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Post by Yoki on Jul 22, 2015 20:54:33 GMT
I'm planning a girls weekend for myself & two friends to St. Louis the second weekend of October. We've rented a house in the Soulard neighborhood & will have a car. We arrive Friday evening around 6 and leave Monday morning. Any advice on what we definite should see/eat and when? Or, what we can skip? We're 40ish, looking for fun shopping, good (but not fancy or expensive) eats, & unique sights. The only other timing consideration is that I'm running a 1/2 marathon Sunday morning. I'd love some ideas for activities that involve less walking for that day.  |
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cathit
Shy Member
Posts: 47 
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Post by cathit on Jul 22, 2015 21:19:35 GMT
I think you should to go the Three Sixty, www.360-stl.com/. It's a bar above the Hilton, right next to Busch Stadium. Depending on what time, it can be crowded. But it's fun to look over St. Louis. |
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Post by Yoki on Jul 22, 2015 21:22:08 GMT
Thanks, cathit! That looks very swanky & fun! |
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Post by mellyw on Jul 22, 2015 23:23:36 GMT
Soulard itself is a lovely place to explore. In that area, I'd recommend McGurk's Irish Pub, good eats & priced well. We also like The International Tap House.
Forest Park is a nice place to walk around, the St Louis Art Museum is in it, a place I love.
One of my absolute favorites places to go is the St Louis Botanical Gardens. Can't recommend it enough.
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Post by Yoki on Jul 22, 2015 23:56:57 GMT
mellyw, the Botanical Gardens are high on our list of things to do! I'm sad we'll miss the lantern exhibit. Do yall reccomend the zoo? I'm lukewarm about zoos, but hear good things about it. (But we're also without kids & short on time.) What about going up the arch? Riverboat tour?
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Post by mellyw on Jul 23, 2015 1:08:31 GMT
This is where I admit I've lived here since 2007, & I've never been to the zoo. My 21 year old DD loved the place, though. And family that visits enjoy it too.
Arch tours are fun. I enjoy the museum that tells about it. Haven't done any riverboat tours, so I can't help there.
Oh, thought of another. You can tour the Anheuser Busch Brewery, it's really close to Soulard.
So glad the Botanical Gardens are on your list. I've lived all over the world, visited many beautiful gardens, & St Louis's rank up there with the best. Especially within the limited space they have.
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LeaP
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,939
Location: Los Angeles, CA where 405 meets 101
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Post by LeaP on Jul 23, 2015 1:16:24 GMT
I'm a big fan of the City Museum. It is very, very strange and I've never seen anything like it anywhere else. It is, however, not for the faint hearted and you leave a little worse for the wear.
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nanaterry
Junior Member
Posts: 67
Jun 26, 2014 20:05:34 GMT
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Post by nanaterry on Jul 23, 2015 1:47:57 GMT
I know it is a little bit of a drive but I love to eat at Annie Gunn's at Chesterfield. It is wonderful.
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Post by shannoots on Jul 23, 2015 2:03:59 GMT
For shopping, check out Main St. in St. Charles. It would be a bit of a drive but I think most people would agree it's worth it. Good restaurants there too.
Btw, I would skip the zoo. While it's a nice zoo, it's not something I would necessarily want to do without kids.
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Post by Yoki on Jul 23, 2015 2:33:23 GMT
LeaP, City Museuem looks super cool & unique! If I don't get there on this girls weekend trip, I might come back with my son in a few years & take him!
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Post by winogirl on Jul 23, 2015 2:39:51 GMT
I'll second mellyw on McGurk's. Great food and beautiful courtyard. Dh and I love the Spinach Artichoke Ravioli....so delicious and if I wasn't in public I'd lick the sauce that comes with it right off my plate.
Molly's in Soulard is good too; it's comprised of two buildings: the original bar has great outdoor seating and they bought out the restaurant to the east which has a nice outdoor area too and serves Cajun food.
I love our zoo and botanical gardens and often wander around them by myself. City museum is awesome too.
