ST. LOUIS - GATEWAY TO THE WEST

St. Louis lies right near the intersection of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, which made it a stopping point for most settlers moving west. As the last big city before the long trails, the city became known as the Gateway to the West. The Gateway Arch and Jefferson National Expansion Memorial are just two of the many spots that commemorate St. Louis' importance in the settlement of the western U.S.

The view on the drive in

Today, St. Louis has expanded to the west itself. The downtown core is not that interesting, but the area west of downtown seems to be where most people have moved and where a lot of the more interesting attractions and neighborhoods are housed, including beautiful Forest Park and the Central West End. 

The city begins on the riverfront - the Gateway Arch, one of the most famous structures in the country, lies right on the Mississippi and is surrounded by the National Memorial Park. Just north is Laclede's Landing (pictured on the right) which is a historical district. Moving west from the park, the main thoroughfare is Market Street, which is enhanced by a number of parks along its path. 

The St. Louis courthouse behind a sumo wrestling statue

Riverfront gambling is also permitted with a number of riverfront casinos accessible by car or hotel shuttle.

Our impressions: Traffic in downtown is not a problem and parking is plentiful, even during Cardinal games. Although Busch Stadium, Savvis Center, and the TWA Dome are all downtown, the area is very empty, even on a work day, so you probably won't spend more than a day there. There is a good transit system, but it is not really necessary to use it as the car is a perfectly fine way to get around the town. In fact, given that the tourist sites are spread about the city, a car is definitely recommended.

Spend one day at Forest Park if you have the time. In fact, it is better if you can find a hotel in that area and drive downtown rather than the other way around. St. Louis is a very historic town, but a lot of the history is not as apparent as it is in other places. Get a good book before you go there and plan your visit well. There is a lot to see and do, but due to the space between the attractions, a good plan really helps.

The weather was hot and humid, but it was survivable. It rained a little bit, but it was never a problem. 

Overall, I wish we had one more day in St. Louis. Because the stadium is downtown, we spent most of our time there and didn't get a good chance to see the surrounding areas. St. Louis is a good town to visit and the Cards are a great team to watch (fans are the best!) so make a stop there and see Busch Stadium before it disappears in the next couple of years.