An Impossibly Breakneck 24-ish 24Hours in St.

Louis
By Matthew Mourning, Randy Vines, & Amy Lampe

BUST OUT THE VIOLINS

So youre visiting St. Louis? Lets get the difficult part out of the way first. Nearly all native St. Louisans feel a compulsion to eulogize the citys former life, as the 4 th largest city in the country, host of the 1904 Worlds Fair, and yes, recipient of the nations tallest, most beautiful, and most iconic monument, the Gateway Arch. Not that all St. Louisans are statisticians or demographers, but somehow we all seem to know our numbers when it comes to our horrific population drop: 857,000 in 1950 at our peak to 319,000 in 2010 (the nations steepest decline in that time period, including Detroit! Yikes). Downtown St. Louis, a once proud progenitor of the great metropolis built around it, was mercilessly hacked away by interstates and corporate citizens who were all too happy to trade urban character for lifeless plazas, parking garages, and stubby post-modern mid-rises. St. Louis should suck. Suck hard. All the signs point to it. There should be Prozac dispensers at each street corner to help us cope with our own defeat. Shockingly, though, St. Louiss raw cool1. Requisite example of urban decline. ness destroys most of the competition, especially its west-of-the-Mississippi peer group. Theres just no other city like it. While St. Louis is described as the "Gateway to the West," visitors to this formidable city by the river will discover an historic entrepot with deep connections to the great cities of the East Coast, from its rich historic architecture to its hard-nosed urban dialect to its extant ethnic enclaves. St. Louis is, decidedly, America's last eastern city. A city of grand parks, rows upon rows of solid red-brick neighborhoods and top-tier cultural institutions, St. Louis has weathered some storms, but she has not lost her spark.

HOTELS, MOTELS, HOLIDAY INNS

Where you stay in St. Louis matters less than you think because our illustrious light rail system (MetroLink, born 1993) reliably traverses several visit-worthy core neighborhoods. If youre a purist and stay only in downtown settings, why not settle on the Westin at Cupples Station, a historic set of warehouses in the shadow of Americas liveliest ballpark, Busch Stadium? Not only that, it sits atop a MetroLink station. Alternatively, if youre more likely to catch a Broadway show than a ballgame, stay at the local boutique Hotel Ignacio, just adjacent to St. Louis Universitys campus and to Grand Center, St. Louiss theater and arts district. If you want to go more upscale and stay in a more vibrant area, opt for the famous Chase Park Plaza in the stunningly elegant Central West End or the Moonrise Hotel in the funky, pulsating Delmar Loop. Finally, if you dare, stay in the haunted Lemp Mansion, a beautiful B&B that witnessed some grisly Prohibition-era suicides among its namesake beer baron family. Its on the South Side, nestled in one of St. Louiss storied red brick neighborhoods. Lets presume youre staying downtown at the Westin. A couple assumptions are about to take place: (A) Youre in a new place, and youre excited, so youre waking up early. (B) Youre out of your home ZIP code, where diets dont apply. You will eat roughly five times per day. (C) Youre superhuman and know nothing of this nap business. (D) Youre standing in a beer brewing shrine of a city, so you will drink adult beverages (E) Youre sane, and therefore visiting in the warmer months (March through October).

2. The bird (hang-gliding man? hard to tell) can take the shortcut to the top of the Arch. YOU get the cramped podelevator.

WE DARE YOU TO KEEP THIS SCHEDULE

While locals should be harangued for their marriage to vehicular solo transportation, youre visiting a city with somewhat spread out attractions and are entirely forgivenrent/bring a car this visit. Before you head out, tune your radio to KDHX, 88.1 on the FM dial. Among the nation's most well-supported community radio stations, KDHX is a clearinghouse of local flavor, from bluegrass to electronica. 8:00 AM - Wake up and get it out of the way. We know youre a hipster and dont want to be stereotypical but, cmon, youve never seen the Arch. Seriously, its okayhead east from your hotel past Busch Stadium and go up in the Arch. No, that building with the patina-ey dome is not the Missouri Capitol (we wish). Its the Old Courthouse, built in phases between 1840 and the Civil War and now a part of what is called the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (which includes the Arch). The ride to the top of the 630 -foot tall stainless steel mustache (in a trippy 1960s pod that stays level despite its awkward angular ascent) will set you back $10. Claustrophobes need not apply.

