OT: Visiting St. Louis -- tell me what there is to do!

[tsujimoto74]

Hey, Blues fans. This thread is entirely non-hockey-related, so forgive me if it's too OT, but it looks like I'll be visiting your fine city for the first time this fall, courtesy of Washington U Law, and I was hoping some locals wouldn't mind letting me know what cool stuff there is to do/see in the area. I mean, I've checked some of the touristy websites, but touristy stuff is usually isn't that interesting.

Stuff of interest:
- How's the art museum? Good or kinda meh?
- Best places to eat/bars?
- Any cool small concert venues/DIY show spaces around town?
- Any great book stores? Or record shops?
- What about jazz clubs?
- Anything else you think I should check out while I'm there?

Click to read more...

 

[Vladys Gumption]

If you like beer we have good stuff, and a lot of it. I recommend the Schlafly Tap Room on Locust downtown. Fantastic craft beer and really good food in one place. A/B is a pretty cool place to check out and they've got a nice Biergarten. Urban Chestnut is on Manchester and Taylor. Basically, we've got a ton of craft breweries plus Anheuser.

The Art Museum is pretty good. I'm not sure what they have going right now, but I'm sure a cursory glance of their website would tell you all you need to know. Forrest Park is really cool in general. You may want to take some time to just walk around and sight seing.

Vintage Vinyl in the Loop is a pretty interesting record shop. There's a bar called the Blueberry Hill right down the street from there that's got live music usually.

Shoot me a PM if you need anything else like directions.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

Pop's on the Illinois side of the river is a good concert venue if you're into that kind of music (Metal, Alt rock).

Fast Eddie's in Alton, Il, is also good, cheap great food, have to be over 21 to enter.

Totally check out the Zoo and surrounding areas. And Arch.

Art museum is meh, but, don't knock it, I just wasn't into it.

Can't remember much more since I've not been to STL that much since I joined. Have fun.

 

[tsujimoto74]

If you like beer we have good stuff, and a lot of it. I recommend the Schlafly Tap Room on Locust downtown. Fantastic craft beer and really good food in one place. A/B is a pretty cool place to check out and they've got a nice Biergarten. Urban Chestnut is on Manchester and Taylor. Basically, we've got a ton of craft breweries plus Anheuser.

The Art Museum is pretty good. I'm not sure what they have going right now, but I'm sure a cursory glance of their website would tell you all you need to know. Forrest Park is really cool in general. You may want to take some time to just walk around and sight seing.

Vintage Vinyl in the Loop is a pretty interesting record shop. There's a bar called the Blueberry Hill right down the street from there that's got live music usually.

Shoot me a PM if you need anything else like directions.

Mmm..Schlafly and Urban Chestnut look really good. Probably a long shot, but you know of any local breweries that like to dabble in sours (looks like Chestnut might with some of their more "traditional" style brews)? I've been on a huge sour beer kick lately.

I'll probably check out the art museum. It's cool that it's right in the middle of the park. And I love a good park, too.

Thanks!

 

[thedustman]

Mmm..Schlafly and Urban Chestnut look really good. Probably a long shot, but you know of any local breweries that like to dabble in sours (looks like Chestnut might with some of their more "traditional" style brews)? I've been on a huge sour beer kick lately.

I'll probably check out the art museum. It's cool that it's right in the middle of the park. And I love a good park, too.

Thanks!

Go to Side Project Cellar in maplewood. It is not far from the Bookhouse, which is a good used bookstore.

 

[KirkOut]

Spend your free times in places like Forrest park, the Loop, the Central West End, and maybe Washington Ave. skip the arch, it's boring. Look at it from the outside and you are getting the experience

 

[Tryblot]

What are the best hotels?

 

[marigolds]

- How's the art museum? Good or kinda meh?

City Museum is one giant (10 story) interactive art installation. Really, it is a giant adult playground, completely with late night hours and bars. It is by far the most unique thing in St Louis.
http://www.citymuseum.org/
Just scroll through the pictures on the front page to get an idea.

 

[rumrokh]

Dudes, the St. Louis Art Museum is fantastic. There's too much to see in just one visit. I go a few times a year and the collection rotates enough that I never see everything. Their collections of 19th and 20th Century Western paintings and their collections of antiquities (mummies and other artifacts) are very good and they get world-class travelling exhibits. Places like Chicago, LA, and New York have incredible museums, too, but St. Louis's is on the short list of the best in the country.

I definitely recommend both Schlafly locations. I like the Bottleworks for their food, but you can't go wrong at the Tap Room. Urban Chestnut and Civil Life are also great. There are several very good craft breweries and bars around. Probably the only place that people will often recommend that I wouldn't is 4 Hands brewery. They have some very good beers, but it's very hit or miss and mostly disappointing.

If you're in the Loop, there are a ton of good places to eat. Not the best place in town, but I'm fond of Three Kings. It's upscale bar food, basically. Good beer selection, cool staff. Pi has the best pizza by a long shot. If you end up going to The Hill for Italian food, avoid Zia's.

The Zoo and Botanical Garden are both worth a visit.

 

[Vladys Gumption]

I'm a big Favazza's fan for the Italian food. My favorite place to get food by far though is Blues City Deli in Soulard. That place is heaven in a sandwich.

