St Louis Science Center

These days as a single mom struggling on a small income I have realized how fun life can be without all the glitz and glam.  In December, for the little man's big number 5 birthday my gal pal and I loaded up the car and headed to St Louis to celebrate in a BIG, but affordable way!

The little man could tell no difference if I spent $5 on his day or $500 all he knew is he had fun and was loved.

The St Louis Science Center is open daily, many of the exhibits are FREE, but some do cost a small fee!  On our adventure scale of 1 to 10, D-man gives the St Louis Science Center a 12!  He LOVED his birthday surprise!

Happy Adventures!

Hey Mom, there are cars underneath us! 

I "Dig" This!

TORNADO

Building the St Louis Arch

Hey Look Mom, our Blog is on here!  

Travel Tuesday at the Missouri History Museum in St Louis MO

Today is Travel Tuesday…woot! Woot!  I have decided that I am going to share one place each Tuesday that the kiddos and I have found worth traveling to!

Today’s Travel Tuesday Destination is The Missouri History Museum in St Louis MO.  I know blah right this is a museum full of history, nope that is a negative!  I was blown away with the Missouri History Museum when I visited! 

While the Missouri History Museum is loaded with Missouri History, Missouri information, and well all the good stuff about Missouri.  The museum is also loaded with fun for kids; we found the museum to be very interactive, colorful, and fun for our whole family.

A Day at the City Museum in St Louis, MO

Okay just be honest parents, I find the City Museum in St Louis, MO to be the most exhausting place around, but that is what makes it P-E-R-F-E-C-T! 

The City Museum is one giant educational energy-burning museum of stuff!  I know that is vague description, but there is not much other way to describe it!  Ball pits, giant slides, aquariums, and a jungle gym that seems to go on forever.  My 9 year old describes it as a junk yard that is made into  a playground and really she is about right.   

The City Museum truly is a must stop in St Louis, Mo in fact I think we have visited a few times and each time it just as fun!  Here is the catch, however, the museum is a blast, but there are things I advise every parent that is visiting for the first time.

Missouri Botanical Garden Lantern Festival

This weekend (August 19th 2012) will be your last chance to catch the Missouri Botanical Garden Lantern Festival:  Art by Day, Magic by Night.  As of August 16, the evening shows is sold out, but you can still enjoy the magnificent art during the day.  Below are a few shots from our recent visit to the Missouri Botanical Garden and the Lantern Festival.  

Have an Adventurous Day! 

~Becky 

Our visit to the Missouri Botanical Gardens was sponsored by MOBOT, but all thoughts, statements, and photos are mine. 

Summer Hotel Deals in St. Louis MO

So I recently shared with you all my nightmare headache with Priceline.com and my attempt to save money that caused more stress than it did savings.  While the whole situation caused me stress, it was not enough stress to force me to give up my love for travel; it just forces me to look for new ways of saving money on travel. 

Today I am going to introduce you a few sweet family friendly hotel deals for the summer in St Louis, Mo. 

 

Holiday Inn St. Louis South

Holiday Inn St. Louis South is just minutes from the downtown area, but still gets you out of the hustle and bustle of the downtown…from a Momma’s perspective, that is a score.  The hotel’s amenities include an INDOOR and OUTDOOR pool…yes that is all caps for a reason, that is a must when you are traveling with little monsters like mine.  While I seldom travel with our dog Wheeler (because he as big as both kids put together) it is good to know that pets are welcome at this facility.  The Fitness Center, some of you may recall on my trip to Oklahoma I praised and raved the Holiday Inn in Downtown Tulsa for having a wonderful Fitness Center…well I will praise and rave this Holiday Inn also for having an Fitness Center…that is always at the top of my list.  FREE high speed wireless internet, some of you may say don’t all hotels have this…the answer is NO, I have been charged as much as $15 a night, just to be able to log on to the WiFi…OUCH, especially when have to have it for work.  On-site restaurant, I know those on-site restaurants can be a bit more pricey than the fast food joint down the street, but they are on-site meaning you do NOT have to get in the car and leave the building to grab a bite to eat…one more perk when you are traveling with monsters like mine! 

Missouri History Museum, St Louis MO

St Louis Missouri Zoo

 Playing with the Monkeys

   

Visit the Budweiser Clydesdales in Missouri

Have your chance to meet the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales at three different family friendly attractions.

Warm Spring Ranch the state of the art Clydesdale breeding farm…

Visit the rolling hills of Missouri, just outside of Booneville Missouri, and discover the story behind those beautiful Budweiser Clydesdales.  Warm Springs Ranch is home to more than 100 Clydesdales ranging from newborn foals to the calm and gentle stallions.  Tour the stables, see the custom-made harness, meet the team that works daily with these lovely horses, see the equipment used to transport the horses all across the county, and do not leave without getting your photo with one of the gentle giants.

A tour last about an hour and half, conducted as a large group tour, and reservations must be made 24 hours in advance online on Warm Springs Ranch website.  Tours are offered Monday through Saturday at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 pm, on Sundays at 2:00 pm, and closed for tours on Wednesdays.  The tours begin on April 1st and will go through October 31, 2012, there is a charge to visit Warm Springs Ranch please visit their website for complete details.

Late last summer, my family and I had the opportunity to visit Warm Springs Ranch, and while we have always admired these beautiful horses from afar, to see them up close and personal was truly amazing.  While the Clydesdales look beautiful pulling that wagon across your television screen, to see them grazing across the fields in their own homeland is truly breathtaking.  We also had the opportunity to get a our photo taken with one of the gentle giants, and that is one of our most treasured photos….our little gal is a horse lover.  Continue Here to Read More...

Priceline.com STRESSED Me Out

 

In mad dash last minute trip to St Louis, Mo this past weekend, I decided I would tryout Priceline.com.  I had heard great things about the website, and saving loads of money, so I gave it a shot.

Here is the scoop, Priceline.com does initially save you some major $$$$ off your hotel room, and you can score some pretty snazzy rooms.  However, you have NO SAY in the style of room you get, how many beds you have, or really anything to do with the your stay. 

My Priceline Experience…

A gal pal and I needed a last minute hotel room in St Louis for 2 Moms, 2- 8 year old girls, and 2-4 year old boys.  Simple we need 1 regular room with 2 beds, and we would prefer something a with a pool.  I skipped on over to Priceline.com found a 4-star hotel near Forest Park in St Louis for $45 a night, with an indoor pool….sweet!  So I thought!

In the fine print on Priceline.com it says:

  "All rooms will accommodate up to 2 adults. Requests for bed types (King, Queen, 2 Doubles, etc.) or other special needs (including preferences for smoking or non-smoking rooms) should be requested through your confirmed hotel and cannot be guaranteed."

Okay, I did read this, but my thought is you make your reservation, call the hotel and they will accommodate your needs!  Our needs were simple we had 6 people and needed 2 beds in our room.