St. Louis: the Gateway Arch & Anheuser-Busch
A quick spring weekend in the Gateway City, built around two unmissable St. Louis icons: the great stainless-steel Arch and the historic Anheuser-Busch brewery.
This is the companion to our St. Louis photo diary.
Going up the Gateway Arch
The Arch is taller and stranger than photos suggest - 192 meters of gleaming stainless steel, and the only way up is a quirky little tram of egg-shaped pods that tilt as they climb. At the top, small windows look out over the Mississippi on one side and the city on the other. Book a tram time in advance, especially on weekends.
The Anheuser-Busch brewery & the Clydesdales
A few minutes south, the original Anheuser-Busch brewery is part factory, part cathedral - ornate old brick buildings, gleaming brew kettles, and the famous Budweiser Clydesdales in their stables. The tour is a St. Louis institution and was, at the time, free.
Worth knowing
Both sights sit near the riverfront and pair naturally into a single day. Comfortable shoes for the Arch grounds, and arrive early at the brewery before the tour groups build up.
Just want the pictures? They live in our St. Louis photo diary.