go_laura

Hi all,

For Christmas,I bought plane tix for my husband and myself to go to St. Louis for the Storytelling Festival (he's newly into this) and will be there Apr. 29 - May 3. We'll be coming from Phila. area; I've never been to St. Louis, and he's only been once and it was for work so limited free time. I understand storytelling venues will range from St. Louis Public Library to Missouri History Museum to Faith Des Peres Presbyterian Church, to Kirkwood Public Library to University City Public Library to grand finale Sat. night at Touhill Performing Arts Center.

While we're in town we'll also take in a baseball game, and hopefully go to Gateway Arch and Botanical Garden, assuming good weather. If there turned out to be time, we might even fit in the City Museum or the Zoo, that depends on the storytelling schedule and what interests us/how much of it we want to do. If there's an amazing farmers' market I'd love to know about it.

With all of that, any recs on what neighborhood to base ourselves in? Our preference is to be walking distance to a vibrant area of restaurants and indy shops, and preferably where it wouldn't be too deserted at night. That being said, we're in our 50s and not bar-hoppers.

We're tentatively booked at the Hampton Inn on southern part of Forest Park, just to have something, but it's cancellable if we come up with something better. Per advice on t.a. we'll rent a car but I guess if we could also be walking distance to a metro or easy bus to get, to not always have to use the car, that would be great too (to give you an idea of our comfort level with public transport, we live just outside Phila. and we take buses, subways and trains in and out of Center City frequently although rarely late at night)

Thanks in advance for any help!

nanabee

We stayed at the Chase Park Plaza in Forest Park. The room was more ordinary hotel style, but the hotel lobby and building is beautiful and has a large, grand, classical feel. The prices, at least at the time were high, but my son-in-law was able to get a really good deal for our two families.

It was near the ballpark, and within walking distance are a lot of restaurants, and there is also the beautiful Forest Park.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev..._Missouri.html

Liz5959

I assume you mean the Hampton Inn on Oakland? If so, that is not within walking distance of anything.

You might want to try this hotel:

http://www.theparkwayhotel.com/

It is very close to BJC Hospital, but also within walking distance of the Central West End. http://cwescene.com/

St. Louis does not have good public transport. That said, there is a Metrolink stop quite near Parkway hotel. http://www.metrostlouis.org/Default.aspx

You could get to the Touhill, the Arch and MO history museum that way. And a mile walk to UCity library, though I would feel uncomfortable at the UCity Metrolink station at night. You would need a car to get to Kirkwood, Des Peres, City Museum, SLAM, the Zoo, MO Botanical Garden, so I would really suggest renting a car.

Another hotel to check out would be the Moonrise. http://moonrisehotel.com/ Just east of the U City limit in St. Louis, it is withing walking distance of the U City loop. http://visittheloop.com/

Liz5959

nanabee is correct about the Chase Park Plaza as a beautiful hotel. I was just going with a less expensive option in the same area, as you were starting with the Hampton Inn. http://www.chaseparkplaza.com/

Also, you can get to Busch stadium on the Metrolink., but I wouldn't really say it's "near" the ballpark.

Ozarksbill

Enjoy your visit...my childhood was in U City and later was a resident in St. Louis and then elsewhere nearby. BJC Hospital: my heart surgery there ten years ago. Chase Park Plaza a good choice among many. I think the St. Louis Zoo is one of the best and in Forest Park also is the Jewel Box with floral beauty. And Missouri Botanical Garden to the SW is lovely. Yes, the Arch and river front. By all means a Card game. Liz5959 right about public transportation...not the greatest but could use Metrolink. Another thought: how about the Museum of Transportation although out southwest of the city.

Sassafrass

Ok, if there is one thing you should try to see, it is the St Louis Cathedral, one of the finest in the US, filled with gold mosaics.
Rent a car.

camelotdb

Please look at the Cheshire Inn. It is about 1 block on the SW of Forest Park and it a better neighborhood than downtown, central West end and hotel on Oakland. It is a very old quant English hotel with two good restaurants on property. The Cheshire Inn restaurant and Basso's. You really need to have a car. Our public transportation leaves a lot to be desired. I would pass on the museum of transpiration. There are many sights just inside of Forest Park, the Natural history museum and the Art museum, zoo, Jewel box. Agree on the St. Louis Cathedral (it is the Basilica that is on Lindell boulevard. The old St. Louis cathedral is located downtown near the Arch.

