What is there to see in St. Louis?
We started off the day with church. It’s always a great time to take a step back and think about all the good things in life and how I can become a nicer person.
Basilica of St. Louis, King of France
We caught the last few minutes of mass and the gorgeous organ music. The organ in this building is unreal, as well as the organist. The Old Cathedral’s history began in 1764. It’s one of the most historic buildings in St. Louis.
Riverboat Cruise
There are combination deals you can purchase for activities around the arch; riverboat, arch, and a movie in the arch museum. After purchasing online, I got an email about available parking at the stadium east garage for $9, for the first five hours. We went ahead and reserved the parking the day before because there was a game going on and we didn’t want to stress about parking.
We went on the riverboat first and had a blast on the Mississippi River. Neither of us had been on a riverboat before, so it was fun to explore. Hearing the guides share historic and fun facts as we cruised along was the cherry on top.
Mural Mile
After the boat, we walked down the street for a ways and came across the mural mile. I would recommend never going here at night, my husband would recommend never going at all. I’ve always been fascinated with street art. I think it’s incredible, but there is a ton of broken glass everywhere and it doesn’t look like an ultra safe neighborhood.
We walked back towards the arch and ended up eating at the riverboat Cruise dock. I really liked the live music and my shrimp po’ boy sandwhich and chocolate ice cream were delicious. Sam was our server and deserves five stars for putting up with us.
We walked by the Lewis and Clark Statue, then around the National park, just taking in the views.
Gateway Arch
I learned the Gateway Arch is a National Park upon arrival and I recently learned that people can go up the arch in a tram. Currently everyone has to enter from the west entrance, which is great because you walk through the rather large underground visitor center before getting on the tram. It would be easy to spend hours at the visitor center.
It was a very unique and new experience to travel up the arch. You’re in a little tram that has only one window and shows only the inside of the arch as you assend. The view from the top is unforgettable; 630 feet tall! On a clear day, you can see 30 miles away…and it was a mighty clear day! I love heights, so this was a very happy place for me.
We then took a stroll further into the city, enjoying all the sights and tall buildings. We passed the old courthouse, Kiener Park Plaza, and the Citygarden Sculpture Park. I’m glad we had the opportunity to get to know St. Louis a little more before moving on to our hotel in Springfield Illinois.
We did go to Bob Evans for dinner upon arriving in Springfield. Everything tasted great, but I will dream about the cinna-biscuits.
