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St. Louis has so much to do and see. Of course the best known landmark is the Gateway Arch.

There are dozens of great places known mostly just to locals. Whether you're hosting out-of-town guests or looking for a unique way to fill a weekend, read on.

Excerpts from http://stlouis.about.com

Zoo

The St. Louis Zoo is one of the country's best. Actually, both Parenting Magazine and Zagat's call it the top zoo in the nation. Not only does the St. Louis Zoo excel at getting visitors face-to-face with animals, it's also respected for creating exhibits that resemble each animal's natural habitat. Surprisingly, it does all this without charging a dime for admission. That's right, it's Free!

Gateway Arch

The Gateway Arch in St. Louis is the nation's tallest monument. No visit to St. Louis is complete without a trip to the top. But the St. Louis Arch isn't just for tourists. Here's information for both tourists and locals on how to spend a great day at the Gateway Arch.

Children's Museum

St. Louis' Magic House is one of the best children's museums in the country. Learn more about the museum's unique exhibits, special events and hours of admission to plan a trip to the museum today.

Crown Candy Kitchen

Stepping into Crown Candy is like stepping back in time. First off, it's a soda fountain. When was the last time you even heard the term soda fountain? Crown Candy opened in 1913, and you'll be hard-pressed to say what's changed over time. With much of the original décor, menu and original booths intact, it's like having lunch in a time capsule. Beyond the décor, people come for the shakes, malts and candy. Crown Candy makes them all from scratch, using the shop's original recipes. Lunch items include simple but tasty sandwiches, BLTs and chili dogs. But save room for a shake, they're huge!

Soulard Farmers Market

If you haven't been to the Soulard Farmers Market, perhaps you think it's just a giant produce stand. True, there are nearly three dozen vendors selling locally grown fruits and vegetables, but there are also rows of bakers, butchers, spice shops, florists, dairies and jewelers. If you were visiting some exotic foreign city, the guide books would insist you visit the open air market. Luckily we have something just as good, and in some ways just as exotic, right in our own backyard.

Bonne Terre Mine

National Geographic ranked it among America's top 100 adventures, yet not many St. Louisans have visited Bonne Terre Mine. Once one of the largest mines in the world, it was abandoned in the 1960's, only to fill up with groundwater. Its current owners claim the resulting billion-gallon subterranean lake is the world's largest. Visit the mine for a tour by boat or by foot, or if you're a certified diver (or want to become one), you can explore the lake to its depths, following up to 24 dive trails. Bonne Terre is about one hour south of St. Louis.

Gus's Pretzels

Gus' Pretzels has been supplying the city's south side with pretzels since 1920, but the shop has earned a cult-like following in more modern times. Go there around lunch on a weekday and there's a line out the door. Sure, some people come just for basic pretzels, but most come for their favorite pretzel sandwiches. Try a pretzel brat and you'll never want a brat on a plain bun again.

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