Those who know St. Louis-2 Questions

[2 lil'princesses]

First question-I was considering using priceline or hotwire to get a hotel downtown but from what I've seen them offer (betterbidding and bidding for travel) it looks like I would end up paying for parking and no free breakfast. I was considering the Drury in Fenton because of the breakfast, free parking, and it looks pretty close to Grant's Farm and the Magic House, both of which I wanted to go to. I can get it for about $100 a night (staying 2), including taxes. So is this an okay area to stay in or should I bid to stay downtown???

Second question-Is it reasonable to do the Magic House and Grant's Farm in one day? We were wanting to do the Anheuser (msp?) Busch brewery, Grant's Farm, the Magic House, the Arch, and if we had time, the zoo and/or the Science Museum. I have two daughters, 5 and 6. Oh, and we are arriving at about 11am on a Saturday and leaving Monday night.

TIA for any advice

 

[Mrsdennison]

We. Spent the better part of five hours at the magic house. My kids could have stayed longer but I was feeling under the weather.

The arch for us was a short thrip of about 3 hours. My kids are 8 and 5. I also had my niece and nephew 8 and 6. They liked going to the top and locking but the fee museum was more of a quick look at the neat things, not really a stop and read everything.

Grants farm is a longer day trip to us. So is the zoo. You may want to plan the arch with another activity.


Fritz bottling root beer company is a restaurant over by the zoo. We just ate their and it was wonderful. Kids meals are 5.29. They actually bottle the root beer, orange soda, strawberry, and grape soda there.

Down from the magic house is kirkwood. It is a nice town to walk around in. Farmers market, little shops. Red mango is a yogurt place, very good.

Have fun. We stayed at my sisters so I was hotel free for the week.

Mrsdennison

 

[pooh4evr]

Grants Farm and the Magic House I think are doable in 1 day- GF usually takes us just a couple of hours watch out for the goats if you decide to feed them they can be aggressive in the morning- The Zoo is a day easily, and the Arch a few hours too (buy your tickets online ahead of time and you can avoid some of the line) There isn't much else on the riverfront anymore for families...
Fento is going to be much safer than staying downtown and with it being close to the highway it is probably a fine area to stay in.

 

[eatatmidnight]

Fenton is a good place to stay. You can easily do Grant's farm in the morning and Magic House in the afternoon. Be prepared for a lot of people in the Magic House. It is very crowded on Saturday and Sunday. If you are coming before Labor Day, go to a snow cone kind of place called TroMO (Tropical Mousse). It is about 1/2 mile north of the Magic House in the Kirkwood Farmer's Market. Cheap and tasty.

 

[#1hoosierfan]

We were just in St. Louis last weekend.

I pricelined a 4 star hotel downtown, and I got the Hilton by the Arch for $60 a night. Parking did cost $20 a night. It was across the street in a secure parking garage. We had a mini-fridge, so I picked up some milk and donuts at a little grocery across the street from the hotel, and that was our breakfast.

We arrived in town on Friday afternoon and went straight to the Budweiser factory for the tour. That took a few hours.

Saturday morning we got up to go to the zoo. It was HOT!!! We only stayed at the zoo for a little while because the temps were approaching 100 degrees, and we were miserable. It is a really cool zoo, though, and I look forward to going back.

We then went to Fitz's for lunch. The root beer was awesome! We headed to Magic House, and I cannot explain how great this place was. We stayed for about 4 hours. The boys were tired, so we had to leave, but we could have easily spent more time here.

Sunday morning we got up and walked to the arch, did the tour, and then headed home. I would definitely advise you to get to the arch early, so you are not waiting around forever for your tour and the security lines are much shorter.

Have fun!

 

[nchulka]

I live in the suburbs of St. Louis so I can't help with the hotels but I've been to all the places you want to go.

The Magic House is awesome and your girls will love it. Summer/weekends are crazy busy. I actually always let my kids miss a day of school in the spring to go and then we own the place. We usually spend about 4 hours there with no crowds.

Grants Farm is nice but I would do the zoo instead. Grants Farm is pretty much a small zoo. It's free, like so much in St. Louis, but you do have to pay to park. At the real Zoo you can park on the street for free and see A LOT more. The petting goats at the Zoo are very calm and kids can brush them. The goats at Grants Farm kids can feed with bottles. Because of this they attack you looking for food. Everytime we have gone my kids have been scared to death because they are all over them and knocking them down. Buying a bottle to feed them doesn't help either, they just fight over it and the kid still ends up being pushed around. At the Zoo you cannot feed the goats so they just sit and stay still while the kids hug them and pet them.
At the Zoo the goats are in the children's Zoo area. The Zoo itself is free but the Children's Zoo has a cost of something like 3.00 per person. If you arrive the first hour the Zoo is open you can get in for free. You can stay in the children's Zoo as long as you like you just have to enter during the first hour they are open. The carousel is also free the first hour. We usually get there when they open, ride the carousel several times and then go into the children's zoo within the first hour.

