Saint Louis Lodging in a Nutshell |
by Kathy Witt, Contributing Writer |
 Lively St. Louis is a merry mélange of world-class cultural attractions, one-of-a-kind restaurants and a melodic mix of music: blues, jazz, cabaret, symphony, opera.
Amidst its four distinct seasons, St. Louis is home to one of the most recognizable skylines in the world with its 630-foot tall Gateway Arch, the nation's tallest manmade monument, now illuminated by 44 floodlights.
Boasting more free major visitor attractions than anywhere in the U.S. outside of the nation's capital, St. Louis is a dynamic Euro-American blend of influences spread along 19 miles of the Mississippi River shoreline, just 12 miles south of the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. Joining St. Louis' stellar line-up of attractions are the Chouteau Lake District with 15-acre lake and hiking and biking trails; Cupples Station, an historic complex of 10 renovated railroad warehouses next door to Ballpark Village; and the redeveloped Washington Avenue, now a trendy loft district that includes restaurants, nightclubs and the busy City Museum. Nostalgia buffs will want to cruise into the Route 66 State Park and its free museum with memorabilia from America's former "Main Street."
About 2.6 million people call metropolitan St. Louis home. It is the 19th largest metropolitan area in the country. A patchwork of colorful neighborhoods, it provides creative inspiration to more working blues musicians than anywhere else in the world. Downtown, the city's French sensibility is celebrated in the musically rich Soulard & Benton Park district. Laclede's Landing jumps with activity, with an assortment of restaurants and music clubs standing beam to board in an area that celebrates its river heritage. In a city that prides itself on its green space, picturesque Lafayette Park, framed by the "painted ladies" of the Victorian era, stands out in this downtown neighborhood known as Lafayette Square.
There is the Loop, named for the old streetcar turnaround and now home to some 90 one-of-a-kind shops. St. Louis' Italian heritage is seen on The Hill, a close-knit community of family-owned trattorias, tidy homes and Italian grocery stores. Government business unfolds in the restrained atmosphere of Clayton, an area of fine hotels, fine dining and fine art galleries. On the edge of dynamic Forest Park is the area called Central West End, deserving of its New York City comparisons with its sidewalk cafes, art galleries, boutiques and chummy pubs. African American heritage is showcased in the Ville neighborhood and Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese cultures mingle in the six-block Grand South Grand neighborhood.
St. Louis is in the midst of a hotel building boom, with a full service Sheraton, luxurious Westin and boutique style WS on Washington, among others, being added to its already first-rate roster of overnight accommodations. By 2003, 7,400 rooms will be available downtown, including the 1,081-room Renaissance Grand Hotel St. Louis and Renaissance St. Louis Suites adjacent to the convention center. An additional 33,000 rooms can be booked throughout the metropolitan area.
The sprawling, state-of-the-art America's Center convention complex has been expanded with 162,000 square feet of exhibit space in The Dome. Less than a mile away is the new Ballpark Village, replete with a new 49,000-seat stadium, plus shops, restaurants and clubs, parking condos and townhouses. The village will also be home to the new St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame and a world-class aquarium.
Getting around St. Louis is a snap---and an affordable one at that---with MetroLink, a 34-mile light rail system that pulls into stations near some of the city's must-see attractions: the zoo, art and history museums and science center at Forest Park; the Gateway Arch and riverboat cruises at Laclede's Landing; and the restaurants and entertainment hotels at Union Station, among others. (From 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. weekdays, visitors can ride for free around downtown.) Three MetroLink shuttles take visitors from the stations to more attractions. The city is also served by MetroBus and Greyhound.
Lambert-St. Louis International Airport offers more than 1,400 daily flights from two terminals. The Main terminal handles all airlines except Southwest and charter airlines, which are located in the East Terminal. Currently under construction is a new runway, located far enough away from existing runways to allow for simultaneous landings at all times, that will increase the airport's capacity in inclement weather 51 percent. The Exit Express provides roundtrip service to downtown hotels for $15.
Top
|
