Cool things to do in St. Louis?

Subject: Cool things to do in St. Louis?
From: GUEST,Johnny
Date: 30 Aug 01 - 04:34 PM

I'm going on a pilgimage to see the great Chuck Berry in St. Louis on September 12. I was wondering if anybody had any suggestions on where to find a good time the following night, and also what might be a nice and affordable place to lay my head. All suggestions greatly appreciated!!

Subject: RE: Cool things to do in St. Louis?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Aug 01 - 05:00 PM

A Google search on [St. Louis MO folk blues] tunred up a boatload of things, and these are a few:

http://www.localband.net/Scene/index.cfm?LocalityID=157

http://home.swbell.net/o2bkjn/calendar.html

http://srd.yahoo.com/goo/St.+Louis+MO+Folk+Blues/6/*http://www.digitalcity.com/stlouis/music/occurrence.dci?ecid=6

http://www.usgennet.org/~ahmostlu/

Have fun!

~Susan

Subject: RE: Cool things to do in St. Louis?
From: SharonA
Date: 30 Aug 01 - 05:21 PM

Sorry, you can't meet me at the fair; your name isn't Louie. ;^)

Seriously, though, here are some sites.

A Missouri state site with regional, county and city links: http://www.wowworks.com/wowcity/mo.htm

An official St. Louis site: http://stlouis.missouri.org/
Look at the "Visitor Information" page on this site; it includes "Must-See Attractions" as well as "Accommodations". Now if you're trying to find a folk club there, the site may not help you! (What sort of "good time" were you looking for?)

BTW, I see on the site that there's a blues festival in St. Louis tomorrow and Saturday (Sept. 1 and 2), with free admission!

Subject: RE: Cool things to do in St. Louis?
From: catspaw49
Date: 30 Aug 01 - 06:44 PM

There are about 3 tons of motels so if you check the chains, they all have places there. We tend to stay out at a Courtyard in Creve Couere.

If you're there long, the Zoo is superb (remember Marlin Perkins) and free, the arch is simply fascinating up close and the museum underneath is pretty fine too. The Old Courthouse is close by where the Dred Scott decision was rendered, and the riverboat gambling is on the waterfront. Then you might catch a ballgame and even better, visit the Anheuser Busch Museum and the brewery.....samples are given out, unfortunately, it's Bud. There are some GREAT Italian restaurants on "The Hill" such as Mama Campisi's and a St. Louis Italian specialty is toasted ravioli.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Cool things to do in St. Louis?
From: catspaw49
Date: 30 Aug 01 - 06:45 PM

Forgot The MUNY and Busch Gardens...both worth a look.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Cool things to do in St. Louis?
From: Lepus Rex
Date: 30 Aug 01 - 07:14 PM

I was there briefly last year... Just did a couple of touristy type things.

I didn't even know you could go up into the arch. I just drove up and took a picture.

I went to the Cahokia Mounds in nearby Collinsville, Ill. That was pretty cool.

---Lepus Rex

Subject: RE: Cool things to do in St. Louis?
From: harpgirl
Date: 30 Aug 01 - 07:21 PM

ride a riverboat...that's what I'd do...

Subject: RE: Cool things to do in St. Louis?
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Aug 01 - 08:00 PM

I know of one place that usually has live traditional Irish music: John D McGurk's Irish Pub.

There is a free weekly tabloid called the Riverfront Times, similar to what you find in a lot of other cities, that contains an extensive arts calendar. There is also the daily paper, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

There is a good store that specializes in acoustic string instruments called Music Folk Inc. They also have a good selection of music books, but few CDs. There, you might be able to find out about house concerts and other events that don't get wide publicity.

If you like gardens, exotic plants, etc. don't miss the Missouri Botanical Gardens.

If you have kids with you, I recommend the Saint Louis Zoo, the Magic House (Children's Museum), the City Museum and Grant's Farm. (I think Grant's Farm is what Spaw had in mind when he said "Busch Gardens.") For cheap thrills, there is a McDonald's located in a riverboat (made to look like an old stern-wheeler steamboat) parked on the riverfront near the arch. They serve toasted ravioli there, too. For the price of a McDonald's meal or drink you can sit at your leisure and watch the barges go by.

By the way, the Zoo, the Art Museum, the Missouri Historical Society, and Grant's Farm are all free.

The museum beneath the base of the arch is called the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. If I remember correctly, the museum part is free, but you have to pay to go up in the arch or to see the movies that are shown there.

And here's the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission site.

Subject: RE: Cool things to do in St. Louis?
From: catspaw49
Date: 30 Aug 01 - 08:35 PM

Neither Jim....Shaw's Garden's in the middle of town is what I meant...really a beautiful, especiallty this time of year. I think Grant's Farm is by appointment but I am not sure.

The Arch is worth the time you spend there.

Union station is a great place to just hang and shop or walk. LaClede's Landing is a great place on the riverfront too.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Cool things to do in St. Louis?
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Aug 01 - 10:24 PM

Spaw: I assumed you had confused Grant's Farm with Busch Gardens because they are both owned by Anheuser-Busch, brewers of Budweiser, etc. And I think you're right, that, while Grant's Farm is free, you need reservations. And I think it's only open in the summer.

Shaw's Garden is the old name for the Missouri Botanical Gardens.

I agree that St. Louis Union Station is a wonderful place. Because of its historical and architectural interest, it's WAY more interesting than your average shopping mall, and it is WAY better than tearing down that beautiful old building, which is what they were actually considering doing before somebody came up with the plan of turning it into a shopping mall. I only wish they had reserved a corner of it for use as the Amtrak depot.

Subject: RE: Cool things to do in St. Louis?
From: GUEST,Dale Rose
Date: 30 Aug 01 - 11:01 PM

Thu Sep 13 Bela Fleck & The Flecktones The Pageant (sorry, that is a new one on me since I left the area, so I have no idea where it is)

Subject: RE: Cool things to do in St. Louis?
From: GUEST,chip2447
Date: 30 Aug 01 - 11:22 PM

The Musuem of Transportation, if you are into old steam trains...sorry, but I dont have anymore info than that...

Subject: RE: Cool things to do in St. Louis?
From: catspaw49
Date: 30 Aug 01 - 11:40 PM

Jim, I certainly agree and the main reason I went there was more for the history than the mall part, although I did eat once at a pretty decent place there.

In one of the archways there is one of those wonderful acoustic wonders where you can whisper into the wall on one side and be heard by someone facing the arch wall on the other.

BTW, the Union Station in Indianapolis is pretty neat too. Where I live in Columbus, we had a beautiful depot but rather than go the route of Indy and St. Louis, they demolished it for a new convention center and arena for the dubious distinction of bringing in a major league hockey franchise.

Speaking of depots (thread creeping away), back home (for me) in Dennison, Ohio is a very historical old depot that you might find interesting. During WWII they had a fre volunteer canteen that served over one and a half million GI's travelling by train. The Glenn Miller song "Dreamsville, Ohio" was about Dennison.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Cool things to do in St. Louis?
From: Lepus Rex
Date: 30 Aug 01 - 11:55 PM

You thought THAT was creep, Spaw? Try the Milwaukee Road Depot in lovely Minneapolis, MN, for REAL thread creep.

---Lepus Rex