Greetings!

Going on a 7 day trip to St Louis with myself (retired RN) hubby (chem Eng), Daughter, SIL and 4 grands ages 11, 8, 3 and 10 mths.

This will obviously be child/family oriented.
We will have two vehicles with us.
We probably will not stay downtown since we have the kiddos

Needing suggestions:
Top 5 place to see
Top 5 restaurants (no price limit...just great food and love ethnic/neighborhoods)
Neighborhoods to stay in/not stay in
Hotel vs renting a house
Any hotels that have a waterpark attached?
Is the ARCH open yet, or does anyone have an idea of its reopening?

Any assistance would be appreciated.


Thanking all in advance

How soon are you going? http://www.gatewayarch.com/visit/hou...operation.aspx
The interior should be open before the end of March.
Don't stay in East St. Louis!
There used to be a McD's on a riverboat just downstream from the arch. I don't know if it is still there.

This is one of the highlights of the USA, http://cahokiamounds.org/

Just over the river from St. Louis, 10 minute drive.

We are going March 25 to April 2.

Thanks for the East St Louis...i'd kind of figured lol

http://www.fodors.com/world/north-am...souri/st-louis

Two places not to miss that kids and adults will enjoy:

http://www.citymuseum.org/

https://www.magichouse.org/

And Grant's Farm.

City museum is a must. And tom's rec is excellent. Kind of a hidden gem, and educational at that. I haven't been there for several years, but while we historically have stayed downtown, the last time the number of loitering people made it a bit creepy at night.

Had a group of teens there 2 yrs ago for a tournament. Our best sights were:
Arch
City Museum
Science Center (Fantastic and very different from the City Museum)
Meramec Caverns nearby

Food:
Zia's for dinner
Ted Drewes Frozen Custard for a treat

Forest Park with the Art Museum, History Museum, Science Center and Zoo are all free. The zoo is great for the kids and is not too large. The Missouri Botanical Garden is wonderful, the early bulbs should be blooming by then.
Lafayette Square Park is a nice park surrounded by beautiful buildings. It has a playground a pond and a stream, it would be a great place for the kids to have fun.
Grant's Farm is another great(free) attraction too!

Just across the river is a Native American site called Cahokia. There is a museum and the mounds constructed several hundred years ago.

I live in St Louis.

The weather in late March is highly unpredictable, but usually coolish and somewhat rainy. Too cold for a waterpark. That said, it's been a warmer than usual winter so who knows what spring will bring.

For outdoor activities, the Missouri Botanical Garden is world class and will have lots blooming then. There is a large area there for kids to play in.

The Zoo located in Forest Park is also world class and worth a visit. The History Museum is also in Forest Park and is very good. Check to see if they have any special exhibits. The Art Museum is also in Forest Park and IMO is good not great unless it houses a collection you are particularly interested in.

Grant's Farm is fun for all ages.

We have a Six Flags Amusement Park in Eureka, MO which isn't far and opens the weekend of March 25-27.

We have 2 very good wine regions, south (near St. Genevieve) and west of the city (near Augusta). The adults might like to visit one of those areas if the weather is nice.

Indoor attractions include many already mentioned. The younger kids would likely enjoy City Museum and the Magic House.

All ages would likely enjoy the Butterfly House: (http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.o...fly-house.aspx).

The older and younger adults may also like the Science Center.

The Arch isn't currently open, so keep checking its website, which says the Arch will re-open in "March 1016 TBA". That would be fun for all, and the Lewis and Clark Museum underneath the Arch is great for adults. The IMAX theater underneath the Arch is fun for all, too.

The St Louis Blues hockey team will be in town a couple of nights you're here, if that's of interest. The Fox Theater is first rate, as is the Repertory Theater, if you'd like a little culture.

Where to stay? If you want all to be together, I'd try vrbo, homeaway and airbnb.

As for regions, Clayton would be very central, and very safe, but can be pricier.

For eats, we have lots of very good restaurants. IMO trip advisor is pretty reliable here.

Not sure what would appeal to all, except the aforementioned Ted Drewes Frozen Custard (2 loccations). A must. Don't worry if the lines are long, they move fast.

Pappy's, Bogart's and SugarFire (3 locations) are all first rate BBQ restaurants but can be very crowded as a result.

Fitz's in the Loop area is popular with kids and adults.

Trattoria Marcella is great Italian food at reasonable prices.

The Hill is an area of Italian heritage which has lots of Italian restaurants ranging from red-check plastic tablecloth type places to fine dining.

The Boathouse in Forest Park is good if you are nearby touring. The restaurant in the History Museum, Bixby's, is also in Forest Park and is very good with good views.

Hope some of this helps.

Thanks everyone. We are def going to use this info.

Since we were going to have to get at least 2 rooms, we decided to use Home Away and have booked a 3 BR house in Clayton.

I think, You enjoyed the trip. How was that? Did you found room or hotel as per your expectations?