Things To Do
Coffee Shops
For the sake of being good hosts, we have thoroughly vetted every coffee shop in the area numerous times. Our top recs are: - High Low: Coffee shop with light fare plus art gallery in the Grand Center Arts District. - Fiddlehead Fern: North of the park in the Shaw neighborhood. Great coffee, pastries, and healthy food options. Spacious patio. - Well Met: North of the park in the Shaw neighborhood. Good breakfast and lunch options, solid coffee, usually has seating. - Flyby Coffee: In Tower Grove South. Fun vibe with very nice coffee and great breakfast/lunch. - Comet Coffee: The newcomer in the area which is quickly becoming a favorite of Adam's (when he can find an open table). Great coffee and light food. The brownie is something supernatural. - Good Strangers: A little further out on Cherokee Street. Fun and unique coffee selection, lots of seating, and Mexican/Mediterranean inspired menu.
Nearby Food
- Grand Bistro: This has always been our go-to St. Louis meal. Expect nothing less than phenomenal traditional Vietnamese Food. - Sasha's Wine Bar on Shaw: In the Shaw neighborhood. Long time favorite. Thoughtful, diverse wine menu, crepes, and lunch/dinner (the Greek salad with extra pita is Taylor's go-to). Gorgeous patio. - Taco Buddha: This location is new in the area and an instant favorite. Fast, very-nice tacos, chips, and sides. - TeeRak Thai: This place is casual but still requires a reservation because they are always full. The first Thai food we have found to rival Portland's restaurant scene. - Union Loafers: A local favorite for lunchtime sandwiches & dinnertime pizzas. The chocolate cookie is delicious!
Missouri Botanical Garden
Once a part of Tower Grove park, the Missouri Botanical Garden split off to become one of the biggest and most elaborate botanical gardens in the country. This place is a remarkable place to casually stroll, brush up on your gardening knowledge, or take photos. It features a world-class research institution, a home gardening section, a Japanese tee-house (reservation required), and The Climatron: a giant geodesic dome housing a self-contained piece of rainforest.
City Museum
Created by famed St. Louis sculptor Bob Cassilly and his workshop of fellow artists, this place is less of a museum and more of an enormous, 10-story, indoor/outdoor, Willy Wonka jungle gym. Every room is different and you'll be hard pressed to find them all. There is a ferris wheel on the roof, monkey-bar tubes three stories in the air, and an 8 story slide hidden in the center. Its marvelous, and likely will always be one-of-a-kind thanks to the advent of building codes and the death of its founder (unrelated).
Forest Park (and its many attractions)
Forest Park is one of the biggest city parks in the country, spanning over 1,300 acres of landscaped and wild-growing land. Forest Park includes at least two recommendations, St. Louis Art Museum and the St. Louis Zoo, both of which are free. Check out the website for more, there is simply too much to mention here.
Tower Grove Park (and Farmer's Market)
This is where the wedding will be! Tower Grove Park is the namesake and heart of our neighborhood. You can't miss it, as it stretches through almost 300-acres of South City. Though the park does not feature any "attractions" per-se, it is zig-zagged with walking trails and streets and has all of the usual playground, tennis, pickleball, basketball courts, etc. (It even has the only publicly owned grass tennis courts in the country!). Before the wedding on Saturday, check out the Tower Grove Farmer's Market (hwww.tgfarmersmarket.com) anytime 8am – 12:30pm. It's definitely worth a visit!
City Foundry STL
The Foundry is a repurposed industrial site which now houses all kinds of attractions. From the Alamo Drafthouse cinema, to Puttshack not-so-mini-golf, to the Museum of Illusions, to Fresh Thyme Grocery, there is a log going on. That's in addition to the row of shops and the giant local food hall in the center. This is a good spot to find a little bit of anything. We highly recommend the basement Speakeasy "None of the Above" (ask us for how to find it!).