Kansas City Irish Fest, Kansas City, Missouri

Kansas City Irish Fest, one of Kansas City's favorite festivals, takes place Labor Day weekend, Friday thru Sunday, at Crown Center. Though this was our first time at the festival, 2009 marked the 7th year of celebrating Celtic pride in "Cowtown".

Though I had browsed the website and tried to keep up with band announcements and other goings on at Tir na Blog I felt unprepared for the festival itself. I wasn't sure just how family friendly it would be- or how crowded.

I shouldn't have worried. After 7 years the organizers have the festival down to a science. Let me take you on a little tour...

Are you curious about the cows? Kansas City is often called "Cowtown" because, back when cattle roamed the range and cowboys "drove" cattle instead of ATVs, many of those herds ended their journey in Kansas City before becoming a juicy steak.

Entertainment

There's no lack of entertainment. From over a dozen great Irish bands - everything from traditional pub tunes to new sounds that don't compromise tradition- comedians and Irish dancers there is never a question of, "Is there something to do?" it's a question of, "How can we do it all?"

The main stages, the Boulevard Stage and the State Street Stage, are at opposite ends of the grounds; far enough that they don't overwhelm each other.

In between are the children's stage- which features puppets, storytelling, kids bands and workshops- and the Heritage Stage where you'll learn Irish history, tips on genealogy, pick up a bit of the Irish language and maybe take a turn in a Ceili.

This year Barry FitzGerald from Ghost Hunters International was on hand telling stories about the wee folk around Ireland.



For the Kids

Don't even think the kids are going to get bored. Sprinkled around the festival grounds are bounce houses (a fee applies for these), 3 children's areas with activities, Irish Rock Band and Dance Dance Jig Jig Revolution. Trust me, you won't run out of things to do!

Irish Organizations

Whether you're Irish- or you just wish you were- stop by the tents run by Kansas City's Irish Organizations. Learn what they are doing- and what they have helped to do in the past.

Food & Drinks

It's a sad fact... You cannot get a Guinness at Irish Fest. Nor can you get a hard cider of any sort. Blame that on the fact that Boulevard Brewing Company is in Kansas City. Other alcoholic beverages are served as well as sodas and water. If buying from a beverage tent you must have drink tickets.

Food ranges from traditional Irish fare- Fish & chips, pasties- to fair foods like pizza, turkey legs and ice cream. No one will leave hungry. If you can't find anything that suits you just leave the festival grounds (get your hand stamped for re-admittance) and head into Crown Center - where the food may actually cost less!

For a great Irish Breakfast head to Raglan Road. You won't be disappointed.

Shops

No festival is complete without shopping. If it's Irish you'll find it here. Food, clothing, jewelry, penny whistles, art, photography, crafts...

Where to Go When You've Gotta Go

The festival grounds are lined with porta-potties. These aren't too disgusting until late evening. A baby changing station is located near the children's area in the center of the festival grounds.

Irish Museum and Cultural Center

With all the fun going on it's esy to forget about the Irish Museum and Cultural Center in nearby Union Station. We stopped in to buy a book and spent quite a bit of time there listening to Tom Meehan, an Irish balladeer. He was very kind and let Brenna sing a few songs with him- Irish Rover, Leaving Liverpool and Molly Malone.

Where to Stay

Crown Center has two hotels : Hyatt Regency Crown Center and Westin Crown Center.

Things To Do
Kansas City

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Hyatt Regency Crown Center

Note: This post has been updated; please see comments at the end of the post.

This was originally posted 9/21/09
I am, quite honestly, torn about this hotel. While it was nice and the location is on the Link (skywalk system around the Crown Center complex) I really expected to enjoy my stay here more than I did.

I had great expectations before we even arrived. One of the reasons we chose the Hyatt Regency was because I could get adjoining rooms- meaning they have an interior door between them. My mom and cousin were joining us for KC Irish Fest; because I know my girls (and how much they love their grandma) I knew they would want to be with her. But I didn't want them roaming in the halls. Score one for Hyatt.

A few days before we left I called the hotel to confirm that we would have adjoining rooms. I had what was possibly the greatest telephone customer service I have ever received. Score two for Hyatt.

Then came our arrival. We came into town for the most popular festival of the year. Unfortunately the hotel didn't seem like it was fully staffed to service the guests. Check in lines were very long- and very slow. And while a trolley was loaded with our bags by the bellman, it was left for us to take to the room and return to the lobby. (Which wasn't really a problem until time to check out. More on that later.) Strike one for Hyatt.

