and boutiques, a St. Louis-specific Walk of Fame and a bustling nightlife fueled by locals and students from nearby Washington University. Whether you go day or night, you'll be sure to find an eclectic combination of small stores and big entertainment that can keep you occupied for hours.

After a day of seeing the sights in Forest Park, park-goers are bound to work up an appetite. Not to worry. The park and its surrounding areas offer plenty of appetizing opportunities to satisfy your hunger.

Space is limited inside the steel walls of the Gateway Arch, but a plethora of delicious and unique eateries stand just steps from its base. After a day of sightseeing, you don't have to travel too far to experience a wide variety of St. Louis restaurants.

The Gateway Arch is pure St. Louis. Chocked full of energy, historical significance and unlimited fun for people of all ages, it is no surprise that the Gateway Arch Riverfront in downtown St. Louis is the fourth most visited tourist attraction in the U.S.

Journey to the top of the Arch, dine on Laclede's Landing, take a cruise down the Mississippi on replica riverboat or even take to the sky on a helicopter tour around St. Louis. The possibilties are endless at the Gateway Arch!

The best in cutting-edge features and shorts from around the world are presented at the Tivoli Theatre in the Delmar Loop.  For more information about venues and screening times, visit www.cinemastlouis.org.

A 1.5 mile drive-through route lined with more than a million lights.  Camel rides, carriage rides, live animal display, and an interactive Children's Village.  5 p.m.-10 p.m. nightly. Call 618-397-6700 for more information.

See Victorian carolers, a Las Posadas celebration, authentically costumed Santas from around the world, and a Santa Parade each weekend.  Candlelight shopping and dining on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday evenings till 9 p.m.  Call 800-366-2427 for more information.

The Saint Louis Art Museum announces a series of eight live Metropolitan Opera performances beginning December 15. All performances will be shown live in HD on the big screen in the Saint Louis Art Museum Auditorium.

The series begins December 15 at 12 p.m. with a performance of Roméo and Juliette. Gounod's ultra-sensual interpretation of Shakespeare is an ideal vehicle for star soprano Anna Netrebko and the remarkable tenor Roberto Alagna, both of whom bring their incandescent appeal to the title roles. The irresistible Nathan Gunn is Mercutio and Plácido Domingo presides on the podium.

Tickets are $22 ($15 for Members of the Saint Louis Art Museum, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and Metropolitan Opera, New York and children 12 and under). Advance tickets are highly recommended and are available through MetroTix online at www.metrotix.com and by phone at 314.534.1111. Tickets are also available in person at the Museum. Tickets purchased through MetroTix will incur a $2.75 service fee per ticket; the service fee is waived for tickets purchased at the Museum.

December opens with the Missouri Botanical Garden hosting Chanukah: Festival of Lights on December 2. This annual event features a celebration of the spirit of Israeli music and dance, a menorah lighting ceremony as well as merchandise from local vendors.

Stroll through the Saint Louis Zoo's enchanting holiday wonderland and enjoy thousands of colorful lights, animated light displays and seasonal sounds. Step into the sub-Antarctic and go nose to beak with the animals at Penguin & Puffin Coast.  Enjoy kids’ crafts, fireside storytellers and other entertainment.

December 7-30, 2007 (Closed December 24 and 25)
5:30 - 8:30 p.m.

$5/non-members; $4/Zoo Friends members; free for children under age two.  Groups of 15 or more may call in advance for special rate.  Parking is free on the South Lot adjacent to Hwy. 40.  Enter through the South Entrance at the Z-O-O pylon.  Reservations are not required.  

Kwanzaa—A Cultural Celebration
Friday, December 28, 7 p.m.
Gallery Tour Begins at 6 p.m.
Auditorium, Free; seating is limited.

Celebrate African culture through narrative, music and dance. Children can create their own zawadi (gift) to take home, and everyone can enjoy holiday- themed refreshments. Established in 1966, Kwanzaa is a seven-day celebration beginning December 26. It observes Nguzo Saba, the seven guiding principles for strengthening family, community and cultural values. The Museum presents this program in collaboration with the St. Louis Metropolitan Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Celebrate the season with nearly 100 tuba, sousaphone, baritone horn, and euphonium players at this annual musical extravaganza.

Stroll along the docks of Grafton Harbor while touring vintage yachts and boats. Enjoy "Classic Lunch Specials" on the deck overlooking the Confluence of the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. Boat show both days; Car show Sunday only. For more information, call (618) 786-7678 or visit www.graftonharbor.net.

