St Louis
From its beginnings as a simple French village founded in 1764, St. Louis has grown into a charming,
exciting and character-filled community which attracts six million visitors each year.
When Lewis & Clark headed west from St. Louis in 1803 to explore President Thomas Jefferson's
newly purchased Louisiana Territory, they began an odyssey that changed the future of the continent.
Those dramatic changes were especially evident in St. Louis as the area became
a "Gateway to the West" for pioneers, trappers, and explorers on their way to seek land, fortune
and adventure.
The magnificent Gateway Arch -- opened in 1965 as a memorial to Thomas Jefferson's dream of a
continental United States -- stands as a 630-foot-tall reminder of early St. Louis' status as the
nation's western gateway. Other reminders of early St. Louis include many historic homes which are
open for visitors.
Today you're invited to enjoy St. Louis and more than 100 major visitor attractions, colorful
neighborhoods and entertainment opportunities that make it one of the most diverse and exciting
visitor destinations in the country.
In Forest Park - recently named one of the top ten urban parks in the nation -- the Saint Louis Art Museum
sits high atop Art Hill, taking its place as one of the area's cultural crown jewels.
Joggers, bikers and rollerbladers whiz past the park's Missouri History Museum where St. Louis'
past comes to life. The St. Louis Zoo -- one of the few remaining free zoos in the world --
welcomes park visitors with a roar. And in the St. Louis Science Center, life-size dinosaurs lure
guests into galleries which explore the physical world. Ride the brightly painted "Shuttle Bug" bus
between Forest Park's attractions all day for just $1.
At Laumeier Sculpture Park, modern art dots peaceful, rolling acreage. Nearby, the National
Museum of Transport houses the country's largest collection of rolling stock including trains,
automobiles, and streetcars. The American Kennel of the Dog Museum takes a look at the many ways
our canine friends have been portrayed in fine art through the ages. And at the
Missouri Botanical Garden, visitors stroll the country's largest authentic Japanese garden and
learn about rain forest preservation in the geodesic dome of the Climatron greenhouse.
Just south of downtown, tours are offered at the headquarters of the world's largest brewer,
Anheuser-Busch. A guided visit to the landmark brewery features the Budweiser Clydesdale stables
where the famous giant horses are pampered in a stained-glass, chandelier-accented home fit for
the King of Beers.
Sports fans enjoy learning about two of the country's most popular sports - baseball and bowling.
Housed across the street from the Busch Stadium home of St. Louis' famed Cardinals is the
International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame which includes the galleries of the
St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame.
How entertaining is St. Louis? In the Grand Center arts and entertainment district, the
Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra dazzles listeners at elegant Powell Hall. Founded 119 years ago,
the Grammy Award-winning symphony is the second oldest orchestra in the nation. The fabulous Fox
Theatre in Grand Center, with its ornate Siamese-Byzantine interior, the Grandel Square Theatre,
The Muny,
and the Loretto Hilton Theatre offer the visitor a variety of comedy, drama and musicals.
Visitors can follow the drifting notes of Blues and Jazz past the muddy tang of the Mississippi
River and into the intimate clubs along Laclede's Landing. St. Louis is where Ragtime music was
refined and where the Blues drifted upriver to take on the sad tale of Frankie & Johnny.
Today, these unique American musical forms are alive in the clubs of the Landing, the historic
Soulard neighborhood, the Loop neighborhood -- home to the St. Louis Walk of Fame -- in University
City and many other neighborhoods. Comedy clubs at West Port Plaza and St. Louis Union Station, riverboat revues, mystery dinner theaters and much more welcome visitors year round.
If you're bringing young visitors to St. Louis, the possibilities are endless. The Magic House
children's museum fills a Victorian home with hands-on experiments and activities. At Grant's Farm,
ride a trackless train through the game preserve where zebra, buffalo and longhorn cattle roam.
At the St. Louis Carousel
everyone rides for 50 cents on the historic, hand-carved merry-go-round in Faust Park.
Children -- and their parents -- enjoy reliving the adventures of Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher
aboard the Gateway Riverboat Cruises paddlewheel excursion vessels named for the famous
Mark Twain characters.
At Purina
Farms, visitors are encouraged to explore the special relationship between humans and domestic animals through videos, hands-on activities and live demonstrations.
Be ready to twist upside down, get hit with a wall of water
and bump into your favorite Looney Toons characters at Six Flags St. Louis. The family theme park
operates from April through October with rides like the Ninja and new Mr. Freeze rollercoaster,
Thunder River, Tidal Wave, and BATMAN, The Ride.
Don't forget to visit historic St. Louis Union Station, which celebrated its 100th birthday in 1994.
Once the busiest passenger rail terminal in the nation, the massive train shed has been turned into
a festival marketplace filled with more than 100 shops, restaurants - including the Hard Rock
Cafe - and a peaceful lake. Next door to Union Station,
Kiel Center is the new arena home to the St. Louis Blues NHL hockey team, the St. Louis Ambush
indoor soccer club and the Saint Louis University Billikens basketball team. The Trans World Dome,
where the St. Louis Rams NFL team plays, and the refurbished Busch Stadium, home of the St. Louis
Cardinals complete the downtown sports triangle.
Riverboats offer casino gaming throughout the day. The giant, art deco-designed President Casino on
the Admiral is permanently moored along St. Louis' Mississippi riverfront and can accommodate up
to 15,000 people each day for a variety of games including poker, slot machines, video poker,
black jack, and craps. The Casino St. Charles operates on the Missouri River 30 minutes west of
downtown St. Louis. At the Riverport Casino Center, gaming fans can take their chances at either
Harrah's or Players Island Casinos which feature four casinos, Las Vegas-style buffets and a
child care facility.
Getting around St. Louis is easy and inexpensive. MetroLink, St. Louis' light rail line,
connects many of the community's most popular visitor attractions. With stops at Lambert-St. Louis
International Airport, America's Center, Kiel Center, Union Station, Laclede's Landing near the
casinos and Forest Park visitors can ride between popular stops for just $1.25. And here's a bonus:
weekdays, 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. MetroLink is free in the downtown area.
Explore St. Louis. There's always a friendly face, a helping hand and interesting special
events throughout the year.
For more information on St. Louis and the official Visitor's Guide, please call 1-800-916-0040.
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