9:00 AM - Hoof it to Local Harvest Caf for breakfast in the restored Old Post Office (9th/Locust) downtown. Its food is either locally-sourced, organic, or bothand most importantly, delicious. Make it quick if you want to keep this impossibly breakneck schedule. While outside the Old Post Office, spin around. Youre in the heart of old downtown, with its turn-of-the-century stock of office buildings splayed out on a narrow street grid inspired by the early French settlers. 9:30 AM - Next walk to City Museum, at 16th and Lucas. The glorious canyon of warehouses youre strolling through is Washington Avenue, downtowns centerpiece of revitalization (seriously, in the late 1990s, nearly all of it was empty and abandoned). Make a right (north) at 16th Street and say hello to City Museum. You might be thinking, its too early for a museum but this is not the type of museum where youll ever hear shhhh. Its literally made of the citya good chunk of the detritus and demolition debris of the past city gets a new life here. There are manmade caves, crawlspaces, in-line skateboarding facilities, a rooftop Ferris wheel, a fourth floor thrift store and so much more in this whimsical monument to the notion that everything can be reused. Entry to City Museum costs $12, rooftop is an extra $5, and aquarium (yes, aquarium) an extra $6. Dont sweat the cash basically everything else even remotely touristy is completely free of charge or near to it. 12:00 PM - You spent a few hours clambering around City Museum and burnt enough calories to be hungry again. Make your way back to the hotel, grab the car, and drive to Blues City Deli in the delightful, red brick Benton Park neighborhood. If youre lucky, this homage to blues towns (New Orleans, Memphis, STL, and Chicago) will have some live music for you to munch to. If thats the case, the party usually spills out onto the streets. 12:30 PM - Since youre already in Benton Park, hop back in the car and head east to Soulard, St. Louiss oldest neighborhood. Soulard is home to dozens of corner bars and restaurants, nearly all of them in mid to late 1800s red brick classic buildings. This national and 3. Soulard Streetscape - quintessential red brick St. Louis. local historic district also plays host to a particularly large and raucous Mardi Gras celebration in wintertime, so the fact that its name in French translates to drunkard is only fitting. Once in the neighborhood, stop by Soulard Market (9th/Lafayette), the citys last remaining public market and the oldest one west of the Mississippi. After youve loaded up on spices, trinkets, and hurricanes from Julias, a stand inside the market, jump back in the car and head south to the looming Anheuser Busch complex at 12th and Lynch.

1:30 PM - Take the FREE Anheuser-Busch tour, which comes with two complimentary beers for the 21+ crowd. 2:30 PM - Assuming theres a sober member of the party, find the vehicle and head south to Cherokee Streetthe nexus of creativity in the St. Louis region. You might as well park on the east end of the street and just plan on walking back on the opposite side of the street. East of Jefferson, the building stock is older and the businesses tend towards antiques (this is old Antique Row, after all). West of Jefferson, the grittier side of Cherokee comes out. This is home to the citys most thriving Hispanic/Latino business area, interspersed with random hipsterific offerings. Notable attractions (from east to west include): the Mud House (where your barista will surprise you with latte art); St. Louis Curio Shoppe (an all-STL, all the 4. Cherokee Street, where roadway is canvass. time gift shopnothing in it is made more than 50 miles from the heart of the city); Fortune Teller Bar (True to its name, fortune tellers descend upon this hipster watering hole on weekend nights); La Vallesana (awesome and authentic taco stand); and Firecracker Press (old-fashioned printing press retail shop with some killer designs). No trip to Cherokee Streetor St. Louiswould be complete without at least poking your head in the STyLehouse. STyLehouse is a t-shirt shop run by local boosters and entrepreneur twin brothers Jeff and Randy Vines. Their fount of knowledge of, and passion for, this city could render this guide moot in mere minutes. (Related: their Instagram photography peppers this guide). 3:30 PM - Fire up the car and head to Forest Parkthe 1,300 acre, attraction-laden, largest urban park in the region (and one of the largest in the country). Youre running fairly late in the day (most attractions close around 5), so just pick one of these to do: Science Center, Boathouse, Art Museum, the Municipal Opera (The Muny), Jewel Box, or Missouri History Museum. A recommendation: the St. Louis Zoo is among the top-rated in the country and is totally free to enter. 5:30 PM - Its time to head to the Central West End (CWE), a bustling neighborhood located at the northeast corner of Forest Park. If youre hungry, you have plenty of options: Greek at the Majestic, Indian at India Rasoi, deep dish style pizza (which President Barack Obama dubbed the best in the nation