The Saint Louis Art Museum hosts Jewelry in July, a trunk show of exquisite jewelry created by a variety of artists across the country. Beginning July 11 and continuing through July 13, the Museum Shop will feature hand-crafted bracelets, necklaces and earrings, blown-glass beadwork and precious gemstones.

Admission to the Saint Louis Art Museum is free to all every day. For more information about the Saint Louis Art Museum, call 314.721.0072 or visit www.slam.org.

Support the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis just by going about your daily routine. If you present a voucher, Barnes and Noble Booksellers will donate a portion of the sales to the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis. For a printable voucher visit the Contemporary Art Museum website, and buy those books you've been meaning to get around to.

Now through the end of the year, save up to 75% off at Muse, the Contemporary's gift store. Full of eclectic gifts for the art enthusiast, Muse has the latest books, jewelry and home accents with a contemporary twist that makes them chique as well as cheap.

To browse through some of their offerings, visit Muse's website.

Free Community Unveiling

In quite the artistic coupe, Chesterfield Arts has acquired the second cast of "The Awakening," a monumental metal sculpture by American sculptor Seward Johnson.

The official unveiling of this giant bursting forth from the ground will be held on Saturday, October 10th at 11 a.m. in Chesterfield's Central Park.

From 10 a.m.-2 p.m., the festivities will include food, music and hands-on art activities like "Make Your Mark" by painting a MetroBus, t-shirt making contests and more.

A Very Victorian Christmas the the Botanical Gardens

Visit the Tower Grove House, the country residence of the Missouri Botanical Garden founder Henry Shaw, while is is all decked with wreaths, garlands, floral centerpieces, greenery and holiday trees.

Entrance to the Tower Grove House is free with Garden admission.

Tower Grove House is open everyday, but Mondays.

Celebrate Kwanzaa at the Missouri Botanical Garden

Where better to celebrate Kwanzaa, the African-American holiday centered around the feast table of the harvest, than the Missouri Botanical Garden?

The Garden's annual Kwanzaa celebration features a day of storytelling, craft and jewelry displays, authentic african drumming and live musical performances.

Head to the Anheuser-Busch Brewery on December 4 for their "Friday Night Lights" Tour. On this night, the Tour Center will stay until 9 p.m., offering free guided evening tours through the sparkling brewery. 

Enjoy the brewery's spectacular display of holiday lights while viewing the Clydesdale Stables, Brew House and Bevo Packaging facililty.

Along with Anheuser-Busch's complimentary tours, they also offer, special "Beermaster Tours" for a fee. For more information in these "behind-the-scenes" tours, click here.  

Tp learn more about all the Anheuser-Busch St. Louis Brewery tours, click here.

Head to the Anheuser-Busch Brewery on December 11 for their "Friday Night Lights" Tour. On this night, the Tour Center will stay until 9 p.m., offering free guided evening tours through the sparkling brewery. 

Enjoy the brewery's spectacular display of holiday lights while viewing the Clydesdale Stables, Brew House and Bevo Packaging facililty.

Along with Anheuser-Busch's complimentary tours, they also offer, special "Beermaster Tours" for a fee. For more information in these "behind-the-scenes" tours, click here.  

Tp learn more about all the Anheuser-Busch St. Louis Brewery tours, click here.

Head to the Anheuser-Busch Brewery on December 18 for their "Friday Night Lights" Tour. On this night, the Tour Center will stay until 9 p.m., offering free guided evening tours through the sparkling brewery. 

Enjoy the brewery's spectacular display of holiday lights while viewing the Clydesdale Stables, Brew House and Bevo Packaging facililty.

Along with Anheuser-Busch's complimentary tours, they also offer, special "Beermaster Tours" for a fee. For more information in these "behind-the-scenes" tours, click here.  

Tp learn more about all the Anheuser-Busch St. Louis Brewery tours, click here.

Oprah Winfrey presents the soul-stirring musical, The Color Purple at the Fox Theatre for just eight shows from Feb. 2-7.

Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker and the Oscar-nominated film by Steven Spielbert, The Color Purple is an unforgettable and inspiring musical theatre experience.

Nominated for 11 Tony Awards®, The Color Purple tells the story of a woman named Celie, who triumphs over tremendous odds to find joy in life and discover her inner beauty.

For more information on The Color Purple: The Musical, click here.

Cost: $27-$64

To purchase tickets for The Color Purple, click here.

For more information on the Fabulous Fox Theatre in St. Louis, visit the Fox Website.

The ultimate "feel good musical," Mamma Mia will rock St. Louis' Fox Theatre from Feb. 16-21. Experience the storytelling magic of ABBA's timeless songs as they propel this enchanting and energetic tale of love, laughter, family and friendship. 

