Things To Do
Dining
Breakfast & Brunch: Half & Half, City Coffee & Creperie, Kaldi's Coffee Lunch: Companion Bakery & Cafe
Half & Half
Christina's go-to breakfast and brunch spot when she is in town. Don't miss the cinnamon sugar donuts!
City Coffee & Creperie
Casual spot with sweet and savory crepes.
Kaldi's Coffee
St. Louis staple for coffee and tea.
Companion Bakery & Cafe
Best sandwiches around.
St Louis Art Fair
The St Louis Art Fair will be going on in downtown Clayton. This is a free event and is located a short walk from the Ritz-Carlton. Fair hours are: Friday, September 6 – 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Saturday, September 7 – 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Sunday, September 8 – 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Anheuser-Busch St. Louis Brewery
Historic Brewery offers tours and tastings daily, tours include access to the Budweiser Clydesdale stables or the large vat finishing room. Choose from the Day Fresh Tour ($15), Beermaster Tour ($40), or the Finisher Tour ($20), and the Clydesdale VIP Experience Adventure ($30). Reservations required. budweisertours.com
Saint Louis Zoo
The word-famous zoo is free to the public (attractions have an admission fee). Sneakers recommended! HOURS: 8 am – 5 pm (daily and weekends) “Adventure Pass” is $15.50 and includes the Carousel, the Zoo Railroad, and Stingrays at Caribbean Cove; also includes Sea Lion Show (Thursday and Friday only, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.) Behind the scenes “Animal Tours” available for $60, including giraffe feeding. stlzoo.org
Gateway Arch National Park
The symbol of Saint Louis, the Gateway Arch, located on the Mississippi River, is the world’s tallest arch. The museum documents westward expansion; its setting is a National Park. This site is accessible by MetroLink. Admission to grounds and Arch is free. Reserve advance tickets for the Tram Ride to the Top ($15) or the See Everything Combo ($41), which includes Tram Ride to the Top, Documentary Movie, and 1 hour Riverfront Riverboat cruise. gatewayarch.com
Gateway Helicopter Tours Inc
A unique helicopter tour of Saint Louis. Flight options vary from 3 minutes to 20 minutes, priced accordingly. Tours include the “Botanical Garden Experience” ($140 per person) with 10 minutes of flight time over downtown St. Louis, Busch Stadium, the Arch and Mississippi River, and an overhead view of the Missouri Botanical Garden. The Saint Louis Deluxe Experience ($205 per person), a 20-minute journey, includes all landmarks – stadiums (baseball, hockey, and soccer), the Arch, the Mississippi River, the Anheuser-Busch complex, and the Missouri Botanical Garden. Call ahead to see if the helicopters are flying. Flights are booked in person, at flight time. gatewayhelicoptertours.com
Saint Louis Art Museum
The Saint Louis Art Museum features several Van Gogh paintings: “Vineyards at Auvers,” Stairway at Auvers,” and “Head of a Peasant Woman.” It is also known for the George Caleb Bingham painting, “Raftsmen Playing Cards, Matisse’s “Bathers With a Turtle,” and Cezanne’s “Bathers.” Free to the public, with special exhibits requiring tickets. All special exhibits are free on Fridays “Free Fridays” (including Friday, September 6).