Ride a Paddleboat down the Mighty Mississippi (And Other Things in New Orleans that Might be Overrated)

I love trip planning. Researching the highlights of a destination, contacting tour offices for tips and tricks, and discovering hidden jewels gives me a thrill. By the time I head out for my journey, I have a list of "things-to-see-and-do" about a mile long. And, usually to the dismay of my husband, I try to hit everything on my list (because I'm so darned excited about each and every item).

Traveling through time in Old St. Charles Town, St. Louis

During my whirlwind work trip to St. Louis, my boss and I set aside one day, and one day only, to explore St. Louis before we had to fly back to Canada. We wanted to explore some unique and fun sights around our hotel area in Westport, rather than paying for a $60 taxi cab ride to the downtown area where the Budweiser Beer Brewery and the St. Louis Gateway Arch stand (although, I really did want to go back downtown so I could go UP the arch). We asked our concierge where to go, and he responded with a resounding, "Old St. Charles Town, of course!"

Strut under the St. Louis Gateway Arch

If you follow my blog, you already know that I visited St. Louis at the beginning of May for a conference, and that I had an exciting chance to take my first beer brewery tour. However, I also had the chance to check out the massive Gateway Arch on the banks of the Mighty Mississippi in downtown St. Louis, do a wee bit of gambling and some shopping, and stroll the quaint and colonial streets of Old St. Charles Town (next blog entry). For only having one day of free time in St. Louis, we sure packed in a lot!