For more information on Mamma Mia, visit the Official Mamma Mia Website. 

Cost: $29-$70

To purchase tickets to Mamma Mia at the Fox, click here.

For more information on the Fabulous Fox Theatre, visit the Fox Website.

On New Year's Eve, one of St. Louis' chicest spots, The Chase Park Plaza will be one of the city's most memorable places to count down to the New Year. With a variety of venues to choose from, The Chase has a little something for everyone as 2009 gives way to 2010.

Enjoy dinner, drinks, music and dancing at one of the Chase Park Plaza's three New Year's Eve celebrations:

Starlight Roof

6:30 p.m. Premium cocktails & hors d'oeuver reception

7:30 p.m. Five Course Dinner

9 p.m. Entertainment by The Fabulous Motown Revue

Midnight Balloon Drop & Champagne Toast

Cost: $150/person. All inclusive.

Eau Bistro

5 p.m.-1 a.m.

Ala Carte Menu or Five Course tasint menu

Cost: $100/peron. All inclusive.

Cafe Eau 

7-9 pm. Hors D'Oeuvres

Music by King Pin

Party Favors

Champagne Toast at midnight

Cost: $100/peron. All inclusive.

Stay at the Chase on New Year's Eve for just $99 with tickets to any of the above events.

Back for the first time in 11 years, Ballet Folklorico De Mexico combines dance, music, costume and song in a glorious spectacle that will delight all ages. 

As Mexico's original national treasure, Ballet Folklorico De Mexico features stunning costumes and unique choreography that you won't soon forget.

Tickets: $23-$60

For showtimes and more information on Ballet Folklorico De Mexico at the Fox Theatre, click here.

To learn more about the Fox, visit the Fabulous Fox Theatre Website. 

With RACE: Are We So Different?, the American Anthropological Association presents an interactive museum exhibtion meant to clarify what race is and what race is not. Currently at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park, RACE: Are We So Different? allows visitors to learn the history of race, the role of science in that history and the subtle and obtrusive expressions of race and racism in institiutions and daily lives.

Experience RACE: Are We So Different? at the Missouri History Museum and join in the dialogue about the powerful concept of race.

Click here to take the Virtual Exhibit Tour.

Tickets:

Adult $8

Child $4

Youths (13-18), Seniors & Students w/ valid ID $6

Children five and under are free when accompanied by an adult. 

For more information, call 314-746-4599 or visit the Missouri History Museum Website. 

From the big screen to Broadway to the Fabulous Fox stage in St. Louis, Legally Blonde is a now a hilarious musical romp.

After fair-haired sorority girl Elle Woods is dumped by her boyfriend for a Harvard Law bound prepster, Elle enrolls in the prestigious institution herself and sets out to prove that she can do anything she sets her mind to.

Don't miss this bright pink dynamo of a show (or Elle's canine companion, Bruiser Woods)!

For showtimes, click here.

Tickets: $27-$64

To purchase tickets to Legally Blonde: The Musical at the Fox Theatre, click here.

For more information on Legally Blonde and other shows and events at the Fabulous Fox Theater, visit The Fox Theatre Website.

This ain't Sesame Street. Tony Award-winning musical, Avenue Q is a gut-splitting, irreverent show, in which puppets and humans try to make it in New York City.

Full of subversive and spot-on humor, Avenue Q is a musical unlike any other. In St. Louis for just four shows, don't miss this hilarious adults-only musical masterpiece.

For showtimes, click here.

Tickets: $25-$62

To purchase tickets to Avenue Q at The Fox Theatre, click here.

Legendary St. Louis hotel, The Chase Park Plaza in the Central West End has hosted presidents, diplomats and celebrities since the roaring 20s. Located on the northeast corner of beautifual Forest Park, the Chase offers stunning views, luxurious amenties and several entertainment, dining and nightlife options.

Link to Website

Charming St. Louis hotel, known for it's striking Tudor exterior and convenient proximity to Forest Park and all it's attractions.

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Fitz's serves up classic American food as a traditional St. Louis eatery on the Loop, brewing its own root-beer and offering a great family experience.

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Fine art gallery and sculpture studio.Fine art gallery and sculpture studio.

Travel down the Mississippi River on a 19th century replica steamboat and dine on delicious fare on one of the many Gateway Arch Riverboat Dinner Cruises.

Showcases the Maitland-Smith line of furniture and accessories.

Pencil line drawings with watercolor commemorate the cityscapes of St. Louis. Architectural style illustrations feature compositions of buildings and specific communities within the city.