On top of that, I received tickets to the festival. Which would have been great if the special rates page on their website would have mentioned it. It didn't, so I purchased our tickets from the festival itself. Which means I spent money on tickets I didn't need. And the person handling my check in was a bit snooty when I said that the website hadn't mentioned festival tickets. When she said that she was "positive it did" I opened my computer and showed her the image of the page I ordered from. When she had to admit that I was correct she wasn't very nice about it. Strike two for Hyatt.

On to the rooms. They were adjoining (yea!) and both were quite roomy. Both had a small refrigerator and a nice sized dresser and desk. The bathrooms were large, as well, with marble counter tops and spacious bathtubs.

My only issue with the rooms, and I find this with a lot of hotels, is that there is a charge for internet access. I don't understand this. And, even worse, you had to be online to sign up for the T-mobile service, so you couldn't do it from the room. Luckily I was able to pick up a very weak unsecured signal- possibly from the lobby?- but even with a paid internet connection the signal was spotty and we had to be in front of a window for it to work. Ball one for Hyatt.

Breakfast is not included with your room rate. We knew this, so it wasn't a surprise. Crown Center restaurants are close, including Panera and Einstein Bagels. If you are visiting on a weekend head up to Raglan Road for an exquisite Irish breakfast.

Check out was when things got really annoying. Because we had rolled the trolley up to our room on arrival I sent Doug down to get one. He was told he couldn't have one because, "Those are for our arriving guests." What? It's not quite 10am and people are checking out. I was a bit annoyed and called down to the customer service counter who told me someone would be "right up" with a trolley. Well, right up certainly didn't mean anytime soon as we waited half an hour. I called back down. Seems we were "forgotten". Nice.

I went down to the lobby with the girls to check out, leaving Doug upstairs with the luggage. As I was paying I commented to the clerk at the counter about what had happened. "We only have two bellman on today and they need the carts to do their job." OK, fine. So why were there more carts when we arrived- and why did we do their job then? I received no answer. Strike three for Hyatt.

While I'm sure the poor customer service can be chalked up to the business of the festival weekend it seems to me that a hotel that is directly beside the festival grounds would be staffed for the occasion. Overall the hotel seemed short-staffed and the staff appeared stressed. Whatever the reason I am unsure if I will stay here again.

Note: parking rates are additional to room rates unless included in a package. This is common around Crown Center.

Update: I received an email, followed by a phone call, from the manager of this hotel within a week of my review. We spoke at length about my stay and the problems we experienced. While the manager acknowledged that the hotel was very busy due to the festival that was going on she also said that the lack of customer service was unacceptable. I truly appreciate that the hotel contacted me directly and is working very hard to rectify the problems we experienced.

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Three Great Travel Contests to Enter!

Win an Orlando family vacation! Grand prize includes round-trip flights for six people to Orlando provided by AirTran Airways, offering low fares to Orlando and over 50 other cities; five nights in a private pool vacation home, courtesy of All Star Vacation Homes; plus a full-size car rental from Dollar Rent A Car.

• One entry per household per day.
• Enter here.
• Contest ends October 31, 2009.
• Rules are here.

Win a New Year's trip to London! Prize includes round trip travel and accommodations, a New Year's Eve dinner cruise on the Thames, a 3 hour chauffeur driven tour of London, a VIP pass to Hyde Park, a day trip pass on the Eurostar to Paris, a champagne flight on the London Eye and more. WOW!!

• One entry per person
• Enter here (you must become a Visit London member, it's free)
• Contest ends November 19, 2009
• Rules are here.

Win a country vacation to Beaver Meadows Resort Ranch in the rustic town of Red Feather Lakes, Colorado.Prize includes transportation, car, accommodations, meals, and attractions.

• One entry per person
• Enter here
• Contest ends October 12, 2009
• Rules are here.

For more great travel contests visit the Have Kid Will Travel Fun Stuff page!

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This Saturday is "Museum Day"

This Saturday, September 26, 2009 over 1200 museums and cultural institutions will celebrate by offering FREE admission!

Even if you're not a "museum person" you should check out what's close- you may be surprised. For example the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum in Knoxville, Iowa is included. As is the Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium in Dubuque.

