St. Louis Attractions

The St. Louis Gateway Arch

If you only have time to visit one attraction, visit the Arch. Built in 1965, the Arch stands 630 feet tall, and the top is only accessible by tram. Hint: Get your tram tickets in advance; they tend to sell out early in the day. Visit: www.gatewayarch.org

The Mississippi Riverfront

A touristy area where you can bike, dine, shop, take old-time riverboat cruises down the Mississippi River, visit the National Video Game and Co-op Museum, the Museum of Westward Expansion and the Laclede's Landing Wax Museum.

Forest Park

Forest Park's 1,371 acres house the St. Louis Zoo, the St. Louis Art Museum, the St. Louis History Museum, the St. Louis Science Center, The Muny Amphitheatre and the Jewel Box greenhouse — not to mention a golf course, tennis courts, a skating rink and trails for biking, rollerblading and more. Visit: stlouis.missouri.org/citygov/parks/forestpark

Grand Center

The art district of St. Louis, Grand Center, is home to an array of theatres, museums, restaurants, coffee shops and more. Watch a touring Broadway musical. Listen to the world-class St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Enjoy a contemporary art exhibit. A cultural playground just steps away from the Saint Louis University campus. Visit: www.grandcenter.org

Busch Stadium, the Edward Jones Dome and the Scottrade Center

These venues provide homes to the World Champion St. Louis Cardinals, Rams, Blues (and, for a little while longer, your very own Billikens) respectively.

The City Museum

Located in downtown St. Louis, The City Museum is an interactive museum appealing to "children of all ages." Featuring exhibits like MonstroCity, a "montage of monkey bars," Slinkies, a five-story climb through transparent tubes, the City Museum Caves — this is one museum you'll never forget. Visit: www.citymuseum.org

Missouri Botanical Gardens

The 79 acres of the Missouri Botanical Gardens provide wonderful opportunities for leisurely strolls through rose gardens, the Japanese Garden and more. Visit: www.mobot.org

Anheuser-Busch Brewery

Tour the historic building where Adolphus Busch manufactured the "King of Beers." Visit: www.budweisertours.com

Old Courthouse

The Greek Revival-style courthouse now serves as the home to historic exhibits and the film, The Gateway to the West. It was here that the Dred Scott slavery case was heard. The Courthouse is part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. Visit: www.nps.gov/jeff/courthouse.html

Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis

The "New Cathedral" is about a mile from the Saint Louis University campus and contains the largest collection of mosaics in the world, some 83,000 square feet of encrusted domes, ceilings, arches and walls. Take a tour or attend mass. Visit: www.cathedralstl.org

Union Station

On the National Register of Historic Places, St. Louis Union Station was once one of the largest and busiest train stations in the world. Today it houses a Hyatt Regency hotel and shops and restaurants such as the Hard Rock Cafe. Visit: www.stlouisunionstation.com

Neighborhoods

Great neighborhoods for dining, shopping and people-watching include The Hill, the Central West End, the University City Loop, where you'll find the St. Louis Walk of Fame, and the Historic Soulard neighborhood — home to the country's second largest Mardi Gras celebration and an open-air farmers market.