Bixby's is a neo-traditional American restaurant located in the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis' Forest Park.

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The Missouri History Museum is a thorough look at St. Louis history and culture, from the time it was just a village up until its present day glory.

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A Mobil 4-Star Restaurant, the Station Grille located in the historic St. LouisUnion Station and offers Contemporary American Cuisine.

St. Louis's grand old train station, Union Station is a National Historic Landmark and has been ranked as one of the top attractions in the region.

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Also known as the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, St. Louis' Gateway Arch stands as the 630-foot tall gatekeeper to the Midwest, making it the tallest national monument in the U.S., and the 4th most-visited tourist attraction in the world.

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See the city of St. Louis the way it was meant to be seen: from the top of its most famous monument, the Gateway Arch.

While in St. Louis, a visit to the Old Courthouse is a must for history buffs. Located just steps away from the Arch grounds, the Old Courthouse was the site of the famous Dred Scott slavery in the mid-19th Century.

At the Arch View Cafe, you can dine on burgers, chicken strips, and other casual fare in the shadow of the St. Louis Gateway Arch. Located on the Riverboat's docking barge, the Arch View Café is the closest restaurant to the Arch.

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For over 150 years, the Missouri Botanical Garden has acquired contributions from artists, architects, and scientists—creating a refreshing natural refuge in the midst of the city.

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Everyone should have the experience of picking home-grown blueberries and strawberries on a hot summer day. Although visitors can't pick the berries grown in the Botanical Garden, they can study them when they're in season and learn how to cultivate the most delicious fruit for their own gardens.

The Magic House is the St. Louis area Children's Museum dedicated to hands-on exhibits and interactive learning for both kids and parents. With hundereds of exciting exhibits set in a picturesque Victorian mansion, The Magic House is one of the most attended children's museums in the country.

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The oldest city on the Missouri River and the state's first capitol, historic St. Charles is an area bursting with cobblestone streets and a view of the past.

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At the Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site in South St. Louis County, guests can tour White Haven, the home where Ulysses S. Grant met and fell in love with his future wife. Admission is free.

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An exotic, restored venue from the days of the grand movie houses.

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Commune with the blossoms at a stunning Art Deco floral conservatory with hundreds of flowers.

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Beautiful rock grottos built by a Franciscan friar offer a peaceful tonic for body and soul.

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This 98-acre park is home to at least 88 pieces of sculpture and is well-deserving of its reputation as one of the nation's finest sculpture parks.

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Housing the hottest avant-garde art in the Midwest, the Contemporary Art Museum of St. Louis promotes the most meaningful, relevant and innovative art being made today.

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The Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis is one of the premier tourist stops due to its rich history and specific ties to the city of St. Louis.

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A former residence of playwright Tennesee Williams and on the national registrar of historic places.

Once the site of the 1904 World's Fair, St. Louis's Forest Park is one of the largest urban parks in the United States, dwarfing central park by 500 acres.

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Part scientist and part artist, Christiane Danna offers European minimalist jewelry for that must-have unique piece.

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Originally constructed as the Palace of Fine Arts for the 1904 World's Fair, the Saint Louis Art Museum's elegant stone exterior has and always will bear the motto “Dedicated to Art and Free to All.” High atop Art Hill in Forest Park, the Saint Louis Art Museum features works by the great masters, contemporary artists and everything in between.

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Located in the Historical Union Station in the heart of downtown St. Louis, the St. Louis Union Station Marriott boasts elegant architecture and is recognized as a Historic Hotel of America. Perfect for business or a leisurely getaway, St. Louis Union Station Marriott offers a genuine St. Louis experience.

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Old Post Offic Plaza is a 30,000 square-foot open space in the heart of downtown St. Louis, featuring inviting landscaping, water features and sculpture.

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Family owned and operated since 1981, this location of Elicia's Pizza delivers fresh, quality pizza to Dogtown and the Hill area.

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One of the boldest new additions to downtown St. Louis, the Citygarden is an urban oasis, filled with two dozen dynamic sculptures, expertly maintained greenery, and an extraordinary restaurant all in the heart of the city.

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Sounds at the Station is a free concert series held at St. Louis Union Station's Lake Stage the third Thursday of every month, from April-September. 

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Twilight Under the Train Shed is a free movie series held outdoors at St. Louis Union Station the first Friday of every month, from April-September.

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Located amidst the flora, fauna and sculptures of the Citygarden, The Terrace View Cafe magnificently blends Mediterranean flavors with Midwestern ingredients, creating a menu of fresh, unique dishes that always delight.

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