Places we've been that are free this weekend:

• National WWI Memorial Museum, Kansas City, Missouri
  
• Old South Meeting House, Boston, Massachusetts
• Amana Heritage Museum, Amana, Iowa
• Minnesota Zoo, Apple Valley, Minnesota
  

It's easy to find a museum by searching a map or by state (in a drop down box listed below)

Learn more about Museum Day here.

You must print the Museum Day Admission Card. Each card is good for two people.

Get out this weekend and enjoy some culture!

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Raglan Road Irish Pub, Kansas City, Missouri

The Raglan Road website gives a great visual of the pub being built in Ireland and "plunked down" in the US. Of course they are talking about the first Raglan Road in Orlando. They did the same thing with the Kansas City pub- you can even see how right here. Just go back through the archives.

The pub's two bars were hand crafted from salvaged materials found in Ireland- some from past pubs. The wood shines, the bottles stacked behind the bar sparkle and the atmosphere makes you want to dance a ceili in entry.

We visited Raglan Road for the traditional Irish breakfast they were serving during Irish Fest. It was almost like being in Ireland again. It was delish! And, according to Tir na Blog, the inside guide to the KC Irish Fest:

In other Raglan Road news, that delicious traditional Irish breakfast they served Irish Fest weekend, the one my mother raved about, is now a regular feature on weekends from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

My cousin, who was a bit put off by the thought of black pudding, pronounced it "really good". Will they have the rest of their amazing breakfast menu? I'm not sure. But I can totally vouch for the French Toast with berry compote and fresh cream. Oh. My. Gosh. Yummy.

If you can't make it for breakfast Raglan Road has a wonderful dinner menu. I wish I had remembered to take my camera along because the presentation was beautiful. The Scallop Forest appetizer was presented on the tines of forks, the Not Bleedin' Chowder was filled with huge chunks of seafood, the Salmon of Knowledge looked good enough for me to eat it (and I don't like salmon) and the Sod the Stew was presented in a small cauldron.

Of course we weren't hungry after eating that but we couldn't resist the Bread & Butter pudding and the Bailey's Creme Brule Tart. Both were incredible. Truly, there are no words to describe how good they were.

Next time you're in Kansas City head downtown and take in Raglan Road Irish Pub. Whether you enjoy their breakfast or dinner- or skip the food altogether and just head in for a pint and the live music- it's as close to Ireland as you're likely to get in the middle of the US.

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Come to Iowa!

Yes, Iowa! Why? Because I will be speaking at the inaugural I_Blog Conference, November14-15 at the amazing Hotel Pattee in Perry.

My topic? "Doing It All". With the websites, a family, hobbies and church activities it can be difficult to feel like I accomplish anything- let alone work in time for myself! I've been working on developing a balanced life and I can't wait to share my thoughts!

There are other great speakers as well- check them out here.

The I_Blog website is constantly being updated, so be sure to subscribe to know all the newest details!

The I_Blog conference is $75 and that includes meals and fun!

You can sign up for I_Blog here. Space is limited!

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Is Your Princess the "Fairest of Them All"?

Then enter her in the DisneyFamily.com princess contest.

To enter you must submit a photo of your princess, a title for the photo and a short essay about why your princess deserves the Ultimate Princess Celebration.

The editors grand prize winner will receive:
* A five day/four night vacation for four to Walt Disney World ® Resort (including airfare)
* Four night accommodations at a Disney Resort hotel
* Four five-day Magic Your Way tickets with Park Hopper ® option
* One Castle Package treatment at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
* VIP Parade or fireworks viewing
* A Disney's PhotoPass ® Package
* And a Princess Breakfast dining experience for four

The voter's choice winner will win a Snow White Deluxe Costume (Limited Edition), a Belle Deluxe Costume (both costumes are complete with shoes, wand, and tiara), and a Princess Tiana wardrobe doll with 4 outfits.

Click here to enter.

Rules can be found here. Contest ends 11:59:59 P.M., October 16, 2009.

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Win a 2 Night Stay In Orlando

Retweet the promotion, which will be posted on the @getaroomcom Twitter page or here on their page. Once you have retweeted the promotion and become a follower of @getaroomcom, you are entered. That’s it!

Easy, peasy!

The contest will run through September 25, and the winner will be announced September 28 and notified via Twitter. Rules are here.

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Win a Trip for Two to Bora Bora

This getaway from Bloomingdale's is worth approximately $15,000!

