Edition: Concierges' Favorite Restaurants
Summer in the City
Author: Jennifer R. Rolf
Although St. Louis is known for its intense humidity at the height of the summer months, beating the heat can be an enjoyable time if you know the right places to go. A hotbed of summer entertainment can be found all over the metropolitan area at many local attractions. Here are a few ways to keep cool, stay dry, or just have hot fun in the summertime.
Make a Splash
Cool off and soak in the fun at one of the area's many water parks. Aquaport (2344 McKelvey Rd., 314-434-1919) offers several waterslides, a 740-foot Lazy River, a play area for small children and an 8,000-square-foot family fun pool. Make it a day of fun at Six Flags, then get all wet at the park's Hurricane Harbor (I-44 and Allerton Rd., 636-938-5300). Swim in the 30,000-square-foot pool, entertain small children in an interactive water play area, raft down the six-story Big Kahuna, or travel the tube slides, speed slides, or the relaxing Gulley Washer Creek. At Raging Rivers (100 Palisades Pkwy. Grafton, IL, 618-786-2345) located along the scenic Great River Road, you can drench a friend or get drenched at the water park's Tree House Harbor, complete with water cannons, swings, spigots, and slides, and the "Big Bucket," which is ready to douse those who dare to stand underneath. For a more relaxing experience, try floating down the Endless River.
Flora and Fauna
If enjoying the sights, scents, and sounds of nature is for you, St. Louis obliges with a list of attractions. The wonders of botany await you at the country's oldest botanical park - Missouri Botanical Garden (4344 Shaw Blvd., 800-642-8842). Beautifully landscaped grounds encompass scores of plants and flowers, a tropical rainforest, a peaceful Japanese garden, and even a center that offers tips to gardening enthusiasts. At Grant's Farm (10501 Gravois Rd., 314-843-1700), the whole family can enjoy a wildlife preserve that is home to hundreds of animals from around the world. This former residence of President Ulysses S. Grant is run by Anheuser-Busch and features a petting zoo, an area to feed the animals, and a Clydesdale breeding facility. The St. Louis Zoo (Forest Park, 314-781-0900) is known as one of the best in the nation, and you could easily spend an entire day discovering the wonders of the 79 acre grounds. Travel on the Zooline railroad or walk around and explore the recently renovated children's zoo, the River's Edge, Big Cat Country, and Penguin & Puffin Coast. Pet baby farm animals and view kittens and puppies at Purina Farms (Gray Summit, 314-982-3232). A dog training show and cow milking demonstration are presented regularly, and visitors can explore a real hayloft or learn how pet foods are made. It's also the site of many dog shows throught the year.
Scouting the Fairways
St. Louis has too many golf courses to list, but a few notables are provided here. Often voted one of the best places to play golf in the St. Louis area, Annbriar Golf Course (1524 Birdie Lane, Waterloo, IL, 888-939-5191) is known for its lush greens and well-kept fairways. Forest Park offers not one but two golf courses form which to tee off. The Norman K. Probstein Community Golf Course and Youth Learning Center (Forest Park, 314-367-1337) consists of 27 holes recently redesigned by St. Louisan Hale Irwin. The holes are laid out as three courses that can be combined. Another golfing option found in Forest Park is the Triple-A Golf and Tennis Club (314-652-2433), a nine-hole course that also offers 15 tennis courts. Crystal Springs Quarry Golf Club (12163 Prichard Farm Rd., 314-344-4448) is considered to be a peaceful retreat for the avid golfer. The club features a large, tree-lined 18-hole course built in an old quarry. Nestled among rolling hills and natural streams, Quail Creek Championship Golf Club (6022 Wells Rd., 314-487-1988) is ideal for the experienced golfer who likes a challenge - an 18-hole course presents a higher level of difficulty than other area courses.
Batter Up
There is no doubt about it - St. Louis is a baseball town. No matter where you're staying within the metropolitan area, you are never far from the boys of summer. Downtown at Busch Stadium, the St. Louis Cardinals (314-421-2400) provide excitement for fans of all ages. Just follow the roar of the crowd and the sea of Cardinal red. Across the Mississippi River at GMC Stadium in Sauget, IL, the Gateway Grizzlies (618-337-3000) play independent professional baseball in the Frontier League. The River City Rascals (636-240-BATS), their league rivals, thrill baseball fans 40 miles to the west at T.R. Hughes Stadium in O'Fallon, MO.
Rainy Day Blues
If a spell of rain is threatening or the heat is too extreme, consider an indoor alternative. The Magic House (516 S. Kirkwood Rd., 314-822-8900) provides an educational and fun experience for the whole family. This "hands-lon" museum lets children participate in live exhibits and activities, such as working "real jobs" at the Children's Village, forecasting the weather on TV, and freezing their shadows on the Shadow Wall. Try touching the popular electrostatically-charged ball and watch your hair stand on end - literally. The new St. Louis Mills (I-370 and I-270, 314-298-1500) hosts a multitude of choices for the activity-oriented family: go ice skating at the indoor rink where the St. Louis Blues practice: skateboard on a half pipe, ride motorcross bicycles, or try in-line skating at the ESPN X Games Skatepark; race cars at the NASCAR SpeedPark; or play miniature golf. Don't forget to check out the hundreds of retail shops and outlets. The Saint Louis Science Center (5050 Oakland Ave., 800-459-SLSC) bridges science and education with more than 600 exhibits that explore biotechnolgy, nature, aviation, outer space (at the adjacent McDonnell Planetarium) and more. An OMNIMAX theater is also on site. When the weather isn't cooperating, consider a trip to the Anheuser-Busch Brewery (I-55 at Arsenal, 314-577-2626), where each year thousands of visitors tour the impressive 100-acre campus to watch how the nation's best-selling beer is brewed. The world-famous Clydesdales' stable is a featured stop, and no tour is complete without testing a few free samples in the hospitality room.
