Leah & Tim
Areas to Stay & Things To Do
Forest Park
One of the largest urban parks in the country (bigger than Central Park in NY!). Home to the St. Louis Art Museum, St. Louis Zoo, St. Louis History Museum, and St. Louis Science Center. You can rent a paddle boat to explore the waterways or just take a stroll and get lost in the park. Tim says: "47,000 trees - see if you can find all of them!"
Missouri Botanical Garden
Gorgeous historical architecture and very unique gardens and displays. If you go here, make sure to take a walk south toward Tower Grove Park (just follow Tower Grove Ave) if the weather is good.
Tower Grove Park
This is our neighborhood park -- it's got a real magic to it. Bonus is a WONDERFUL Saturday farmer's market, 8am to 12:30pm.
Annual Greekfest at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
Happens Friday thru Monday of Labor Day weekend in the Central West End neighborhood of St. Louis (right across from Forest Park). The food is phenomenal, but make sure to stay for the music, too. Fans of Chicago's Greek Fests will quickly fall in love with this one.
Gateway Arch
"There's the Arch!" One of the most recognizable symbols of St. Louis - and Tim's favorite weighted catenary arch, by far. Unless you're somewhat claustrophobic (like Leah), you can take a tram ride to the top for great views of the city. For those needing more open spaces, the surrounding park is great for a walk along the riverfront.
Busch Stadium
The Cards are playing the Pirates on Friday and Saturday - even if you aren't a fan, you're guaranteed to have a blast. For Leah's family and friends from Chicago, this is a great opportunity to see a real baseball team. Edit: Apparently St. Louis is on hiatus from being a real baseball team. If you have any pitchers you can spare, feel free to bring them with you.
Left Bank Books
If you love a good local bookstore, just go. Located in the Central West End, a lovely place to walk around.
Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis
You don't need to be religious to be stunned by the interior of this basilica, boasting the 2nd-largest collection of mosaics in the world. It's in the Central West End, which is a lovely neighborhood to explore.
City Museum
No one really knows how to describe this when they recommend it to people from out of town. The website says "constantly evolving art installation, playground, & discovery center made from found objects"... that seems pretty close. If you're an adult who likes climbing on things, you should probably go here.
Grand Pied [BRUNCH]
Awesome brunch spot -- popular, but uses a wait list you can find if you go to their website, which means you won't have to wait in line forever. GET THE PANCAKES. YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT.
Southwest Diner [BRUNCH/LUNCH]
Just...yum. Comfort food in a fun, bustling diner atmosphere. Get the grits on fire and the sopapillas!!
Songbird [BRUNCH/LUNCH]
We haven't personally tried Songbird yet, but people rave about it.
Half & Half [BRUNCH]
Delightful little brunch spot. Definitely join the waitlist to avoid waiting in line (easiest to find the link to this if you find their listing on Google). Get an order of doughnuts to share!!!
Tree House Restaurant [BRUNCH/LUNCH/DINNER]
If you like trying plant-based food and inventive cocktails, this spot is always worth a try (and all of our meat-eating friends and family enjoy it, too). Everything on the menu is great. Fantastic for brunch, too!!
OLIO [LUNCH/DINNER]
Delicious Mediterranean & Middle-Eastern cuisine -- a bit pricey, but always worth it if you're in the mood to splurge a bit. Great patio, too! We recommend reservations, to be safe.
Pappy's Smokehouse [LUNCH/DINNER]
Many people say the ribs here are the best in St. Louis. We recommend trying both here and Bogart's and deciding for yourself.
Bogart's Smokehouse [LUNCH/DINNER]
Bogart's is in a fun and interesting area of St. Louis (Soulard), and many think it gives Pappy's a run for its money in terms of best BBQ. Try the ribs!!
Southern (Fried Chicken) [LUNCH/DINNER]
Right next to Pappy's! Most agree this is the best fried chicken in STL - absolutely worth a visit (though you might have a bit of a wait).
Lona's Lil Eats [LUNCH/DINNER]
A bit of a hidden gem, nestled in the Fox Park neighborhood of STL. The big draw here is GIANT rice paper wraps, full of fresh ingredients. If you like Thai-inspired food and need a big lunch or dinner, this is a great place to enjoy.
iNDO [DINNER]
For the foodies!! You will absolutely need a reservation, so plan ahead -- though if you love the menu, just go and they may be able to take you as a walk-in with a bit of a wait. Prepare to splurge, but you might find it's worth it to be in food heaven. Great patio is the icing on the cake.
Sasha's on Shaw [BAR WITH FOOD]
We sat on the outside patio on our first (5-hour-long) date, and have returned on our own and with family and friends many times since then. The patio is so gorgeous and relaxing! Great for a drink, but their food is pretty good, too.
Clementine's Naughty and Nice Creamery [DESSERT]
There are a bunch of locations, so just pop "Clementine's" into Google Maps and find one near you. DELICIOUS, inventive local ice cream. Leah recommends the Gooey Butter Cake flavor for big decadent chunks of STL goodness.
Blueprint Coffee [COFFEE]
If you're a coffee geek, check out one of their locations. They take coffee very seriously, and have won a stupid amount of awards for it. Bonus of the Delmar location is a chance to walk around the Loop!
Sump Coffee [COFFEE]
Sump rivals Blueprint for the hippest coffee place you can go in town. Great for people who are SUPER into coffee, and maybe a bit adventurous -- there are options like espresso with tonic water.