Any little St. Louis area hidden treasures? We'll be headed home from our wildwest vacation, and will have free time there.

We've explored lots of it, done the arch (incl the ride in the 'washing-machine' to the top--eeks!), the museum, brewery etc. I've heard about Grants farm...yay or nay? Also, any fun, INEXPENSIVE places for dinner?

Otherwise we'll just chill by the pool, and i'd really rather DO something our last day on the road.

TIA!

Science Center, Ted Drews Frozen Custard, Grants Farm is nice for young children

Thanks, Suzie! Sounds like grants farm isn't for us, and we have a wonderful science center, but where is Ted Drews? Is it a local fave? And is it like a DQ, with 'real' food, too?

How many days will you be there and what day of the week? I ask because if you're there on a Sunday, you can go to the Lemp Mansion for a family-style sit-down fried chicken buffet, that is excellent, and not expensive. You can also go to the U-City area, where there is Blueberry Hill; they win every year for the best hamburgers.
There is also a chain called Tomatillo that has excellent fresh fresh Mexican salads and stuff.
Kirkwood is a cute neighborhood.
And finally, Ted Drewes is an institution. They make frozen custard that is so thick that before they hand it over, they turn it upside down so you can see how thick it is that it doesn't come out of the container.
Be prepared for some major line ups, too!
Also, for
www.teddrewes.com/Drewes.asp (slow loading)
www.lempmansion.com/
www.ci.kirkwood.mo.us/
www.kcmrestaurants.com/stlouis.html
www.bluberryhill.com
www.tomatillo.com

Have fun! I wish I was going, then I could visit my friends! We lived there for two years and haven't had a chance to go back since last year.

Hidden Treasure? How about Cahokia Mounds http://medicine.wustl.edu/~mckinney/...ahokplaza.html FREE.

For a different kind of inexpensive meal, while on that side of the metro area, try Shu Shu's Mongolian BBQ 4608 N. Illinois in Fariview Heights, IL.

Keith

If you're into gardens, definitely check out the Missouri Botanical Garden. One of the best botanical gardens in the world. And you'll be close to what's known as "The Hill", where you'll find plenty of good Italian restaurants.

Another vote for University City (if you go and have time for a movie after wolfing down that Blueberry Hill burger, catch a flick at the beautifully-restored Tivoli down the block) and Ted Drewes. The main one on Chippewa doesn't serve "real food" (or at least not since I was last there four years ago), but they do right next door...at DQ.

Thanks, guys! We try to explore or 'do' something each day, even if its a LONG driving day. We'll arrive in st. louis mid-afternoon, spend the night and arrive home the next day. You've given me some great ideas!

Keith, Cahokia Mounds IS a wonderful treasure! (just over the border in IL, right?) We stopped there a few years ago as we made our way home.

Thanks again! Any others?

Ellen
I'm not a kid, nor is my husband and we love Grant's Farm! It's free. You take a ride thru the Farm and see many animals. They drop you off in an area where you can walk at leisure, ending up at the Brewery where you can have a couple of free beers(the day we were there, there was entertainment) You can even see the Clydales (sp?) If you've never been to "The Hill", would also recommend dinner there at one of the many Italian restaurants. We'll be there in July and can't wait to go to The Hill.

How about the St. Louis Zoo? Its also free and in a really HUGE Park. actually it was originally the site of the St. Louis exposition in the early 1900's... Remember the movie, "Meet Me In St, Louis"? I enjoyed it and there
were alot of great animals. Just a suggestion!

The Laumeier Sculpture Park and the Magic House (St. Louis Children's Museum) are both located in suburban Kirkwood.

As for inexpensive but great food, the best barbeque in St. Louis is at Bandanna's (several locations around town - the one nearest to Kirkwood is on Manchester Road, west of Highway 270).

There are many treasures depending on your tastes: check out the new Planetarium at the Science Center;there's the very nicely done new Lewis & Clark museum off route 3 at Wood River; drive the Great River Road north from Alton to Pere Marquette s.p; stopping at any of the nice restaurants on the river; including the Fin Inn at Grafton; take the Brussels ferry and visit the Wittmond Hotel in Brussels. Visit St. Charles for a bit of history on Main Street and some great food and spirits; head on west to Highway 94 and cruise to Augusta and visit a winery and other shops. What is great about St. Louis is the number of choices for daytrips. Also, visit the Muny in Forest Park for some great evening entertainment; vist the Art Museum in Forest Park or the free St. Louis zoo with its new habitat on penguins. Don't forget Union Station for shopping and visit Laclede's Landing for entertainment and visit a casino or two or three! Have Fun. I live in Illinois and have enjoyed daytrips to the St. Louis area for many years. And we're making the trek to the St. Louis Zoo next week with my grandson.