Exploring the City of St. Louis, Missouri

My husband had a business meeting to attend so I thought I would tag along and explore St. Louis, Missouri with him.

We booked our room at the Hotel Lumiere in downtown St. Louis. When Eddie and I arrived early, our room was not ready, so we ended up moving to the nearby luxury Four Seasons for $49 more a night.

The Four Seasons Hotel

The Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis was a gem nestled in a not-so-safe part of town, Laclede’s Landing. The lobby was on the 8th floor, where the hotel’s main restaurant and sleek bar, Cielo is.

Cielo offers al fresco dining (weather permitting) on the rooftop which gives you a great view of the lovely swimming pool, water fountain, and iconic Gateway Arch in the background. Cielo’s food was delicious though the service was slow but thorough.

Our room at the Four Seasons was heavenly! I would bet that the view from the Four Seasons lobby bar area was the most spectacular view in all of St. Louis, Missouri.

Some of the things I loved best about the Four Seasons were the plush, down duvet, iPod docking station, a large Italian marble bathroom, and terry bathrobes.

The Four Seasons Hotel connects to the sprawling casino at Lumiere Place, which had hundreds of slot machines. Eddie and I were surprised that you had to be registered and show an identification to enter the gambling areas.

A positive was that while gambling, patrons racked up points which could be redeemed for food, hotel rooms, and apparel. Lumiere Place’s casino was incredibly clean and contemporary in feel. Eddie and I enjoyed lunch at The Kitchen, which was both tasty and affordable.

What We Did in St. Louis

Eddie and I did some shopping at the Plaza Frontenac and St. Louis Galleria high-end malls. Both were spread out from the Laclede’s Landing, so we had to take a cab to get there. The taxi fare was around $35.

Our favorite meal was from Al’s Restaurant near the hotel. This 83-year-old restaurant is a gem! It featured mouthwatering steaks, lobster, fresh seafood, chops, and pasta dishes. Al’s doesn’t use a printed menu, but instead, the impressive servers rattle off the 60 or so vegetable and side dishes like its nothing. They can even do it backward!

St. Louis, Missouri offered some memorable events such as riding up the 630 feet Gateway Arch in a 5-seater tram. At the top, you can exit the pod and walk around to take pictures or enjoy the views. The views include a great aerial shot of St. Louis and the historic Old Courthouse. The Museum of Westward Expansion was located on the premises and had an impressive Lewis & Clark exhibit.

The Family-Friendly St. Louis Zoo

The best part of my trip to St. Louis was visiting the St. Louis Zoo. I found the zoo to be extremely clean. It had a nice variety of animals and was easy to navigate through the park grounds.

The zoo’s hippo exhibit was so exciting! They are my favorite animals in the world, so I was super excited to spend some time watching the five of them grazing and just looking cute. Don’t miss the adorable penguins and polar bears either. 

St. Louis, Missouri: A City Full of Adventure

St. Louis is a great city to explore. I didn’t have nearly enough time to do everything I wanted, so hopefully a return trip will be on the horizon. Have you visited St. Louis, Missouri?

St. Louis Photo Gallery:

 

Read more of our Midwest posts:

Mackinac Island: Things to Do at Michigan’s Hidden Gem

7 Things you Must See and Do in Iowa

How to Experience Authentic Travel in Kansas City, Kansas

 

(Several people have asked me if I have ever written for anything prior to blogging. The answer is yes. I had submitted several travel articles to the Charleston Sunday Gazette-WV which were published. This is a modified version of one of those articles.)