Last Updated on December 14, 2023
Soulard in St. Louis, on the cutting edge of fun…
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Updated for 2022 / 2023
By Carla Marie Rupp and Jason Rupp
We stumbled upon the Soulard area of St. Louis by accident when we were visiting family.
We were staying in a highway motel on the edge of town. Sitting in the bland, free breakfast-corner near reception, we were discussing what we could be after visiting our relatives. Saint Louis is in our family’s history and whenever we visit family here, we’ve always loved the big attractions. There’s the Saint Louis Zoo, the Saint Louis Art Museum and the Gateway Arch on the fabled Mississippi River. But what else could there be to do?
At the table next to us were some young people who overheard our conversation. They told us that there was an up-and-coming cool area of St. Louis called Soulard. It even has a neat hostel, named the Huckleberry Finn Hostel – that they were going to.
Right then and there, we gave up our insipid St. Louis motel and traded if for a couple of nights stay in Soulard, the so-called new trendy area of the city.
Soulard St. Louis: On the Cutting Edge of Fun
As it turned out, Soulard St. Louis isn’t an up-and-coming area at all — it’s been cool for a long, long time. It also has a long history of being on the cutting edge of fun. This old historic French neighborhood is the real spot for fun in the city. But St. Louis, has too often been overshadowed by popular Branson, Missouri’s other hot spot, about a four-hour drive away.
We found out, as more and more people now seem to be doing every year, that Soulard is also famous for its Mardi Gras. In fact, it’s the second largest in the country after New Orleans. Who knew that took place in St. Louis?
But the Mardi Gras in Soulard differs from its southern counterpart in that it has a unique St. Louis flavor, a combination of Oktoberfest, Bastille Day and Mardi Gras all rolled into one. The festivities start the Saturday before Fat Tuesday, this year February 21, and the parades are spectacular, rivaling New Orleans, beads, revelry and all.
You may also enjoy: 7 Big Mardi Gras Celebrations (Not in New Orleans) / New Orleans: Going Solo on a Budget / 30 Great Budget Travel Tips
But in Soulard they give it a distinct St. Louis twist incorporating such popular events as the Beggin’ Pet Parade, the Bud Light Party Tent and the annual Wiener Dog Derby! The atmosphere just isn’t beatable.
Joys of Soulard St. Louis
At any time of year, not just at Mardi Gras, you can discover the joys of Soulard on your own. Hang out at the pubs, meet the people, visit the historic Soulard Farmer’s Market. Of course, also visit the Anheuser-Busch Brewing Company (a tour of the brewery is highly recommended). Or just plain walk around St. Louis, no matter what the weather.
Soulard in St. Louis is such a cool neighborhood, with fascinating architecture and restaurants, serving foods from Cajun & Creole, Irish and French, to Southern & Soul. Many clubs feature bands, musical groups and jam sessions, such as the Sunday blues music at Hammerstone’s, which showcases the Voodoo Blues Band and other blues musicians.
If you take a detour from Soulard, definitely don’t miss the City Museum, deserving of a more crazy name, since it’s full of some of the most wacky exhibits on the planet. “An eclectic mixture of children’s playground, funhouse, surrealistic pavilion, and architectural marvel made out of unique, found objects,” a tour of it is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face.
If You Go:
Explore St. Louis
701 Convention Plaza, Suite 300
St. Louis, MO 63101
https://explorestlouis.com
Check out iLoveSoulard.com , winner of the 2012 Web Award from the Riverfront Times for Best Neighborhood Blog.
Soulard is a terrific starting point for a visit to St. Louis. As mentioned, the Anheuser-Busch Brewery is just minutes away, but so is the German community that surrounds it. There is no better place to go after a visit to the brewery that one of the historic German restaurants.
Speaking of restaurants, perhaps the best known area for eating in St. Louis is The Hill. You smell the aroma of Italy as you near the neighborhood, which is just a few miles away. And once you have finished stupefying yourself with pasta, roll right across the way to the Missouri Botanical Gardens and stroll off the millions of carbs you just ingested. If you have kids, The Magic House and The Science Center are two other great options for working off your meal.
Needless to say, I could go on for days about places to go and things to do in St. Louis, but let me mention two more “don’t miss” places: The Fabulous Fox Theater, an 1920’s architecture marvel with shows and programs for everyone and the Cherokee Street neighborhood– the place to go for antiques and my favorite, vintage clothes.
Thanks for the info Maryanne!
Ryan, Maryanne & Jim, thanks for the comments. We’ll love to visit some of these great, “don’t miss” places you mentioned, Maryanne. It sounds like so much fun…lots more fun in Saint Louis! We are looking forward to experiencing these places.
Thank you for writing this article, because for one being someone who has lived in Saint Louis for most of my life, I have always been proud of this city. Sure, most think of us as some fly over town but if they took a few minutes to do some research we have a ton of history and cool things right there to check out. Soulard is in fact a very cool place to go to, and it’s been one of the cooler neighborhoods to go to (but not the only one, there are many neighborhoods in Saint Louis that have a lot of history, and places to go).
I find that when I have out-of-towners come to visit me I have certain spots that I like to take them, but it’s something that can be tailored to what the people like. Soulard has man things I love to show them : Soulard Market, Lemp Mansion, The Brewery, and some of the delicious eating establishments. However, I don’t limit it to Soulard because there is a lot in the city that has much to offer.
But, thank you for sharing this!
We’re glad you enjoyed the article Meg. St. Louis is a city that’s overlooked by many travelers even though it has a lot to offer.