The arch is fun for out of town visitors. I've gone a few times, but it's not something local people do much

The most wonderful place St Louis has is the City Museum. It is NOT a museum! The name is decieving Check it out online. It is downtown, you can't miss it, it's the only building with a ferris wheel on the roof! It is the most fun place I have ever been, including Disney Your kids are the perfect age, tons of crawling, climbing, sliding, etc. They also have a circus made up of children that performs everyday, my kids love watching them. They have a whole art studio where kids can paint pictures and create things with clay all for free. It cost 12.00 per person to get in but it is well worth it!!!!!!!!

Hope you have a great trip

 

[Rainman415]

I second the City Museum. I live in the suburbs of Chicago, and we try to go down to St. Louis at least once a year just for City Museum! My children are 16 and 8 and it's so much fun for kids and adults of all ages. Highly recommend. St. Louis is just a great, great weekend town for families. Very inexpensive. The zoo is fantastic!

F.Y.I.
The Abraham Lincoln Library in Springfield, Illinois is also really great. I'd swear they consulted Disney Imagineers when they designed some of the shows there. We've gone several times and really enjoy it. HTH

 

[Chelley00]

Last summer we spent 4 days in St Louis. This summer we went on a cruise. My 6 year old son said he liked St Louis better


We stayed at the Drury Inn, but I think it was Forest Park. We were spending a day at Six Flags and wanted to be close to it, but Forest Park was actually a very easy drive everywhere we went. Not only does it include breakfast, but they also have a "happy hour" nightly where they put out a buffet of appertizers and adults get 2 free drinks (alcoholic included) They also have popcorn or cookies out each day with soft drinks. We were too tired to leave one night so we basically made dinner out of the appetizers and salad they served.

We spent one night at the Hilton Ballpark, did the arch first day (and went to the Fourth of July festival/fireworks) The second day we went to a Cards game. My kids aren't huge baseball fans but they LOVED going to the game.

The second day we went to the City Museum. The kids had a great time, and DH and I did our fair share of exploring too. Word of warning, it's kind of easy to get lost in there and DD9 took off then couldn't find us, but the staff was amazing at helping her find us. We had lunch at Fitz's, but they weren't running the bottling that day However, the kids liked they could try all the different flavors of soda.

We ate dinner on The Hill that night. Blocks of houses turned into little Italian restaurants with fabulous food. (Zia's!!!!)

We went to the Botanical Gardens (pretty but hot) and then went to Grant's Farm. We have a zoo where we live so we skipped the zoo, but we really enjoyed Grant's Farm. Lots of hands on stuff, animal shows and free beer samples We only had half a day to spend there and it's easily doable in that amount of time.

 

[2 lil'princesses]

Thank so much for all the great advice It sounds like Fenton would be an okay place to stay so now I just have to decide on what to do there. Magic House is at the top of the list (along with the brewery for the hubby).

I'm debating the zoo, too, because I live in Louisville and we have a pretty nice zoo but our Science museum is horrible. I thought Grant's Farm sounded different so that is why I wanted to give it a try.

I am debating the city museum just because of what I read on another thread. It talked about kids getting lost easily and hurt. My husband would have a heart attack over this!

Is the Science museum any good? I saw they had a special body exhibit. My kids are really fascinated with that type of stuff but not sure if this one would be appropriate.

Thanks for restaurant advice, too!

Again, thanks so much!! I love to travel and see new places. I have only passed through St. Louis once and stood under the arch (friend chickened out to go up) so I'm really excited about going.

 

[Mrsdennison]

We also did the city museum. My kids enjoyed it. My husabd and I managed to fit in all the places the kids wanted to climb. My husband went first followed by kids then me last. That way we knew where they were. At one point we let them run free and it wasn't too bad, but that was after we had explored the area and saw where everything came out at. One thing, it would be rather difficult for an overweight person to climb in most of the spots. It was something both my dh and I noticed and discussed afterwards. So I wanted to mention this.

My husband enjoyed grants farm as well as the kids. Plus I assume they still offer a free beer sample for those over 21.

The science center is nice. I have been there alot because of field trips, so we passed this last time.

Mrsdennison

 

[sleepymomof4]

We stayed at the Drury Inn in Fenton last summer and we loved it. If we headed back to the area, we would definately be staying there again. All of the staff were super nice, including the manager who was very helpful with questions and directions. Breakfast is huge and with a family that saves alot of money. We loved the zoo and Magic house. We did not go to Grants Farm, although I thought the zoo was better than Louisville(we try to see a zoo in a different city every summer) We also loved eating at the Spaghetti Factory because we do not have one close to us. Have fun, St Louis is great!

