Where to stay

Folks in St. Louis know how to celebrate, with festivals across the neighborhoods all year long. Select a hotel near Forest Park for the free Shakespeare Festival in late May and June. Downtown St. Louis hotels are convenient for numerous events including PrideFest in June, Fair Saint Louis under the Gateway Arch on July Fourth and Blues at the Arch on Friday Nights in August. Book accommodations in advance for the Cardinals opening day baseball festivities in April when the area lights up in red. Stay in Central West End for the CWE Summer Music Series every Friday night from May through September. The Halloween street party here is lots of fun too. Clayton is a great place to stay for the St. Louis Art Fair in September while Kirkwood is perfect for the music and vintage car show of Route 66 Cars and Guitars.

Culture, history and art are everywhere in St. Louis. Book a hotel near Forest Park to enjoy its cultural institutions including an art museum, history museum, science center, zoo and huge outdoor theater. Downtown St. Louis hotels are surrounded by historic and cultural sites, such as the Gateway Arch, Soldiers Memorial Military Museum, the Cardinals baseball stadium and a huge venue hosting top-name musicians. Stay in Central West End to tour the beautiful Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, established in 1914. Lafayette Square is a great place to stay amid colorfully painted Victorian homes. Book in advance to participate in tours of these historic buildings in early June and December. Accommodations in Chesterfield are close to Faust Park's historic village and Butterfly House, as well as impressive outdoor art.

St. Louis almost overflows with great restaurants. Book a hotel in Downtown St. Louis, where hundreds of restaurants offer all types and flavors of cuisine in a range of venues, from al fresco sidewalk cafés to rooftop gardens. Stay in Central West End and walk along Euclid, where dozens of restaurants and bars offer tantalizing flavors and refreshing cocktails. Accommodations in Clayton are surrounded by restaurants for all-day dining, from one-of-a-kind coffee shops to lunchtime bistros to late-night bars. In Kirkwood, buy fresh produce and prepared food at the farmers market, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Take the train to the area's historic 1893 station and stay in a nearby hotel. Neighborhoods across town have craft breweries. Hotels in Downtown or East St. Louis are close to one of the city's most popular spots, the Anheuser-Busch Brewery, with tours featuring history, Clydesdale horses and beer.

St. Louis has a beautiful setting along the Mississippi River, with many parks in neighborhoods surrounding the city. Stay near the huge Forest Park to enjoy its combined cultural and outdoor attractions including concerts, an open-air theater and moonlight picnics. With more than 1,000 acres of green lawn, trees and dual paths for walking and running, this spot is great for those who love daily outdoor activity. Hotels in Maryland Heights are close to another lovely outdoor spot, Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park, which offers golf, kayaking, sailing, picnicking and rowing, as well as a large outdoor amphitheater and soccer fields. Book accommodations in Eureka to enjoy its nature trails and waterways. Sunset Hills is a great neighborhood to stay in. It's close by Grant's Farm, a former Busch family home, where visitors can see Clydesdale horses, feed goats, ride a carousel and sit on a camel.