Duration: 3 days, 2 nights

Budget: 3 different options

While this is in no way an all-inclusive list of things to do in Saint Louis, this article is definitely a great place to start when planning your long weekend in Saint Louis. My goal was to not only provide some awesome suggestions (that I actually did), but also provide a plan that has some time where you can plan activities around your own likes.

Let me know what you think in the comments below!

How to get to Saint Louis and getting around

Saint Louis has its own airport so you can fly directly into St. Louis Lambert International Airport. Located in the North West part of the city, you will probably need a rental car in order to get to the majority of the sights during your long weekend in Saint Louis, especially if you are not staying in Downtown Saint Louis. While I was there I spent the majority of my time walking  and I can safely say that anything outside of the Downtown area is not very pedestrian-friendly, unless you are in Forest Park. Unless you like walking where there may not be any sidewalks, I would suggest driving to any of the sights from your hotel. Once parked in an area, feel free to walk to sights nearby. Sights have been grouped together in this article for your convenience.

Where to Stay during your long weekend in Saint Louis

Downtown Saint Louis Option

Saint Louis has an abundance of hotels in the Downtown area, but they can be quite expensive. My husband stayed at the Hilton St. Louis Downtown at the Arch for a business trip a few years ago. He greatly enjoyed the hotel, the area, and the proximity to the Arch, but his company paid for the room. At the time of writing this article, the cost of the cheapest room at the Hilton is $151 per night.

Budget/ Family-Friendly Option

While we were in Saint Louis with my parents this last time, we opted for the cheaper option. The Drury Inn & Suites St. Louis Forest Park was located close to many of the attractions and was located with easy access to Interstate-44, which takes you directly to the Arch. At the time of writing this article, the cost of the cheapest room at the Drury Inn is $145 per night. 

At this point you might be asking, “How is this a budget hotel?” Well, the Drury Inn includes breakfast, dinner-time “snacks”, and free drinks during happy hour at their hotel bar. There were quite a few families there when we visited and it was clear that many of the families were feeding their children a full dinner at the hotel, saving quite a bit, instead of taking them out to dinner. 

 There is also a Drury Inn closer to the Arch located in the Downtown area, Drury Inn & Suites St. Louis Convention Center. While I can’t vouch for this location because this isn’t the hotel we stayed at, I can assume that the quality of the hotel is probably about the same. 

If you are looking for something a bit cheaper consider the Holiday Inn St. Louis – Forest Park across the street from the Drury Inn. At the time of writing this article, the cost of the cheapest room at the Holiday Inn is $101 per night.

Unique Options

If you are looking for a unique experience and you are into paranormal activity, try Lemp Mansion. The entire family passed away due to a series of suicides. While I can’t vouch for this hotel, it does sound like an interesting experience. At the time of writing this article, the cost of the cheapest room at the Lemp Mansion is $150 per night (Sunday- Thursday) and $205 per night (Friday and Saturday). If you are looking to experience this unique mansion, but aren’t into staying there all night, then consider a ghost tour or their Sunday Family-Style All-You-Care-To-Eat Chicken dinners which are served family-style.

Day 1 (Friday)

Arrive at your hotel and check-in. Time to start your long weekend in Saint Louis. Rest up after a long day of traveling.

Try Toasted Raviolis, a Saint Louis and Missouri classic dish, at one of the many famous Italian restaurants on “The Hill”*. 

If you are looking for the best of the best, don’t worry I tried them all so you don’t have to (I’m not kidding, 7 plates of toasted raviolis). Check out the article that I wrote about the best toasted raviolis on the hill here or watch our video about it here. *The Hill is the Italian neighborhood in Saint Louis.

Turn-in early tonight for a big day of sight-seeing tomorrow. Get some free drinks from the hotel bar, enjoy your hotel’s hot tub/pool, or just relax. Tomorrow we are visiting Forest Park which would be a great day for a picnic for lunch. Go ahead and pack that tonight, if you enjoy picnics!

