william66266

I'm not sure what you consider cheap but the Moonrise Hotel and The Chesire are both excellent non-chain hotels with great staff and service in a safe area. I've also heard good things about Clayton Plaza Hotel and the Seven Gables Inn. Moonrise and Chesire are both closer to more activities though and are in safe neighborhoods.

Some fun facts about St. Louis: 1. St. Louis has more free attractions than any other city in the country outside Washington, D.C. Guests pay nothing to visit the art museum, the history museum, the science center and the zoo. 2. Speaking of the zoo, the attraction was born after a bird exhibit for the 1904 World’s Fair proved to be hugely popular. The flight cage was originally commissioned by the Smithsonian, and instead of dismantling and shipping it back to D.C., St. Louis bought the exhibit for $3500. Today, it is one of the best Zoos in the USA. 3. Besides being where the St. Louis Zoo got its start, the 1904 World’s Fair, held in the city's Forrest Park neighborhood, was the first time the world saw electric plugs, the X-ray machine, and the ice cream cone. 4. The musical movie Meet Me in St. Louis, starring Judy Garland, takes place in the city and tells the story of a family who doesn’t want to leave town, or the World’s Fair, for a new life in New York. 5. The St. Louis Cardinals is one of the most successful baseball franchises in history. To date, the team has won 10 World Series championships, 17 National League pennants, and 11 division titles. And they might be adding more to that list soon. 6. The city hasn’t forgotten its French roots and hosts a huge Mardi Gras parade and festival every year, which is said to be the second-largest in the country after New Orleans'. 7. St. Louis' food scene has recently been getting significantly better. It's not San Francisco but I really think only Chicago can can compete in the food scene. 8. St. Louis' version of Stonewall occurred Oct. 31/Nov. 1, 1969, when nine men in drag are arrested for violating masquerading laws and bailed out by the community thanks in part to support from the Mandrake Society. Charges would be dismissed. 9. Tennessee Williams' Glass Menagerie wins the New York Drama Critic's Circle Award. 10. St. Louis is one of the most affordable livable major metropolitan centers in the United States that is culturally diverse. The greatest surprise to visitors is just how green the neighborhoods are and how welcoming people are. One rarely goes more than a few blocks without finding an attractive and welcoming park in which to stroll, bike or jog. In addition, with affordable housing, excellent restaurants, numerous sporting events, and varied cultural activities, St. Louis is one of the most pleasant American cities in which to live and to work.