Vacation Spots You Should Check Out: St. Louis

     St. Louis, Missouri is a pretty awesome vacation spot, especially if you stay downtown in the old Union Station that has been converted into a mall/hotel/Amtrak station.  The architecture was attractive and the rooms were plush.  It included a swimming pool, paddle boats to pedal around the lagoon, driving small boats around a course, and there were a lot of restaurants like the Hard Rock Cafe and others.  The mall area had several things to offer.  They make fudge in front of your eyes and sing to you; we bought some which was delicious.  If you are a Harry Potter fan, there is a Platform 9 and 3/4 mural on the wall that looks like you could walk through it. Definitely get a picture by it like our family did!  There was also historical information and exhibits about trains in the station too.

    Besides visiting the Busch Stadium to see the St. Louis Cardinals and other major attractions, there are several other places that are inexpensive, especially for kids 13 and younger.  The St. Louis Gateway Arch is worth seeing for the interesting historical exhibits about westward expansion, and a trip up in the "egg" conveyor to the top.  The Arch is 630 feet which is taller than the Washington Monument in D.C.  Be creative in taking pictures of it--it is ridiculously photogenic!  If you get a chance, eat at the Olde Spaghetti Factory near the Arch because of the incredible spaghetti and atmosphere of the old building.  

   Another great spot for kids is the City Museum which is a really weird place to go because the creator had a crazy imagination and just keeps building strange jungle gym areas to explore.  He's added airplane cockpits and balls pits and other outside areas that are made from mainly reclaimed materials.  You can climb and crawl for a really long time in places that adults can't go.  

     Also, the old World's Fair Exhibition Gardens includes a zoo, science center, and art museum (but don't try to go to the art museum on Monday since it is closed).  The zoo has a little train and a wide variety of animals to watch.   Our family likes science centers, but there were a lot of interesting things to do at this one.  For example, you can check the speed of cars with a speed gun over the highway from a bridge connecting the two buildings.  You can build a Catenary Arch, like the real one, and work several robotics things, build with Legos, and work with Nanotechnology.  

    There are also two areas near to St. Louis that are named for Ulysses S. Grant:  Grant's Farm (a bit expensive) and the National Historic Park (free).  Kids can get junior ranger badges and see lots of animals including the Clydesdale horses and lots of historical artifacts from the 1800's.  

    Though it isn't too far away to travel, it makes for a well-rounded and fun vacation place for a long weekend or more.