Do
Anheuser-Busch brewery tours Visitors can choose from five tours, including Beer School, the Beermaster Tour and a free general brewery tour. budweisertours.com
Busch Stadium Perennial World Series contenders, the Cardinals play in front of 46,000 fans in the retro-style stadium. For more celebrated moments, visit the Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum in Ballpark Village. cardinals.com
Cherokee Antique Row As the name implies, antiques shops line this street, but there are also retro boutiques and coffeehouses in one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods. explorestlouis.com
Citygarden Download the app for stories behind the artwork in this family-friendly mecca of sculpture, splash fountains and greenery. citygardenstl.org
City Museum Yes, it’s surreal, but the mishmash of a ball pit, caves, a playground with an airplane and a serious exhibit on architect Louis Sullivan somehow works. citymuseum.org
Food tours Savor Saint Louis and EAT Saint Louis both offer neighborhood walking tours that mix samples of the city's culinary scene with history and architecture info.
Forest Park Larger than New York City’s Central Park, Forest Park brims with free and low-cost attractions, including the Missouri History Museum, the Saint Louis Art Museum, a science center, planetarium and zoo. forestparkforever.org
Forest Park
The Gateway Arch Take a tram ride to the top in a Jetsons-like pod for 30-mile views. A $380 million renovation of the Arch and surrounding areas wrapped up in 2018, with the last phase—a new museum and expanded visitors center—now open. nps.gov/jeff/planyourvisit/gateway-arch.htm
Kiener Plaza The 1.9-acre park west of the Old Courthouse reopened last year with a new fountain, event space and splash pad, part of the Arch renovation project. stlouis-mo.gov
Missouri Botanical Garden Explore 79 acres of gardens and conservatories. Highlights include a 14-acre Japanese Garden and Dale Chihuly’s glass sculptures. missouribotanicalgarden.org
The Muny The outdoor theater celebrates its 101st season in Forest Park in 2019 with plans for $100 million in improvements, including a rebuild of the stage. muny.org
National Blues Museum Galleries transport visitors through the decades with decor and blues music from around the country. Put together your own blues song on interactive stations. nationalbluesmuseum.org
Old Courthouse One of the nation’s first iron domes crowns the courthouse where Dred Scott sued for freedom in 1846. Exhibits cover the Scott case as well as westward expansion. nps.gov/jeff/planyourvisit/och.htm
Pin-Up Bowl Score big fun bowling and drinking martinis in the retro alley in the Delmar Loop. pinupbowl.com
Saint Louis Art Museum This free museum's $130 million East Building focuses on modern and contemporary art like Ellsworth Kelly's Spectrum II. slam.org
Saint Louis Art Museum
Soulard The district takes pride in its annual festivals and huge Mardi Gras parade. The city’s largest farmers market is open Wednesdays through Saturdays. soulard.org
Stifel Theatre Returned to its 1934 Art Deco glory, the former opera house hosts entertainers like Trevor Noah and the Blue Man Group. stifeltheatre.com
World Chess Hall of Fame Play a round on the oversize board outside the museum before exploring interactive exhibits about chess’ impact on history and culture. worldchesshof.org
Eat
Bailey’s Range Choose from about 20 burgers made with beef, chicken, bison or veggies—plus boozy shakes—in a funky former Bell Telephone building. baileysrange.com
Balkan Treat Box A wildly popular food truck with specialties such as cevapi (grilled meats) and pide (Turkish flatbread with toppings) just opened its first brick-and-mortar store in the suburb of Webster Groves. balkantreatbox.com
BB’s Jazz, Blues and Soups Downtown, you’ll find great catfish nuggets, gumbo and sweet potato fries. bbsjazzbluessoups.com
The Benevolent King James Beard semifinalist Ben Poremba got his kitchen inspo from his Moroccan mom for this new venture—surely the only one in town listing craft cocktails and hand-rolled couscous. thebenevolentking.com
Blondie’s Coffee, Wine and Dessert Bar The destination for pastries and dessert in a loft setting also serves breakfasts and lunches. blondiesstl.com
Blueberry Hill Head to the Delmar Loop music club to enjoy hickory-seasoned burgers, 18 draught taps, 64 bottled beers and shows in the Duck Room. blueberryhill.com
Bridge Tap House and Wine Bar A story-tall wall of wine indicates what might pair best with cheese, charcuterie and inventive entrees at this downtown spot. thebridgestl.com
Charlie Gitto’s (on The Hill) It’s famous for toasted ravioli, said to have been created in St. Louis. Service and from-scratch items, like six-layer lasagna, are two reasons for its longevity. charliegittos.com
