Been there, done that. Who wants to visit St. Louis, Missouri and see the same old attractions when this beautiful city has so much more to offer? What you really want is the local hole-in-wall diner only the locals know about or the remote nature center that’s practically off the map. Let’s take a journey through the mountains, caverns, shops, coffee houses, and secret locations to discover the best St. Louis sites and attractions this city has to offer!
The Grove
Resurrected in the 1980s, The Grove is a commercial playground for trendy restaurants, nightclubs, shops, and coffee houses. The Grove is located along Manchester Avenue between Kings highway Boulevard and Vandeventer Avenue in the Forest Park Southeast neighborhood of St. Louis. The rebuilding of this community gave the neighborhood its current diverse and friendly feel. Currently, there are 50 businesses in The Grove. With as much variety as this place provides, it makes an excellent location destination for locals and visitors of all ages.
Crown Candy Kitchen
Settled onto the corner of N 14th St and St Louis Ave since 1913, sits the Crown Candy Kitchen. Keeping with tradition, this charming and old-fashioned malt shop offers the best in the state sandwiches, malts, shakes, candy counter, and their famous World’s Fair Sundaes. Whether you’re a visitor to the beautiful city of St. Louis or a local, make sure to let this hidden gem be part of your new favorite spots.
Soulard Farmers Market
Open weekly, Wednesday through Saturday, the Soulard Farmers Market is located south of downtown St. Louis. The farmer’s market is filled with a vast array of shops, bakeries, butchers, artisans, coffee houses, and more. On Saturdays, make sure to come early to find the most variety and the best deals. When you find yourself running out of steam, take a break at one of the many cafes and enjoy watching the mingling and mixing of people.
The Magic House
Located in the Kirkwood suburb, where once there stood an abandoned Victorian mansion that now is known as the Magic House. The doors first opened on October 16, 1979, and have been welcoming families ever since. This interactive museum offers such exhibits as a Jack in the Beanstalk with three-story beanstalk kids can climb and an area where children can make 3D impressions of themselves. To tour this building in full takes more than a day so allow for more than one visit if you’re visiting.
Johnson’s Shut-ins
An idealistic travel destination near St. Louis is the secret spots at Johnson’s Shut-ins State Park surrounded by hard volcanic rock and rushing waters. These beautiful watering holes are where visitors can enjoy swimming and sliding down the natural water slides during the summer. This secret site is a great place to explore nature, share bonding time with family, or just kick back and relax with the calm of nature. Johnson’s Shut-ins State Park is located at 148 Taum Sauk Trl, Middle Brook, MO 63656, just Southwest of St. Louis.
Now that you’ve gotten a taste of some of the secret and out-of-the-way sites and sights, it’s time for you to enjoy the spoils of your discovery. Bask in new locations, celebrate local traditions, create new memories, treasure this time, and above all have fun. Whether you’re inside or outside, just visiting or a longtime resident, there’s always something new to discover in St. Louis.