Day 2 (Saturday)

Get up early and enjoy a free breakfast at your hotel before making your way to “Dogtown”. Let your long weekend in Saint Louis truly begin! Park along Oakland Avenue in the zoo overflow parking. This is Saint Louis’ Irish neighborhood. After getting a coffee at Sweet Em’s Coffee & Ice Cream, enjoy a stroll around Turtle Park. This is one of the cutest parks I have ever explored and the turtle sculptures are incredibly unique. A great option for those with kids to tire them out or adults to relive your childhood again.

Next head across the bridge to the west (Tamm Ave) to Forest Park. From here the options are endless. Go to the Saint Louis Zoo (which is free, but has a fee for some of the attractions), visit the Saint Louis Art Museum, enjoy that picnic in the park that you packed last night, take a walk around the hundreds of trails in order to get away from the bustle of the city and enjoy nature, go bird-watching, visit the Missouri History Museum, visit the Jewel Box (a beautiful greenhouse), play a round of golf, and/or join a fitness class (while we were there we saw yoga classes and such. With a little planning you could definitely sign up for a class.)

If a picnic isn’t your thing, then consider the Boathouse at Forest Park or one of the many restaurants in Dogtown for lunch.

After your fun-filled afternoon at Forest Park, head over to Clementine’s Naughty and Nice Creamery for a unique and delicious experience (just west of Forest Park). Clementine’s is a microcreamery that is serving up small batch ice cream flavors. They have alcohol-infused flavors for adults to enjoy a “naughty” treat after a long day. I got Orange Thyme (a “nice” flavor) and my husband got their Grasshopper (a “naughty” flavor). We got a pint of the Gooey Butter Cake to-go. Everything was amazing, but we highly suggest getting the Gooey Butter Cake. It was to DIE for!!!

If you are done for the day (I don’t blame you, I sure was after all that walking), then while at Clementine’s order a pizza from Imo’s Pizza to-go to eat back at your hotel. They invented the Saint Louis Style pizza. What makes Saint Louis style pizza different? A thin, cracker-crust covered in toppings then layered with the key ingredient, Provel® cheese. Provel® cheese is a combination of Cheddar, Swiss, and Provolone creating a gooey, creamy, and delicious experience. The pizza’s final distinguishing trait is square pieces. Let me tell you that the cheese really does make a truly unique pizza. It is one of the best styles of pizzas that I have had.

If you still have some energy left, then opt to dine-in instead. Head back to your hotel and enjoy some well deserved relaxation.

Day 3 (Sunday)

Get up, enjoy breakfast and check out of your hotel before heading to the Arch. Depending on the proximity to your hotel, you may have to park in paid parking nearby. If you want to go to the top, be sure to get your tickets in advance. Additionally, there is a free museum in the base and a gift shop. The museum was extremely interesting and had information about more than just the construction of the Arch. Information included a history of the Missouri area, Native Americans in the area and across the West, the grand injustice of minorities in Westerns and their credit in settling the West, the elimination of many rights from the people in the area bought through the Louisiana Purchase, and so much more! Myself and my family really enjoyed all of the information that was provided. There was a little something for everyone.

Before heading out, grab lunch at Sauce on the Side, a calzone place in Downtown Saint Louis. A short walk from the Arch and incredibly good! Not feeling calzones after pizza last night? Try one of the many restaurants to the north of Arch Park. While we didn’t try any of these restaurants so I can’t vouch for them personally, they were all packed when we walked by. 

Lastly, head back to the airport to catch your flight or load up the car for your road trip home! I hope that you had a great long weekend in Saint Louis.

Got some additional time? (More than a long weekend in Saint Louis)

Here is a list of some of the things that we didn’t have time to do, but looked really interesting.

• Tour Lemp Mansion
• Visit Cotton Belt Freight Depot for some great graffiti (know that this is a spot where homeless people live; be respectful and do not stay after dark as it could be dangerous)
• The Mural Mile (another graffiti location)
• Tour the Missouri Botanical Garden
• Visit the St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station
• Walk around one of the many beautiful college campuses (my favorite for viewing sure cool architecture) 

 A warning: In all places there is crime, but in Saint Louis we encountered quite a bit in our short time there. While this should never deter you from visiting some place, you should be vigilant. Never do anything if you feel something is off. Travel with a friend when you can. Don’t travel (walk around) at night without first traveling the area in the day. Be safe everyone and have fun traveling!