St. Louis 4th of July Getaway Weekend ✨

Spent my 3-day Independence Day weekend exploring STL—first visit in over a year! Here’s the rundown: 1️⃣ Gateway Arch National Park Of course, no STL trip is complete without visiting the iconic Gateway Arch! You can take a tiny tram ride � to the top for epic views. Confession: I accidentally fell asleep before the fireworks show at night… oops! 😴🎆 2️⃣ City Museum This place is a full-day adventure! 🏰 Thought it’d be a guided tour, but nope—explore freely in this madhouse of creativity! Highlights: 🐶 Rooftop dog show (so cute!) 🌀 Unexpected tunnels, slides, and secret passages (kids and adults love it) 🍔 Food & drinks available inside 🅿️ Pro tip: Street parking at meters was FREE! 3️⃣ Wash U (Washington University) 🏫 Super close to our hotel! Easy visitor parking (free for ~1 hour), then took the elevator to Level 1 for a quick campus stroll. 4️⃣ Forest Park My must-visit every time! 🌳 This massive park has: 🦓 Free zoo 🎨 Art & History Museums 🏛️ 1904 World’s Fair Pavilion 🎭 The Muny Theatre (showing Come From Away—dying to see an outdoor musical here someday!) Perfect for jogging, picnics, or dog-watching! 5️⃣ Food Adventures 🍳 Brunch: • Chris’ Pancake & Dining – Solid! • Shack Breakfast & Lunch – Also great! 🌶️ Dinner MVP: Cate Zone (again!) 🔥 Their spicy chicken is legendary—order it, plus everything else! 🚫 Skip: Soup Dumplings STL 🦀 Pork & crab xiao long bao = bland + crunchy bone fragments 😱 🍚 Teammate’s braised pork rice: 5 tiny meat cubes on a giant plate of rice (sigh). Not worth it. 6️⃣ The Delmar Loop 🚶♂️ Stumbled upon this eclectic strip with tons of Chinese restaurants—adding them to my must-try list! 🛒 Nearby gems: • Whole Foods (walkable) • Straub’s (local grocery) 🎥 Chase Park Plaza Cinemas – Perfect for a movie night! #StLouis #STLTravel #GatewayArch #CityMuseum #ForestPark #FoodieFails #WashU #July4thWeekend