[St Louis, MO, Sep 9, 2023]
And just like that, the Colorado part of this giant trip was over. After our very busy day finishing up Mesa Verde, driving to Great Sand Dunes and then to Colorado Springs, we spent a much-needed low-key day at my friend May’s. We went to the Garden of the Gods, which I’d been to before and always love coming back to. The next day, Ash and I said good-bye – he went back home and I took a quick flight to St. Louis, Missouri.
I dropped off my luggage at my hotel in Clayton, a suburb of Missouri some Facebook groups I am a part of recommended. It was only 15 minutes to downtown St Louis, which doesn’t have the greatest reputation in terms of safety, and it was much cheaper. I had pre-booked parking downtown, which was the recommended with my booking of the arch tram tour. Before I knew it, I was walking towards the arch!
The first thing I noticed is how big the area around the arch is. There is an entire green space around it, and the giant lawn between it and the Old Courthouse made for great photos.
The Old Courthouse is actually part of Gateway Arch National Park, but I couldn’t tour it because it was closed for renovations. The courthouse was designed by Henry Singleton in the Greek Revival style, with four wings, including an east wing that comprised the original courthouse and a three-story cupola dome at the center. It was completed in 1864.
I had bought a ticket to go up to the top of the arch way ahead of this trip, leaving myself plenty of time between my flight landing and the reservation time in case of delays. Luckily, everything had gone smoothly that day, so I went to the ticket desk and exchanged my ticket for an earlier one. I still had some time to kill, so I decided to spend it immersing myself in the museum space at the bottom of the arch. The museum opened in July 2018 and it shares St. Louis’s role in United States history, from the city’s founding in 1764 to the completion of the Gateway Arch in 1965. Special attention is dedicated to the US’ expansion West, which the Gateway Arch commemorates. A harrowing video map showed that expansion and the corresponding disappearance of Native American land and the creation of reservations. The museum did not shy away from highlighting the atrocities and injustices committed against Native Americans.
Going to the top of the arch was quite the unique experience. You can go up either arch leg, but you don’t get to pick (and it doesn’t matter). Each leg has 8 tram cars (or capsules) going up, and your tram car is also assigned to you. Each car is rather tiny; there are only 5 seats in each, with the seat against the back wall most suitable for tall people since it has the most headroom. On the ride up, you get to hear about how challenging it was to design a tram to go up the arch legs to begin with. The sloping of the legs as well as the narrowing of the arch at the top made this all quite the feat. The final design borrowed elements from both Ferris Wheels and elevators. Each capsule rotates approximately 155 degrees during the trip to the top of the Arch. These rotations occur as gentle pivots, similar to what you might experience on a Ferris Wheel.
The view from the top (630 ft above ground, to be exact) is absolutely spectacular. The whole of downtown St Louis sprawls in front of you as you look west, and the Missouri river is to the east.
I probably had about 10 minutes at the top before we had to go back down. The space was small and full of people, but I still enjoyed these fabulous views.
Afterwards, I walked around the green space and marveled at the arch from all its different angles.
I needed some nourishment before I got back to my hotel. Somehow I became aware of Fitz’s. Famous for its root beer, this restaurant is also where the nationally acclaimed signature soda is bottled. I couldn’t resist some good BBQ and a root beer float (I got the Nutella one)! The back patio was inviting and the temperature was perfect for some al fresco dining.
Fitz’s happened to be in a great neighborhood called The Loop (short for The Delmar Loop). It got its name over a century ago from streetcars that came west and “looped around” Delmar Street before connecting to other areas.
Delmar Street is lively and lined with shops, restaurants and theaters. It also home to St. Louis’ Walk of Fame. Over 140 brass stars and plaques honor famous St. Louisans.
The Tivoli Theater, restored to its 1924 splendor, now shows independent films and cult classics on its three screens.
The veritable European that I am, I fell in love with this unexpected gem of a walkable neighborhood in the car-crazy USA. A major university (Washington University in St Louis) and a giant park (Forest Park) were also nearby and I could practically see myself having an outpost in this charming city. I may or may not have opened a real estate app to check what kind of prices homes go for in this area. I many not have visited St Louis if the Gateway Arch weren’t a national park, but I am so glad I did!
