48 Hours in St. Louis, MO

48 Hours is a quick trip, to St. Louis, MO but even just a weekend is a treat, we went and had the best and most budget friendly trip and you can too. St. Louis has the second most free museums just behind Washington D.C. which helps with making your trip exciting, educational, and cultural all without breaking the bank.

This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. This commission is at no additional cost to you.

We have created the perfect packing list to get everything you need for your small town getaway into one lightweight personal item. Flights are getting more expensive, and carry-ons have become a charge for almost every flight. Getting everything you need into the perfect personal item is one of the best tricks to keep costs low.

St. Louis is located in Missouri near the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. It is next to Illinois to the east. It is the second-largest city in Missouri. It is often called the Gateway to the West and the Arch is representative of the westward expansion.

Arriving in STL Airport you cannot walk between terminals, which doesn’t make it the most easy to navigate through. You can only utilize the shuttle service, unless you are coming from a major hub you will likely have to take a connection to get to STL, it is worth checking Southwest Airlines as they utilize STL as a connection point in their routes.  I recommend getting a car during your trip, parking isn’t too difficult or expensive while you are there.

Head over to your hotel, if you want to be near the nightlife stay downtown, trying to ball on a budget, stay near Lafayette Square.

Hotels.com: The Obvious Choice. Book now and save! Hotels.com: The Obvious Choice. Book now and save!

Once you drop your bags it is time to head to dinner, I highly recommend some St. Louis BBQ and you cannot do better than Salt and Smoke BBQ in University Park once you have had your fill head over to Ted Drewes Frozen Custard they are super casual, but have been doing custard for over 80 years, and trust me they know how to do it right! If you are wanting to keep the night life going, make a reservation in advance and head to Thaxton Speakeasy (the entrance in in the alley, check their website for the weekly password before heading over). It is both sexy and swanky and a must hit if you are looking for an upscale cocktail. If you are up for a more populated time, head to Ballpark Village St. Louis. Then when you finally make it back to the hotel to crash, because tomorrow is another busy day.

Quintessential St. Louis requires visits to The Gateway Arch, a ride on a Steamboat on the Mississippi River a visit to the Budweiser Brewery Experience for a Tour and Tasting and Grant’s Farm to pet the animals and see the Clydesdales. All of these experiences are so awesome and are must hits when coming to St. Louis.

If you are coming with the kiddos, you may also want to go see a baseball game, hit the Saint Louis Science Museum (the planetarium is so cool), The Missouri Botanical Garden (check their website for special events, we went during their lantern festival and it was beautiful having the art in the garden), or check out the City Museum (great for the kids, but not free)

Additional Amazing Options

St. Louis Art Museum (SLAM)

Graffiti Wall

Mark Twain National Forest

Onondaga Cave State Park

Forest Park

Missouri History Museum

Creve Coeur Lake (Fishing, biking walking, or kayak canoe rentals)

Yummy Food Options

Sweet snacks at Nathaniel Reid Bakery close at 4pm

Upscale Dinner Cinder House, (South American Cuisine beautiful views of the Arch)

Quick eats Midtown Sushi and Ramen

Gus Pretzels and/ or Melos Pizza in Benton Park, City Garden,

Park Avenue Coffee (ooey gooey butter cake)

Pieces The St. Louis Board Game Bar & Café