Edition: Top 25 Attractions
St. Louis's Top 25
Author: Roger Slavens
Top 10 lists are way overrated. When we sat down to capture all that's great about St. Louis, there was no way we could do it in such small order. After all, the Gateway City and its surrounding communities abound with attractions of every sort, ranging from museums to historic sites to world-class performance venues.
Concierge Preferred asked dozens of the region's concierges and visitor service specialists to nominate their choices for St. Louis's best entertainment spots and attractions, which means they couldn't come more highly recommended. We then compiled those most frequently mentioned to come up with a list of 25 "can't-miss" destinations. Do the math and it's 2 1/2 times the fun!
Natual Beauty
Nature lovers will love the Missouri Botanical Garden (4434 Shaw Blvd., 314-577-9400), a place of serenity amidst the bustle of the city. Thousands visit for gardening tips and insights, as well as to see spectacular botanical special exhibits. Take wing to Faust Park where you can walk amoung thousands of butterflies in the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House (Faust Park, 636-530-0076). (While there, be sure to take a ride on Faust Park's indoor 1920s Dentzel Carousel). Lush, sprawling Forest Park - the largest city pa rk in the U.S., bigger than New York's Central Park - occupies nearly 1,200 acres of natural beauty and houses several of St. Louis's top attractions. It's also a perfect spot for that early morning walk or jog. Just 15 minutes east of St. Louis, the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows (Belleville, IL, 618-397-6700) blesses visitors with 200 acres of breathtaking beauty, ranging from lush gardens to awe-inspiring sculptures. Also on the premises is an AAA-rated hotel, a gift shop, and full-service conference center.
Enchanting Excursions
Just 30 minutes west of downtown St. Louis lays Historic St. Charles, the oldest city on the Missouri River and Missouri's first capitol. There you can stroll along Historic Main Street or visit Historic French Town and duck into antique stores and great restaurants. Don't miss the city's gala bicentennial celebration of Lewis and Clark's expedition. Drive southwest from St. Charles (or bicycle down the Katy Trail) and you'll find yourself in wine country, an area just bursting with award-winning wineries. Sample a few of the best at Blumenhof Vineyards (Hwy. 94, 636-433-2245), Mt. Pleasant Winery (5634 High St., Augusta, 636-482-4419), or one of the other nearby wineries. Step back in time with a visit to historic Kimmswick, just 22 miles south of St. Louis. Unique 18th and 19th century buildings as well as antiques and artisan shops will pique your interest. On the Illinois side, the quaint city of Alton, site of a Lincoln-Douglas debate and many historic homes, will charm you. Alton boasts over 50 antiques dealers, almost a dozen golf courses, and miles of biking and hiking trails.
Animal Attractions
Animal lovers of all stripes will find an abundance of friendly creatures in St. Louis. Purina Farms (Gray Summit, 314-982-3232) is a big hit with children who love animals - especially the kind you can pet. The Saint Louis Zoo (Forest Park, 314-781-0900), one of the top-ranked in the nation, is open year-round and gives young and old a chance to see - and sometimes even interact with - nearly 7,000 animals up close and personal. There's also a miniature railway, children's zoo, and seasonal special attractions. Best of all, admission is free. Once owned by Ulysses S. Grant, Grant's Farm (10501 Gravois, 314-838-1700) is run by Anheuser-Busch and features a Clydesdale breeding and training facility. It'sa perfect family destination where the kids can feed goats and watch elephant and bird shows.
Cultural Gems
Presenting historical artifacts on everything from Lewis & Clark to modern-day Missouri, The Missouri History Museum (Forest Park, 314-746-4599) traces the history of the region through permanent and traveling exhibitions. It's also home to a great gift shop, and one of St. Louis's best restaurants, Meriwether's. General admission is free. The gloriously restored 1920s era Fox Theatre (527 N. Grand, 314-534-1111) bestows an extra sense of glamour, drama, and song to St. Louis's culture scene. The world-class Saint Louis Art Museum (Forest Park, 314-721-0072), formerly the Fine Arts Palace from the 1904 World's Fair, features collections ranging from ancient to contemporary. Whatever you do, don't miss the mummy. The historic Old Courthouse (11 N. Fourth St., 314-655-1700), where the Dred and Harriett Scott case began and where Virginia Minor fought for women's suffrage, is an architectural feast. A cast-iron stairway, paintings from the 1800s, and rows of decorative columns are entrancing. The cobblestone streets of Laclede's Landing, on the Mississippi waterfront in downtown St. Louis, are a reminder of the city's past. By day a historic neighborhood of sidewalk cafés and specialty shops, at night this burgeoning warehoues district comes alive with a wealth of nightclubs, restaurants, and a casino.
Family Fun
Geared for younger children, nearly 65,000 of them visit The Magic House (516 S. Kirkwood Rd., 314-822-8900) every year to play with dozens of hands-on, skill-building exhibits and learn from resident instructors. The Saint Louis Science Center (5050 Oakland, 314-289-4400) is a brain-expanding museum for children of all ages which showcases clever hands-on exhibits that both teach and entertain. It's also the site of the city's OMNIMAX giant-screen theatre. At the City Museum (701 N. 15th, 314-231-2489), art, science, history, and more come together ina one-of-a-kind downtown attraction that you'll have to see to believe. You can explore caves, participate in a circus, zip down a 3-story slide, and much more. Thrill-seekers love all the roller-coasters, theme rides and water parks at Six Flags St. Louis (Eureka, 636-938-4800). Located just 30 minutes southwest of downtown, it's a perfect day-trip destination for families who like to scream together. Sports fans will want to take in the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium (259 Stadium Plaza, 314-421-3060). Perhaps no town is more rabid about baseball and their home team than St. Louis. The Cardinals have a great history, ranging from Stan Musial to Mark McGwire.
Only in St. Louis...
There are some sights that can be seen only in St. Louis, and nowhere else. One you can't miss is the Gateway Arch (St. Louis Riverfront, 314-982-1410), aka the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. The nation's tallest man-made monument towers 630 feet high and boasts a tram you can ride to the top. In a complex below the monument, you can watch an IMAX movie, learn about the Arch's history, and shop for souvenirs. Anheuser-Busch Brewery Tours (I-55 at Arsenal, 314-577-2626), the world's largest brewery, gives visitors an insider's peek at a century-old, beer-making tradition. Of course, it wouldn't be complete without the requisite beer tastings afterwards. Free. On special summer nights, you can see Broadway-style entertainment at The Muny (Forest Park, 314-361-1900), the oldest and largest outdoor theatre in the country. The Basilica of St. Louis (Lindell and Newstead, 314-533-0544), also known simply as the Cathedral Basilica, houses the largest mosaic collection in the world. The unique design draws from Romanesque and Byzantine architecture, featuring 83,000 square feet of mosaics.
The Shrine Hotel
442 S. DeMazenod Dr. , Belleville, IL 62223
The Shrine Hotel is a full-service guest facility just 12 miles from Downtown St. Louis on the grounds of the scenic and breathtaking natural splendor of the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows.
St. Louis University Museum of Art
3663 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63108
The St. Louis University Museum of Art offers some of the finest collections of art available in the midwest, with permanent works from Andy Warhol, Tom Huck, Max Ernst and others.
Missouri Botanical Garden: Tram Tour
4344 Shaw Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63110
Explore the century-long history of the Missouri Botanical Gardens in a quick and informative way: the tram traveling across the grounds.
