if you follow me on instagram, then you may have noticed that we actually left the house last weekend! and not just for a stroll around the neighborhood. we packed our bags, drove to the airport, boarded a plane, and survived a two hour layover in order to make our way to st. louis–with a 2.5 year old and a 5 month old! i know, it was no small feat, but it was 100% worth it. with the little ones around, we tend to be homebodies. we kinda stick within a few-mile radius of the house so that we can take naps, eat good food, and avoid toddler meltdowns whenever possible. but it also means that mama starts to get a bit of cabin fever. so when my friends at the alive influencer network and explore st. louis asked if we’d like to visit, i didn’t even hesitate! the last time we were in town, i was 6 months pregnant with adam and we had so much fun exploring the city. this time, things have changed quite a bit, but it’s only expanded our appreciation for just how family-friendly it is in st. louis.

city museum

this was the first place we went when we got to st. louis, so we still didn’t have our bearings. adam had a ton of fun there, but we totally forgot to take photos, so i hope that crumb bumbs doesn’t mind that i’m using some of her photos. she lives in st. louis and has featured this place a number of times on her blog, so you should definitely check her out. having said that, i can share our first impression, which is that the city museum is amazing and unlike any other place i have ever been. it’s like a giant playground for children and adults alike.

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pi pizzeria

i was really excited to visit this place because one of their claims to fame is that they make president obama’s favorite pie! in addition to their chicago-style deep dish pizza, they have a really great selection of craft beers and cocktails.

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living collective

after filling-up on pizza, we took a stroll down the street in the central west end neighborhood to this rad little boutique. they stock a really great selection of indie designers like samantha pleet, rachel antonoff, and nooworks. and they had the best halloween decorations up. not only that, but they share a space with vino gallery, so i got to sip on a glass of rose while i shopped!

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taste bar

this was my last stop for the evening because i had to get back to the kids, but it was pretty nice to sit and enjoy yet another cocktail and this incredibly indulgent ice cream treat topped with magic shell!

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strange folk festival

as luck would have it, our trip was perfectly timed so that we could enjoy not only the murmuration festival, but also strange folk! this free event takes place in the incredibly charming lafayette square. it was a seriously hot and humid day (we’re talking nearly 100 degrees), but we still enjoyed a slow stroll through this indie craft show while sipping on cold drinks. not only were there a ton of cool vendors, but the neighborhood and park were stunning. i seriously can’t get over the incredible history and architecture of this city!

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vicia

after heading back for a nap in the hotel room, we headed out to the vicia dinner pop-up to kick off the murmuration festival! they served a variety of super-fresh, farm-to-table bites and we had a chance to lounge around and relax a bit before the evening began.

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murmuration festival

we only stayed for a short bit, but mr. adam blended in quite well playing with my cell phone like a proper blogger, haha. the main different being that he was watching videos of monster trucks while patiently waiting for me to stop catching up with friends. it’s a 3­ day festival featuring influential speakers, national innovation thought­leaders, a juried art competition and cutting-­edge music performances. innovators, scientists, artists and entrepreneurs are invited to engage the public and share their work. this was the first year of the festival, so i’m sure it will only continue to grow and feature some of the best and brightest of st. louis and beyond.

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the missouri botanical gardens

we have lots and lots of photos from our sunday morning at mobot because we were lucky enough to have the photographer, elizabeth wiseman, come along with us. she’s also the person who took most of the photos for this post. and she has a son close to adam’s age and lives nearby, so she gave us the insider scoop on the best spots for kids. they have a children’s garden with sand boxes. splash pads, a giant slide, the list goes on. definitely one of the more family-friendly gardens i’ve ever been to! definitely worth a visit if you’ve got kids!

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the preston

we rounded out our trip with one last stop for the evening at the preston inside the chase park plaza. this beautiful, historic hotel is located in the central west end, which is a super charming neighborhood right next to forest park. it’s a really great place for fine dining without all of the pretension. adam and edith were welcome to eat with us as we sampled their ecclectic menu of shareable dishes. and mom and dad got to try a fancy cocktail!

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the cheshire hotel and restaurants

and last but not least, a big thank you to the campy cheshire hotel for having us once again. we stayed there on our last trip, so it was fun to go back and say hello to the giant taxidermy bear and play on the giant chess board outside. they also have several restaurants on the property including basso, boundary, and the fox & the hound tavern. they were kind enough to supply us with a few gift cards to the restaurants, so when we weren’t out and about, you could find us sampling each restaurant while lounging around in the hotel room.

and once again, a huge thank you to the alive influencer network and explore st. louis for inviting us for such a fun family weekend!