during a 2008 campaign stop) at Pi Pizzeria, gastropub offerings at Dressels, and burgers/sushi at Sub Zero (which also has one of the largest vodka selections in the world). If you are a whiskey-for-dinner type, dont skip out on Brennans. Grab some food and then walk it off along the neighborhoods stately private streets. West of Kingshighway sit two of the citys most grandPortland and Westmoreland Places. Enter on Lake Avenue from the south and walk until private security questions your presence. Dont worrytell security youre from out of town and they may even let you continue on your stroll. 7:00 PM - You might be tired of driving, so leave your vehicle on the street in the CWE and hop on the MetroLink westbound (Red Line to Lambert Airport). Depart at the Loop Station and head west. You are now in the Delmar Loopyet another astonishingly revitalized area of the city that was once terribly disinvested. The Loop of today is St. Louiss best independent boutique and local shopping destination, not to mention an entertainment hotspot with a lounge/bowling alley (the Pin Up), a top-rated music venue (Pageant), a beautifully restored movie theater (the Tivoli) and the St. Louis Walk of Fame (look down at the stars on the sidewalk for a history lesson on who made St. Louis great). If you really want to get the lay of the land, take the elevator in the quirky Moonrise Hotel to the roof, where theres a bar with sweeping views of everything from the Arch, 8 miles east, to suburban office center Clayton just to the southwest. If youre here for shopping, do not miss the patchouli-scented, old school Vintage Vinyl record store or relative Loop newcomer and stylish clothing purveyor Devil City, If youre a music fan (of course you are), note that St. Louis is very proud to be the birthplaceand home, stillof rock n roll forefather Chuck Berry. In fact, Mr. Berry performs at the Loops Blueberry Hill once a month, to this day. If youre in town during one of his performances, you are obligated to pay homage. 9:00 PM - Head back to MetroLink (this time, walk down stately Skinker Boulevard and take the Blue Line back to the Central West End). Pick up your vehicle and drive east 5. The Central West Enda second skyline for the city. to Lafayette Square. The Square is one of St. Louiss most ornate neighborhoods, replete with limestone-clad Victorian-era Painted Ladies that ring the oldest park west of the Mississippi River (yep, you guessed it, Lafayette Park). It is also home to an intimate business district on Park Avenue. Youll want to grab a drink or two at Baileys Chocolate Bar, with its signature chocolate martinis and an ambience nearly as aphrodisiacal as chocolate itself. If you skipped dinner earlier, check out the renowned 1111 Mississippi restaurant, or rooftop bar Vin de Set.

Definitely be sure to wander the neighborhood, thoughone of the nations oldest private streets, Benton Place, sits just north of the park and is well worth a jaunt. 10:30 PM - Head back downtown, finally. If youre going to call it a night (boo!), why not stop for a nightcap within a stones throw of your hotel? Head to the 360 Bar at the Hilton (rooftop) for panoramic skyline views and tasty cocktails. If youre not ready to quit (yay!), its time to head to the Grove (MetroLink accessible via a long-ish walk, but you might as well cab it). The Grove (also known as Forest Park Southeast) is a lively strip of bars, from lesbian and gay bars to hipster havens to music venues and more. If youre in the mood for some world-renowned mixological magic, stop over at the Day of the Dead-like Sanctuaria. Then go dance off the caloric intake for the day at Atomic Cowboy and/or Handlebar and/or Novaks. 3:00 AM - Think all life ends in this sleepy Midwestern hamlet in the wee hours? Think again. Some liver-hating individuals cross the River into Illinois to take advantage of its 6 AM liquor licenses (and, well, its carnal offerings of the adult variety). But lets leave Metro East alone for your first visit (aside: do eventually visit Cahokia Mounds on the Illinois side of the riverits one of the largest pre-European settlements in North America. Its earthen mounds are all that remains of the onetime Native American metropolis. The tallest of them, Monks Mound, offers sweeping views of downtown St. Louis, a poetic visual collision of two civilizations. Ahem, we now return to your regularly scheduled program of strip clubs and other late night salaciousness). Staying on the Missouri side, your only option is to head to one of the citys many diners. If you 6. Nightlife in St. Louis - just loiter in the street of your brought a car and a designated driver, head down choice. to the 24hour Uncle Bills Pancake House, where youll see all types of St. Louis revelers brushing shoulders in this mock-Tudor style roadside attraction. Equally popular, and also on South Kingshighway, is the more straight-up greasy spoon Courtesy Diner. Order the St. Louis Slinger here for a window into one of St. Louiss odd culinary creations. For a more urbane people-watching experience, plant yourself on 24-hour Coffee Cartels patio in the Central West End. Slurp down some coffee to sober up, and reject the notion that this city is some washed up has-been. Were nowhere near it.

