This Road Trip to St. Louis post, co-authored by Lauren Cappell and Rebekah Coste, originally ran in March, 2022. We are sharing it again to inspire you this spring!
You’ve got 48 hours in St. Louis. It’s a big city, and there are so many options. No problem, we are here to help with this jam-packed itinerary!
Day One
Start your day with a local favorite. Grab coffee at Kaldis in the Demun Neighborhood. Sip your coffee while your little ones play at the conveniently gated Demun Park. If you have older children, go for a walk down Wydown and admire all the beautiful homes.
Kaldi’s Coffee, 700 De Mun Ave, Clayton, MO 63105
Breakfast: Head over to half & half for breakfast. Don’t miss their Clara cakes or sausage biscuits! If there is a long wait (it does fill up on weekends!), you can peek into the cutest local toy shop, “Happy Up” down the street or walk around downtown Clayton.
half & half, 8135 Maryland Ave. Clayton, MO 63104
Morning Activity– Burn off all that bacon and mascarpone and head to Forest Park. Drive past Art Hill (walk around the basin) if you have time and head to St. Louis’ new Nature Playscape. Plan on bringing an extra pair of clothes in a backpack because your kiddos will get nice and dirty! There are nine distinct activity areas, including sand play areas, willow tunnels, stump steppers, boulders and rocks, hand water pumps, and much more.
Anne O’C. Albrecht Nature Playscape, 5595 Grand Drive in Forest Park St. Louis MO 63112
If the Nature Playscape isn’t your speed, head over to the Boathouse at Forest Park for some paddle boating, kayaking, or paddleboarding. Learn more about pricing and hours here. https://boathousestl.com/boating-rentals/
Boathouse at Forest Park, 6101 Government Dr., St. Louis, MO 63110
Lunch: Head to Pappy’s Smokehouse for their famous ribs!! Don’t sleep on the burnt ends (yum!!), and make sure you grab all the sides, including their buttery corn on the cob!
Pappy’s Smokehouse 3106 Olive St., St. Louis, MO 63103
Afternoon Activity: Head over to the St. Louis Science Center. It’s FREE for visitors! Walk around the exhibits, or if you need a little downtime, check out their planetarium or treat yourself to the OMNIMAX Theater. Grab your tickets here https://www.slsc.org/.
St. Louis Science Center 5050 Oakland Avenue St. Louis, MO 63110
Treat: Head to Layfayette Square for Clementine’s Naughty and Nice Creamery. We highly recommend their Salted Crack Caramel! While you enjoy your ice cream, walk around Layfayette Square, a neighborhood known for its Victorian homes, wine bars, and laid-back coffee shops! Lafayette Park is a gorgeous space to roam around, too!
Clementine’s Naughty and Nice Creamery 1637 S 18th St St. Louis, MO 63104
Dinner: Grab dinner at Katie’s Pizza and Pasta Osteria. Don’t skip their Famous Fried Artichoke Salad and a side order of meatballs. You truly cannot go wrong here!
Katie’s Pizza and Pasta Osteria, 9568 Manchester Road, Rock Hill, MO
Day Two
Fuel up for the day at Rooster on South Grand! This family-friendly brunch establishment is a hit with locals and visitors alike. We’d recommend the rooster slinger, and the french toast is delicious too!
READER’S CHOICE: Once you’re fueled up, head to the Missouri Botanical Garden for a morning of gorgeous blooms. MOBOT has an incredible children’s garden where your kiddos can run free! If garden tours aren’t your thing, visit the world-famous Anheuser-Busch Brewery (and have a taste of some AB products at the end!).
You might be feeling hungry at this point … it’s time for lunch! We’d recommend Blue’s City Deli as a delicious family-friendly option. Their sandwiches are to die for! Usually, there’s a line out the door, and once you get a taste, you’ll see why! We’d recommend the Italian Beef sandwich with sweet peppers!
READER’S CHOICE: If burgers are more your thing, do NOT miss Mac’s Local Eats! The smashed burgers are a hit with locals, and we promise you won’t regret this visit! YUM.
Afternoon Activity: Once you’ve got a full belly, it’s time to continue exploring! Head over to Forest Park and spend the afternoon at the St. Louis Zoo. No matter the ages in your crew, everyone can enjoy the spectacular zoo you’ll find here in St. Louis. And the best part? It’s FREE!
Reader’s Choice: Head to the City Museum if the weather is poor or your group needs to let off some steam and climb and play!
City Museum, 750 N. 16th Street, St. Louis, MO 63103
Afternoon Pick-Me-Up: Enjoy an afternoon pick me up and step back in time at Crown Candy Company, the location of St. Louis’ oldest soda fountain!
Crown Candy Company. 1401 St. Louis Avenue, St. Louis MO 63106
Dinner: Head to Iconic Fitz’s Root Beer for a casual and family-friendly dining experience on the Loop! Enjoy dinner on the patio on a nice night.
Fitz’s Root Beer, 6605 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63130
Reader’s Choice: Enjoy a family dinner on the Schlafly Bottleworks patio in Maplewood or try out St. Louis’ world-famous toasted ravioli at Farotto’s!
Schlafly Bottleworks, 7260 Southwest Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63143
Farotto’s, 9525 Manchester Road, St. Louis, MO 63119
Evening Activity: To know and love St. Louis is to understand the deep love we have for our baseball team, the St. Louis Cardinals! Before you leave town, snag some tickets at Busch Stadium and go see the boys of summer on a beautiful spring evening! We’ve even got some stellar tips to navigating a Cardinals game with kids!
Busch Stadium, 700 Clark Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63102
And there you have it! Forty-eight hours in St. Louis! If you can’t tell, we love our city and could go on and on about all there is to love here. Forty-eight hours is truly not long enough to appreciate all our city has to offer. We hope you have a wonderful trip!
This is all fantastic! Thanks for the article
Thank you so much!!!
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