
Whoops…been away a bit too long. I cannot quite say that I have had nothing to write about. Rather, my mind has not stopped racing since I got back to St. Louis with a move to another new city for the summer coming up and missing the college town that I just left. But hey, what better way to ease the mind than to play tourist for a bit and enjoy the sights of St. Louis…again.
I can’t help myself – this city just never gets old and I always seem to find new places that I have never seen before. {Warning: these are probably my 5 favorite places in St. Louis, so prepare for lots of pictures}
1. Central West End

— With its unbeatable charm, unique shops, assortment of restaurants and coffee shops, and prime spots for people-watching, few neighborhoods in St. Louis can compete with the charm of the Central West End. I can easily spend hours walking around the streets of CWE, both in the business district as well as strolling the neighborhoods that are filled with some of the oldest, most beautiful houses that I’ve ever seen. One stop I never miss: 10denza, a local shop boasting the downright coolest assortment of clothing, accessories, and gifts. The description says it all: “the convergence of pop culture, modern city style, music, and media.”
2. Anheuser-Busch Brewery

–I venture to say that this is one of the prides of St. Louis. If you get a chance, you MUST tour this brewery. It is absolutely incredible to see the work that goes into brewing beer, and, to make it even better, you get free beer if you are of age once the tour ends! I mean, come on. The only thing that would make it better would be if the famed Clydesdales were housed near the brewery, but I understand that would be a little difficult in the middle of downtown STL.
3. Cathedral Basilica

–Construction on this landmark began in 1907, but the awe-inspiring assortment of tiled mosaics on the ceiling wasn’t completely finished until 1988. The Cathedral Basilica in St. Louis is believed to have the largest collection of tiled mosaics in the world. This beauty is worth a quick stop to see and admire the stunning architecture and history comprised in its walls.
4. St. Louis Zoo

–It’s free, it’s located in the middle of the beautiful Forest Park, it’s filled with animals from all over the world, and it brings back a type of childhood joy that is so worth battling the crowds and heat for. The best part: Meri and I got to see the newest addition to the Zoo:: a baby elephant! Who would have thought that a month old, 200 lb baby could bring such excitement and adoration.
4. Forest Park {take 2}

–I forget how expansive and absolutely stunning Forest Park is, especially when it is illuminated in all of its glory on a perfectly sunny day. It is full of history, full of beauty, and also full of a diverse group of people including runners, golfers, families, tourists, and wanderers. This trip to my favorite park featured the History Museum and the Jewel Box, both of which I have honestly never been to before! Meri showed me the Jewel Box while I just sort of stumbled upon the History Museum yesterday while driving around the park (even though I have been meaning to tour it for like…10 years. Ooops my bad). I’m probably about to offend a lot of NY natives, but after having been to both famed parks::
Forest Park > Central Park
So many gems in this city that I am going to miss seeing so much this summer. The perk: they never get old, just like I never tire of touring my hometown.
xo