If you follow my Instagram here: @hummingbirdandhousewife, then you probably saw that we went to St. Louis for our daughter’s third birthday. I have shared a post about the hotel and all it has to offer. Now, I am going to dive a little deeper into all the activities and restaurants that are there.
The Train Shed
The first place that we decided to eat was The Train Shed. They specialize in contemporary cuisine and creative cocktails. There is something for everyone on their menu. We got the Stuffed Spuds for an appetizer. It had bacon, cheddar, green onions, and Alabama white sauce. They were so good! Follow there Instagram @trainshedstl
I had the French Onion Steak Sliders. It came with Horseradish Cream, Demi-Glace, Gruyere, Flash Fried Arugula, on a Caramelized Onion Roll. These things were the best sliders I have ever eaten. They were so tender and flavorful. I would go back just for these.
My husband decided to try the Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich. It came with coleslaw, a pickle, and garlic aioli. He almost couldn’t finish it. I tried it, and it was pretty spicy. But it was a flavorful heat and not a painful heat. He really enjoyed it.
You should definitely try this place out if you are ever in the area.
The St. Louis Wheel
After we left the Train Shed, we decided to ride the St. Louis Wheel. Guinn saw the wheel as soon as we arrived and would not stop talking about it. I am not a fan of heights, but I went 300ft up at the Bass Pro in Memphis, so I told myself that 200ft on a wheel should be no big deal. The wheel has 42 fully enclosed, climate controlled gondolas that seat up to six adults each. Wheel passengers will take three to four rotations high over the St. Louis skyline during the 15-minute ride. Follow their Instagram @stlouiswheel
Guinn loved it! She kept asking to go around “one more time.” I think Valor enjoyed it as well. It was a fun experience and I am glad that we all did it together.
I highly recommend going at night if you can. The wheel is lit up and it is beautiful. I bet it would be amazing to see all of the lights from the city up there.
The St. Louis Aquarium
The next morning, we were the first ones in line to go to the St. Louis Aquarium. If you go first thing in the morning it is not as crowded. This was a great place to take Guinn on her birthday. She loves going to zoos and aquariums. This aquarium has a 250,000 gallon shark habitat, 13,000 animals, 257 species, and 44 exhibits all in 120,000 square feet! I recommend buying tickets ahead of time online because they frequently sell out. Follow their Instagram @aquariumstl
This beautiful clock is at the entrance of the aquarium and it actually works! How neat is that? The staff say that fish are used to it and they just swim around the moving parts.
Valor was even able to enjoy the aquarium from his stroller. They had areas where you could see the fish swimming above you, and the tanks were so big that he didn’t miss out on anything.
One of Guinn’s favorite animals to watch are the otters. They are so playful and cute. We stayed and watched them for a while, and even went back a couple of times. They are so entertaining.
The 250,000 gallon shark habitat is really the star of the show, though. You can see so many beautiful fish and sharks. It is so peaceful to watch.
They also have animal encounters at different times throughout the day, they have touch tanks, and an area for kids to play and create. They were educating guests on the Sloth while we were there. They also let me feed the sting rays some shrimp!
The play area had several spots for arts & crafts, and tunnels for the kids to crawl through. Guinn enjoyed playing in there. This is such a great aquarium. I think this will make our list every time that we go back to St. Louis.
The Soda Fountain
For lunch, we decided to eat at the Soda Fountain which is outside directly across from the aquarium. They are known for their freak shakes. What better to celebrate Guinn’s birthday than a birthday freak shake? Follow their Instagram @sodafountainstl
The birthday shake came with a cupcake and a sugar cookie on top! I tried the sweet and salty shake. It came with potato chips, a chocolate covered pretzel, a Reese’s cup, and a chocolate chip cookie on top. Guinn had a huge PB&J for lunch. I had chicken strips and my husband had a burger. Everything was really tasty and it was such a fun atmosphere. They even have a candy shop inside!
Ropes Course
There is a ropes course located on the second floor above the aquarium. They have a bigger course for adults that Guinn wanted to do, but she had to stay on the kids course. She was so excited to be able to climb on everything. She has been on a Spiderman kick and tries to climb the walls at the house all the time, so she really enjoyed this activity!
Other Activities
Another activity located up top with the ropes course was the Mirror Maze. Guinn thought that was pretty funny. Outside activities included a Carousel and Mini Golf. They are located beside the Wheel. I did not get any pictures of the mini golf because we did not have time to do that activity.
As you can see, there is so many restaurants and activities that you never have to leave your hotel. You step outside of your hotel and the fun awaits! We go to St. Louis often, and I can say that this is the BEST place to stay with your kids. The fun never stops!
Be sure to follow me on Instagram: @hummingbirdandhousewife
You can check out my “Hosted” highlight to see more videos from this trip and others! The Inn at the Mill is hosting us next. Be sure to follow me to see what fun things we do on this trip!