There are over 70 neighborhoods in St. Louis, each unique in their own way. Deciding which neighborhoods in St. Louis to visit can be a tough decision, especially when you only have a weekend. This blog post will help you decide which neighborhoods in St. Louis to visit during your trip!
Downtown St. Louis
Obviously, you can’t miss out on seeing the many attractions in the Downtown St. Louis neighborhood. You’ll get to see the Gateway Arch, a National Park, plenty of parks, loads of tasty restaurants and a good nightlife.
If you’re looking to get a unique experience with the Gateway Arch, I recommend taking a riverboat cruise or taking a tram ride to the top of the arch.
Central West End
One of the coolest things to do in the Central West End is to simply drive around and gawk at the historic mansions. In the early 1900’s, residents started building gigantic homes in that area and those homes are still around today. In recent years, there have been new constructions projects of high-risers and modern buildings which provides this neighborhood a good mixture of the old and new.
A few points of interests that can’t be missed include the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, the World Chess Hall of Fame, the variety of antique stores and patio-friendly restaurants, and the Chase Park Plaza Cinema.
Not only do I recommend visiting the Central West End, I also think you should a book a hotel in this neighborhood as well. More specifically, a room at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel!
From the top notch guest services to the friendliness of all the staff, you’ll feel 100% welcome and you won’t want to ever check-out. Just a few of the things that we enjoyed during our Fall stay included the luxurious robes and slippers in our room, the beautiful lobby, the convenience of having many food options nearby, and how comfortable the beds are!
Where to eat in the Central West End– The two restaurants that you need to eat at are conveniently found right inside the Chase Park Plaza. The Preston Restaurant has a “Cozy chic atmosphere offering an eclectic collection of indulgent dishes, craft cocktails, curated wine list and intriguing beer selection.”
Don’t miss dessert while visiting! They switch up their menu according to the season so it’s worth sampling one (or more) desserts before it’s too late.
The second restaurant that is found in the Chase Park Plaza Hotel is called the Chase Club. We stopped here for lunch one day and enjoyed the heavenly Wild Boar Sliders, Spinach and Artichoke Flatbread and the Baby Kale Salad.
While in Missouri, don’t miss out on visiting the largest city in the state- Kansas City. Here’s a guide to the top attractions in KC.
Downtown West
Downtown West is an obvious stop on your weekend getaway due to the proximity to actual Downtown St. Louis. Stop by Union Station and satisfy your sweet tooth at the Soda Fountain. Pro Tip– Bring a friend and split one of the freak shakes!
Don’t miss out on jumping on the St. Louis Ferris Wheel in one of their enclosed gondolas. You’ll get a unique view of the skyline while reaching heights of 200 feet.
The last thing that you need to put on your list during a weekend getaway in St. Louis in the Downtown West neighborhood is paying a visit to the City Museum. The City Museum is located in a hundred-year-old warehouse where artists have created the unexpected! They used old items to create bridges, 10-story slides, hidden tunnels, and trippy climbers.
If you’ve got kids, or you are still young at heart, then this would be a perfect addition to your St. Louis trip.
Forest Park
Driving through the city, one of the largest things that stuck out to me was how I never felt like I was in a major city. Why? Because they have done such an amazing job of creating a natural oasis in an urban environment.
In Forest Park, you’ll find most of the prominent museums including the Saint Louis Art Museum, Missouri History Museum, Saint Louis Science Center, and the Saint Louis Zoo.
I recommend renting a bike and hitting the bicycle trails to maximize your time exploring Forest Park.
Fun Fact- Forest Park is 450 acres larger than Central Park in New York City.
Lafayette Square
If I had my way, I’d live in a bright pink house. Or aqua, purple… I’m not too picky haha. So Lafayette Square is now on my radar for our next move! The entire block is filled with eye-worthy, historic homes. Park along side of the road and take some time to walk down the streets and admire the architecture in St. Louis’ oldest historic district.
The Grove
The Grove neighborhood is found near Forest Park and is one of the up-and-coming neightborhoods in the entire city. This is a great district to visit for a night out as you’ll find plenty of bars and nightclubs along the mile-long stretch.
What I also loved about this district was all of the street art and murals. Just like Lafayette Square, this is a great place to park the car and enjoy a walk. We did just that and went hunting for our favorite murals. I found mine along side of the Atomic Cowboy- a honey-bear who happened to have a matching hat!
The Hill
My top three cuisines are Mexican, Peruvian, and Italian so visiting “The Hill” was of course on our weekend itinerary in St. Louis. You’ll know you’re there when you start spying the Italian flag-painted fire hydrants.
This is the neighborhood to stop by if you’re looking for an honest to goodness, authentic Italian meal. There are plenty of choices including Zia’s Restaurant, Gitto’s on The Hill, and Mama’s on The Hill. We ended up choosing Mama’s on The Hill due to the fab reviews online and weren’t disappointed! (Don’t miss out on trying the toasted ravioli).
Shaw
The Shaw neighborhood is next on the list and for good reason, it lies in between the Missouri Botanical Garden, Tower Grove Park, and the Compton Hill Reservoir Park. The Missouri Botanical Garden is ranked top three in the world. Yup, you heard that right, the world! So don’t miss out on visiting this incredibly beautiful spot in St. Louis.
St. Louis Hills
Unfortunately, we didn’t get to spend too much time in the St. Louis Hills neighborhood, but we did make one very important stop here before we left.
Ted Drewes has been around for 80 years and is home to the best frozen custard. This is a classic dessert in St. Louis and if you end up leaving without trying it, you’ll never live it down.
A big thank-you to the Chase Park Plaza and Explore St. Louis for hosting us on our trip. All opinions remain our own.
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