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Post by MorellisCupcake on Jul 23, 2015 3:12:36 GMT
The Anheuser Busch tour is great. I've been twice and liked it both times. We toured, got our free sample, and at the end picked up our free full draught and had lunch in the biergarten. Very fun.
The arch is under construction.. if you plan to go up to the top, get tickets ahead of time. The museum in the base is closed until 2017 and the area is kind of desolate looking, IMO. I went last summer and it was really pretty, but right now it's torn up for restoration.
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Post by angiet on Jul 23, 2015 3:18:54 GMT
Soulard has a lot of nice places to eat. McGurks is my favorite, especially when it is nice out and you can eat in the garden. It is beautiful. Tuckers Place is next door and is also very good.
We also love Joanie's Pizza.
I love shopping on Main St in St. Charles. Lots of cute shops and good restaurants. Lewis and Clarks is good as is Trailhead Brewing.
There are 2 outlet malls in Chesterfield with many places to eat near by.
I don't know of any good riverboat tours, but I've not done one is the 30 years I've lived here!
Have fun! And good luck with the 1/2 marathon! Is it the Rock n Roll one? My daughter ran that one several years ago.
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Post by Yoki on Jul 23, 2015 12:25:54 GMT
Thanks, everybody! Sounds like a meal at McGurks is in order! angiet, I'm not running the RNR 1/2. We couldn't go that weekend, but fortunately, there is the Go! St. Louis Halloween 1/2 the weekend we'll be there. |
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Just T
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,544
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Post by Just T on Jul 23, 2015 13:05:52 GMT
Yes, you must visit Main St. in St. Charles. I may be biased because I live in St. Charles, but it is wonderful. Someone already mentioned two of my favorite restaurants--Trailhead and Lewis and Clarks, but others are really good too. Magpies and Bradens are both great, and if the weather is good, they both have beautiful outdoor patio seating. There are so many unique and interesting shops, I couldn't even begin to tell them all. If you like taking photos, you will go home with bunches of them.  It's especially pretty in the fall. Here is a link: www.historicstcharles.com/about-us/history/?utm_source=Madden&utm_medium=GoogleCPC&utm_campaign=Historic&gclid=CjwKEAjwocKtBRCf9d_Q5ovcyHASJAAHhJYOfC1GZSa1H8nwLsCgGMaKWzaul9M0aw0hSA4cbdY4zhoCs1jw_wcB
Something else that is fun is Creve Coeur Park. There is a small lake where you can rent canoes and kayaks, and they have a new zip line, too.
It just depends on what you all like to do. There is so much. The zoo and City Museum are fun, but more if you have kids. If you like artsy stuff, the Central West End is a good place to spend an afternoon.
I could go on and on. I love St. Louis!
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Post by Heidi on Jul 23, 2015 14:14:40 GMT
On our most recent trip to St. Louis in May, we did the Arch, toured the brewery, Grant's Farm, and of course, hit up the casino!
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Post by ktdoesntscrap on Jul 23, 2015 14:23:55 GMT
I'm a big fan of the City Museum. It is very, very strange and I've never seen anything like it anywhere else. It is, however, not for the faint hearted and you leave a little worse for the wear. I am a museum connoisseur. I would rather go to a museum than just about anyplace... The City Museum is one of the best any where in the world! It is certainly different... its a must see in St. Louis. |
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Post by mellyw on Jul 23, 2015 15:43:32 GMT
I didn't mention the City Museum because it appears to be an adult weekend. But I can't lie, I'm 42 & I'd move into the City Museum if I could.
At first glance it does seem more for kids, but, honestly, it is so, so much fun. I take everyone who visits to it, & just act like a big kid. Trust me, whatever age you are, climbing & playing on everything is expected. If you have an interest in Architecture, that alone makes it a fun visit. As ktdoesntscrap said, it's different, unlike anything I've seen in my travels. I love having kids visit, & I tell them we are going to the City Museum. Then the sour looks come, the I don't want to go to a museum vents. Then we drive there, I point out the bus hanging off the roof & that yes, we are going up there!
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Post by Yoki on Jul 23, 2015 16:08:19 GMT
My big fear about City Museum is that we're escaping our kids for the weekend & this seems like a place that will have LOTS of kids running around. But, I'm really interested in going just because it looks so unique!
