Family Fun: Things to Do in St. Charles, Missouri, in December

There's no need for you and your family to be bored when you live in St. Charles, Missouri. Because of the proximity and centralization to surrounding attractions, you can find an entire month of things to do close by. The city of St. Louis is only about 25 minutes away via Interstate 70 and offers an entire history of culture. St. Peters, which borders St. Charles, is full of family attractions. And areas like Eureka, Branson and Lake of the Ozarks are all within a short day trip and have major attractions for more elaborate or exotic fun.

However, it is impossible to locate one Web site that offers a list of all the fun in one gander. So, if you are new to the area, or just don't have the creative strength to come up with ideas on your own, here's a list of fun things to do for the entire month of December.

TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS ACTIVITIES

1. Attend the Santa Parade in Down Town St Charles, Missouri. On Opening Day (usually the Friday after Thanksgiving), as well as every Saturday and Sunday, the parade starts at the corner of Boone's Lick and South Main at 1:30 pm and features over 40 costumed Victorian Carolers and Legends of Christmas who all come together for this magical event".

2. Ice Skate at Frontier Park off Riverside Drive. The ice park is located just east of the Saint Charles historic district and offers public skating for $6 a person, or $5 for children under 12. They also open Thanksgiving Weekend. You can call 636-255-6154 for more information or to book a large family party of 15 or more.

3. Stop by the "Katy Depot to sip hot chocolate and enjoy the winter ambiance of the Missouri riverfront... day or night. Kids of all ages will relish the opportunity to interact up close and personal with their favorite Christmas Traditions characters... on ice!"

4. Take a trip to get some Old Fashioned KettleCorn and Hot Roasted Nuts at the Heritage Place Antiques at 600 South Main Street. Do a little unique Christmas shopping at the locally owned stores on Main Street while you're at it. 636-946-4422

5. Take a carriage ride in down town St. Charles. Centennial Carriage Company offers a gallant ride on Wednesday and Friday nights as well as Saturday and Sunday. You can call them for specific locations and details on where to go, or visit their Web site to plan in advance. Often, you can just look for them on the busy streets and wave them down like a taxi. 636-398-4123

6. Watch and Listen to the children musicians of the Lewis & Clark Fife and Drum Corps featured every Saturday and Sunday at 1:30pm during the Santa Parade. These highly talented youngsters dress in 18^th century uniforms replica of the old US Army field musicians. The entire experience is very patriotic and an inspiration for other children.

7. Visit a traditional "Victorian Santa" in the Saint Charles Visitors Center at 230 South Main. Kids can get their picture with Santa Saturday 11:00am - 5:00pm or Sunday 12pm - 5:00 p.m. at a cost of $12 for a 5x7.

8. Bring a special date, your wife or an appreciative child, to the interactive dinner theatre "George Bailey's It's a Wonderful Christmas Feast" They usually perform and feast 4 days throughout the Holiday Season and the Cost is around $60 per person. November 29, December 6, 13, 20. There is limited seating and they sell out fast, so get your tickets at ticketmaster.com well in advance or call 1-800-745-3000 for availability.

AMUSEMENT ACTIVITIES

9. Have a Game Night at Dave and Busters Restaurant and Arcade. Located just on the other side of the I-70 Bridge headed toward Earth City from St. Charles, Dave and Busters offers a huge Arcade of Family Fun for all ages including a full wet bar for the adults. The address is 13857 Riverport Dr, Maryland Heights, MO 63043 or you can call 314-209-8015 for more information. You can find their menu at allmenus.com. They have a great eat and play packages available for $15.99 that provides a filling meal and a $10 game card. You can also call to find out when they are having their half off games special they run quite often.

10. Plan a Full Day at America's Incredible Pizza - For $9.99 you get the all you can eat buffet, which doesn't expire all day. I've actually stayed the entire day, had lunch and dinner and let the kids play in between. The food is amazing with about 100 feet of buffet including pizza, chicken, salad, deserts, and more. What's different about this game room is they offer an indoor go kart track, miniature golf, bumper boats, bowling and jump tent for kids. You really can spend the entire day there and not get bored. They are located in St. Peters, Missouri in the old Burlington Coat Factory at 4105 N Cloverleaf Drive. You can call them at (636) 477-2700.

11. Get some Exercise & Be a Daredevil at Skyzone Recreational Center, a great physical activity for the entire family. They offer an indoor bounce arena filled with trampolines and fully padded for hours of jumping fun. They are located just over the 64/40 bridge in Chesterfield off Boones Lick at 17379 Edison Ave (636) 530-4550. Kids can jump alone or with parents. This is a great bonding time for parents with teens and costs only $12 to jump. Kids under 18 who want to jump alone must have a waiver signed which can be done on their Web site.

12. For climbing and Tunnel Fun, younger kids will enjoy Planet Fun. They also have a small arcade for the older kids if they want to come along, but the facility caters more to 12 and under. They're located at 5849 Suemandy Blvd near the Mid Rivers Mall. Admission is $3.75 to $5.50 depending on the day and while adults can play with their kids, they are always free. 636.397.7700

SHOPPING

13. Go Shopping at the Mid Rivers Mall located at Interstate 70 at the Mid Rivers Exit. There are tons of traditional stores to choose from for all family members. They also offer dining and fast food to suppress your appetite.

14. Spend the day in Down Town St. Charles at the Local Shops on Main. In December, there is always a ton of theatrical activity in the downtown area.

