St. Louis, MO area inquiry . . . .

[Bucky]

Hi . . .

We are planning on visiting St. Louis, MO this weekend and I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations of a place to stay that doesn't cost an arm & leg??  Preferably, on the IL side close to St. Louis.

Thanks
Bucky

[Scottietottie]

Hi Bucky - no suggestio9ns - but if you find anywhere do share! Hubby and I are going over that way at Easter to see our new grandson (as long as everything goes OK with the birth - and it looks like it will) If we stayed somewhere else it wouldn't put any pressure on son and DIL. 

I'll be watching this thread!

Take care - Scottie 

[Rhonda]

There are lots of nice places to stay in the Fairview Heights area - just east of St. Louis in Illinois.  Lots of eating places and shopping too.  Just far enough away from St. Louis to enjoy the area and not spend an arm and a leg! 

I was raised in southern Illinois... down Carbondale way.  Have fun!

[Pisces24]

Check out MapQuest.com - you can find hotels/motels, restaurants in the area. I happened across and it is really easy to use.

I like Expedia and Hotels.com to find the best prices - BUT of course the earlier you book, the better price you will get.

I don't travel that much but I am a "planner" and definitely not an "on the fly person" so I check things out waaaay ahead of time when traveling.

Also, if you don't have a cell phone and want one for emergencies, check out TracFone. I got one with 120 minutes to use by 1/1/2011 for $20.

[Bucky]

Thanks Rhonda and Pisces24 for your suggestions.  We ended up staying in Troy - which was outside St. Louis - on the Illinois side, but not too far.  Unfortunately, with it being the Labor Day weekend they weren't giving any discounts on rooms (even though we are AAA members).

Scottie - I will e-mail you some info.   

Just a side note - for those of you who have never gone up in The Arch in St. Louis - you should.  The ride up was an experience all it's own.  You are seated in a "capsule" type cubby - for lack of a word to call it (holds five people)- we felt like astronauts - wouldn't recommend this if you are claustrophobic as it is very confining and close.  Although, this is the ONLY way to the top of the Arch - there are no steps for you to climb up. Once you get to the top of the Arch you look out through these little slits of windows at the very top of the Arch.  Very interesting.

Go early in the morning - as the day progresses, the line outside grows long.  Plus, everyone has to go through security - so it takes a while.

Also, the riverboat there next to the Arch is nice.  We took a one-hour cruise as they talked about the St. Louis area.

Bucky

[Scottietottie]

Hi Bucky 

Totally agree with you - the Arch is a 'must do' if not claustrophobic. The view from the top is awesome. I was lucky - I was over one April and it wasn't very busy. No queue.

I like the Zoo in St Louis as well.

Take care - Scottie 

[Bucky]

Scottie - we went to the zoo this trip too.  The zoo is really nice BUT spread waaaay out . . . a lot of walking.

I've been to quite a few zoo's through the years and the St. Louis one was the most spread out one.  I usually don't mind the walking, but I had to keep stopping to rest on the park benches.  Wish the exhibits were closer together.

Bucky

[Scottietottie]

How about 'Grand Central' (Is that what it's called?) I enjoyed being there and watching people making fudge but they made it more like a performance. Millions of fish wanting to be fed there too.