Mmm..Schlafly and Urban Chestnut look really good. Probably a long shot, but you know of any local breweries that like to dabble in sours (looks like Chestnut might with some of their more "traditional" style brews)? I've been on a huge sour beer kick lately.

I'll probably check out the art museum. It's cool that it's right in the middle of the park. And I love a good park, too.

Thanks!

Honestly not sure about the sours. I'm sure some of our other posters might know more than me.

If you're planning on going to Forrest Park I recommend getting there early if possible. Parking gets absolutely bonkers on a nice day.

 

[ManyIdeas]

None of the local breweries have had decent sours yet

 

[tsujimoto74]

City Museum is one giant (10 story) interactive art installation. Really, it is a giant adult playground, completely with late night hours and bars. It is by far the most unique thing in St Louis.
http://www.citymuseum.org/
Just scroll through the pictures on the front page to get an idea.

That looks awesome.

And thanks to everyone who's responded so far.

None of the local breweries have had decent sours yet

Well, they've got til September/October to rectify that.

 

[RandallRitchey]

I'll second the City Museum. I love that place. A ton of fun no matter your age.

 

[STL fan in MN]

Even though I'm originally from the STL area, I've enjoyed some of the suggestions in this thread as I'm heading down to STL in a couple weeks. It's now been 17 years since I moved away so the city becomes more foreign to me every year.

We're heading to a Cards game and making a return trip to the City Museum as well (my wife and I are going to try to find a way to get her sister stuck in one of the museum's tunnels/contraptions. I know, we're evil) but we may have to check out some of those other breweries mentioned here. Thanks, all!

 

[SirPaste]

If your looking for good jazz clubs I would suggest hitting up BBs or Beale on Broadway, they are right across the street from each other down by Busch Stadium and both have excellent music every night. There are lots of other venues around town with pretty much any kind of music you could want depending on what your in to.

 

[thedustman]

None of the local breweries have had decent sours yet

side project's are amazing if you ask me

 

[Old Blueser]

as an adult, I find the Arch to be pretty stunning from the grounds around it. The best part of the inside is the 2001 Space Odyssey-styled pods you travel up in. But it is absolutely worth going to and seeing from outside.

 

[ToniJ1960]

What about the science center Shaws Garden, Grants Farm or
the transportation museum? Of course the zoo.

 

[thedustman]

as an adult, I find the Arch to be pretty stunning from the grounds around it. The best part of the inside is the 2001 Space Odyssey-styled pods you travel up in. But it is absolutely worth going to and seeing from outside.

This is as true as saying that the Blues haven't won a cup.

 

[rumrokh]

None of the local breweries have had decent sours yet

2nd Shift has some outstanding brett beers. Urban Chestnut's Berliner Weisse is simple, but very good. And as popular as Perennial is, you're bound to get some infected bottles from them, so you can pretend they're deliberately sour.

 

[Meatwagon]

Dudes, the St. Louis Art Museum is fantastic. There's too much to see in just one visit. I go a few times a year and the collection rotates enough that I never see everything. Their collections of 19th and 20th Century Western paintings and their collections of antiquities (mummies and other artifacts) are very good and they get world-class travelling exhibits. Places like Chicago, LA, and New York have incredible museums, too, but St. Louis's is on the short list of the best in the country.

I definitely recommend both Schlafly locations. I like the Bottleworks for their food, but you can't go wrong at the Tap Room. Urban Chestnut and Civil Life are also great. There are several very good craft breweries and bars around. Probably the only place that people will often recommend that I wouldn't is 4 Hands brewery. They have some very good beers, but it's very hit or miss and mostly disappointing.

If you're in the Loop, there are a ton of good places to eat. Not the best place in town, but I'm fond of Three Kings. It's upscale bar food, basically. Good beer selection, cool staff. Pi has the best pizza by a long shot. If you end up going to The Hill for Italian food, avoid Zia's.

The Zoo and Botanical Garden are both worth a visit.

Just a quick note. The Saint Louis Art Museum is a world class collection and most of its free. You can also see the traveling exhibits for free on certain days and times. Check their website. Also their new expansion of modern art has exquisite examples of some the most famous painters of the 19th and 20th century. Not to mention they have a Monet worth north of 100 million dollars. It's with the other French expressionists paintings, the giant wall sized Lilly paintings is one of the most famous paintings in the world. We are extremely lucky to have so many generous benefactors and the SLAM has truly acquired a world class collection of fine art.

 

[Multimoodia]

When you get to St. Louis, make sure to hit the microbrewery in the southern part of St. Louis near the Soulard/Cherokee area. A real selection of unique beers you simply won't find anywhere else.

...Anheuser Busch or something I think it's called. Big brick building...although the local supermarkets do make sure to carry a reasonable selection due to civic pride and a desire to keep such a small upstart in business.

St. Louis though is really more known for its cosmopolitan palate and lemme say here and now, you don't get much more international than their own little sweet-spot of Mexican: Taco Bell.
It's a bit hard to find, but their Fiery Gordita Crunch is to die for. ¡Olé!

 

[542365]

City Museum is a must.

As far as food is concerned, my two favorites are Hodaks(fried chicken), and Pappy's Smokehouse(BBQ).

 

[Vladys Gumption]

Holy crap, how did I forget about Pappy's. Yeah that's definitely a must if there's time.

 

[KirkOut]

I've never been to Pappy's