A person simply cannot go to St. Louis without seeing the arch on the skyline (The Jefferson National Expansion Memorial). It’s a visual work of art and looks different from every angle depending on the sunlight, cloud coverage, location, and time of day. Seeing the arch was a bucket list, and it didn’t disappoint. We did not get to go to the top because we didn’t purchase tickets ahead of time, but we got to enjoy it all the same. The visit to the welcome center was very educational with wall murals depicting how the arch was built and to get that cherished stamp in the National Park Passport Book.
The walkway up to the memorial via the riverwalk was interesting. Below is a man on his cell phone by a painted piano. We saw several similar pianos around the city. The one on the riverwalk seemed a little lonely, so I’m glad cell phone man kept it company for a little while.
The riverwalk was visually interesting–from horse and buggies to ornate bridges and walkthroughs. There was a lot to take in.
This is a view in front of the arch facing the river. The activity is jumping on the riverfront, but you can also see the distinct shadow of the arch on the water.
We had to get the obligatory selfie with the arch in the background.
Then, when finally reaching the base of the arch, we had to touch it. We were touching the arch (at least Dani and Mike were) in the photo below. While I thought the arch was spectacular, I was disappointed in the graffiti they obviously tried to eradicate. What’s wrong with people?
Below are photos from different angles depicting varying views depending on light and location. These are from different sites around the arch.
After marveling at the arch, we took a walk to see the Old Courthouse, which was beautiful, patriotic, and serene. Everyone used hushed voices and I think it was the quietest place we visited in the city.
After the Old Courthouse, the day was winding down quickly. It was time to seek out dinner and end our St. Louis adventure with a family meal and visiting time. We found a sweet little Italian place close by named Charlie Gitto’s.
We had a delicious meal, visited, and then headed back to the RV to wind down for the night. On the way back, the kids stopped to get us a St. Louis gooey butter cake, a St. Louis-inspired dessert that topped off our weekend perfectly. Tomorrow, we’d return to Branson and prepare for another work week.
What a lovely, exciting weekend. Thank you, St. Louis.
Where We are Currently: Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, IN
Where We Are Headed: Lafayette, LA
Blog Post Location: St. Louis, Mo.
While we posted no video on St. Louis, you can keep up with our current adventures on the YouTube Channel at RandomBitsRV. Be sure to connect with us on Instragram RandombitsRV.