Charlie Gitto's (on The Hill)
The Civil Life Brewing Company The microbrewery serves drinks like The Angel and the Sword Ale along with snacks and sandwiches. Come for Taco Sundays in warm months and Soup Sundays in cooler ones. thecivillife.com
Clementine's The booze-filled “Naughty” part of the ice cream menu tempts with flavors like Chocolate Cabernet. But nonalcoholic Gooey Butter Cake might bring you over to “Nice.” clementinescreamery.com
Copia Knowledgeable servers help diners choose from the 1,000-plus wines in this trendy spot decorated with mannequins in custom gowns. copiastl.com
Crown Candy Kitchen Luscious sundaes and heart-stopping BLTs keep this 1913 spot going strong. crowncandykitchen.net
Fitz’s Bottling Company Soda jerks pull root beer from the tap and create giant ice cream floats. Watch as Fitz’s original 1940s bottling equipment rolls out sodas in the Delmar Loop spot. fitzsrootbeer.com
Gaslight The big draw to this bar? A professional recording studio in the back of the lounge. Sip craft cocktails and nibble tacos while seeing artists perform. gaslightstl.com
Gus’ Pretzels Locals line up at 6:30 a.m. for pretzels, some stuffed with bratwurst, salsiccia or hotdogs. Sauces and cheese toppers make them even better. guspretzels.com
Kounter Kulture Locally sourced ingredients, such as Blind Star Farm eggs and Missouri beef, go into steamed buns, ramen and other Asian creations. The brick-and-mortar carryout joint (with outside seating) grew out of a Tower Grove Farmers Market stand. kounterkulturestl.com
Molly’s in Soulard Alligator rangoon is popular at this place known for Cajun and Creole food and live music. mollysinsoulard.com
Nixta Contemporary Mexican cuisine—such as tacos with confit pork belly and pineapple pico—shines in a retrofitted garage bay in Botanical Heights. nixtastl.com
Pi Pizzeria In the Delmar Loop, locally grown ingredients top the specialty and create-your-own pizzas. pi-pizza.com
Rooster Downtown The European-influenced cafe near the Garment District serves buttery crepes, fluffy pancakes and eggy French toast all day. roosterstl.com
Salt and Smoke The pitmasters have a hipster flair at this ’cue star in the Delmar Loop neighborhood. The popovers always get double takes. saltandsmokestl.com
SweetArt Bake Shop and Art Studio An artist-chef couple run a vegan-friendly cafe where you can nibble from-scratch breakfast and lunch treats while admiring colorful paintings. sweetartstl.com
Trattoria Marcella Italian comfort foods fill the menu at this family restaurant. trattoriamarcella.com
Vicia Beautifully plated dishes emphasize creatively prepared vegetables (and proteins), such as Missouri wheat berries with grilled broccoli and goat cheese. viciarestaurant.com
Winslow’s Home A 1926 building that was originally a general store has become a gift shop-cafe. Try the spinach, egg and cheese breakfast burrito or a brisket sandwich. winslowshome.com
Stay
Chase Park Plaza Hotel Stay in a landmark with a pool, and walk to nearby Forest Park. chaseparkplaza.com
Dwell 912 The two-story apartment in an 1885 home has its own entrance, a balcony and full kitchen. dwell912.com
Drury Plaza Hotel St. Louis at the Arch Amenities such as free popcorn and soda, a pool, and free breakfast—plus a prime downtown location—make this a family-friendly choice. druryhotels.com
Embassy Suites St. Louis Downtown Contemporary suites feel like roomy apartments steps from the convention center. embassysuites3.hilton.com
Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis Enjoy Arch views, a spa and new gourmet restaurant Cinder House, where James Beard Award-winning chef Gerard Craft creates South American-inspired dishes. fourseasons.com/stlouis
Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark Rooms and the rooftop bar, 360, provide views of Busch Stadium and the Arch. hiltonstlouis.com
Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark
Hotel Ignacio Reflecting its artsy neighborhood, the hotel’s hallways and 49 rooms have artistic touches like oversize photographs. hotelignaciostl.com
Magnolia St. Louis A $15 million renovation freshened the 1924 downtown hotel but left cool vintage touches, like crystal chandeliers. magnoliahotels.com
Moonrise Hotel From the rotating orb on the roof to photos of space on the walls, a lunar theme pervades this boutique hotel near Blueberry Hill. moonrisehotel.com
St. Louis Union Station Enter the luxury hotel through the cavernous Grand Hall, where guests can grab a cocktail or watch 3-D light shows. A $45 million aquarium is expected to open at the Union Station complex in late 2019. curiocollection3.hilton.com
St. Louis Union Station Hotel
More information: explorestlouis.com
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