The Ultimate Weekend Travel Guide for St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis, Missouri (AKA The Gateway City).

It’s a place that has been on my travel list for quite some time, yet Michael and I didn’t solidify our plans to visit until less than a week before departure. Even without the time to plan a truly thorough itinerary, the city booms with culture and is a pleasure to wander aimlessly.

Headed there yourself? The main sights are easy to see in a weekend, but I encourage you to budget more time if you can. We arrived around 11 a.m. on a Saturday and flew out again the following afternoon; enough time to get a taste of the city but there’s oh-so-much more to see. Here’s what we accomplished in our short time, along with tips for future visitors:

ST. LOUIS SIGHTS + ATTRACTIONS

Iconic sights, a hearty dose of culture, and a whole lot of fun!

The Gateway Arch

The Gateway Arch | Gateway Arch, St. Louis, MO 63102

Exhibits at the St. Louis Arch Museum — | Educational Exhibit at the Arch |

St. Louis Arch Car and view from the top — | Tram Car Entry + Windows at the Top |

The Gateway Arch is visible from much of the city, and much of the city is visible from the top of the Gateway Arch. Designed by immigrant architect Eero Saarinen and opened in 1965, the Arch stands to commemorate Thomas Jefferson and the Louisiana Purchase. It is highly recommended to purchase tickets online in advance if possible; once you arrive be sure to follow the signs to the new entrance in the center of the arch near the Old Courthouse. There is an expansive exhibit about the history and construction of the arch; be sure to save a little time to check it out before your tram ride to the top. Note, the facility is not fully accessible (the ride to the top requires tackling a few stairs), and the top can be crowded, even with limited entry. Still, the ride in the unique five-seater pods and the view from the top is well worth the time and reasonable entry fee.

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The Muny

The Muny | 1 Theatre Dr, St. Louis, MO 63112

The Muny typically charges for seats during its summer season in Forest Park, but arrive early enough and you can find a seat in the free seating area behind the main audience seating. Meet Me in St. Louis was playing during our visit, and while we couldn’t stay for the whole performance due to dinner reservations, we were both incredibly impressed by the sheer size of the venue and the talent of the performers.

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Citygarden

Citygarden | 801 Market St, St. Louis, MO 63101

Sculptures at City Garden — | Citygarden |

Citygarden, located downtown, offers a great respite from hot sidewalks during the summer. Kids will particularly enjoy cooling off in the small (lifeguarded!) pool.

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City Museum

City Museum | 750 N 16th St, St. Louis, MO 63103

bar and slide at City Museum — | City Museum Bar and Slide |

Alyssa runs around the City Museum Skateless Skatepark — | City Museum Skateless Skatepark |

Michael plays on a rope at City Museum's Skateless Skatepark — | City Museum’s Skateless Skatepark |

Everywhere we went, we were instructed by locals to visit City Museum, and in fact, it wasn’t even on our list for our weekend visit. After hearing the suggestion often enough, we gave up on our plans to visit the Contemporary Art Museum and the Basilica, and we are so glad we did. It’s part-museum, part-jungle-gym, part-spelunking adventure, and all slides. Go, and bring your sense of adventure and play and be sure to wear jeans and close-toed shoes.

WHERE TO EAT IN ST. LOUIS

From barbecue to all the latest trends...

Somewhere cool and trendy

Winslow's Table | 7213 Delmar Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63130
Billie|Jean | now closed

Three photos taken at Winslow's Home — | Winslow’s Table |

The interior of Winslow's Home — | Winslow’s Table |

Two dishes at Billie|Jean — | Billie|Jean |

Winslow’s Table was right on trend as a part-market/part-farm-to-table restaurant. The restaurant was very busy during our Saturday breakfast visit, and while priced slightly higher than I feel it should have been, was still quite good. For a dinner option, “It” spot Vicia was closed for a private event during our weekend trip so instead we dined at Billie|Jean, ~~a relative newcomer~~ [edit: now closed], though it’s owned by a well-established restaurant group in town. I’ll always select a small, intimate venue over a large space, and Billie|Jean checked that box. The music was a bit on the louder side (though that’s a rampant issue), but an outdoor table opened up shortly after arrival and we were graciously seated outside. Portions were generous, and we were appreciative of the celebratory sparkling rosé to mark our tenth dating anniversary.

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BBQ, of course

Pappy's Smokehouse | 3106 Olive St, St. Louis, MO 63103
Sugarfire Smokehouse | Multiple Locations

Ribs from Pappy's Smokehouse — | Pappy’s Smokehouse |

A platter of BBQ at Sugarfire — | Sugarfire |

Though, maybe not of course. St. Louis BBQ appears to be less of a BBQ style than simply a cut of ribs. Still, we found decent barbecue at both Pappy’s Smokehouse (Memphis-style) and Sugarfire Smokehouse (a mix of BBQ styles). Don’t expect a particularly saucy dish (that’s over in Kansas City), but it’s a good hearty meal all the same. Upon arrival, don’t let any lines deter you – they move quickly and the food is served up fast.

