Neighborhoods of St. Louis
Downtown
The Arch’s new grounds and museum are a must, as is Ballpark Village, a downtown dining and entertainment district. Check out the imaginative playground that is the City Museum, and then amble down Washington Avenue with its shops and eateries on your way to the National Blues Museum.
Laclede’s Landing
The restaurants, bars and live music venues that you’ll find on this charming cobblestone grid of streets are in the midst of an exciting revitalization. Feeling lucky? Hit the Lumière Place Casino which boasts 75,000 sq. ft. of gaming options.
Soulard
The beating heart of this live-music-loving region is in this cool neighborhood. Find more than two dozen restaurants and bars hosting live music, seven nights a week. Also saunter around the oldest farmer’s market west of the Mississippi.
Central West End
The dining, entertainment and architecture of this bustling mixed-use district led to it being named one of the 10 best neighborhoods in the country. There are also world-class art galleries, great coffeehouses, and an epic independent bookstore.
Lafayette Square
Discover colorful Victorian homes in this quaint neighborhood, as well as the last link to the modest French settlement of 1764. Here you’ll see great restaurants, unique boutiques and lush gardens. And stick around for the free summer gazebo concerts.
Cherokee Antique Row & Cherokee Street
A nice cappuccino is to be had on this street before exploring antique shops galore. It is treasured for its Latino influence, and thus is our authentic Mexican-food mecca. Take in a “Mystery Dinner” at the “haunted” Lemp Mansion.
Grand Center Arts District
Sure, our “epicenter for arts” is culturally rich in music (jazz, classical, blues and beyond) and the visual arts, but don’t forget about those rooftops and patios serving the best wine and cocktails. Great views of the city included.
Maplewood
Get your kicks on this stretch of Route 66 on what was recently named one of the hottest neighborhoods in the country. Uncommon shops, an old-school bowling alley and pinball lounge, and a great brewpub awaits.
The Grove
This hip, effervescent entertainment district is growing monthly with new restaurants, pubs and live music venues. It’s inclusive and proud to be home to several LGBTQIA hotspots. Get yourself a little something from one of local brewpubs or one of the tattoo parlors.
South Grand
This international district serves up a smorgasbord of offbeat stores, eclectic shops, and ethnic restaurants (14—more than Epcot!), and it’s especially a destination for hungry vegetarians. Walk through historic Tower Grove Park, which features a summer children’s concert series and a farmer’s market in addition to festivals.
The Hill
Welcome to our “Little Italy.” Stroll this cute neighborhood if just to say you walked where Yogi Berra and Joe Garagiola did while growing up here. Then get hungry and appreciate the plethora of Italian food found here from inexpensive sandwich shops to some of our finest upscale restaurants.
The Loop/University City
Find it all on Delmar, named one of the 10 Great Streets in America. Ethnic restaurants, burger joints, a root beer factory, two great pop-music concert halls, a stylish independent movie theater, a world-class hotel, and now, an actual trolley.
Clayton
Find many premium up-scale restaurants, boutiques, and elegant hotels with bartenders who know how to make you a perfect cocktail. Home to the top-rated St. Louis Art Fair, which attracts 150,000 art, food, and music lovers every September.
Carondelet
Established in 1875, this neighborhood features the third-largest park, which boasts a beautiful boathouse, walking paths, tennis courts, and playgrounds. This charming park hosts lots of free music concerts in the summer, too. Home to River City Casino.
Maryland Heights
The biggest rock and country acts on national tour stop at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheater, and the Vegas-class gaming and hotel accommodations at the Hollywood Casino keep the entertainment going. The nightlife at Westport Plaza features bars, live music and a comedy club.
Kirkwood
If you’ve got kids, you must visit the Magic House, named the country’s number one attraction for children by Zagat. Great restaurants, a beautiful park, a summer concert series, a farmer’s market, and distinctive imaginative shops await you.
Webster Groves
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is here, located on the internationally renowned Webster University campus. Also uncover 19th-century homes (more than 300 are listed on the National Register of Historic Places) and exquisite upscale dining. Webster hosts music and art festivals, as well as a free summer gazebo concert series.
North St. Louis County
See the Missouri and Mississippi rivers meet at beautiful Confluence Point State Park. You’ll also find a cool aqua park, golfing, bike trails, dog parks, and communities that offer up festivals and historic homes.
Chesterfield Valley
Visit the 200-acre Faust Park, home to the popular Butterfly House and St. Louis Carousel. Shoppers flock to the outlet centers and specialty stores.
The Ville
Walk (duck walk?) the streets where Chuck Berry grew up, and visit Sumner High School, the first high school for African Americans west of the Mississippi. This historic African American neighborhood was also home to Dick Gregory, Sonny Liston, and Josephine Baker.
Eureka
This “gateway to the Ozarks” offers up Route 66 State Park and four conservation areas. Family-friendly festivals are held in the historic downtown, and by all means, hunt for treasures at the Eureka Garage Sale & Swap Meet.
Short Drives from St. Louis
There’s too much adventure and fun to fill in just the outlines of the St. Louis region. Here are some short trip ideas that are rewarding, historic and rich in midwestern charm.
Alton, IL
This enchanting Mississippi River town is the birthplace of two large people—one figurative, one literal: jazz legend Miles Davis and the tallest known person in history, Robert Wadlow, were both from here. The limestone bluffs, Civil War history, museums and parks make for a memorable visit.
Hermann, MO
This quaint picture-book German village founded in 1842 is overflowing with wine, music and food. Stroll and shop the historic district, then climb the hills for great views. Voted Missouri’s Most Beautiful Town (Rural Missouri Magazine) and Best Small-City Destination (AAA). Absolutely gorgeous in the fall.
ILLINOISouth(Representing 23 counties in the Metro East)
Hit the road to this region filled with family-friendly attractions, historic sites and outdoor recreational opportunities. Enjoy over 900 yearly events, plus minor league baseball, wineries, parks and lakes. Be sure to visit the largest prehistoric Native American city north of Mexico: Cahokia Mounds.
Kimmswick, MO
This picturesque river town is celebrating its 160th anniversary in 2019. Popular with locals is the Apple Butter Festival held every October. Take a riverboat cruise on the Delta Queen Steamboat after dining at one of the village’s famous restaurants and shopping at one of the over 20 specialty shops.
Pacific, MO
This beautiful, historic town on old Route 66 features the McHugh-Dailey Building Historic Opera House, now a first-class brewpub. There’s much to do for Route 66, Civil War, and train enthusiasts. Stop by the Black Madonna Shrine, and if you have kids, make sure you go to Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park.
St. Charles, MO
Our state’s first capital and one-time home to Daniel Boone has great shops and restaurants on its charm-infused cobblestone Main Street. Many festivals are held in Frontier Park, including Little Hills, Oktoberfest, Missouri River Irish Festival and Christmas Traditions. Also find an upscale casino that features fantastic live music.
Washington, MO
Now you can take “visit the Corn Cob Pipe Capital of the World” off your bucket list. The County Fair is held here in August, and other festivals include the Art and Wine festival (May) and BBQ & Bluesfest (April). There are delightful restaurants, B&Bs, antique shops, and of course, wineries. Come via Amtrak from downtown St. Louis!
For much more information on the great neighborhoods of St. Louis, visit explorestlouis.com/neighborhoods.