St.Louis, Missouri – The Gateway to the West

Many friends boasted about their visit to St. Louis, Missouri, which I did not understand until I saw it myself. The Arch, the Zoo and other attractions make St. Louis a popular destination for a weekend. Quad city residents can visit St. Louis in Missouri for a educational and historical trip as well as fun destination.

St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis is located around 264 miles from Quad cities and takes five hours to get there. The scenic drive takes you through the green Illinois down south through Springfield, the capital of Illinois. St. Louis located on the border of Missouri and is a great trip for adults and children.

The city has great history in civil war, world war period and was home to popular travelers. The city has gret historical importance and is considered as the ‘Gateway to the West’.

The Arch

The Gateway Arch is a National Historic Landmark and is a part of Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. The Arch is an iconic image of the city and stands 630 feet height and 630 feet wide. It is a master piece of engineering as with the other structures. The triangular plates merged to form a hollow structure and offer a unique visiting experience for visitors.

Visitors can get to the top of Arch and view  the city and the Mississippi river from the top of the Arch up to 30 miles on a clear day. The trams leave every ten minutes and carry the visitors up and down the Arch. The stairs built to the top offer a safe route for visitors in case of any emergency in the trams. The ride to the top in the tram is the same as sitting in an elevator.

Other attractions

St. Louis has many popular attractions apart from the Arch. The Forest Park, Zoo, Botanical garden, museums, Anheuser-Busch Brewery among others are worth visiting. The horse ride in the downtown amidst beautifully lit buildings is a unique experience for visitors.

St. Louis has all kinds of activities for children and adults throughout the year. Kids can plan arts, fun, wacky, smart activities in St. Louis. The city has boat tours, guided tours, segway trips and other options for getting around. 🙂