One (1) winner will receive two round trip coach airline tickets from nearest gateway city to Tahiti via AirTahiti Nui. They will then spend one night at the Le Meridien Tahiti Hotel, and then spend the next five nights at the St. Regis Resort in Bora Bora. The package includes inter-island transportation on Air Tahiti, boat transfers, breakfast and dinner and a selection of activities including swimming with rays and sharks, a picnic on a private islet and interior island tour, spa treatments for you and your guest and a snorkeling excursion.

You can enter as often as you like.

There are two ways to enter:

1. In store: Visit a participating Bloomingdale’s to fill out a ballot and drop it off at any ballot box. Ballot boxes will be available during store hours, between September 9th and October 2nd 2009.
2. Online: To enter online, visit www.bloomingdales.com/tahiti and submit your name, address, email address and phone number. All entries must be received online by midnight
   EST on September 20, 2009 to be eligible.

Rules can be found here.

For more travel contests visit the Have Kid Will Travel Fun Stuff Page.

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Levens Hall – History for kids with a Tasty Twist!

Today's guest post comes from Zoë Dawes from The Quirky Traveller. I "met" Zoë on Twitter and she offered to share her views of travel with her 12-year-old son around the UK. I hope you enjoy her stories. I know they make me want to hop a jet and "cross the pond"!

“Race you to the Witch’s Hat”, Alex, my 12year old son, shouted to his mate Charlie, as we wandered around the beautiful historic topiary gardens of Levens Hall, South Lakeland, Cumbria, UK. We were at Cumbria's annual Chilli Fest, which takes place within the grounds of Levens Hall www.levenshall.co.uk just outside Kendal. It's famous for its Grade 1 listed Gardens, originally designed in the 1690s. Children just love the topiary, which is cut into some quite extraordinary shapes including the wonderful ‘hat’ shown opposite.

The Chilli Festival happens every August, and has lots for both adults and children to amuse themselves with. Chilli Roulette was a big favourite; spin the wheel and have a 1-in-6 chance of getting a chilli choc instead of a milk choc. Alex ‘won’ one – his face was a picture as the chilli exploded in his mouth!

Another big attraction was the Puppet Theatre, which had a witch who tried to put her victims into a cauldron to make chilli soup – a big hit with the younger children, as you can see.

Brightly coloured stalls sold every kind of chilli flavoured products imaginably, including jams, chutneys, crisps, nuts, and, of course, hot, hot, hot sauces. Other attractions which we enjoyed included Salsa dancing, a Mexican band and the Children’s Chilli Trail which took them all over the grounds.

NEW FOR 2009 - A LIVING WILLOW LABYRINTH (HUNT FOR THE HARE)

Created from willow cuttings grown at Newton Rigg, near Penrith, the Labyrinth has been created by Chris Crowder & his team of gardeners during the winter months. The Labyrinth will grow during the summer months to form a green hedge and a maze will provide paths for children and adults to explore as they hunt for the elusive hare in its centre.

Historic Gardens Play Area
A new children’s play area has been established in the historic topiary garden with challenging climbing and slides for children under-12s and picnic tables for families.

The House has lots to keep children engaged. There are cabinets full of unusual things, old costumes, swords and the Bleeding Chair ... you'll have to visit to find out what that is! But perhaps the biggest draw is the many ‘Spooky Spirits’ who supposedly live there. They include ‘The Grey & Pink Ladies’, ‘The Phantom Black Dog’ and ‘The Traffic Ghost’…

The Chilli Fest happens annually in August and Levens Hall is open from Spring until October each year. Nearby are the varied many attractions of the Lake District. For more details www.golakes.co.uk

© Zoë Dawes August 2009 http://quirkytraveller.wordpress.com
written for ’Have Kid Will Travel’

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Gateway Arch Riverfront, St. Louis, Missouri

I was totally unprepared for how stunning the Gateway Arch is on a sunny day. The stainless steel shone brightly in the sunlight, sparks seeming to shoot from the angles as the sun hit them just right. I was happy just sitting beneath the arch enjoying the vertigo as I watched the clouds float swiftly past the peak.

The Gateway Arch Riverfront includes the Arch itself, riverboat cruises, a cafe, the Museum of Westward Expansion, the museum stores and the Historic Old Courthouse. It can be rather confusing because this area can also be referred to as the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial; both are correct. I'm honestly not sure there is a difference other than promotionally. Here's our experience, one bit at a time...

