After growing up and living in St. Louis for over two decades, I may be slightly biased when I say it’s an underrated gem. St. Louis is the perfect Midwest destination for a weekend getaway between the fantastic food scene and the plethora of free attractions. Brett and I went back to visit my family a few weekends ago, and we documented our trip so I could finally share a St. Louis travel guide. Keep reading on for some of my favorite spots in my hometown.
Where To Stay:
We stayed at The Last Hotel STL, a boutique hotel in downtown St. Louis. I’ve wanted to go there since last year when one of my girlfriends raved about their rooftop bar and pool (access does require a wristband — guests receive two wristbands for king rooms and four wristbands for double rooms). It’s a beautiful hotel, and I wish we had more time to check out the property, including having dinner at the Italian restaurant Ultima Cucina — next time!
Everything from the friendly staff, art deco vibe, and central location make this chic boutique hotel the ultimate place to stay in St. Louis. Since it’s in the heart of St. Louis, it was close to almost everything we did. There is valet parking, but we just did street parking, which was much cheaper. At no fault of the hotel, there is crime around the area sometimes, so I’d advise being alert about your surroundings. Thankfully we never had any issues. We truly felt at home, and I’d love to stay there again next time.
The lobby was spacious and stunning, with a full-service restaurant, bar, and pantry (where you can stock up on drinks and local dry goods). Guests gathered around the bar area every night for drinks, and it was such a bummer that we didn’t have the time or energy for a drink after our busy days out exploring. I’d even love grabbing a coffee and curling up with a book in the lobby in the morning.
Our stylish and refined suite had a king-sized bed with floor-to-ceiling windows. One of my favorite features of our room was the oversized bathroom with a custom subway tiled walk-in shower. I wish ours at our new house would be that size!
Numerous friends have booked staycations at this hotel for the rooftop pool and city views. It’s not necessarily for swimming but rather a lounging pool. It was busier during the day when we popped up there, and it was more chill later when we went after dinner.
What To Do:
Gateway Arch — It’s a must-stop and became designated a national park in 2018. I recommend riding the tram 630 feet up to the top of the arch at least once. Although the ride can feel slightly claustrophobic, the views are worth it (up to 30 miles east and west).
Union Station — This is the perfect spot for the whole family with various activities. Visit the aquarium, play mini golf, and ride the 200-foot-high Ferris wheel, among other attractions. Make the most of your visit by getting combo tickets!
Zoo — The zoo is one of my favorites, being home to over 14,000 animals and free admission. I used to love grabbing a coffee (there’s a Starbucks inside the zoo) and wandering around the zoo on Saturday mornings. It’s consistently ranked as one of the best zoos in the nation.
Where To Eat:
Crown Candy Kitchen — A St. Louis staple for over 100 years. Featured on Man v. Food, Adam Richman attempted the Crown Candy challenge (drink five 24-ounce malts within 30 minutes). Since 1913, only a few dozen people have completed the challenge. They also have a famous Heart-Stopping BLT with 14 pieces of bacon. Note: they’re only open Monday through Saturday from 10:30 am to 5 pm.
Cate Zone Chinese Cafe — This restaurant specializes in authentic Chinese dishes; you won’t find orange chicken here. I suggest coming with more people and ordering numerous dishes to share. My favorites are the braised pork belly with clear noodles and lamb skewers.
The Fountain on Locust — I’ve brought about a dozen friends for their first time, and everyone was impressed. They serve entrees, but they’re known for their desserts and ice cream martinis, so I had to stop by on my 21st birthday for a chocolate-covered almond ice cream martini.
Mission Taco Joint — One of my and Brett’s favorites; however, I was disappointed to discover the duck taco disappeared from the menu. Thankfully, they still had the mango shrimp and carne asada tacos.
Russell’s on Macklind — We popped in one morning because Brett had never tried gooey butter cake. It supposedly originated in the 1930s when a local baker accidentally mixed up the ingredient proportions, and it’s all about the texture that makes it so delicious. It’s one of those essential foods to try while in St. Louis, like toasted ravioli, Ted Drewes frozen custard, or Imo’s Pizza.