 

[TheMorgans]

Just a FYI - today's St. Louis Groupon is for the Magic House!! It is a great deal.

We live just over an hour east of St. Louis and it is a great town for a weekend overnight staycation. We will spend the weekend there 4 or 5 times per year. We love the Science Center and have tickets to see the Body Worlds again - we saw it last time it was at the Science Center and it is amazing. There are so many great FREE attractions in St. Louis - Zoo, Grants Farm, Science Center, Art Museum, History Museum, Arch grounds and museum and on and on...

The Fenton Drury Inn in a great option, we always use Priceline or Hotwire and I have never been disappointed in our accommodations. The Forest Park/Clayton area is also a great area and these hotels usually offer free parking.

 

[jstbcuz]

We just got back from St Louis last night. We had DH, ME, DDWe got there , DS with us for this trip. Friday morning and went straight to the arch. Got there about 8:20AM, got right thru security and purchased tickets for the 8:45 ride to the top. Spent a couple hours here. There are coupons out there for free child ticket with an adult purchase. This will save $10.....

After that we went to the Cathedral Basilica. Took the 11 oclock tour and was done by 11:40.

Went to Fitz's for lunch. My little guy is into rootbeer right now, so it was a nice place to eat. Food was good too.

After that we drove to Merrimac caverns and my DH and DD went ziplining. There are coupons out there for this too. Save $10 pp.

Then went to check into the hotel.......we stayed at the Drury Inn in Arnold for 2 nights. I think it cost 104 night. It was nice!!! I was impressed and had never stayed at one before. Ate at their 5:30 kickback, and then did some shopping. It is about 10 miles from Grants Farm.

We got up Saturday morning and went to Grants Farm. It cost 11 to park, but that is the only admission they charge. It was a nice place. Im not much of a zoo/animal person, so this was plenty for us. We spent about three hours there.

When we left it started to rain, so we went to the Magic House. Now mind you........I am a substitute teacher, and I love the theming/education this place offers.........but there were so many SCREAMING........rambunxious kids......it gave me a headache after about an hour and I went and sat in the car while DH stayed with DS. My son couldnt focus......there was too much to do that nothing kept his interest. There are also coupons out there for this........free child admission with coupon. Saves 8.25pp. We were only here a couple hours.

We then went back to the Arch as the kids wanted to see it at night.

We got up Sunday morning and started home. Stopped in Booneville and took a tour of Warm Springs Ranch....(the home of the Budweiser Clydesdales breeding ranch)

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

 

[JayhawkMomma]

We just stayed at the Drury Inn in Fenton two weeks ago and I picked it mostly because of the location. It was a great location! We did the Magic House (kids fave), Grants Farm, Zoo and arch. We took the metrolink down to the arch for something different to do, otherwise we drove everywhere and nothing was more than 20 minutes away. Great location.

 

[Pikezh638]

If you like beer, or are just interested, do the AB Beer Master Tour. It is a lot better. You get the same tour as the normal one but it has a few more stops. And you get to have 2 glasses of FRESH beer from the finishing tanks

I think it is 25$ a person

 

[hsmamato2]

I 2nd,3rd and 4th City Museum, we all want to go back to SL just to go there again! Truly unique and wonderful- we spent all day..... We stayed at a Drury inn,pear tree I think, it was up the road from the arch,we could see it in the distance it was around 70-something per night,and very nice! easy to walk in SL-easy to drive...... I like it a lot! my (older) kids liked the arch, the zoo,City Museum and all the fun fountains on the streets they could cool off in

 

[amyngary]

There are two Fenton Drury Inns. I live in St. Louis and have stayed at the one at I-44 and Bowles, and it is kind of yucky. However, people I work with have repeatedly stayed at the one at I-44 and 141 and say it is much nicer than the one at the Bowles exit.

However, we did a staycation last summer for my DD5's b-day. She is a bit obsessed with the Arch, so we did Priceline name your own price and ended up getting the Hyatt on the Riverfront for $60/night. Yes, we had to pay extra for parking, but the total was less than the cost of the Drury Inn, and it's a much nicer place. We have also gotten the Marriott Union Station through Priceline for $50/nt.

I don't think safety is a concern downtown at all. Of course, I don't walk alone at night in any city being female, but I don't see St. Louis as being exceptionally unsafe.

I agree that the City Museum is the most unique place in St. Louis. The Science Center is pretty cool, and the Magic House is also a great place to go (we live 5 minutes away). Our Zoo rivals some rather expensive ones in other cities, so it's always a fun day. Grant's Farm is fun, but if I didn't live here, I'd probably do the zoo since parking is free there.

