We were spoiled in St. Louis with our Painted Lady in Lafayette Square; it was hard to leave.  I’m surprised we took in so much of what St. Louis has to offer.  We left only a few stones (or Botanical Gardens) unturned.

Lafayette Park– In addition to Lafayette Square’s fantastic Painted Ladies, it houses a beautiful park built in the 1800s-America’s oldest park west of the Mississippi.  Its layout is similar to the Public Garden in Boston, built in the same era.

Cherokee Street-Worth a visit for its antique shops and haunted mansions, plus a coffee at Mudhouse.

The Fabulous Fox- This theatre (above) is called the Fabulous Fox because it is fabulous.  Built in 1927, it’s ginormous and decorated within an inch of its life.  A full house seats forty-five hundred people.

Forest Park-Smack in the middle of town, this giant park rivals both Central and Golden Gate, but we never found any playgrounds.  Once we went to City Museum I understood why they don’t need playgrounds within a million yard radius of that place.  Among other things, the park includes a digestible arts museum, along with a great zoo.  Their petting zoo essentially consists of twelve wandering goats, kids can grab brushes to exercise their grooming skills.  Our two year old made it his personal mission to brush EVERY goat, no matter the obstacle.

The City Museum-Everyone was all, Go to City Museum! Go to City Museum!  It’s like the Swiss Family Robinson Tree House ramped up with tunnels, spelunking, and ball pits.  We even had a moment when we found ourselves inside the ceiling ducts, ala Mission Impossible-or Die Hard depending on your age and action hero preference.

The Gateway Arch- The stainless steel Gateway to the West sits just off the Mississippi.  It can be seen from almost anywhere in town.  Visitors can go inside the arch on elevators to take in the views from up top-if heights aren’t your thing the arch is so omnipresent you do get to enjoy it every day.