St Louis, Missouri - Attractions

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Anheuser-Busch Brewery - Tour the historic building where Adolphus Busch manufactured the "King of Beers."

Arch and Museum of Westward Expansion - The Gateway Arch is the ultimate symbol of St. Louis. It rises 630 feet above the city and the riverfront, providing an astounding view from the top. The Museum of Westward Expansion located underground offers exhibits and films about westward expansion, and about the construction of the Arch.

Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis. Usually called the "New" Cathedral, this massive 1912 Romanesque-Byzantine edifice houses the world's largest collection of mosaic art. Tours are available, but must be scheduled around the frequent Masses, weddings, and other services at the popular cathedral.

City Hall - St. Louis City Hall, built between 1893 and 1896, is modeled after the Hotel de la Ville, the city hall of Paris, France. In Washington Square, the park surrounding City Hall, there are statutes of President Ulysses S. Grant, briefly a St. Louis resident, and Pierre Laclede Liguest, the founder of St. Louis.

From 1856 to 1902, the popular St. Louis Fair was held annually on what is now Fairgrounds Park. Consisting of almost 150 acres, the fairgrounds also included many other amenities that were utilized throughout the year, including an amphitheater, mechanical and agricultural halls, a horse track, and automobile races. A zoological garden was added in 1876 consisting of a monkey house, bear pits, and carnivore house, which were modeled after the finest European zoological buildings. Today, all that is left of this once popular fair is the facade of the old bear pits which continues to guard the park's main entrance at the corner of Grand and Natural Bridge Streets. Photo: September, 2004, Kathy Weiser.

Gateway Arch Riverboats - The Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher cruising riverboats offer sightseeing, dinner cruises and charter cruises.

International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame - The Museum displays the entire panorama of bowling's international history, from ancient Egypt to modern tenpins. It's also home to the only bowling lanes in downtown St. Louis (2 automatic, and 2 "old time" lanes).

Laclede's Landing - "The Landing" is a nine-square block historic warehouse district of cobblestone streets on St. Louis's riverfront filled with bars, restaurants, and entertainment spots at night, and thousands of office workers by day.

Lemp Brewery. This large, 19th-Century industrial complex is slated for rehabiliation as a mixed-use development. The Lemp Brewery closed at the beginning of Prohibition in 1919, and later was used as the International Shoe Company factory.

Lemp Mansion. Once home to a brewing magnate, this house is reputedly haunted by the ghosts of the Lemp family, and is now a dinner theatre.

Missouri Botanical Gardens -  The 79 acres of the Missouri Botanical Gardens provide wonderful opportunities for leisurely strolls through rose gardens, the Japanese Garden and the historic homes that dot the grounds.

National Museum of Transportation - Displays one of the largest collections of transportation vehicles in the world, including cars, fire trucks, trolleys, locomotives, and even an airplane or two. The museum also displays a unit of the historic Coral Court Motel, once located along Route 66. 3015 Barrett Station Road, St. Louis, Missouri, 314 965-6885.

Old Cathedral - Officially known the Basilica of St. Louis, King of France, the Old Cathedral is the oldest Catholic Cathedral west of the Mississippi River, and is the only piece of central riverfront ground that was not acquired for the Archgrounds. A small museum is located in the back of the Cathedral, and Mass is still celebrated daily.

Old Chain of Rocks Bridge. Once part of Route 66, today this bridge is open only for walking and bicycling, on weekends from April to November.

Old Courthouse - Along with the Arch, the Old Courthouse is part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial National Historic Site. The Old Courthouse was the site of the first two trials of the pivotal Dred Scott case in 1847 and 1850. It was also where Virginia Minor's case for a woman's right to vote came to trial in the 1870s.

Old Post Office - The former U.S. Customhouse & Post Office, completed 1884, is an architectural gem surrounded by a dry moat in the heart of downtown St. Louis. Although interior access is currently limited, plans call for it to be soon restored to its former glory as the hub of downtown.
 

Robert Campbell House Museum - This 1851 home and the furnishings of the Robert Campbell family are the only remnants of the once fashionable private street Lucas Place. Washington Avenue Loft District. The loft district is the former garment district of St. Louis, now occupied by artists' loft studios, upscale loft apartments, and a variety of nightclub spaces.

Soldiers' Memorial - The Soldiers' Memorial was dedicated in honor of World War I veterans from St. Louis. The military museum inside honors the veterans of all the wars in which the United States participated, and an additional monument across the street memorializes all St. Louisans killed in combat, from World War I to the Persian Gulf.

St. Louis Union Station. Formerly one of the nation's largest railroad passenger terminals, Union Station is now home to the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Hard Rock Cafe, a 10 screen Wallace movie theater, office space, and dozens of shops and restaurants. Several historic trains are on display near the rear of the complex, and other reminders of the station's history are available throughout the midway of the terminal.

Ted Drewes Frozen Custard. This nationally-known custard stand is an icon of summer in St. Louis. The most popular location with tourists is on Chippewa Street (old Route 66), but the South Grand & Meramec St. summer-only stand is also very popular with locals.

Wainwright Building. Perhaps one of the most significant buildings in American architecture, the Wainwright was one of the first "skyscrapers" designed by Louis Sullivan.
 

Book your lodging in St. Louis right HERE

An old bank sign in north St. Louis, Missouri September,

 2004, Kathy Weiser.

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From the Rocky Mountain General Store

Route 66 Books - Legends of America and the Rocky Mountain General Store has collected a number of Route 66 Books for our Mother Road enthusiasts. As great as Route 66 is, if you aren't armed with a few good tools on your journey, you'll miss great attractions, eateries, places to stay, and wind up on the wrong path. To see this varied collection that includes "how-to" books, travel guides, photograph books, attractions, and more, click HERE!