|
St. Louis Holidays, Hotels & Travel Guide
Travel guide to hotels & holidays in St. Louis
- St. Louis Holiday Package Deals
|
!
Search & Compare Discount on St. Louis Hotels or Holidays
|
St. Louis Holidays Overview
A guide to holidays in St. Louis - Fur trader Pierre Laclede settled St Louis as a
French trading post in 1764 at the confluence of the Mississippi
and Missouri Rivers. This location proved to be an ideal meeting
point and it subsequently became a major port for boats on the
Mississippi, and the main departure point for explorers on the
western-bound wagon trails. As the 'Gateway to the West', St Louis
became a manufacturing centre for everything a pioneer would need
on his journey, such as saddles and guns, and it was here that
Lewis and Clark stocked up with provisions for their famous
expedition.
Today St Louis is the biggest city
in Missouri and one of the largest inland ports in the country. It
is a modern, commercial, industrial and cultural centre. Although a
cosmopolitan river metropolis, reminders of its frontier history
are in evidence throughout the city, most visibly in the shining
steel Gateway Arch that is the famous landmark of St Louis
dedicated to the pioneers of the western frontier.
It is a city with numerous personalities: a mix of
authentic America with a vaguely European air. Music from the
nation's past floats from the famous jazz and blues clubs over the
waters of the Mississippi, paddle steamers dock along the
riverfront where warehouses that once housed industrial cargoes now
contain antique shops and restaurants as part of the revitalised
Laclede's Landing Historic District. Its
distinctive neighbourhoods retain the lingering influence of the
many ethnic groups that settled the city, comprising the real heart
of St Louis. The Hill is known for its old-world charm and
excellent restaurants imbued with a Latin flavour lent by its
Italian community. The Central West End is a trendy quarter filled
with chic boutiques and antique shops, sidewalk cafes, art
galleries and some of St Louis' finest residential properties. The
French neighbourhood of Soulard has a colourful Saturday produce
market. Free attractions are a St Louis
tradition, and today's visitor will find more attractions here at
no cost than almost anywhere else on earth. There are scores of
interesting things to do, and these include some of the best
attractions in the city as well as numerous activities geared
towards children, making it an excellent family
destination.
Advertisment: Search for a Holiday deal.
There are options for all St. Louis holidays, hotels,
St. Louis Flights and other deals with the
multi-search
booking engine.
St. Louis
holidays - Top Places To Go
1. Gateway Arch
St Louis Riverfront
www.gatewayarch.com |
What is it? Within the riverside park known as the
Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, the Gateway Arch is a
soaring landmark above the city's skyline
- the thin stainless steel arc reaches
to twice the height of the Statue of Liberty at 630ft (192m). It
symbolises the role of St Louis as the 'Gateway to the West' for
the pioneers who journeyed along the Oregon and Santa Fe Trails
towards the western frontier. It is also dedicated to the US
president who was responsible for opening up the West. An
observation deck that is reached by a tram system provides
magnificent views over the city, the Mississippi and the spreading
plains. Also on the site with the Arch is the Old Courthouse Museum
that was the venue for the hearing of several momentous cases
during the 19th century. At the base of the monument is the
excellent Museum of Westward Expansion with exhibits covering
exploration of the West and its honoured pioneers, including Lewis
and Clark, the Plains Indians and buffalo soldiers. The Odyssey
IMAX Theatre shows big-screen films about the region and its
history.
Hours of Operation: The museum is open daily 8am to 10pm (summer) and 9am
to 6pm (winter). The tram runs daily from 8.20am to 9.10pm (summer)
and 9.20am to 5.10pm (winter)
Phone:(877) 982 1410 |
2. Forest Park
www.stlouis.missouri.org/citygov/parks/forestpark |
What is it? The beautifully landscaped Forest Park is
larger than New York's Central Park and its leafy grounds are
filled with attractions. The acclaimed St Louis Art Museum has a
magnificent international collection of art, covering works from
prehistoric times to contemporary, and houses one of the most
extensive collections of German Expressionism worldwide. The St
Louis Science Center features life-size dinosaurs along with
displays and interactive exhibits on the environment, aviation,
technology and more. There is also an OMNIMAX Theatre and
Planetarium. Thousands of animals roam the beautiful grounds of the
St Louis Zoo, with indoor and outdoor cageless displays, and a
Living World Exhibition features an animated robotic figure of
Charles Darwin who summarises his theories on evolution. The
Missouri History Museum documents life in St Louis with old
photographs and displays on river life, black music and western
expansion.
Hours of Operation: Zoo: Daily 8am to 7pm (summer), 9am to 5pm (winter).
History Museum: daily 10am to 6pm, until 8pm on Tuesday. Art
Museum: Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm, until 9pm on Friday. Science
Center: Monday to Thursday 9.30am to 5.30pm, Friday and Saturday
9.30am to 9.30pm (summer); 9.30am to 4.30pm, until 9.30pm on Friday
(winter); 11.30am to 4.30pm/5.30pm on Sundays
Phone:(314) 289 4444 (Science Center), (314) 781 0900 (Zoo),
(314) 721 0072 (Art Museum), (314) 746 4599 (History
Museum) |
St. Louis
holidays - Top Events
1. Big Muddy Blues Festival
From 2007-09-01
To 2007-09-30
|
What is it? The Labour Day Weekend jams to some of the
best blues in the country over three days in blues rich city St
Louis. This free event takes place at Laclede's Landing along the
banks of the Mississippi river and showcases some of the top
performers in contemporary blues. The event is sponsored by
Budweiser.
Where is it? Laclede's Landing |
|
