Visiting St. Louis this summer

[RiversideGator]

Same as the KC post. What do you recommend for a 2 day stay in St Louis? What are the things I should see, what are the best restaurants/hotels/neighborhoods, etc?

[JivecitySTL]

It's great that you're coming here, but you'll need more than two days to see the best the city has to offer. Here's my lowdown, by neighborhood...

DOWNTOWN: Excellent architecture, an emerging loft district around the Washington Avenue corridor, Laclede's Landing is a tourist trap but worth a visit. Don't forget to catch a Cards game if they're playing.

SOULARD/BENTON PARK/LAFAYETTE SQUARE: Some of the best residential architecture in the United States, 19th Century rowhouses, corner blues joints and historic parks characterize the essence of these Near South Side neighborhoods.

CENTRAL WEST END: A truly cosmopolitan neighborhood nestled between Washington University and Saint Louis University, adjacent to Forest Park, which is chock-full of museums, recreational and cultural institutions of every kind. Euclid Avenue is lined with sidewalk cafes, coffee shops, art galleries and lounges, nestled between highrise apartment buildings and opulent turn-of-the-century mansions.

SOUTH GRAND/TOWER GROVE: An eclectic neighborhood with an international flair, cheap ethnic restaurants ranging from Vietnamese to Nicauraguan to Middle Eastern line South Grand Blvd. A large gay/lesbian presence gives this 'hood an infusion of tolerance and counterculture appeal.

DELMAR LOOP: Perhaps the livliest neighborhood in the city, where college students comingle with alternative freaks, funky shops, live music clubs and an array of ethnic restaurants. ALso home to the St. Louis Walk of Fame, honoring the city's famous sons and daughters.

BEVO: America's largest Bosnian community, this is a true ethnic enclave, full of Bosnian restaurants, markets, coffee shops and cultural institutions. And Bosnian chicks are hot as hell.

THE HILL: St. Louis's famous Little Italy, where trattorias, bakeries and mom-and-pop Italian shops can be found on nearly every corner. This 'hood exudes the old-world charm that can't be reproduced, not to mention some of the greatest Italian restaurants in the country.

This is just the nutshell tour of St. Louis. Feel free to PM me if you want a personal tour.

[RiversideGator]

Thanks a lot JiveCity. I printed out your guide and will use it.

As to a tour, we have a group of people, so it may not work, but thanks for the offer. I look forward to visiting your city.