StephanieZ Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 St. Louis folks. . . Advise me! Kids & I will be taking a massive x-c road trip this summer. We will have a Friday evening through a Sunday morning in St. Louis. Dh happens by bizarre coincidence to be there for continuing ed conference that weekend, so we'll have his company in the evenings, but will be just kids & I during the day Saturday, all day, Jul 16. What is the best way to spend the day? My kids are 8, 12, 14 and are all pretty easy to please. They're all bright, and the 8 yo is used to chasing after the olders, so stuff geared towards 5th-10th grade is probably ideal. We like animals. And science. And watery stuff. History is cool. This coming year is american history for all, so some cool historical place would be neat, especially since we won't get out that way again any time soon. (We live close to VA/PA/etc so traditional colonial/revolutionary/civil war sites are convenient.) This is a 6 week road trip, so expenses are adding up fast. . .So relatively cheap or free activities are definitely welcome, although the $$ is there if it's really special. The Zoo? We can go to other zoos, of course, but is this one special? The Science Museum (that (in)famous human body exhibit -- Body Worlds -- is there, and we've never seen it), and we do have free admission to the main museum & planetarium with a reciprocal membership thing. We're heading to south TX next on the trip, and will get water-parked and inner-tubed out that week, as it'll be about a zillion degrees in TX so we'll stay wet all week. . . So, water parks would probably not be a good idea for this day. History something or other? What else? TIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jami Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 The zoo is very nice and free. But it's a standard zoo. For your kids ages and with American history in mind, I'd go to the Arch and see the Westward Expansion museum. Then to City Museum probably. http://www.citymuseum.org/home.asp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K&Rs Mom Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 The city museum - absolute coolest place we've ever been Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 There's the Science center, but the Arch would be more meaningful, since there are science centers everywhere and only one Arch. Definitely go up in it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoyfulMama Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 City Museum. Admission is $12 but SOOOOO worth it! Giant playground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoVanGogh Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 A third vote for City Museum. :D Plan to wear older, comfortable play clothes and plan on getting a bit dirty. The science museum is also very nice. If you have a child into physics and/or rollerball tracks, they have one of the largest I have ever seen. My son spent three hours just watching it. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 The arch. Cahokia mounds is pretty cool, you can climb it for free. It is the largest Prehistoric earthen construction in America and Canada. (Mexico has some bigger ones.). You can see the arch from the top. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cahokia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Echoing the City Museum. Here's some pictures we took, dh, ds, and MIL are in a few, they do not come with the price of admission. :lol: https://picasaweb.google.com/elegantlion/CityMuseumStLouis122009?authkey=Gv1sRgCNHztJnA_ejyjQE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My3Monkeys Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 The zoo is great and free, and if you go the first hour it's open, all the paid exhibits are free (train, children's zoo, stingray/shark exhibit, etc). Grant's Farm is free http://www.grantsfarm.com/default.htm, you just have to pay for parking. You can pay to feed the baby goats. Right down the road (like just a few hundred feet) is the Grant national historic site. Also free. http://www.nps.gov/ulsg/index.htm The science center is free, and if you park on the Forest Park side, parking is free. There are a lot of exhibits that are in transition right now so it's not may favorite place. The art museum and history museum are both free (except for special exhibits) and are in Forest Park along with the zoo and science center. The arch is cool but I'm not in love with the museum underneath, just ok, IMO. The City Museum is awesome. While you are here, try to get to Ted Drew's for frozen custard, have some St. Louis style pizza, maybe lunch or dinner on the Hill or at the Loop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted June 29, 2011 Author Share Posted June 29, 2011 You all ROCK! Where's the best pizza? We love pizza! And we're all over the frozen custard. Now I want to be there longer! 6 weeks is not enough time for this trip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebug42 Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 We go often to St. Louis and honestly, we have never been able to afford admission to City Museum for four of us. I wanted to mention though that we go to the zoo often and it is special because several of the building were built for the 1904 World's fair and they are really lovely. My children also adore the Science Center and the Magic House, but yours are a little old for that probably. We have been wanting to get to Grant's farm but are always there in November and haven't made it yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My3Monkeys Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 You all ROCK! Where's the best pizza? We love pizza! And we're all over the frozen custard. Now I want to be there longer! 