Sassafrass

Camelotbd, thanks for clarifying for the OP. The Basilica on Lindell is what I meant.

Liz5959

Camelotbd, while the Cheshire Inn is a fine idea for a hotel choice, the OP wanted:

"Our preference is to be walking distance to a vibrant area of restaurants and indy shops, and preferably where it wouldn't be too deserted at night. That being said, we're in our 50s and not bar-hoppers."

The CWE and the Loop are really the only areas that qualify. And Basso is one of the loudest bars/restaurants I have ever been in, with mediocre food.

But as true in many threads, the OP has disappeared.

Liz5959

Actually, now thinking about it some more, hotels in Clayton could qualify as withing walking distance of restaurants and indy shops. Many hotels in Clayton, from the Ritz-Carlton, Seven Gables Inn, Crown Plaza, new Hampton Inn at 216 N Meramec Avenue would be good.

stokebailey

The Cheshire Inn is walking distance to the vibrant-in-a-small-way DeMun neighborhood, and its Kaldi's, Oyster Bar among other coffeehouses and restaurants, for a charming and quieter evening scene. The City Limits bus will take you from Cheshire Inn to the Metrolink easily.

The Moonrise is also fun. Some might feel that the Loop area is a tad too vibrant on a beautiful spring evening when the place is jumping.

I agree that the Delmar Metrolink station is one where I've felt uncomfortable waiting at night, even with my husband. And I'm someone who often takes the Metro to work in the afternoon, then home at midnight, walking 10-15 min in between. I make it a point to sit in the first car behind the driver, though I've never felt threatened on the train and have only even been panhandled aboard once.

Des Peres might be tricky without a car, but the Kirkwood Library is very do able by bus, just a block or two from the route. My husband and I share a car, both work full time, and I would say our public transport system is hampered mostly by lack of riders and the attitude that a car is necessary to get anywhere. Some routes might have 30 min between buses, certainly. metrostlouis.org has recently improved the trip plan function, and there's an app now, too. Naturally, there are also taxis.

I have a coworker whose suburban son and daughter-in-law took their 3 yr old son downtown on the Metrolink, but then afterwards called mom to come pick them all up. A drunk spoke to their boy on the train, causing the adventure to become too much so. Sheltered, is what I'm saying.

Whit825

Not sure if the OP is still looking for a hotel, but there is a new Hampton Inn in Clayton that is walking distance to restaurants. I love Moonrise in the Loop, but I think the Clayton area would be more appealing to a 50-something couple. If you're willing to spend the money, though, my first recommendation would be Chase Park Plaza or the Ritz.

go_laura

My deep apologies for not having come back, that is completely unlike me. I've been a Fodors member for years and like to think I've helped many with trip reports and comments, as I've certainly been helped by many.

Our last couple of months became unusually busy and this became a trip we just weren't going to be able to plan much ahead. And so here we are just 3 days away, and just now doing the real planning, and I remembered that I'd posted here!

Thanks very much to all of you for your input. The storytelling festival schedule is now available which it wasn't back then, so with a better idea of when we'll need to be where, we're figuring it out, and figuring out whether to change our hotel and/or rent a car. I appreciate all your replies and will report back!

stokebailey

I may be able to give you a ride, or two. Would like to attend some of the festival, though I work Thurs during the day, and Fri evening.

[email protected]

go_laura

Wow, that is very kind of you! I will get in touch.

We switched our hotel reservation from the Hampton Inn at Forest Park, to the Parkway Hotel. Now we'll be a 5 minute walk from a metro stop, and if we do decide to rent a car, which we're currently thinking not, parking only costs $5/day.

It looks like we can easily take the metro to most places we want to go, and we'll take a taxi a few times if we need to. It'll still be much less expensive than renting a car, and we like using public transport when possible. I'll report back as to how it went, to hopefully help others in the future.

Looking forward to both the festival and seeing a few St. Louis sights!

go_laura

Finally reported back, started another thread to do so, so could label it a trip report. Thanks everyone!