I have to admit St. Louis wasn’t even on my radar but I was so pleased that a friend encouraged me to visit! What a beautiful city! One of the things I was most impressed with was how much there is to do for FREE!

I made a last minute booking as I was standing on the jet bridge boarding my flight for the Drury Plaza Hotel St. Louis Arch. It’s a great location right in front of the Gateway Arch. We very much enjoyed our stay at this hotel and I would highly recommend staying here.

Our first stop when we arrived was Imo’s Pizza, as one of my coworkers said I absolutely had to go here and order a sausage and bacon pizza. Imo’s uses a cheese called Provel that is unique to the area, and I have to say it was quite yummy! I would describe it as a cross between mozzarella and American.

Gateway Arch

Of course, the Gateway Arch is what St. Louis is known for. It really is an impressive structure. Walking up close to it and seeing it from all different angles was great. You can pay to ride up the VERY SMALL elevator to the top. They are round and seat 5. I will admit that I purchased a ticket but once faced with getting inside this little cylinder I backed out. If confined spaces are not for you then enjoy the views from the ground!

The Old Courthouse

Right across from Gateway Arch is the Old Courthouse. This is the courthouse where the famous Dred Scott case was first heard in 1857. The building is spectacular inside! You are able to tour the old courtrooms, and this is also where you will purchase your tickets to visit the Arch.

Forest Park

Forest Park is where you will find tons of activities to keep you busy during your visit and almost all are free! Forest Park was home to the 1904 World’s Fair and is now a vast 1,300-acre playground for residents and visitors alike. The main attraction is the St. Louis Zoo. Rated one of the best zoos in the US, and yes, admission is free. The zoo is one of the best I have visited and it’s quite large as well. We also visited the Jewel Box and the Missouri History Museum.

The Delmar Loop

Between the Arch and Forest Park sits the Delmar Loop. This part of town is best described as their “Old Town”. There are streetcars, shops, restaurants, theaters, and bars. We stopped for lunch at Salt + Smoke for some BBQ and it definitely didn’t disappoint! We also visited Piccione Italian Pastry and frankly I was in heaven!

Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis

Just after arriving at the airport I picked up a tourist guide and one small picture of the inside of Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis caught my eye. A quick search on Google and I quickly realized this was a must see. I have seen some of the great cathedrals in Europe and this Cathedral is a masterpiece like her sisters overseas. Almost all of the walls and pillars are covered in mosaic tile. I have never seen anything like this anywhere else. If you visit St. Louis you MUST visit this cathedral!

Butterfly House

A friend who is a local in the area took me to the Butterfly House in Chesterfield, MO just outside of St. Louis. What a beautiful place with a lush greenhouse and butterfly’s galore!

Riverboat Cruise

Our last stop before heading back to the airport was a morning cruise up the Mighty Mississippi River on a Riverboat. It offered some lovely views of the city and was very relaxing. You can purchase this along with your admission to the Gateway Arch.

As you can see we covered a lot of ground in 3 days. St. Louis is a beautiful city with many sights to see. I would highly recommend a visit to the Gateway to the West!