Central West End: A Touch of Class in St. Louis, MO

There are certain places in St. Louis that simply must top your "To Visit" list when in town: The Arch, Forest Park, the Delmar Loop, and The Landing. Among those "must-sees" is the Central West End, one of St. Louis' oldest and most distinctive neighborhoods; with its cobblestone streets, classy restaurants, and eccentric shops it marries class, luxury, and contemporary flair with historic elegance.

First developed during St. Louis' westward expansion in the late 19th century, the Central West End digs its roots in the Midwestern industrial revolution, making a special mark with a building boom around the 1904 World's Fair. Now the neighborhood stretches from midtown's western edge to St. Louis city's western border, and is absorbed into the enormous Forest Park (home to the St. Louis Zoo, The Muny, St. Louis Art Museum and St. Louis Science Center). However, the most popular section of the Central West End - the commercial district - rests across the street from Forest Park, showcasing a stretch of shops along Euclid Avenue, from Forest Park Parkway to Delmar Boulevard.

The commercial district is where you can find everything from the chain shops like Starbucks, Ben & Jerry's and The Pasta House, to the unique and eclectic flavor of the small St. Louis-only businesses like Voila Café and Eternity Deli, the latter being a café that serves St. Louis' only 100% vegan food, which just happens to be soul food! Other places you can enjoy are Drunken Fish, a restaurant on the first floor and nightclub on the second, complete with a bar and dance floor; and Viva, a spicy Latin dance club that offers Salsa lessons free with admission once a week. However, if you're not in the mood to dine out or hit the clubs, there are dozens of notable art galleries, antique shops, specialty shops, boutiques and bookstores to keep you occupied.

The scenery in the Central West End is fabulous, whether you're doing some window-shopping or people-watching. The ornate lampposts and giant oak trees symbolize the beauty of a well-maintained turn-of-the-century neighborhood. Many of the restaurants, cafés and coffee shops make certain to accommodate the visitor's need to stay in the middle of the action by providing outdoor seating. In addition, on certain days of the week, many of the art galleries, bookstores, and contemporary furniture shops offer Gallery Walks and Street Shows where entertainment and art are brought to the sidewalks for passersby to enjoy.

The best way to get the most of the Central West End's commercial district is to find a parking space at Euclid and Forest Park Parkway then simply walk north on Euclid. That way you won't miss any of the wonderful shops along the cross-streets. During your venture, you can head as far north as Delmar, however, the shops become a little scarcer the farther north you go, giving way to more residential structures, which are all classically upscale, housing the likes of St. Louis Cardinals Manager Tony Larussa among many other financially well-off St. Louis residents. But whether you're poking your head in a local shop or taking a walking tour of the historically built brick homes, you'll certainly be satisfied with your results.

I believe the best way to get the most of any city visit is to engage in various aspects of that city, from the nationally known attractions, to the little-known local favorites. The Central West End is somewhere in the middle, not widely-recognized or completely undiscovered. Being a St. Louis native, I never get bored during my excursions there and many of my St. Louis peers would agree, but it is definitely more than a local favorite, offering a family-friendly experience that everyone can identify with. So if you're ever in town visiting all of the attractions in Forest Park, be sure to find time to venture across Kingshighway to the distinguished Central West End. You might find that you won't have time to see the remaining attractions on your "To Visit" list.