Explore St. Louis

Thinking about visiting St. Louis this year? This is a forum that will give you information about tourism and conventions here in the "Gateway to the West."

First, the basics. St. Louis is located on the Mississippi River in the heart of the Midwest. This image shows a towboat (no, they're not called "tug" boats here) gliding by the Gateway Arch, our signature attraction.

Speaking of the Arch, the monument celebrates its 40th birthday later this year. On October 28, there will be a "turn back the clock" party with rides to the top for just $1 (the same price as the original opening day). You also can see the great documentary, "Monument to the Dream," for free that day and meet some of the Arch's original builders. (If you think that scene on Mt. Rushmore in the Hitchcock movie "North by Northwest" is a palm-sweater, just wait until you watch these iron workers walking around on that thin, hot piece of metal 630 feet in the sky. And no one died. Amazing.) You can get more information at www.gatewayarch.com.

Here's a tip. If you're planning to visit the Arch during your St. Louis getaway, you can get timed tickets online in advance. Trust us...it will save you a lot of time and help you plan your trip more efficiently. Do not, however, use the timed tickets you snag as an excuse to miss the amazing Museum of Westward Expansion underneath the Arch. It explains why the monument is here in St. Louis (to honor Thomas Jefferson and to explore the opening of the American West) and gives you a crash course in American history from 1800 - 1900.