IF YOU DONT WANT TO MOVE HERE NOW, AT LEAST YOULL BE BACK...

So this brings us to the end of the (admittedly impossibly dense) tour. And you havent even set foot in St. Louiss authentic Little Italy, the Hill, where Italian restaurants and Virgin Mary statues outnumber residents. Or the Irish neighborhood at the foot of Forest Park,

Dogtown, where St. Pattys day celebrants gather. Or Old North St. Louis, home of St. Louiss oldest soda fountain Crown Candy and revitalization hotspot after decades of devastating decline. Not even a cameo for South Grand either, with its veritable buffet of international eateries. You havent brunched in the oddball Bevo Mill, or strolled through the worlds first (and greatest) geodesic dome conservatory (the Climatron inside the Missouri Botanical Garden). You havent yet tried a Gus Pretzel from a streetside vendor or sampled the neighborhoodthemed cocktails at The Royale. And you dont know the meaning of the term soul yet, because you havent heard it belted from the chops of our citys own Kim Massie at Beale on Broadway. Obviously, no great city can be experienced in its entirety in 24 hours. But you shouldnt take 7. C'mon just look at our city. Youll be back! that as an endorsement to quell your curiosity to further explore our old, battered and beautiful city. This Red Brick Mama has always-open arms for anyone with a soft spot for a gritty embrace. Three million area residents cant be wrong. Right?

JANUARY

LOOP ICE CARNIVAL

FEBRUARY

SOULARD MARDI GRAS

MARCH

ST. PATRICKS DAY

APRIL

ST. LOUIS EARTH DAY

Delmar Loop 3rd Weekend MAY

Soulard Sat. before Fat Tues. JUNE

Dogtown March 17th JULY

Forest Park Sun. nearest to 20th AUGUST

CINCO DE MAYO

PRIDEFEST ST. LOUIS

FAIR ST. LOUIS

FESTIVAL OF NATIONS

Cherokee Street Sat. nearest to 5th SEPTEMBER

Soldiers Memorial Last weekend OCTOBER

Downtown July 4th NOVEMBER

Tower Grove Park 3rd/4th Weekend DECEMBER

FOREST PARK BALLOON GLOW

Forest Park 2nd/3rd Weekend Central West End Sat. nearest to 31st

CENTRAL WEST END HALLOWEEN

ST. LOUIS INTL FILM FESTIVAL

FIRST NIGHT

Multiple Theaters 2nd + 3rd Week

Grand Center December 31st

ANNUAL EVENTS AND FESTIVALS

Image courtesy of Explore St. Louis and the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission, which are in no way affiliated with this guide. We just love their map.

WARNING: DATA GEEKS ONLY BEYOND THIS POINT!

City Population (2010): Metro Population (2010): City SIZE: 319,294 2,812,896 61.9 square miles (1.2X the size of San Francisco; 0.2X the size of Kansas City)

Founded in 1764. We have the most free attractions outside of Washington, D.C. Baltimoreans take note: St. Louis is the only other major city in the nation to have divorced its namesake county. St. Louis City is a completely separate entity from St. Louis County since 1876. Locals will often use the word County as an adjectival shorthand for suburbani.e., if someone leaves their purse visible on the seat inside their car, youd say, Oh, shes so County. There are more stop signs than people in St. Louis. When out at a restaurant, ask for your ravioli toasted and do be sure to also try: gooey butter cake, pork steaks, provel cheese on a St. Louis-Style Pizza (you wont like it, but should still try), and the aforementioned slinger. Not that frozen custard is a St. Louis-only thing, but it is done best at Route 66 stop Ted Drewes! The lines speak for themselves. We think our city flag is better than Chicagos (see Page 1 of this guide, top left); we KNOW our Cardinals are better than their Cubs. Visitors from Indiana: DO NOT call a St. Louisan a hoosier or let on that you are one unless you want to elicit laughter. For mysterious reasons, in St. Louis only, the term connotes an urban redneck of sorts.
Created February 11, 2013