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Post by supersoda on Jul 23, 2015 16:33:17 GMT
I'm not from STL, but I have visited the last three years for robotics tournaments.
We were kind of "meh" about the Arch. City Museum is awesome, but I would also be hesitant to do it when I was trying to get away from kids. I think they have late nights sometimes, though.
We did the Budweiser tour on our last visit and it was fun. Had lunch in the Biergarten and it was mediocre and the service was terrible. Loved the Shocktop Honeycrisp Apple beer and I'm having a terrible time finding it in Texas.
I would be up for a Cards game, if y'all are in to baseball and the team is in town.
I really liked the Delmar Loop shopping district near Fitz's Rootbeer (did I get that right STLers?). Lots of fun little shops. Fitz's was fun with the kids. Not sure i would do it on a girls trip.
DH and I had brunch at Roosters Downtown and really enjoyed it. Cute place with pretty good food.
Enjoy your trip!
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Post by wordsmith on Jul 23, 2015 18:50:55 GMT
I vote too for the Delmar Loop for a girls weekend. Plan to spend a day there.
There's good boutiques there, some art galleries, live music venues and great food options. Eat at the Eclipse Restaurant (breakfast there is to die for) at the Moonrise Hotel -- and go up on the rooftop if it's open. Check out Blueberry Hill's music lineup and see someone live. Periodically Chuck Berry performs there, but he's getting up there in years, so his performances are not quite as frequent and he's not quite as -- ummmm -- with it. Stop at the Peacock Diner for a "spiked" shake -- the design of the diner is impressive and fun. I'm a fan of Joe Edwards who owns many of the major businesses on Delmar and has revitalized that area. There will be construction in that are -- they're installing a trolley system -- so expect that to be a little bit of a hassle.
(edited to add:) BB's Jazz, Blues, and Soups -- good food, and good music.
St. Charles Main Street is a must do as well, but that's my neck of the woods, so I'm biased there. It's great for a day of shopping in smaller boutiques and, like Just T said, there are some great food options. It's a little more casual than the Delmar area, which is a bit swankier...
Cherokee street shopping for antique stores....
Two casinos are here if you're into that.
And if you're getting away from kids, skip the zoo and city museum and visit those when you have kids with you.
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Just T
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,544
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Post by Just T on Jul 23, 2015 19:06:01 GMT
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Just T
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,544
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Post by Just T on Jul 23, 2015 19:07:48 GMT
One more thing...LOL If you are into this sort of thing, Cathedral Basilica is something to see. cathedralstl.org/
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Post by Yoki on Jul 23, 2015 20:51:44 GMT
That's why I came here for help, but yall are just making my list longer! |
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scrappinspidey2
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,511
Location: In the Parlor with the Fly
Mar 18, 2015 19:19:37 GMT
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Post by scrappinspidey2 on Jul 23, 2015 23:18:11 GMT
Im posting to mark my spot here. I moved here at the end of May and have been looking for fun things to know the city. Thanks |
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Post by mellyw on Jul 24, 2015 1:00:57 GMT
One more thing...LOL If you are into this sort of thing, Cathedral Basilica is something to see. cathedralstl.org/
Ohh, that's an excellant suggestion, Just T. My DD is a student at SLU, love going by the Cathedral. I have a sort of weird suggestion, but if you do tour the Arch, check out the Eads Bridge. You can walk out on it, it's a beautiful bridge with a great view of the Mississippi. |
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Post by stine on Jul 24, 2015 18:37:21 GMT
All great ideas, I love our city! The basilica has the most mosaics of any church West of the Mississippi I believe. When it gets closer check out what may be happening in Forest Park. Even though you won't have kids the zoo is free and you can just do a quick run through to see the new polar bear and hit the highlights. It's a pretty awesome zoo! I don't see anything scheduled at the Fox Theater right now for your time frame but a concert may pop up and it's a neat venue. Make sure you eat some toasted raviolis, gooey butter cake and drink some Budweiser while you're here.
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It's especially pretty in the fall. Here is a link: 