Corner 17 — I used to order from here when I’d work from Brett’s apartment in our early days of dating. Brett swears they have the best orange chicken but also offer traditional Chinese dishes. Even my parents loved it, telling me they’ve been going there lately as their new go-to. Last time, we tried their mapo tofu, and it’s my new favorite there! Also, Brett and I always get the strawberry boba milk tea.
This St. Louis travel guide is just a tiny slice of what St. Louis offers, but I hope it’s helpful and convinces you to visit this gem. If you have any questions or additional recommendations, please leave them in the comments! xo
Check out some of my other travel guides to inspire your next trip:
Why You Need to Add Clear Lake, Iowa to Your Summer Bucket List
One Day in Bisbee, Arizona Itinerary
36 Hours in Boulder, Colorado: Ultimate Travel Guide
Golden, Colorado Travel Guide
Thank you to The Last Hotel STL for hosting our stay and Insight PR St. Louis for complimentary tickets. As always, all opinions are my own.
Love seeing this city through your eyes! Another blogger I read (Lysha from A Camera and A Cookbook) has been recapping her trip to St. Louis over the past few weeks and it looks like such a fun place to explore.
Loved this article! It’s always better to get a local’s perspective before you visit a new place. Thanks for all the great info!
Looks like a great city- thanks for sharing Kelly!
You guys had some great food while you were there and yet again another place that wasn’t really on my radar, but added now!
Recommendations from a local is always the best way to explore a new place. I love that the zoo has free admission.
Great travel snapshot of St. Louis! My family and I returned to St. Louis after almost 30 years in Chicago, so I feel like I’m rediscovering the city. I can’t wait to try some of the restaurants you feature. Can you believe I’ve never been to Crown Candy Kitchen?
WE ARE ACTUALLY PLANNING A TRIP HERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. I AM SO GLAD I STUMBLED UPON YOUR VERY WELL-WRITTEN AND THOROUGH ARTICLE!
Locals create the best guides. How fun to experience it like a tourist too. Boutique hotels are such a unique places to stay. We also enjoy finding Travel Channel places to eat on our travels. Great content.
Looks like a wonderful place to visit. Love your photos too!
Wow! St Louis looks like such a fun place to visit. I can’t believe that admission to the zoo is free, that’s so good. Your food pics look delicious.
That is a city that I always have wanted to visit. Thanks for showing us around. Very cool.
Such a lovely hotel and pretty town. Thanks for recommending, amazing ideas..
What an awesome city! Can’t wait to visit and use your tips.
Love this! Always like the way you take your pics and display them on your site. Thanks for the suggestions!
Great read, thanks for sharing! St. Louis is definitely on my go-to list now.
Thank you for sharing your travel experiences in St Louis, Missouri. The Food Explora in me loves the dishes from different restaurants. They look delicious.
I love this! My fiance and I have actually been thinking about swinging through here on a road trip coming up soon and had NO idea what to do!! thank you!!
The pictures are great! I hope to visit sometime. Thank you for sharing.
These are such cute captures!! Thank you for all these amazing recommendations! Definitely makes me want to plan a trip here especially for the taco joint!!
Addning St. Louis to my list! Looks like the perfect spot for a weekend trip.
These look like some great things to do in St Louis, Missouri! I bet the view from the ferris wheel is incredible! The Last Hotel STL looks like a stunning place to stay too. Thanks for the great guide!
The Cate Zone Chinese Cafe? I am here for it! All the food places look soooo good!
I’ve been through St. Louis and near the arch but have never spent much time there. I’ll have to bookmark this list for the next time we go back, great photos! 🙂
Wow, I didn’t realize there was so much to do in Missouri! How cool. I’ll be sure to check these places out when I’m visiting the state.
Our family will be making a trip to St. Louis. So nice to read all about it before our family trip! Thanks for sharing!
Looks like a great trip! Union station looks like a lot of fun 🙂
This post made me want to get back to St. Louis even more. I wanted to go to Crown Candy Kitchen, but just ran out of time.
oh my goodness, did you go in the arch? super scary lol
I didn’t go on that trip, but I have before! The tram ride to the top was the worst part for me and made me feel claustrophobic. xo
I’ve been to St. Louis before but I’ve only been to two of these spots! Love to find new things to add to my “next time” list.
Also, I always love a local perspective so thanks for sharing!
Don’t understand why St. Louis gets a bad rap as a place to visit. Great food, museums, and things to do. Foundation and Waterproofing St Louis