I Want to Go Somewhere, Part II: Weekend Trips
There’s a great aspect of St. Louis that doesn’t actually have anything to do with the city itself.
#amyshereforthis
St. Louis is great for a lot of reasons. It’s affordable, is full of free family-friendly attractions, food and drink options are seemingly endless, there are sports if you’re into that kind of thing, and the donuts are excellent. But today I want to talk about a great aspect of St. Louis that doesn’t actually have anything to do with the city itself.
Today, we’re talking about weekend destinations. St. Louis is located in a great spot that makes many other fun cities and attractions accessible. Last month, we talked about close day trips from the city to explore, and this month I’m going to broaden the geographical area to include near-ish cities and destinations that would be great for a long weekend or even vacation from St. Louis.
Three years ago, my family went on our first trip to Lake Michigan. It was a big family vacation and we stayed along Lake Michigan in Racine, Wisconsin. Racine is 5.5 hours away, so a little far for a weekend trip, but it was an excellent place for the week. Being right across the street from the beach was glorious. Milder temperatures than the sweltering ones here in August were glorious. Plus we were in Wisconsin, so you know the beer and cheese curds were glorious.
“There’s something special about making it from your front door to the beach, toddlers in tow, in under six hours.”
#amyshereforthis
After that trip, we decided that going north for summer vacation is really the way to go. Why drive 12+ hours to bake on a Florida beach when you can drive 4-6 hours to relax along Lake Michigan? The following summer, my husband and I took our two kids on a camping trip in Indiana Dunes National Park. The campground is excellent and it’s two miles from the beach. We went back last year in late summer and have a trip planned for this July. Indiana Dunes is five hours away, which really adds to the appeal. We love that we’ve found “our spot,” so much so that I was hesitant to share how great it is with everyone else. But it turns out that I can’t stop talking about the Dunes and everyone knows of my love for that place. There’s something special about making it from your front door to the beach, toddlers in tow, in under six hours. You don’t have to go far from St. Louis to have a wonderful vacation.
Here are a few other places we’ve enjoyed for weekends or vacations that are nearby:
Louisville, Kentucky (4 hours from STL)
Joel and I went on a trip to Louisville when I was pregnant with our first baby. We had fun exploring the city, hiking, and taking a tour of the Jim Beam distillery. I’ve since been back on a girls’ weekend and can confirm that it is even more fun when you can actually drink the bourbon.
Kansas City, Missouri (4.5 hours from STL)
Kansas City is a really fun place to explore. I’ve been both with Joel and with friends and both times we ate very well and saw some fun things. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is wonderful!
Memphis, Tennessee (4.5 hours from STL)
Having gone to college just a couple of hours away in Cape Girardeau and having family there for a while, Memphis is a city I’ve spent considerable time in. There’s a lot of music history there, especially if you’re into Elvis, and BBQ is always a must-have for me.
Nashville, Tennessee (4.5-5 hours from STL)
Nashville is another city I’ve visited numerous times, both in college and with my family as an adult. Lots of country music things to enjoy there and tons of delicious food. If you’re noticing a theme here and might be wondering if I just visit new places to eat there, you’re probably right.
Chicago, Illinois (5 hours from STL)
Joel and I spent 24 hours in Chicago with our kids two years ago and had the best time. We did all the touristy things with them, walked to Millenium Park and got pizza for dinner. The year before that, just Joel and I spent five days together in Chicago and enjoyed the Art Institute, lots of food of course, and saw Hamilton live.
“You don’t have to go far from St. Louis to have a wonderful vacation.”
#amyshereforthis
A St. Louis summer is always fun, but after having restricted plans and travel for a year, I know many people are itching to get somewhere new. If you’re ready to bust out of here but don’t want to go too far, I hope you’ll check out one of these great places. Where are you headed to this summer?