The Gateway Arch

I admit to being clueless about the Arch. I had no idea that it was actually built as a memorial to commemorate St. Louis' role in westward expansion. The park that surrounds it is huge with walking paths, lots of open green space and small lakes.

The Arch is the highest national monument of its kind at 630 feet- taller than the Washington Monument (555 feet) and the Statue of Liberty (305 feet)- and can be seen for 30 miles. It is truly striking and we spent a lot of time just looking at it.

To enter the Arch you approach either base. The north leg is always busier so I suggest heading to the south. It is free to enter the Arch but be prepared for airport-style screening; all bags will go through an x-ray machine and belts, coins and other items must be removed from your person before going through the metal detector.

Once below the Arch a huge expanse spreads before you. To one side is the ticket counter. Here you can buy tickets "to the top", for river boat cruises or to see the documentary of the arch.

On either side of the ticket counter is a store. To the right is the Mercantile. While you won't find bolts of calico or sacks of flour and sugar you will find sticks of candy, honey, handmade soaps and other "olden" goodies.

To the left is the museum store with amazing Arch photos on everything from mugs to magnets as well as the de rigueur tshirts, puzzles, keychains and other novelties. Brenna chose a scale model of the Arch.

Directly across from the ticket desk is the Museum of Western Expansion. The museum follows a circular pattern with areas very clearly marked.

Begin by standing beside President Jefferson gazing westward. The Lewis and Clark Expedition comprises the outer ring that ends at the wall of American Indian Peace Medals. Inside you will see a tipi and bullboat, learn about the buffalo, explorers, cowboys, the railroad and everything else that took the United States past the Mississippi River.

Getting to the Top

A tram ticket will cost $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 3-15. It's really an interesting experience- even if you have a bit of hesitation about heights, like I do. The first area you enter gives the history of the arch. A bank of phones explains how the arch was built as images appear before you. You are surrounded by images of the arch being built and have the opportunity to have a souvenir photo taken. The entries in the north and south leg do differ a bit with the south being a bit less stark once in the actual loading area.

Once you enter the loading area it's a tiny bit surreal. Almost 50's sci-fi. You line up at your assigned door and wait for your "pod". There are eight "pods", each holding 5 people. It's a very smooth ride and interesting as well, as each "pod" has windows so you can see the interior of the Arch. The ride up takes 4 minutes and the ride down takes 3.

It's rather surreal to walk the final steps to the top of the arch. The area is large enough for 200 people and, unless you are incredibly tall, you can stand straight in it. Of course most people are bent over, leaning against the ledge, peering out the window.

The view is staggering. Behold- very large river boats as viewed from 630 feet:

And the view of downtown... Breathtaking.

To truly "do the Arch" I would allow 3 hours; more if you like history as the museum is very interesting. If architecture is your thing be sure to check out the documentary of the building of the Arch.

Riverboat Cruises

Having grown up on Mark Twain tales I have a fondness for riverboats. There are many types of cruises to choose from; dinner and brunch cruises, blues cruises, lock & dam cruises and the one hour sightseeing cruise, which is what we did. Prices range from $14 for adults, $8 for children for the one hour cruise to $52 for an adult dinner cruise. You can buy your tickets at the Arch or at the riverfront. We got ours at the riverfront and the girls bought sailor hats ($5) in anticipation of their first cruise.

The boats are large replicas of early 19th century steamboats. We boarded the Tom Sawyer. The other riverboat, in sticking to theme, is the Becky Thatcher.

We had a fine day for a cruise; the Arch is incredible when seen from the river. We had both the riverboat captain and a park ranger from the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial serve as our guides, each sharing information about sites along the river.

The second photo in my collage is the Captain's Return statue (Lewis,Clark & Seaman) by Harry Weber. It sits at the edge of the Mississippi and is in sight of William Clark's house.

The third shot is the President's Casino- built on an actual riverboat. The boat itself has an amazing history beginning in 1907 as a side-wheeled steamboat, being remodeled in 1940 to an art-deco excursion riverboat and then becoming a nightclub in 1979 before being purchased, restored and becoming the President's Casino on the Admiral.

The riverboat has a snack counter on board. If you need more sustenance casual dining options are available at the Arch View Cafe, near where you board the boat, and can be taken on board the cruise.

If a riverboat tour isn't your idea of fun you may be interested in the helicopter tours nearby. If we would have had more time I would have loved to rent a quad bike which can seat 4-6 people and has up-front seating for little ones. It just looked like fun!

