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Nestled against the shores of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, the "Gateway to the West" became famous as a launching point for the Lewis and Clark expedition into the frontier and the city continues to pride itself on its role in pioneer America. St. Louis' best-known landmark, the Gateway Arch, soars 630 feet in the air and is the tallest memorial in the country, while the Museum of Westward Expansion chronicles life in the Old West. In later years, St. Louis hosted the 1904 World's Fair (still evidenced by Forest Park, one of the largest urban parks in the world), became influential in the jazz and blues scene and earned a reputation as a sophisticated sports town, particularly when it comes to its beloved Cardinals, winners of 10 World Series championships.

The St. Louis public transportation system is extensive and hits most of the major local attractions downtown as well as offering service westward into the suburbs and across the river into Illinois. The MetroLink train makes six stops downtown between the waterfront and Union Station, is $1.75 for one-way fare, while MetroBus is $1.65. Day passes are available for unlimited rides on both systems for $4.25.

Lambert-St. Louis International Airport is located 15 miles northwest of downtown and offers MetroLink service into the city for $3.25. The train also provides free service between terminals. A taxi ride to the downtown area runs approximately $32.

Visit the Third Incarnation of Busch Stadium for a Cards Game
Make sure to wear red as you join some of the most knowledgeable fans in baseball at the latest baseball-only facility to replace an outdated "concrete doughnut." Busch Stadium III is built on part of the site once occupied by its multipurpose predecessor, Busch Memorial Stadium, home of the Cardinals from 1966 to 2005. The team is also in the planning stages of constructing "Ballpark Village" outside the park, a mixed-use development that will include restaurants and entertainment venues.

Walk Through a "Time Tunnel" of Bowling History
The International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame — which shares a building with the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame (click here to learn more about this hall) — takes visitors through 5,000 years of bowling history in its "Tenpin Alley," tracing the sport from ancient Egypt. You can even bowl four frames on an old-style lane, where attendants reset the pins manually.

See Which College Hoops Team Takes Home "Braggin' Rights"
St. Louis hasn't had an NBA team since the Hawks left town in 1968, but the city still catches basketball fever once a year when the University of Missouri and the University of Illinois square off in the "Braggin' Rights" game at Savvis Center. Located just about midway between the two schools, the city serves as a neutral site upon which Tigers and Illini fans converge to cheer on their teams.

Spend a Sunday Afternoon With the Rams
They're no longer the "Greatest Show on Turf" they were when they won Super Bowl XXXIV, but the Rams still pack the Edward Jones Dome on game day. The facility was built specifically to bring an NFL team to St. Louis after the Cardinals departed Arizona in 1987, and the Rams took the bait in 1995, ditching Los Angeles after nearly 50 years in Southern California.

Follow the Race to Drop the Birdseed Baggie
A tradition in St. Louis since 1973, the Great Forest Park Balloon Race is a two-day affair held each September. The Friday night Balloon Glow kicks off the festivities, and the race begins Saturday at Central Field when the Energizer Bunny Balloon is launched ahead of the pack, followed by 70 "hound" balloons. The free event typically draws more than 130,000 spectators.

Anheuser-Busch Brewery
S. 12th St. and Lynch St., St. Louis, MO 63118, 314-577-2626
Forget those so-called sports drinks, the ones that replenish your electrolytes. When you're finished playing -- or when you're watching others play -- you want a beer. Bud, anyone? The St. Louis Anheuser-Busch Brewery, one of the world's largest, dates to the 1860s. Visitors tour the original Clydesdale stable, built in 1885, the historic Brew House, opened in 1892 and the packing plant. By then you'll have built up a healthy thirst -- which you can satisfy in the tasting room. The brewery is located two miles southwest of downtown St. Louis. There is ample parking or take a cab or public transportation.
http://www.budweisertours.com/

Gateway Arch/Jefferson National Expansion Memorial
707 N. 1st St., St. Louis, MO, 314-982-1410
Ride a tram to the top of this sleek, 630-foot-high monument in downtown St. Louis, overlooking the Mississippi River. Gaze west and try to imagine Lewis and Clark taking off of their two-year odyssey across the plains and Rockies to the Pacific, and back. Better yet, visit the Museum of Westward Expansion, next door, where you can relive their trek and those of others who followed. Note: Long lines are common. Buy online or plan to arrive early. The museum is located in downtown St. Louis. There is ample parking or take a cab or public transportation.
http://www.gatewayarch.com/

St. Louis Art Museum
One Fine Arts Drive, Forest Park, St. Louis, MO 63310, 314-721-0072
The museum is known for a number of its collections, including pre-Columbian art, ancient Chinese bronzes, Oceanic art and European and American art of the late 19th and 20th centuries. It houses one of the world's finest collections of 20th century German painting. The museum is located six miles west of downtown St. Louis. There is ample parking or hail a cab or take public transportation.
http://www.stlouis.art.museum/

Missouri History Museum
Lindell Blvd. and DeBaliviere St., St. Louis, MO, 314-746-4599
The history of St. Louis as rich as any city in the U.S. Through photographs, portraits, artifacts and first-person accounts, the museum tells the story of the Dred Scott case and the music of Chuck Berry, of Tennessee Williams and Charles Lindbergh's plane, the Spirit of St. Louis. The museum is located six miles west of downtown St. Louis. There is ample parking. Or hop in a cab or take public transportation.
http://www.mohistory.org/content/HomePage/HomePage.aspx

Missouri Botanical Garden
4344 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63110, 314-577-9400
This is the nation's oldest botanical garden -- and one of the finest. Open since 1859, its 79 acres are home to a delicate Chinese garden, a domed rainforest greenhouse, a conservatory brimming with camellias, a butterfly house, a scented garden for the visually impaired and the largest Japanese walking garden in the country. The brewery is located five miles west of downtown St. Louis. There is ample parking or take a cab or public transportation.
http://www.mobot.org/

2006 St. Louis Cardinals (defeated Detroit Tigers, 4 games to 1 )
2000 St. Louis Rams (defeated Tennessee Titans, 23-16).
1982 St. Louis Cardinals (defeated Milwaukee Brewers, 4 games to 3).
1967 St. Louis Cardinals (defeated Boston Red Sox, 4 games to 3).
1964 St. Louis Cardinals (defeated New York Yankees, 4 games to 3).
1958 St. Louis Hawks (defeated Boston Celtics, 4 games to 2).
1946 St. Louis Cardinals (defeated Boston Red Sox, 4 games to 3).
1944 St. Louis Cardinals (defeated St. Louis Browns, 4 games to 2).
1942 St. Louis Cardinals (defeated New York Yankees, 4 games to 1).
1934 St. Louis Cardinals (defeated Detroit Tigers, 4 games to 3).
1931 St. Louis Cardinals (defeated Philadelphia Athletics, 4 games to 3).
1926 St. Louis Cardinals (defeated New York Yankees, 4 games to 3).