A Local's Guide to St. Louis--from a recent Washington Post article.
Explore St. Louis is a guide to a variety of places to see, a guide to restaurants and bars as well as a list of events during your stay in the Lou! Among the highlights (in our humble opinions) are:
The City Museum (and no, this is NOT a museum full of paintings and sculptures and other artifacts! Think about an airplane and a ferris wheel on the roof, a cantilevered bus, tunnels, and miles of twisty slides. It's not to be missed!!! And regular art museums with paintings and sculptures are just fine too!)
St. Louis Art Museum Located in the heart of historic Forest Park, the Saint Louis Art Museum is one of the nation's leading comprehensive art museums with collections that include works of art of exceptional quality from virtually every culture and time period. Beyond the collection, the Museum offers unique shopping and dining experiences to help make your visit more enjoyable. There are more museums to discover as well. This Trip Advisor link lists many if not all of them!
Missouri Botanical Gardens is ranked one of the best in the country. Founded in 1859, the Missouri Botanical Garden is the nation's oldest botanical garden in continuous operation and a National Historic Landmark. The Garden is a center for botanical research and science education, as well as an oasis in the city of St. Louis. The Garden offers 79 acres of beautiful horticultural display, including a 14-acre Japanese strolling garden, Henry Shaw's original 1850 estate home, and one of the world's largest collections of rare and endangered orchids. And then there's the amazing Climatron, a climate controlled greenhouse dome named one of the 100 most significant architectural achievements in U.S. history! The open-air Whitaker Music Festival presents free Wednesday evening concerts under the stars every summer at the Garden--hear The Gene Dobbs Bradford Blues Experience on June 26!
The Muny is the oldest and largest outdoor musical theater in the U.S. During your visit to St. Louis, you could catch the last nights of Kinky Boots or stay over to see 1776. The month-long Shakespeare Festival St. Louis in Forest Park ends on June 23rd so if Shakespeare under the stars appeals to you, come early and enjoy that and other St. Louis treats.
Both the Muny and the Shakespeare Festival are in Forest Park, a 1,300 acre park in the middle of the city. Forest Park is a total delight for walking, running, golfing, tennis, paddle boating, kayaking, and visiting the world class St. Louis Zoo, the St. Louis Art Museum, the Missouri History Museum, the James S. McDonnell Planetarium, the Jewel Box and more! Entry to all of these spots is free with small fees for rentals. Put that wallet away and wander through the Park, looking for remnants of the 1904 World's Fair and enjoy the sights.
Join Circus Flora for their 33rd Season — an unbelievable mix of excitement, charm, daring, and comedy — as they assemble a troupe of the best circus acts and storytellers, all in the intimate Big Top setting. Circus Flora has assembled the most breathtaking circus artists from all over the world: acrobats, aerialists, comedians, high wire daredevils, and a one-of-a-kind Flying Trapeze act that you will be talking about all summer long.
Catch a baseball game and watch the St. Louis Cardinals take on the Oakland Athletics at Busch Stadium, June 25 and 26.