As a freshman, I never knew what to do with my family when they visited me at SLU. Even now, I am sometimes at a loss for entertainment. After some thought and research, I came up with a list of things that could always keep me and my family busy during their stay.
1. The Arch
For just $13 a person, you can ride high to the top of the Gateway Arch- 63 stories, to be exact. At the top, you'll oversee St. Louis for miles upon miles. Be careful, though, if you're at all claustrophobic this might not be the attraction for you. The trams you sit in during your journey to the top are quite small but have the ability to fit an entire family.
2. Botanical Garden
If you love flowers and the outdoors, the Botanical Garden is the place for you. The Botanical Garden includes conservatories, formal gardens, demonstration gardens, international gardens, the victorian district, and notable plant collections. If you're having visitors during the colder months of the year, you should check out the Garden Glow event. The entire outdoor garden is lit up with dancing Christmas lights, children games, and cool photo-ops. Did I mention it's only $12 a person? Perfect for the entire family!
3. City Museum
The City museum is a great place for younger families. You can climb through caves, squeeze through tunnels, and slide down slides. It's the one museum where you won't get yelled at for running! Make sure you wear your running shoes and athletic pants, though, because you'll be crawling through every inch of this museum! Only costs $12, again!
4. Forest Park
Forest Park offers an array of different activities for all ages. Most of which are free! Forest Park includes trails for walking through nature, ice skating in the winter months, the zoo, the art museum, the history museum, the science center, and so much more! You can even go paddle boating at the bottom of art hill, which is right by the art museum and the zoo. Make sure you wear sunscreen when hitting up Forest Park because you will be outside most of the day.
5. The Hill
The Hill is home to many authentic Italian bakeries, grocery stores, restaurants and mom-and-pop trattorias. One restaurant I would highly recommend is Anthonino's Taverna. This restaurant has pizza and pasta dishes to die for, and don't forget to try some toasted ravioli!
6. The Loop
The Loop is another place with great eats. You can find a variety of different food here, from BBQ to Korean to Thai. My favorite places to eat in the Loop are Seoul Taco and Fitz's. Seoul Taco is a Korean-Mexican restaurant with amazing (and cheap) tacos. Fitz's is an American restaurant with great burgers. My personal favorite is their Patty Melt. If you choose to go to Fitz's, make sure you don't leave without getting a root-beer float. Their root-beer floats come in many different varieties and are big enough to share!
7. Central West End
Staying on the theme of food, the Central West End is a great place to eat any meal of the day -- and do a little shopping while you're out. You can even take your picture by the largest chess piece in the world! A must-have in the Central West End is a cupcake from The Cup. They are reasonably priced and are definitely my favorite cupcakes in the world! Keep in mind they are not open on Sundays.
8. Ted Drewes
Ted Drewes was awarded the best ice cream in the world after rounds of international voting. They are known for their authenticity and originality. Everyone in your family will be able to find a flavor to eat here!
9. Fox Theatre
The Fox lines up several famous plays and musicals every year. Students are even able to score cheap tickets sometimes through the Busch Student Center! This is a great excuse to get dressed up and go out to a nice dinner. Don't be surprised by the amazed look you'll have on your face when you walk into the auditorium. The Fox is beautiful inside!
10. Sporting events
St. Louis is home to the Cardinals, Blues, and the Billikens (of course!). No matter what time of year, you'll be able to keep your family busy with some sporting entertainment. If you don't mind being in the nose-bleed section, you can get $10 tickets for the Cardinals.
Have fun!
