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by Mary K. Morgan
If rising gas prices and an over-stretched budget are putting a damper on your vacation plans this summer, why not opt for a stay-cation instead of a long road or plane trip? A stay-cation is just what it sounds like, a vacation, but the difference is that you stay right here in St. Louis. Not as easily done as said. The commitment to be a tourist in your own town requires some family planning and a different mindset about travel.
Imagine how challenging it would be to cancel a day or two in the middle of your vacation and return home to take care of some pending crisis. Ask yourself, “Would this be my problem if I were away on vacation?” If the answer is no, then carry on with your stay-cation plans with the same attitude. Mail can even be held if it makes the getaway more realistic. After all, it’s your time to refresh and renew, and to spend time with your family. Pack if you like, but if you decide to go that route, no cheating and dipping back into the closet. Adhere to these basic rules: no laundry, no housework and only vacation-style meals.
Below are a few suggestions on how to use your stay-cation days. Like any suggestion, feel free to modify it to fit your needs and preferences. The important thing is that you enjoy yourself. Go ahead, take some pictures and pick up a few St. Louis souvenirs along the way.
Day 1 Suggestion: Get out the brochures and maps of St. Louis. Make sure the camera batteries are fresh. Pack a cooler filled with lunch treats, and plenty of drinks. Put a bag of snacks in the car. Kleenex, wipes, band-aids, maps, umbrellas, check!
First we’re off to Soulard Market in South St. Louis for a bit of history and some fresh fruit. Be sure to look around, inside and out, at the great variety of foods and trinkets offered for sale. It’s perfectly all right to negotiate a bit, that’s part of the Soulard experience. BYOB (Bring Your Own Bags!)
The Soulard name refers to more than just the market. It’s a lovely historic neighborhood as well. Originally, the land was given to Antoine Soulard by the Spanish governor of the territory in exchange for his surveying services. Many years later, his widow, Julia, bequeathed two blocks of the land to the City of St. Louis. The stipulation was that it be used as a public market, and so it has been, since 1845.
The Eugene Field House is nearby at 634 South Broadway, so take an hour to visit this historic home and toy museum. Walking through the doors feels much like traveling back in time. Once you’ve taken the tour, the life and times of the children’s poet will slowly come to life.
Long before Eugene Field became a renowned poet, his father, Roswell Martin Field, was in the St. Louis limelight. He served as Dred (and Harriet) Scott’s attorney in a famous case that eventually led to the landmark Supreme Court decision concerning the continuance of slavery in our country.
And some of that historic litigation took place near his home, at the Old Courthouse. But wait, it’s time for lunch. Might I suggest taking your cooler to Kiener Plaza for a relaxing lunch right in the heart of downtown? Choose a place to dine and enjoy the ambience of your own outdoor café with a great view of the Old Courthouse, your next stop.
A short walk across the Plaza brings you to the Old Courthouse that was in use from 1845 to 1930. Once inside, you will immediately notice the unusual acoustics of the rotunda. Because the sound travels upward, those in the top reaches of the courthouse are able to clearly hear the proceedings of what is happening below. Many public gatherings and speeches have been made in this ornate setting.
Walk a few blocks east, down to the banks of the Mississippi River, sit on a bench and watch the barge traffic for a while. Moving slowly up-river, and rapidly downstream, the massive amounts of goods that are moved in this manner is impressive. Look north to the Eads Bridge and the Lewis and Clark monument that is at its feet. If the river is in its banks, consider this a great vacation photo-op. (A bit of trivia, the dog’s name is Seaman.)
It’s Arch time! Every tourist has to go up in the Gateway Arch, and that includes you and your entourage. First, you may want to tour the underground museum. It’s free. There is a fee to go up the Arch, but, hey, you’re on a stay-cation, so go for it. The gift shop is a particularly good one, so shop a bit for some souvenirs. Maybe even send a few quickly written postcards to friends and relatives.
That’s more than enough tourist activity for one day in St. Louis. On the way out of the downtown district, why not stop for a bite to eat at a St. Louis original, like Gus’ Pretzels at 1820 Arsenal Street, just off I-55. Try the meaty pretzel “sandwiches” and buy a few standard pretzels for snacks later.
You’re in for the night. Check-in at the Homestead Hotel is a breeze; no deposits, no mini-bar fees, no tipping.
Day Two Suggestion: A Forest Park getaway is always an excellent plan. Golfers may enjoy a short nine-hole round at Triple A course at the Kingshighway end of the Park, near the Planetarium. This is truly where golf meets history. After its 100-year run, the course itself is a St. Louis landmark. The motto is, and has always been, “Open to the public, everyone is welcome,” and they mean it. The fees are low and the setting is top-notch. Fore!
The Zoo would be a perfect alternative for the non-golfers in the group. Admission is free. Tables are provided for a quick lunch as you take a break from watching the inhabitants frolic. Relatively new, the Penguin/ Puffin area is now a popular stop for visitors, and a nice respite from the heat.
After you re-group, take a short ride over to the Missouri History Museum located on the Lindell side of the Park. Free admission gives everyone the opportunity to bask in the glory of the city’s rich past. After checking out the exhibits, look across the lawn and behold the new landscaping around The Muny grounds.
Depending on the dates of your June stay-cation, you may either choose to see an old favorite, The Producers (June 16-22), or the pop hit, High-School Musical (June 23- July 2). Both are superb performances. Whether you sit in the free seats or pay big bucks to be right down in front, the sound quality will be excellent.
Here’s the real stay-cation treat for this activity; take the MetroLink and the special MunyLink to the theater. The MunyLink runs from the Forest Park-Debaliviere MetroLink Station on show nights beginning at 6:45 p.m. The price is low, with specials for senior, children and the disabled, and it will give your trip to The Muny even more of an authentic, vacation feel. For full details visit www.metrostlouis.org.
Other suggestions include: a day of visiting the Anheuser-Busch Brewery and taking the complete manufacturing tour, followed by a trip to Grant’s Farm; a drive down I-44 to Grey Summit, MO, to Purina Farms, where everyone in your group will enjoy the animal shows, demonstrations and exhibits; taking in the latest exhibit at Kemp Auto Museum, 16955 Chesterfield Airport Road, is a stay-cation natural, because of their featured exhibit, “On the Road in America: The Great American Family Road Trip.” The list of potential stops goes on and on.
Visiting traditionally ethnic neighborhoods in the city/county is another way to stay in town for a visit and have a wonderful time. Exotic foods, markets, landmarks and languages are a major part of the flavor of St. Louis. The trick to enjoying a stay-cation is in capturing the essence of being a tourist — of looking at the familiar with new eyes. Once you get the knack of it, I’m betting that you will return and spend more time here in St. Louis, “City of a Thousand Stay-cations.”
Author’s Note: The stay-cation term was coined by the writers of the Canadian television sit-com, Corner Gas.
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