Ryan & Becca
Things To Do
Gateway Arch
The famous St. Louis Arch, the Gateway to the West! Be sure to check out the Midwest's equivalent to the Statue of Liberty. Unfortunately, there is a good chance that parts may still be closed because of renovations, but visiting is still worthwhile for the one-of-a-kind picture opportunities from the park below. The Old Courthouse nearby also has an interesting museum inside and is serving as the ticketing office for the Arch during the renovation.
City Museum
Our wedding venue is one of St. Louis' most unique attraction, and there are tons of things to see and experience. Stop by the Museum earlier in the day and let them know that you are a guest of our party for free admission all day.
Budweiser Brewery Experience
Get off your beer snob High Horse (get it Clydesdale joke) and go check out the home of the King of Beers. The factory tour is a lot of fun, and includes multiple free tastings. The Budweiser factory is also an important St. Louis location for the Allgire family, as Becca's grandfather worked at the bottling factory for many years.
Forest Park
Do you know what New York and St. Louis have in common? They both have a large beautiful park at their center. A trip to St. Louis is not complete without visiting Forest Park. There are so many fun and free things to take advantage of here, from the Art Museum to the Zoo, that it is not hard to see why Thrillest recently declared it the Best City Park in America!
Busch Stadium
If you are in town long enough, be sure to check out a Cardinals game. New York may be a divided city between the Mets and the Yankees, but St. Louis always shows up in red to represent their favorite team. The adjacent Ballpark Village is also a fun place to visit, with lots of restaurant and bar options.
Ted Drewes Frozen Custard
The original Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, a St. Louis institution. Located right on historic Route 66! Be sure to order a "Concrete" and stare in amazement, as the staff turn your cup upside-down to show how thick it is.
Imo's Pizza
Imo's is St. Louis' favorite pizza chain, and there are many locations throughout the city. There's even one located right inside the Hilton! New Yorkers, be prepared for something different, as St. Louisans like their pizza wafer-thin and covered in their local specialty Provel cheese.
Park Avenue Coffee - Downtown St. Louis
St. Louis is known for many things, though none greater than its local speciality, THE GOOEY BUTTER CAKE! This life-changing confection is supposedly the happy accident of a sugar and flower switcheroo that went fantastically wrong. Gooey Butter Cake is much like a crumb cake; however instead of crumbs the cake below is covered with a very sweet and, well, "gooey" layer of cake on top. This is a must-have when in St. Louis. There are many places to get gooey butter cake, such as Gooey Louie, Yoklore (Ryan's Favorite), Schnucks (the grocery chain whose name surprised Ryan because of its NYC slang usage) and Park Avenue Coffee, which is near the hotels downtown.
Citygarden
Citygarden is a sculpture park near the Arch and Old Courthouse. There are lots of fun fountains and art installments.
St. Louis Public Library - Central Express
The central public library got a renovation a couple of years ago. It's a beautiful space to visit downtown.
Rooster
Really delicious breakfast, brunch, or lunch spot.
Pi Pizzeria
Great thin-crust and Chicago-style pizza
New York Times article from 3/14/18
This recent New York Times article includes some great recommendations for fun things to do in STL: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/14/travel/st-louis-budget-affordable.html Another recent Vogue article also has some fun ideas for things to do: https://www.vogue.com/article/insiders-guide-st-louis-missouri