When planning a fun vacation for kids, would you choose St. Louis or Chicago?
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Rebecca asked:
Why?
I have to go within driving distance. Chicago is 8 hours away, St. Louis is 2 1/2 hours away.
Why?
I have to go within driving distance. Chicago is 8 hours away, St. Louis is 2 1/2 hours away.
5 Responses to “When planning a fun vacation for kids, would you choose St. Louis or Chicago?”
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I would choose Chicago because I always wanted to go there myself for their beautiful parks. I am not impressed with St. Louis so much but my mom told me it is a beautiful city. Chicago is exspensive but there is much more to get into there. I am curious why you are choosing between those two cities though. Disney offers awesome cruises for kids and I have heard nothing but good stuff about that. You would have to go to FL though.
St. Louis, hands down… I’ll admit, I’m a bit biased as I’m from there, but… It is SOOO much fun for kids! And amazing zoo, the Science Center, the Magic House, lots of museums and inner city parks, and don’t forget about the Gateway Arch! If you plan to go to the top though, get there early as there is always a line. You will have to buy a ticket in the underground part and wait for an elevator to be available. Once you get to the top, the view is amazing! Lol… Here I am talking about it like you’ve already chosen to go there… And I’m making myself homesick…
Chicago is wonderful as well, but it has been my experience that Chicago is more expensive than St. Louis and I don’t like their zoo quite as much…
Any other choices???
I’d like to mount a campaign to encourage people not to go anywhere. Travel has become so expensive and unpleasant that it’s hard to understand why people don’t stay home.
Why are we crowding our highways and airports to get someplace else? Newspapers and magazines are filled with ads trying to get us to travel. They want us to go somewhere – anywhere but home
St. Louis is a very family friendly city! Not only do we have a completly free to the public zoo but also an art museum and history museum and that is just in Forest Park alone. The City Museaum is filled with fun and imaginative places for children to climb and is like nothing you have ever seen. The Magic House/ Children’s Museum is also tons of fun and contains learning activities and an entire children’s town filled with shops, homes, and even a real life news studio! We also have the butterfly house, the science center (and omnimax theatre) as well as tons and tons of other fun things to do. All these activities are located in close proximity to save on gas, and we are missouri so everything is cheaper than it would be in more populous states!
I am from St. L but have been to Chicago plenty of times for vacation myself, and I used to babysit for a family in Chicago so I’d fly there for the weekend quite often. I agree with the 2 contirbutors that suggested St. Louis. Both answerers gave great suggestions and many of the attactions are very close together. Face it with kids, things get expensive quickly, so you shouldn’t miss out on the zoo and sceince center. Both are free with various activities inside that cost but the main part of each attraction can be enjoyed at no charge other than parking unless you park on the street. Other museums in Forest Park are free as well. Most everything else has an entrance fee that was mentioned. One place that was not mentioned that is great for little ones (12 and under) is Grant’s Farm….also free except for parking. The animal shows are fun and geared toward the kids. (You used to need a reservation for Grant’s Farm so check the website below.)
If you are nature lovers, consider visiting the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, just north of St. Louis City at the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area. Evening is expecially nice as you can usually see plenty of deer, birds and the occasional coyote. You can hike along the levey and view the confluence from the observation deck. If you are in the area, it is well worth it as most people will never have an opportunity to see it.
Other options that have not been mentioned:
tour the brewery (free)
Six Flags (water park included) (promotion: right now everyone gets in for the kids price $29.99)
Cardinal baseball game
Not that you asked, but as far as lodging, I would recommend the Drury Inn. There are plenty of locations around town and they are very family friendly. All locations have pools and serve free hot breakfast every morning. Link below.
Helpful links:
Hope you have fun where ever you end up.