I was just wondering after last week's discussion of Valley Tourney tickets, how many posters go to St. Louis every year?
Where do you stay?
What are some places around Scottstrade you eat at?
I'm an alum from Peoria who has lived in St. Louis the past 13 plus years, so I would be happy to answer any questions or make suggestions. The following is the St. Louis visitors site:
http://www.explorestlouis.com/visitors/index.asp
Also for restaurants:
http://www.saucemagazine.com/
Hotels
The closest hotels are (in order):
Sheraton St. Louis City Center Hotel & Suites (across from the arena)
Hyatt Regency St. Louis (3 large city blocks from the arena)
Drury Inn Union Station (3 large city blocks from the arena)
Hampton Inn Union Station (a moderate to long walk west, on Market)
Others downtown or within longer wlaking distance (as in getting some exercise):
The Roberts Mayfair, A Wyndham Historic Hotel (nice boutique hotel)
The Omni Majestic Hotel (nice boutique hotel, sporting teams have stayed here through the years)
Renaissance St. Louis Grand & Suites Hotel (near the Dome, and a convention hotel remodeled and added to by the City)
The Westin St. Louis (nice, has bars, restaurants, near Busch Stadium)
Drury Plaza Hotel
Drury Inn & Suites St. Louis Convention Center (near the Dome)
Crowne Plaza Hotel St. Louis DowntownCourtyard by Marriott - St. Louis Downtown (near Busch Stadium)
Adam's Mark Hotel (near the Arch, great for conventions and has a restaurant and bar that folks who aren't even hotek guests will go to sometimes)
Special mention(s):
Four Seasons--the hotel should be open in time, but they knocked down about half the Landing and used the parking lot across from the Dome to put up one, swank, large, on-land casino that has restaraunts, gaming, hotel rooms, and condos all in one setting.
Hotel Lumiere--several million whet in to redoing the former Embassy Suites on the Landing, which is going to be aprt of the Muiere Casino complex as well.
Restaurants/Bars
Union Station
http://www.stlouisunionstation.com/go/dirListing.cfm?CurrCat=2138209706
Soulard-MCGurk's (already covered), Joanie's Pizza, Johnny's (jazz, and, ahem, well Sould waitresses the last few years tend to dress in ways that would put Hooter's to shame, and this place has been it--real great food, though), 1860's, Hardshell Cafe, Venice Cafe
Washington Avenue--Fifteen (Jimmy Edmond's bar--but hes leaving so who knows, Copia, 10 Stree Italian (I love this place--a great chef with real Italian food, but at Avanti's prices), Mosaic, Kitchen K Bar & Restaurant
The Landing--this is turning over so much now and half of it's gone, so I am not sure what else is still there other than the Spaghetti Factory
The Hill and Watson Road: LoRusso's Cucina (best Italian I know), Cunetto's (no reservations, ridiculous wait for weekend dinner times), Adrianna's (only open for extebded lunch hours, but great sandwiches, pizza, and her specialty is pasta pie--she was even on the Food Channel with Mario Batalli), Zia's good, affordable all-around Italian like Cunetto's, but not even close to the wait); Charlie Gitto's (very good, a haunt of Yoggi Berra and Joe Garagiola), Anthonino's (nice small Greek bar and restaruant--the owner may even chat you up) I can go on, but ask me if you need more for the Hill ;-)
Downtown
Charlie Gitto's Donwtown, Pino's Pizza, Dooley's (an Irish style pub with the best burgers and Philly Cheeseteak sandwich, and a local institution, but is closing St. Patricks Day due to being forced out for redevelopment of the building), Maggie O'Brien's (covered), Al Hrabosky's Ballpark Saloon, J Bucks (bar and restaurant), Mike Shannon's
Grand Center (west on Market at Grand)
The Bistro (as "Jazz At the Bistro", nice place bar and restaurant that has jazz concerts there, especially name acts in the winter time); Gary's (a nice bar and grill)
Dogtown
Chuy Arzola's (the best Tex-Mex in the City, and cheap prices), Seamus McDaniel's (it is like a smaller version of McGurk's, minus the great Irish music), Olympia (Greek place on McCausland)
Wesport (out in West County off of I-270, but some may want to go there due to the athlete's palces)
5 (Albert Pujols's place), Ozzie's (Ozzie Smith's Place), Funny Bone Comedy Club
Things to do:
Lumiere Casino, etc.
President Casino
(there are several other casinos in the metro, too--East St. Louis Casino Queen, Harrah's at Westport, Casino St. Charles, Alton Belle)
Arch (duh, I know--but it took me about 6 years of living down here before I went)
Anheuser-Bush Brewery Tour (maybe another "duh" for some ;-))
Grant's Farm (not sure if it's open that early in the year)
St. Lous Zoo
St. Louis Art museum
City Museum (downtown place that is less a museum and more of interactive modern art for kids--for lack of better words, you'd have to see it/view their website)
The Hill (Italian restaraunts, bakeries, and groceries)
The St. Louis Galleria (mall for shopping), and general vicinity has many stores
Cherokee Street Antique row (nice litle antinque shops near the brewery, but pretty close to bad neighborhoods)
*Major note: Interstate 64 (also known as "40" by locals since it is also a designated as a route) will be closed from I-170 to just shy of I-270 for a major rebuild for several months starting January 1.