Hi Folks,

My disabled wife has been referred to a doctor in St. Louis. She needs to be there for two days - a Monday and Tuesday. So we will arrive on Sunday and leave on Wednesday. We have never visited St. Louis so we have no firsthand information. I am seeking suggestions for a short trip to St. Louis. We have seen news coverage on Fox Nation and have done some reading. Safety and security are very serious concerns.

We are concerned for our personal safety so we want to avoid any danger zones. We also want to stay at a hotel or motel that is in a good safe area. The room needs to be what they call “handicap accessible”. Just about every hotel / motel will have this type of layout. So, where should we stay? Where should we avoid?

We will be going in our nearly new and very nice F-350 Super Duty. We want secure parking, preferably extremely secure parking. Because the truck is tall it is very unlikely to fit in a parking deck. For years I have read that car thieves target nice crew cab trucks to ship out of the country. Does anyone have suggestions how where we can secure the truck? After arrival we prefer to use taxis, so the truck can remain in secure storage.

Please tell us any suggestions on these issues or any other relevant issues. We both thank you for any help you can offer.

Best wishes!

Again, where are you going to be? Stay out of north city, the county is generally ok. St Louis city/county are seperate entity's.
Can't help you unless you tell me where your going! ?? check my location under my name!

Check into renting a car for the trip if you don't need the truck to haul on this trip. It would be easier on fuel, easier to get around in town, and if your own insurance doesn't cover rental car damage, you can get coverage from the rental company.

I'm in STL a lot. Parking for larger vehicles can be a hassle. They make the parking spots tiny for a reason. I worked not far from there during the Ferguson Riots, that area still hasn't recovered. I suggest staying away from the North side. Plenty of other nice places to stay, visit, and dine. Now when we go, we opt for an Airbnb vs. hotel (I know you said you wanted a hotel). St Charles is nice, they have a Bass Pro and a reloading supply store. Even in town, we haven't had much issue with vandalism or theft. If you are able to, I do suggest packing if you are going down town around the hospitals. We were advised to take unmarked vehicles when going to the hospitals. Once inside, things were different. But Emergency rooms, or making trips to smoke, get chow, etc could be sketchy.

If your into History, plenty of places museums etc to check out. Arch, Cahokia Mounds, and many more.

Stay away the cop there won't protect you.

I second what Denny Russel said about renting a car, you are going to have problems getting around in St Louis. Most parking when I was last there was either tiny spaces or a parking garage neither will work for your truck, I was in an Expedition and it was really tight. Plus as has been pointed out it is not the nicest area better to leave your truck at home and take a rental vehicle.

Does the hospital have guest housing? Anchorage hospitals have that.

Now that where the excitement is at. Lol

We stay in St. Charles when we go. What to do depend on your wife's limitations. Grants farm is nice and free other than the $18 parking and you can get tow beers each to sample. It's mostly a shuttle ride about its history and animal they have, then a stop at the beer garden/petting zoo then a ride back to the front.

Botanical gardens are nice but all walking. Museums adhere are several.

I would also suggest renting a car if the truck is not necessary. You will save close to the cost of the rental in fuel savings and it will be much easier to get around in it. St Charles is a drive to the down town area and taxis would get expensive.

We like st Louis. I always carry and do there as well.

Speaking from 40 years past, but going up in the Arch was like being rolled around in a tin can all the way to the top. Happened so the wind was blowing that day and the Arch was swaying back and forth, but I'm afraid of high places anyway. They had a museum of sorts there at the arch and it was interesting. My wife liked the Old Cathedral near there.

Back 50 years ago I lived and worked over there 3 winters. I lived on Shaw Ave across the street from the Gardens and never once visited it. Its got even (greener) since then so I hear.

My best friend has lived in St. Charles for several years. I’ve visited him a few times and it seems like a really nice area. I never was concerned about safety or anything. He’s never had any trouble since he’s been there

Jimmy Christo had one of the best two restaurants I have ever eaten in, Jimmy's On The Park. He is managing a new restaurant, that opened in July in St. Louis:

https://www.feastmagazine.com/restaurants/article_08e4e104-3a2e-11e6-aa5a-9ba24a4de857.html

I would try it. I will if I go to St. Louis again.

Keith

https://www.tucanos.com/location/stc thus us my wife's favorite restaurant. We never go to that area without eating there and often it a big reason we go to st Louis

Thanks for the great precautions and suggestions!
We are going downtown near the hospital. I do not have the address for the doctor and wife is asleep.
So will supply that shortly.

We are not looking for activities or nice restaurants because it will be difficult enough to do the basics. If the situation was different, we would like to visit the places and restaurants.
I looked up the issues which you have raised about North City, east of the Mississippi, the Arch, St. Charles, etc. That is exactly what we needed!
I will definitely be carrying. I see that Missouri is both a reciprocal state and a constitutional carry state.
As an alternative to the truck, we can go in our Expedition. The truck is just so nice.
Fuel costs are not really a concern because we routinely do not drive much - no commuting to work, business work is all local, diesel fuel is free, and my truck gets 300mpg. (Liberals lie, why can’t I?)
Renting a car is an interesting idea. If it gets stolen, just rent another! We have had fantastic adventures with rental cars! They are all 4wd and built for off-roading!
I had never heard of a BNB. Interesting. For lodging, we prefer the easiest to get in and out. Convenient and good chow would be nice too. No medical housing available.

Thank you my friends!

OK, What hospital? I you dont want to post, send by PM. Most all car rental places have locations near the Airport, including the budget ( cheap ) outfits, good hotels and afew motels near there also. If you rent, you might be able make a deal to park your car there, otherwise several long term parking lots near airport also. Cabs will kill you $$$. Plenty of great eatery's around the city/county. What's your favorite foods and style. All the big chains around, plenty of Mom/Pop's too. I figure you'll be going to one of the big hospitals on Grand ave, St Louis U, or Barnes Complex near Grand and 40 or 44 Hwy, around 30 min from airport. Around 15/20 min to Casino's in St. Chuck, and Cabelas/Bass Pro. As noted before STAY OUT OF N CITY! Mo is Constitutional carry, but you are NOT allowed to carry in Hospitals, take some kind of securable lockbox, for sale at Cabelas/Bass Pro, might be handy at home too. I hope this helps, PM any other ?.
big bob

NOTE: ILLINOIS IS NOT GUN FRIENDLY, UNLOADED GUN AND AMMO LOCKED UP AND SEPERATE ONLY!!!!! Not sure about Indiana.

I had to take a random drug test the other day for work. Went to the local hospital. Haven't done one in several years. Walk in and the first thing she says is "empty your pockets". I told her I had a gun I better walk back out to my truck. Came back in, peed in the cup, no more trouble. If your gun can't be seen it can't be seen. If staff see you have one all you have to do is walk back out to your vehicle and leave it there. Refusal to leave or disarm gets you a trespass ticket. At least here in KS. Just not a big deal.

Indiana is good to go reciprocity with Ohio and MO, Yes that the law in ILLINOIS but it ILLINOIS. My guns stay loaded and on my hip. Set the cruise and avoid stopping untill I'm across that Communist state.

Our gun laws is what keeps crime and gun violence so low in Illinois! I'm not a liar, just fib a lot.