15. Drive to Warrenton to the Preferred Outlet Malls just 35 minutes west on highway 70 at exit 193. They have a variety of outlet stores with fantastic prices including "Levi's Outlet, Missouri Wine and Gift, Nike Factory Store, Nine West, Rue21, SAS Factory Shoe Store, Train Haus, Van Heusen".

16. Shop at the Newest Mall in Hazelwood just out Highway 370. The St. Louis Mills Mall not only offers incredible low cost shopping deals, they also have a full Ice Skating rink. Ice Zone is the practice location for the St. Louis Blues Hockey team and they offer open skate. You can shop the stores, skate for a while, then enjoy a cup of java at the Starkbucks. 314-227-5900

17. West County Mall is conveniently located at Highway 270 and Manchester Road with easy access from the Page Extension. Just go south on 270 from Page to Manchester. You will see the historical Dove hovering in the parking lot when you get near the shopping center. West County Mall offers something for the whole family as well. With their indoor toddler park and coin operated amusement rides, toddlers will not want to leave. Teens enjoy the novelty shops of Hot Topic, Spencer, and unlimited clothing stores. Adults can relax at the coffee shop in the Barnes & Noble Bookstore located adjacent to the toddler area as well.

18. Also easy to get to from the Page Extension is West Port Plaza. This indoor/outdoor mall is a beautiful place to visit during the day or at night. They have some great shops, and also amazing dining. Pujols, Terrace Restaurant, Casa Gallardo, Dierdorf & Hart's Steakhouse, and Kobe Japanese Grill are just a few of the great dining locations there. If you go in the evening, Trainwreck Saloon usually offers live entertainment.

19. Garden Ridge, just down the street from Northwest Plaza on the St Charles Rock Road just North of Interstate 70 offers all kinds of Home Décor at discounted pricing. Garden Ridge has everything from Holiday decorations to bar stools and patio furniture.

20. Northwest Plaza is a diamond in the rough. Most of the shops are closing, but the ones that remain offer some exceptional deals to encourage people to buy. The mall is dying, but the retailers with longevity include Sears, Value City Furniture, and Foot Locker. Also, if you are looking for games at Christmas time that you can't find, the Game Stop there usually still has a decent supply because they don't get the rush of Black Friday that some of the busier malls get. (314) 298-2624.

MOVIE NIGHT

21. Dinner and a Movie is a family must once a month. Or you can make it a date night with your wife. See a Movie at the St Charles Stadium 18 Cine IMAX theatre located at 1830 S 1st Capitol Drive. For dinner, TGIFridays is located just across from the Theatre parking lot entrance. For a less expensive ultra filling, quick, family meal, try Fazoli's at 1^st Capital and Zumbel Road. They have all you can eat breadsticks if you dine in the lobby.

22. Want a Cheap Movie Night, try St. Andrews Dollar Movie Night. My sister saw twilight about a hundred times at that theatre. They make their money off concession stand items and offer movies that have been out for a while. Visit them on the web at http://www.standrews3.com/.

23. Mid Rivers 14 Cine offers Movies at the Mid Rivers Mall. Shopping and a Movie is a great combination. Friday and Saturday nights are "Uber-Crowded" according to my teen daughter. It has become a local hang out for kids 12 to 16, so be prepared for loud crowds in and around the theatre. Your teens are bound to see someone they know.

24. Take a break and have Movie Night at Home with a RedBox Movie from one of the Redbox vending machines in your area. Pop some extra butter pop-corn and enjoy snuggling on the couch with the whole family in front of a lit tree or some candles and a cozy fire.

25. Spend Christmas with your Family. The teenagers always made it tradition to see a movie in the afternoon or evening in order for our cousins to spend their once a year, family time together. It was a lot of fun. The adults sit around and catch up on the years gossip without interruption from their kids saying "I'm bored." every five minutes.

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT (Tickets for these events will make great Christmas Gifts too)

26. UMB Pavillion located at 14141 Riverport Drive in Maryland Heights offers awesome live entertainment and family shows like Cirque du Soleil. Call for information on upcoming shows at 314-298-9944.

27. Family Arena, which has offered acts like High School Musical, and Kelly Clarkson in Concert is located at 2002 Arena Parkway in St. Charles. Take a night out to see something new. For shows call 636-896-4200.

28. The Fox Theatre, which is a little bit more of a drive, located in down town St. Louis is well worth the drive. The marvelous architecture is a site in itself. Their theatre performances are spectacular and they feature shows for the whole family including many musicals like Grease, Phantom of the Oprah, Wicked, and the Wizard of Oz. They are located at 527 N Grand Blvd, St Louis. Call for shows and seating: (314) 535-1700.

CASINOs

29. Ameristar Casino St. Charles offers family dining, an arcade and shopping all in one place. They also have a variety of shows for the family. Call in advance to see which ones are kid friendly and what their rules are regarding children before going to make sure it suits everyone's idea of fun. 1-800-325-7777

30. Harrah's Casino is another family friendly casino. They have a Karaoke show they have been doing for years at one of the restaurants. 1-800-HARRAHS

31. New Years Eve makes a great time to discover the Adult Night Life. I will have to do an entire other article on New Years Eve. One idea: take the kids to dinner and then take time for yourselves as a couple. Make a trip into St. Louis to the Millennium Hotel. St. Louis and FOX 2 usually have the best party ever with a dance party, food and prizes.

With this comprehensive list of things to do, there is no reason you should be bored in the month of December. If you don't typically do things on the week days, you can mix and match these ideas and try to cram them all into a 2 day weekend for an awesome weekend of fun.