Meet Me In St. Louis

Nestled on the legendary Route 66 is the gateway of the Mississippi River... St. Louis! Being from Illinois, St. Louis has always been a day-trip type of place for me. Let's check out what an ideal itinerary would look like for someone new to the Mound City.

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First and foremost, you can't go wrong with a Tex-Mex breakfast at the popular Southwest Diner on Southwest Avenue. With biscuits and gravy, guacamole, tamales, and more; this gem holds nearly five stars from every single rating system and does not disappoint. Spice up your life.

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It's only right to check out Gateway Arch National Park. If you're brave enough, you can take a tiny elevator all 600+ feet to the top. There's a museum about westward expansion, tradition, riverboat cruises helicopter rides, a virtual reality theatre, gift shop, snack area, and more. The Arch has been standing for approximately 56 years now.

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Lunch is at Twisted Ranch. Consisting of around 34 ranch dressing flavors to try, it's the sole way to a Midwesterner's heart. Get a sampler and try half of the flavors, or all of them; from Asian zing to parmesan peppercorn to Cajun. If you like it enough, you can purchase a bottle to take home. Food isn't the only strong suit at this place. Their bar is stocked with cool cocktails and Skittle shot fights. A unique must-try.

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Unlock your inner child at the City Museum. This is an artist-built interactive playfield for both kids and adults housed within the multiple floors of an old shoe factory. It's been featured in Time Magazine, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and more. Every single trip I've taken to St. Louis has had a City Museum stop. You will have to pay for parking as well as tickets, so plan ahead. Pricey and well worth it, especially if you have kids around age 8-12.

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Another spot for the kids is the FREE St. Louis Zoo. Wear your walking shoes and see animals like elephants, flamingos, lions, and so many more. There's attractions including a 4D theatre, train, sea lion show, stingrays, carousel, etc. This is a time-consumer so plan to spend a day here, or an afternoon bare minimum.

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St. Louis is home to the Cardinals MLB team, and with it, Busch Stadium; which was opened in 2006 so it's updated and NICE. No expense was spared in its creation. Even if you're not a Cardinals fan, you can appreciate the environment. My friend Mary & I attended a Snow Patrol & Ed Sheeran concert there. Surrounding, is ballpark village with multiple bars, restaurants, and activities to do.

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That's a good mix of 2-3 St. Louis day trips. Other honorable mentions for places that we've yet to explore include Soldier's Memorial Military Museum, St. Louis Aquarium, and the Science Center. With this city being in the Midwest, the most weather-friendly time to visit would be late spring through early fall.