With the weather warming up, there is always an itch to get out of town for the weekend. We decided to explore the Midwest further by driving from Chicago to St. Louis, Missouri.

How to get there: If you ae traveling from the Chicago area, I highly recommend driving down via 55 South, which takes about 4-5 hours. For rest stops, try stopping in Springfield or Bloomington as they are the largest cities you will pass on your drive to St. Louis.

If you are not driving distance to St. Louis, you are able to fly into St. Louis Lambert International Airport.

Transportation in St. Louis: Public transportation isn’t efficient when it comes to getting around the different neighborhoods. To get around, I either recommend driving yourself or using some type of rideshare. When I was there, getting an Uber or Lyft was affordable and quick.

Hotel: I ended up staying in downtown St. Louis at the Hilton St. Louis Downtown at the Arch, and I do not recommend this hotel. I thought it’s 4-star status along with its price point and location would all be good signs of a great hotel. However, when I arrived, I was proven wrong. The room was dirty, out dated and warn down – stay away from this hotel! There are a handful of hotels located in the downtown area, if you want to be located near The Gateway Arch.

Day 1:

With St. Louis being a smaller city, arriving in the afternoon will give you enough time to explore the city. Start by checking into your hotel to get settled and freshen up.

If your hotel is located in the downtown area, you should be able to walk towards the Cardinals stadium to grab lunch at Salt + Smoke, a popular BBQ chain in the city. Afterward, begin to explore the city’s breweries by walking to 4 Hands Brewing Company. Continue by grabbing a ride to the Rockwell Brewery. If it is nice out, check-out their large outdoor patio. If you still have time so spare, walk over to Olio for a glass wine or a cocktail, and if the weather is nice, take advantage of their gorgeous garden patio space. If you enjoy mediterranean food, this is a great alternative dinner spot.

For dinner, walk across the street to Nixta for some modern Mexican food.

We ended up at the Stifel theater to see Chelsea Handler. However, if you are not into a show or possible sport’s game, check-out The Grove including Urban Chestnut for an evening of drinks.

Day 2:

Start your day by grabbing breakfast at Half & Half. Make it a priority to grab their restaurant made biscuits. To walk off the calories, head to Tower Grove Market. If you are visiting on a Saturday, check-out the Farmer’s Market. The market includes a variety of vendors including farmers, food trucks, beverage stands, local artists and more. Afterwards, walk over to the Botanical Gardens, which features over 23 gardens.

Make your way out of the area, and head towards the neighborhood Soulard to grab lunch at Bogart’s Smokehouse. Out of all the BBQ places we tried, this place had the best ribs. The neighborhood is buzzing with live music alongside casual pizzerias and Southern restaurants. If you want to spend some additional time checkout the Farmer’s Market as well as the international tap room for a drink.

Recently named a national park, make sure to make a stop at the Arch. When visiting the arch, you have a couple of options. You can explore the outside area for free. You are able to enter the building for free as well; however, you will be required to go through security. If you are interested in going up, make sure to make an appointment a head of time. It costs about $20 per a person to go up the arch. The ride up is tight and depending on weather, you might feel the arch sway at the top.

Take some time to freshmen up for dinner and head to dinner at Vicia. The restaurant offers a delicious tasting menu. To ensure you get the full experience make sure to reserve a table in advance. The restaurant offers a 3-course meal with an option to add additional courses. If you are looking to continue the night, check-out Scarlett’s Bar.

Day 3:

Grab breakfast at The Hud House. Afterwards walk around Charokee St, a Latin American area known for its taquerias and Cinco de Mayo celebrations along with eateries and hip bars.

Next head the Washington University campus for a stroll around the campus. If you are looking for some coffee, stop by Blueprint Coffee beforehand.

In the area, you can check out the St. Louis museum, which offers free admission – tickets are only required to see any of the special exhibits. The surrounding area is a park, so you can spend some time strolling around the area by the museum. If of interest, the St Louis Zoo is there as well.

If you enjoy art, check-out the Contemporary Art Museum of St. Louis. With the museum being a lot smaller, it takes about 30 minutes to walkthrough all the exhibits.

End your trip with one more stop of BBQ at the Pappy’s smokehouse.