If you get hot or thirsty look for this distinctive ice cream truck.

Historic Old Courthouse

In 1846 Dred Scott, a slave, and his wife Harriet sued for, and won, their freedom in this St. Louis courthouse. The US Supreme Court later overturned that decision which helped to hasten the beginning of the civil war.

Virginia Minor also had a rather significant case here dealing with the womens suffrage movement in 1872.

Directly behind the Old Courthouse is Kiener Plaza and amphitheater. Many city events take place here but the day we discovered it all was quiet and children were playing in the waterfall and pool.

St. Louis surprised us with all it has to offer- and we didn't do as much as we would have liked to. It's a great family destination.

Family Travel Tips
St Louis

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Win a Family Vacation on Amelia Island in Florida

Another great contest from WeJustGotBack. This one takes you to Florida's Amelia Island.

From the site:

One lucky family will receive a three-night stay at the island's newest hotel, Residence Inn by Marriott on Amelia Island. The hotel offers a lot for families to love, including 133 spacious suites with fully-equipped kitchens, complimentary breakfast, and fun special events such as tastings from local restaurants, Wednesday barbecues, and manager's toasts. The prize also includes four tickets for Amelia River Cruises, whose one- to two-hour narrated tours promise many chances to spy frolicking dolphins or the wild horses on nearby Cumberland Island.

And this is an easy contest to enter! Just leave a comment on this post!

Contest ends September 30, 2009. One entry per person.

For more great travel contests visit the Have Kid Will Travel Fun Stuff page!

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Drury Plaza Hotel at the Arch, St. Louis, Missouri

To say my girls were impressed by the Drury Plaza Hotel would be an understatement. Brenna said it best, I think, when she said, "It's like a palace!"

Well, it may not be a palace but it surely doesn't look like the hat factory it once was. As you enter your eye is instantly drawn to the sparkling lounge area. Sumptuous chairs and couches sit around a central fountain. Glittering chandeliers light tables below and a grand piano sits among them to provide entertainment.

The girls were most intrigued, though, but the statues of Lewis and Clark, Sacajawea, Captain Lewis's dog Seaman and Clark's manservant York. It was actually a great history lesson for all of us as the plaques around the fountain tell of their journey.

Our room, though not as grand as the lobby, was quite nice. The bathroom was large with a tiled floor. The sink area was outside the bath and well lit. We had two queen beds, a large armoire which held the television, a small refrigerator and plenty of drawers for storing clothing. A large desk sat beside that and a comfortable chair sat beside a small table. It was very comfortable for our family.

Customer service was incredible. Everyone was so kind to us; especially to the girls. Staff, no matter what they were doing, would stop and answer Brenna when she walked by and said good morning. Everyone smiled as we passed them. We felt welcomed our entire stay.

When I choose a hotel I look for two things.

1. Does it have a breakfast buffet? With little kids this is important to me. It's so much easier to take them down to breakfast than to take them out. The breakfast here was wonderful: Fresh fruits, breads & bagels, cereal (it is here that my girls first tasted Lucky Charms), yogurt, milk, juices, coffee and tea are a basic Continental. Then add the hot off the griddle pancakes (made right in front of you), eggs, sausage and biscuits & gravy...
   
2. Does it have wi-fi? Nothing annoys me more than a nice hotel that makes you pay extra for wi-fi. Seriously, what's up with that? Luckily this "extra" is included in your room rate.

Also included: a free evening beverage reception, free garage parking and free popcorn and soda in the lobby all day. There is also an exercise room and a pool.

Now let's talk location. The Drury Plaza Hotel is across the road from the Gateway Arch, kitty-corner from the Old Courthouse, and just a few blocks from City Garden and Busch Stadium.

We had a wonderful stay at the Drury Plaza Inn and will definitely stay with them the next time we visit St. Louis.

Quick Facts

355 rooms
Pets accepted for an additional fee ($15 at the time of this post)
Breakfast and internet included
Parking fees apply unless included in your hotel package
Phone: 314-231-3003

Hotel Review
St Louis

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St. Louis Zoo in Forest Park

Who doesn't love a zoo? St. Louis has an amazing free zoo in Forest Park, one of the largest urban parks in the US. We spent a very enjoyable afternoon here.

Although the zoo is free street parking is sparse and it will cost you $11 to park in either the north or south lots. It's a small price to pay- most zoos this nice would cost more for a family of four to enter. Parking in a lot will also get you a coupon book with saving on snacks, souveniers and zoo memberships.