6 weeks is not enough time for this trip! Opinions vary on that. First, St. Louis style is pretty different than regular pizza - super thin crust, sweet sauce and provel cheese. I think you either love it or hate it, lol. Imo's is everywhere and is not the best IMO but some people love it. My favorites are all in neighborhoods other people would probably tell you not to drive in :lol:. I like Ponticallos, Faraci's Saulo's, and Cusamano's, (actually several of these have moved or have more than one location now). Really, you'd do well with any mom and pop type placxe with an Itallian last name :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jami Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 I don't like St. Louis-style pizza, but our favorite pizza place was/is Fortel's Pizza Den off Gravois in Affton. It's very near Ted Drewes if you want to combine your pizza and custard outing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura in STL Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 I have to say I prefer Fortel's to traditional St. louis pizza, too! We love the zoo, and there is a brand new baby elephant, but I don't know that she would be out for the public yet. I can't remember how old they have to be for that. I would suggest the Arch, because it's unique to St. Louis. There is quite a bit of info in the museum if you listen to the recordings by the exhibits. The City Museum is awesome! The roof is extra, but it's really fun. This place scares my mother because kids are allowed to climb on pretty much everything, but my kids love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbecueMom Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 I eighth the City Museum and Fortel's. Just went to both a few weeks ago, actually. If you are going to the zoo during the week and plan to get there early, you can park at the Turtle Playground in Forest Park for free and cross the Tamm overpass to get to the zoo. We did that this past week, spent the morning at the zoo, then ate a picnic lunch at the playground and climbed on the giant concrete turtles. It saves you the $12 in parking, which is a City Museum admission! The zoo has a couple babies in the primate house too. Very cute! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailV Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 We go often to St. Louis and honestly, we have never been able to afford admission to City Museum for four of us. For the record, our entire family doesn't like the City Museum and doesn't bother going anymore even if it's offered to us as a free trip. It's LOUD, hard-edged, and generally annoying (and, frankly, when we've gone has been chock full of people who have suddenly decided to go into hogwild obnoxious, rude mode). If you have any sensory issues whatsoever, don't go -- we don't have sensory issues, and the place drives us bonkers. So, don't regret missing it. On the other hand, the Arch is way cool. OP will love it. Also, it's not about the pizza -- when you're in St. Louis you get toasted ravioli. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 City Museum for us as well, absolutely love it. Dh loves the Science Center as well but ours were a bit too young to really enjoy it. Grants Farm and the Zoo are ok but we like places you can go and do things at not just watch things, especially with bouncing kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alison in KY Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 My favorite place is Grant's Farm. It's free, they have several nice little animal shows, petting area for low cost, and you can go see the clysdales. I've never been to the City Museum, but was curious how you all are able to keep up with your children in there? Are there times you can go where it isn't busy..it's the one place we haven't visited, but the pic's made me worry about not being able to see my kids...which would bother me. Alison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teresa in MO Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 I would go to the zoo and the arch. That is where all of my dc's friends who come here to visit want to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebug42 Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 For the record, our entire family doesn't like the City Museum and doesn't bother going anymore even if it's offered to us as a free trip. It's LOUD, hard-edged, and generally annoying (and, frankly, when we've gone has been chock full of people who have suddenly decided to go into hogwild obnoxious, rude mode). If you have any sensory issues whatsoever, don't go -- we don't have sensory issues, and the place drives us bonkers. So, don't regret missing it. On the other hand, the Arch is way cool. OP will love it. Also, it's not about the pizza -- when you're in St. Louis you get toasted ravioli. Thanks for that. I would probably hate it. I have eaten pizza at Imo's in St. Louis and thought it was disgusting. Where does one get toasted ravioli though? I love that stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teresa in MO Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Thanks for that. I would probably hate it. I have eaten pizza at Imo's in St. Louis and thought it was disgusting. Where does one get toasted ravioli though? I love that stuff. minutes from the zoo there is an Italian neighborhood called The Hill. Lots of Italian restaurants. Our favorites are Zias, Charlie Gitto's, Giovanni's, Lorenzo's Trattoria. You can get breaded ravioli at any of those! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 The city museum - absolute coolest place we've ever been :iagree: I absolutely agree. My son still talks about this pretty much every day. It is in downtown just a few blocks form the Arch if you want to do both. And, a word of advice on the Arch: order your tickets in advance on line if you want to go. We waitied in line early in the morning only to learn after going in that the tickets were all sold out for that day. My kids also liked riding the Metro. We rode it from the Arch into Illinois and all the way back into the city, then back to the Arch. It wasn't very expensive and we saw many changes in environment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.