Plan a time to go. Summers are warm in St. Louis, with an average June temperature of 89 degrees F. There may be snow on the ground in winter and an average temperature of 37 degrees F in January.
Check the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission Web site (slcvc.com) to order a visitors guide, find information on lodging deals and to see online maps of the area. You can also find ticket information for St. Louis cultural and sporting events.
Check the St. Louis Front Page (slfp.com) in advance of your trip or pick up a copy of the "St. Louis Post-Dispatch" as soon as you arrive to find information on weather, general attractions and special events that may be of interest.
Join the rest of St. Louis in hanging out at Forest Park, which covers more than 1,000 acres in the middle of the city. In addition to the many recreational activities offered here, the park houses the St. Louis Zoo and the St. Louis Art Museum.
Visit the Gateway Arch, the 630-foot symbol of the city that stands on the banks of the Mississippi River. No tour of the city is complete without a visit to the arch and, if you're not afraid of heights, you can take a tram to the top.
Take in one of St. Louis's pro sporting events. The St. Louis Rams play NFL football starting in September; the St. Louis Cardinals play National League baseball in summer and you can catch a St. Louis Blues NHL game during the winter season.
Get a taste of St. Louis blues at the Big Muddy Blues Festival held on Labor Day weekend. For blues on a smaller scale, visit one of the many local blues clubs in Soulard or the Loop.
Stop in at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery for a look at the history of beer-making in St. Louis. You can take a guided tour, enjoy a brew in the hospitality room or get cool T-shirts and other stuff at the Bud World gift shop.
Step back in time at Laclede's Landing, the old warehouse district. Here you can board a historic riverboat for a guided tour of the waterfront, take a ride in a horse-drawn carriage or choose among some of the city's best restaurants and clubs.