We entered through the south gate into the Lakeside Crossing area. Just inside the gate are guest services areas. Get a map of the zoo here or buy tickets to various attractions throughout the zoo. A Safari Pass ($10) is a great deal as it includes admission to the Children's Zoo, the Zooline Railroad, the sea lion show, the Conservation Carousel, and the Motion Simulator.

To get the "lay of the land" we made our way to the Zooline Railroad. The zoo appears much larger than it actually is when you look at the map; it's easily walkable. That said, the girls loved riding on the train and waving at the trains as they passed. A round-trip train ticket, with hop-on-hop-off feature is $5. The trains are ADA accessible.

Our first stop was the Conservation Carousel. I am a sucker for a good carousel. Especially when the animals go up and down. We watched the carousel for a bit, the girls trying to decide what animals to ride. Brenna chose a zebra and Caelan picked a puffin. The carousel is $3 per person; adults accompanying small children are free. The carousel is ADA and wheelchair accessible.

From here we wandered through The Wild peeking at the penguins and watching the bears.

Discovery Corner was next. If you have smaller children this is where they will gravitate to. We began in The Living World. This is the zoo's north entrance which houses restrooms, a large souvenir shop and the amphibians exhibit. Just outside is the elephant fountain- photo op!

We found the sea otters just in time to view their dinner- fish frozen in ice cubes. It's always great fun to see them slip and slide around their pool.

Just around the otters pool is the play area. Kids can climb the path (or stairs) and choose from two slides- one of which goes through the otters pool! Get cozy with a hippo or pretend to be a spider. This is a great break from looking and a terrific time for activity.

Just opposite is a large boa in a cage (when it's warm out) and the entrance to the Children's Zoo is close by. If you you want to get up close to critters- and even touch some!- this is the place for you. Just be careful in the goat pen- they may try to eat your bag! The children's zoo has a $4 admission charge.

The insectarium is back here, though this is as close as we got to a dung beetle.

I'm sad to say that in the 3 hours we spent at the zoo we didn't see it all. The closest we got to the Red Rocks area was our views from the train. Ditto for Historic Hill and the 1904 World's Fair Flight Cage. We did see a few of the animals in River's Edge but most seemed to be hiding from either the humans or the sun.

I suppose that just means we must return one day...

Fast Facts:

Hours, prices and directions can be found here.

There are plenty of places to dine within the zoo. Picnic lunches may also be brought into the grounds.

The zoo is ADA accessible. Wheelchairs, scooters and strollers are available for rent at the north and south gates.

Forest Park

Forest Park was dedicated on June 24, 1876. It covers 1371 acres and is larger than New York's Central Park. Inside Forest Park are the World's Fair Pavilion, the Missouri Historical Society, the St. Louis Art Museum, the St. Louis Science Center, the Muny, playgrounds, sports parks, trails, lakes, statues... It's absolutely amazing. I wish we had had time to explore it.

As it was, the only time we had there was during our wait to eat at the Boathouse. This restaurant sits at the edge of Post-Dispatch Lake and, as its name suggests, you can rent paddle boats here. It is open year round and does a brisk business during the summer. We arrived about 6:30 pm and were told our wait would be 45 minutes to an hour so Doug and Brenna set off to explore. Caelan and I stayed close and met the dogs who are welcomed on the patio.

I was disappointed in our dinner at the Boathouse, and it had nothing to do with the food. It was the disorganization we witnessed outside. The restaurant and patio were packed yet there is no pager system to let people know when their table is ready. And if you are not within range to hear your name called, well, you're out of luck. Our wait for a table ended up being almost two hours (yes, we should have left before then) and by that time the girls were tired and cranky.

The food was good, though not memorable. The best part of the meal was the Basil Hummus. The warm pretzels we got for the girls were rather bland and they didn't appreciate the cheddar ale dip. Doug's hamburger was quite good and the chicken strips were the same as you would get anywhere else. I ordered the Flank Steak Rarebit. Flank steak is a difficult meat to cook. It needs to be cut and cooked correctly and mine was neither. It was tough and undercooked. The rarebit sauce was very tasty, though. A big plus: our waiter Carlos was exceptional.

If you plan to go to the Boathouse in the summer be sure to go early- like 3:30 or 4pm. Or don't take kids. It's a place to "be seen", at least on a Saturday evening.

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