I've been told there's a new place downtown called the City Garden that is a good place to go, but I haven't been there yet. Six Flags also has a water park, but it's pricey.

Another option is to do Priceline for somewhere other than downtown. Have a great trip!

... now you have me thinking about another staycation!!

 

[NotUrsula]

The primary crime issue with downtown St. Louis these days is vehicle break-ins; if you go to City Museum or the Arch, make it a point to park in a secured lot or garage.

 

[ZehnJahren]

Thank so much for all the great advice It sounds like Fenton would be an okay place to stay so now I just have to decide on what to do there. Magic House is at the top of the list (along with the brewery for the hubby).

I'm debating the zoo, too, because I live in Louisville and we have a pretty nice zoo but our Science museum is horrible. I thought Grant's Farm sounded different so that is why I wanted to give it a try.

I am debating the city museum just because of what I read on another thread. It talked about kids getting lost easily and hurt. My husband would have a heart attack over this!

Is the Science museum any good? I saw they had a special body exhibit. My kids are really fascinated with that type of stuff but not sure if this one would be appropriate.

Former St. Louisan here. I spent a lot of my undergrad in that zoo doing research, and let me say that it is a WONDERFUL zoo - and free! Also, it is near the Planetarium, Science Center, and Museum, and all of that is housed inside a wonderful public park (Forest Park - although the Science Center is slightly outside of the park, you can walk across a very cool walkway from the Planetarium over the highway to the Science Center). You could easily pack a picnic lunch, go to the zoo, then stake out a spot on the hill and let the kids play while you enjoy your lunch!

The Arch is great, but it really needn't take up more than 2 hours tops.

City Museum is wonderful, but if your husband is would have a heart attack over the kids being hurt I'd suggest you don't go. Even as an adult, I have been hurt in there. HOWEVER, if you commit to going and follow your children around closely, it is a one-of-a-kind area that is so much fun to explore! You could get lost in there for days and not see everything; I've been quite often and met one of the welders there, and I also was a chaperone when my nephew's class went. VERY COOL, and worth the cost. Here's my suggestion - if your kids will listen to you in public, go. If they tend to kind of tune you out when you're someplace new, don't go. That makes all the difference in whether a kid gets hurt or not at City Museum - IMHO.

I haven't been to the science center in years, so I can't comment on if it's still as cool as it used to be. I used to take my nephews when they were younger - they LOVED the big dinosaurs downstairs! There's a good food court (not bad prices, not bad food) and there are always interesting exhibits. It costs to park, but if you park in Forest Park sometimes you can avoid the cost - although I'd only park on the road leading to the Planetarium if you're heading to the Science Center, as otherwise it's quite a hike!

As for Grant's Farm - I've never been. People I know who have been say it's only really good if you have a private tour. Otherwise, you might as well go to the zoo.

Finally, I couldn't say enough good things about Magic House. I agree with a PP, though - try to do that during a weekday if you can, otherwise the place is PACKED.

 

[SarahKate]

We go to STL several times a year. Never do we stay downtown. IMHO there just isn't enough to do there to justify staying. We were just there Sunday evening for the American Idol concert and I didn't always feel safe. We made a beeline for our destinations - too many people just kind of mulling around. There are definitely some unsafe areas, especially the further north of downtown you get. If you do go to City Museum, be sure to park in their lot! We made the mistake of parking on the street and our van was broken into in broad daylight - very common place in that area. Not trying to discourage anyone from going, just take safety precautions!

I write for a local website and made a St. Louis page last year: http://springfieldmoms.org/st-louis-day-trips-and-attractions/

We always, always stay at Drury. For the price, you can't beat it with all the amenities you get. We typically stay at the one in Chesterfield. A little out in the burbs but we don't mind the drive a bit. It's just next door to a big mall, which also has a Cheesecake Factory. Lots of nearby shopping & restaurants. With a coupon code, we usually average about $70-100 a night, just depending on the time of year. Love it there! Always feels like home.

You mentioned the zoo AND Grant's Farm. If you are looking for multiple things to do each day, I am hesitant to recommend the zoo. It's HUGE and easily could spend an entire day there. It is free to get in, but their lot isn't (sometimes you can get street parking but you may have a bit of a walk).....and they have the children's zoo area that has an admission fee. Grant's Farm is free, you do pay for parking. If you want something to get through in a few hours, I think GF is a great option!

We just ate @ Fitz's Sunday and it's always a fun place to go.

On the link I shared above, you will find a link to some coupons, one of which is a buy one get one free for Magic House. This place gets busy pretty quickly! We've had the best luck getting there right when they open or later in the afternoon closer to the time when they close.

Another FAVE that we always have to stop at is Yucandu. Fun art studio and a great place to spend a few hours. We have nothing like it in our hometown so it's a special place for my daughter.