Photo Friday: Ted Drewes on Route 66

Our last stop in St. Louis before heading back home: the iconic Ted Drewes on Route 66 for frozen custard. A Heath concrete for me and Atticus to share, Reese's for Paul and a chocolate sundae for Edith. A great way to end our trip.

St. Louis Cardinals: Little Baseball, Great Views

When we found out that the Cardinals were playing at home during our visit to St. Louis, it was pretty much assured that a baseball game would be on our itinerary. And so we found ourselves at Busch Stadium for a 12:45 p.m. game on Cinco de Mayo versus the Philadelphia Phillies.

I didn't see much of the game, but I did a lot of exploring. I walked around with Edith from the 4th to 6th innings, with our route being determined by the nearest escalator. She's never been to an amusement park, but I have a feeling that escalators would rank nearly as high as any ride that one could offer.

When we returned, Atticus awoke upset. I took him for a walk for some of the 7th and maybe the 8th inning. But the Cardinals won 4-0, and we saw a home run. So all in all, the afternoon was a success.

Photo Friday: Cathedral Basilica, St. Louis

One of our final stops in St. Louis was the Cathedral Basilica, a Catholic church known for its amazing mosaics. Really quite lovely.

St. Louis: A Visit to Grant's Farm

Grant's Farm seems to be high on the list of St. Louis tourist attractions, and it was on our must-see list. While I enjoyed the few hours we spent there, it wasn't for the reasons I expected. And I probably wouldn't make an effort to go there again anytime soon.

The kids like the tram ride from the entrance to the main area of the park, and it was a pleasant way to see many of the animals. The attractions were small but nice -- there were even elephants, kangaroos, zebras and flamingos, and we also saw a lone peacock wandering around. So "farm" is a bit of a misnomer, although it certainly wasn't as extensive as a zoo.

My favorite part was unexpectedly the biergarten, with its outdoor seating and two free beers for everyone of age. Grant's Park is the former Busch estate, after all!

I'm not a bit fan of zoos, and I felt even more sad for the animals here. Edith's few interactions with the animals were mixed. She loved feeding the goats, but hated when the parakeets got too close. In any case, I'm sure her favorite part was the carousel.

Photo Friday: Gateway Arch, Hotel Views

The end of our hallway at the Pear Tree Inn in St. Louis had spectacular views of the Gateway Arch that got even better at sunset.

Visiting the St. Louis Gateway Arch

It was a pleasant, chilly but sunny 40-minute walk from our hotel in St. Louis to the Gateway Arch. The surrounding grounds are under extensive reconstruction until next year, but luckily the views from the top weren't much impacted.

The cramped elevator capsule to the top of the Arch wasn't as scary as I remembered it being when I rode it some 20 years ago. It's still not my favorite thing in the world, but I wasn't hyperventilating on the way up or anything.

At first we were there with just a handful of other people and we got some great photos. Then some school groups came up, and the small sliver of space got super crowded. It was time to go down.

Edith and her bear from Kansas City!

Mississippi River

I would be interested in visiting again after the construction is complete. I remember the grounds being quite lush two decades ago, although we didn't stick around to explore. (My family was mostly in St. Louis to visit Six Flags!) Nevertheless, the Gateway Arch is definitely a must-see, must-do experience if you visit St. Louis.