Things To Do
St. Louis Union Station Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton
Union Station is the recommended hotel and is the location for the wedding and reception. It is also home to an aquarium, a Ferris wheel, and several other family friendly attractions.
Food
There are several eating options in the area. We recommend "The Hill" for sit down Italian places (Zia's, Charlie Gitto's, and Trattoria Marcella are three Watson faves), Pappy's for BBQ (there will be a long line, go early if you want ribs), Ballpark Village for casual food and bars, Schlafly for a brewery (they also serve food), and Ted Drews for ice cream.
Gateway Arch National Park
Make sure to get tickets in advance if you want to go to the top. Located 1.3 miles from Union Station, tickets start at $19. Get your National Park passports stamped and get some of the best views in the city. There is also a free museum at the base if you don't have tickets.
Saint Louis Zoo
The St Louis Zoo is free for all guests. It is located less than 5 miles from Union Station and can be accessed by car or public transit. It may rival the Columbus and Cincinnati Zoo for you Ohio folks! It has over 18,000 animals representing 600 species. Personal favorites include penguins, stingrays, elephants, and all monkeys.
Budweiser Brewery Experience
St Louis is the home of Budweiser and Bud Light. The brewery is located less than 3 miles from Union Station and can be accessed with car or public transit. We don't recommend walking in this area. They do daily tours with beer tastings starting at $15. Certain tours sell out so you may want to book ahead of time. If you are lucky you may even get to see some Clydesdales!
Forest Park
This is where the Zoo it. Forest Park is located less than 5 miles from union station and can be accessed by car or public transit. This is a great green space if you are looking for an outdoor activity. You can find the Missouri History Museum, The Muny (shows will not be running), Saint Louis Art Museum, and Saint Louis Science Center all in this area. There is also a public golf course here.
Missouri Botanical Garden
St Louis has a fantastic botanical gardens. Tickets are $16 and get you access to 47 acres of gardens. This is located less than 5 miles from Union Station and is best accessible by car. Personal favorites include the Japanese gardens and the Climatron.