We went to St. Louis for Fall Break-
The kids really only wanted to go to play in the City Museum
(and we got our money’s worth- we played for about four hours, then went to the hotel for a break and back again until after midnight!)  
City Museum
If you make it to St. Louis you HAVE to visit this museum (no matter how old/young you are.) 
A fantastic
old shoe factory that was converted into an art gallery/playground that is
next to nothing you’ve ever seen before.  They take recycling to a new
extreme.   Our kids were old enough this time for me to not panic when
they disappeared into a tunnel.  I trusted that they would stay together
and they did for the most part.  Since we were there last time they’ve
added so much.  A whole middle section that goes up at least ten stories
with slides that span the entire building and a rooftop garden complete
with ferris wheel!  Where else can you watch a circus, be a human skateboard, see the world’s largest pencil, slide down ten stories, climb in an airplane hanging on a crane, enter the belly of a whale, and more??  Bring your walking shoes! 

Dragon Friend on Patio

 It was a crazy weekend in St. Louis, as many in the summer/early fall are.  Make sure you try and get a room booked ahead of time.  I had one for the first night and we just lucked into one the second night (thank goodness.)  There was a college football game, professional football game, Food Festival (which was so much fun,) and a Cardinals game all that weekend!  Downtown St. Louis has really boomed since we visited a year or two ago.  I was amazed at all the new bars, shops, and restaurants downtown as well as the neat lofts and condos in the old factory district.  Very cool.

Gateway Arch (great free museum underneath!)

View from Arch (Only 3 of the 6 of us were brave enough)  See the Cards game in Busch Stadium?

  The Anheuser-Busch Brewery Tour is another fun (and free) thing to do.  It takes about an hour if you catch it at the right time.  The architecture and artwork is phenomenal and the kids love seeing the Clydesdales and the bottling plant.  (Free drinks and pretzels at the end of the tour!)

Scott the Clydesdale

Hops Chandelier in Mash Room at A.B.

Anheuser-Busch Brewery

 On the way home we stopped at the Mastodon State Park.  Not as grand as I’d imagined, but a nice break with some fun information that the kids enjoyed.  (And we learned the difference between mastodons and woolly mammoths!)