Seeing the Rainbow Through the (Tropical) Storm: Making the Most of a Travel Change-Up
Last week our family of five was all set to embark on a long weekend in the Florida Keys. Kevin and I have been several times and we have been waiting for our kids to be old enough to tag along. Our oldest, Henry, is interested in bridges and has wanted to cross the famous 7-Mile Bridge entering into Key West for years. Other highlights of our trip were going to be: visiting Anne’s Beach (where we first got the idea to give our Annie her name), a dolphin swim at the Dolphin Research Center in Grassy Key, a private boat charter out of Key West, the Sunset Festival in Mallory Square, a Photo Op at the Southern Most Point, and spending the latter part of the trip relaxing at beautiful Isla Bella Beach Resort on Marathon Key.
Southernmost Point, Key West
Tropical Storm Rains on Our Parade
After a jammed packed May we were really looking forward to this trip to reconnect, so imagine our disappointment when we woke up Wednesday morning (the day we were supposed to leave!) to news that there was a tropical storm heading for the Keys. If you have ever done the drive from Miami to Key West, you know that the 7-Mile Bridge, the last stretch of road before entering Key West, is two lane; that unfortunately means only one way in and one way out. We decided not to take the risk of being stranded in Key West during a tropical storm (and subsequently scarring the kids for further beach vacations) and started looking into a Plan B.
Rain, Rain, and More Rain!
Travel Change-Up
Laura was amazing at rebooking our Florida Keys trip for October and we managed to book a basically identical trip without suffering any cancellation fees: no small feat! Add it to the list of why it’s always a good idea to book through a travel agency and for added protection, consider purchasing travel insurance!
We did a quick scan of flights and found that any last minute options were going to be out of our price range, so we took advantage of the beautiful forecast in our home town of St Louis and planned a mini staycation. We spent 24 glorious hours exploring parts of the city we rarely visit and spent the night at the beautiful Chase Park Plaza, one of St Louis’ most famous and well loved hotels.
Stop One: Sam’s Steakhouse
As much of a bummer as it was to cancel our trip the morning we were supposed to depart, an added disappoint was it was Henry’s 11th birthday! Since we were supposed to be on a flight to paradise, we had no dinner plans so our first stop led us to our favorite date spot: Sam’ Steakhouse. This was our first time taking the kids and it did not disappoint: everyone loved it!
Happy 11th Birthday, Henry!
Stop Two: The City Museum
After a night spent at home, we headed out bright and early for our next stop. The City Museum is a series of unmarked, unmapped rooms filled with slides, ramps, climbing elements, and more. We spent a few hours exploring the museum both inside and out. Highlights of Stop Two were The Castle and the Ramp Room, complete with swinging ropes!
Cal gets a kick out of the Castle Room!
Annie Soars Through the Ramp Room!
Stop Three: St Louis Union Station
We left the City Museum and headed to the newly renovated and expanded Union Station, where we enjoyed lunch (and shakes!) at the Soda Fountain, rode the Wheel, played some carnival games and escaped The Mirror Maze. We were pleasantly surprised by the low crowds at this stop and took advantage of short lines and extra elbow room.
Henry slams a shake at the Soda Fountain
Cal scored big in the Mini-Striker game
Stop Four: Forest Park
Our fourth stop led us through Forest Park where we did a quick tour of the Jewel Box, a St Louis famous Landmark. Masks were surprisingly still required in this tiny tourist stop, and luckily Kevin had a few stashed in his car. The plants and overall atmosphere here is lovely and serene.
Cooling off at the Jewel Box
Stop Four: Chase Park Plaza!
We made it to our final destination around 4:00 pm and were able to spend a few hours lounging at the pool before walking to The Central West End for Mexican at El Burro Loco. We booked a 2-bedroom suite so had tons of room to lounge. The decor and overall vibe of the hotel is traditional with a fresh twist: my favorite esthetic!
My Own Idea of Paradise: only 30 minutes from our house!
Lovely Sitting Area with Plenty of Room
Please Excuse the Bed Wrinkles…Cal did a cannonball as soon as we got to the room!
The perfect touch: Homemade Gooey Butter Cake (a STL staple) with recipe included!
The next morning, we packed up and headed home in time for a weekend busy with sports and activities we would have otherwise missed. We were happy with the time spent together celebrating Henry’s birthday and making memories with our crew in our beloved home town of Saint Louis. And thanks to Laura’s rebooking skills, we have a trip to the Keys to look forward to in October!
Until next time, Chase Park Plaza!