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A little something sweet

Park Avenue Coffee | Multiple Locations
Sugarfire Smokehouse | Multiple Locations

A slice of Gooey Butter Cake — | gooey butter cake |

Ahh, Gooey Butter Cake. Don’t you feel a little swelling in your arteries just by reading that? (It’s okay because you’ll burn off the calories at City Museum). We had the chance to try two versions of the sticky, achingly sweet dessert over our two days in the city: once at Park Avenue Coffee and once in pie form at Sugarfire. Both were delicious but should probably be consumed infrequently.

ST. LOUIS COFFEE + BEER

Morning or night? Here are the places to stop for refreshment.

St. Louis Coffee Shops

Blueprint Coffee | Multiple Locations
Kaldi's Coffee | Multiple Locations

A pourover coffee from Blueprint Coffee — | Pour over at Blueprint |

A coffee and sparkling water at Kaldi's coffee — | Kaldi’s Coffee |

Ready for a really good cup of coffee? Blueprint Coffee in the Delmar Loop serves up the kind of coffee that would be dangerous to have nearby as you’d be tempted to visit all the time. They really know their beans but aren’t snobby about answering questions either. Kaldi’s Coffee is a small chain of specialty coffee shops with a few locations in St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbia, and Atlanta, GA. They do a great pour-over, and many of their smaller beverages (such as a cortado or Gibraltar) are accompanied by chocolate-covered espresso beans. As if we’d need another incentive.

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St. Louis Breweries

Urban Chestnut | Multiple Locations

The exterior of Urban Chestnut in St. Louis — | Urban Chestnut |

While St. Louis already has a famous “local” beer (you’ve probably heard of it) I prefer visiting smaller breweries. A reader recommended Urban Chestnut, and it did not disappoint. The weather was warm during our August visit so we found our way inside; on a nicer day, the patio would be a perfect hangout.

WHERE TO STAY IN ST. LOUIS

A charming bed and breakfast for a romantic getaway.

Fleur-de-Lys Mansion

Fleur-de-Lys Mansion | 3500 Russell Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63104

The Reservoir Park Room at the bed and breakfast — | Reservoir Park Room |

A plate with Candied Bacon and a Cheese Blintz Souffle — | Candied Bacon + Cheese Blintz Souffle |

The Fleur-de-Lys Mansion was perfect for our anniversary stay in St. Louis. Built in the 19th century, the four-room inn is well-run by Jerilyn and Gary, who as innkeepers have left no detail unattended. Our room was perfectly comfortable, and we were in heaven with all of the soft linens provided. Breakfast could not have been more perfect – fresh juice, a smoothie, candied bacon, and a delicious cheese-blintz soufflé served alongside a great cup of coffee. We’ll definitely return to this lovely accommodation on a future visit.

WITH MORE TIME IN ST. LOUIS

There were many sights we were unable to visit during our short stay that we would have loved to see, including the St. Louis Zoo, St. Louis Art Museum, Contemporary Art Museum, Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, Forest Park, Meramec Caverns, Sculpture Park, and local institution Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, located on historic Route 66. When planning a longer itinerary, these are places I would suggest looking into.

ST. LOUIS TRAVEL TIPS

If you go: Flights to St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) are available on many major legacy and budget carriers, including Delta, American Airlines, United, Frontier, and Southwest Airlines (the largest carrier at STL). The airport is located about a twenty-minute drive from downtown or a forty-minute ride on the metro. Uber and Lyft (referral code links for ride credit) are both available in the area, though prices were much higher than in other cities. Due to the time, cost, and parking burden cars sometimes provide, we opted to go without during our visit. For any stay longer than one night, I highly recommend renting a vehicle if possible. To keep costs down, we traveled about equally by Metro (a one-day pass was ~~$7.50~~ – now $5) and rideshares, though we still easily spent $100 in transport over two days – roughly what we would have spent on a rental and downtown parking. St. Louis is a sprawling city of neighborhoods, and I suggest working your way across the city one neighborhood at a time rather than bouncing between them. If you’re not renting a vehicle, it may be worth considering a stay downtown or along a metro line. Once downtown, two rideshare scooter companies have placed electric scooters on sidewalks, but bear in mind a helmet is required and riders may not ride on the sidewalk. If you take away only one thing from this post, let it be: don’t leave town without visiting the City Museum.

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Have you visited St. Louis before? What are your favorite things to do in this great American city?