Meet Me in St. Louis

We completed our trifecta of “dangerous” cities by riding across the Mississippi River into St. Louis. We have joked about this throughout the trip. First, New Orleans with our son and girlfriend, then a quick ride through Jackson, MS along the Natchez Trace Parkway, and finally St. Louis, where we were able to spend some time with our daughter and son-in-law.

Every time we got near these cities we would hear the same things. “It’s dangerous,” “Don’t go out at night,” “Watch out for gangs,” or “Why would you go there?”

This is one of the benefits of traveling to new places all the time. You have an idea of what a place might be like based on news, statistics, and hearsay. But until you are actually immersed in it, you don’t really know what a city might offer. St. Louis was a pleasant surprise. We biked through historic neighborhoods, parks, industrial spots, and even by the airport. What we didn’t bike, we walked (30 miles) and we felt safe. It was a friendly, diverse, and educational place to hang out for a few days. To spend quality time with family was an added bonus.

Here are our highlights and reasons to visit the Gateway to the West.

Missouri Botanical Gardens (and amazing Warm Showers hosts)
When we arrived in St. Louis the day before the kids’ arrival, we stayed with Warm Showers hosts L and C in the beautiful Lafayette Park neighborhood. They were so generous and so excited to share their city with us. They took us to dinner at Modern Brewing (see the great beer section below) and drove us all over the city to give us a better idea of how to spend our time. L is on the board of the Missouri Botanical Garden and she gifted us passes. And what a treat these gardens were. A huge property (79 acres) with a sprawling Japanese Garden, tulips in full bloom, historic buildings, and a Climatron. Very special place and we are so grateful to L and C for giving us such a great introduction to the city.

Forest Park and FREE Museums
Forest Park is the cultural heart of St. Louis. Bigger than Central Park, it was home to the World’s Fair in 1904 and houses three museums and the world class St. Louis Zoo. And they are all FREE. Great for budget travelers like us, but also for the people that live here. We chose to visit the St. Louis Art Museum and the St. Louis Zoo during our time. The zoo houses an impressive collection of animals and we highly recommend the hippos (to see these enormous creatures dance and glide underwater was spectacular) and the penguin and puffin exhibit. The Art Museum houses over 5000 years of original work and is currently home to a Matisse exhibition and an Andy Goldsworthy sculpture (Erik’s favorite) titled the Stone Sea inspired by St. Louis geology and underlying bedrock of limestone.

Soulard Market and a Diverse Downtown
We took an Uber to Soulard Market and our driver immediately shared stories of going there as a child with his grandmother after picking vegetables across the river in Illinois. This market has been in operation since 1838 and is the oldest market west of the Mississippi. On a Saturday morning, it was brimming with fresh produce, meat, spices, and culinary delights along with live music. We picked up hot cajun peanuts and people watched. The diversity and mixing of cultures was great to experience. After we walked to the Mural Mile (actually over two miles) and strolled north towards the Gateway Arch. The murals are changed on a regular basis by graffiti artists from all over the United States and is a great way to spruce up the large concrete flood walls that line the Mississippi River.

Great Beer comes from delectable water
Did you know that St. Louis has some of the best tap water in the world? They refer to it as “delectable” and great water makes great beer. As beer connoisseurs, we have found the beer lacking while traveling in the southern states. But this place sure made up for it. Urban Chestnut, Rockwell, and Modern Brewing all made a wide range of styles with fun atmosphere and great food too. And St. Louis is the home of the Bavarian Brewery which would become the Anheuser-Busch brewery in 1852. No, we did not take the tour, but we heard it is great stop.

So much American history in this small city
St. Louis has a big part to play in American history and the city is proud of it. The Lewis and Clark expedition started close by in 1804 after the Louisiana Purchase and helped shape the expansion west as the captains and their crew surveyed the Missouri and Columbia Rivers. The journey’s end was back in St. Louis to celebrate in 1806. The Gateway Arch is a symbol of this western expansion and the museum attached is free to browse. The old downtown courthouse is notable for the cases of Dred and Harriet Scott. And the very last slave sale in Missouri took place on those same courthouse steps. History buffs will be amazed at all the offerings this city holds.

This trip has brought us fresh perspectives on American small towns and cities and has flipped the script on some of our expectations. We have discovered places we have never thought about traveling to and have walked away with a new respect for. St. Louis is a city that has earned our respect and admiration for its people, community spirit, and accessibility.

Next the famed Katy Trail and Columbia, MO.