The AASL National Conference is in St. Louis, MO October 16-18 this year. We know the conference will provide a chance to rejuvenate professionally. St. Louis provides a wealth of history and entertainment, should you find free time away from the conference.

While I am not from St. Louis, my parents are from the area, and I spent MANY a summer and Christmas there. It has so much to offer, with things to do that are free or low-cost.

City Museum – (Parking = $15/Entry = $20/Rooftop = $8/ Plus other add-ons) – Where else can you find slides (30+ total, including a 5-story spiral slide), caves, climbers, a bus that hangs off the building, a rooftop Ferris wheel, the World’s Largest pencil, and a giant praying mantis? City Museum is an indoor/outdoor playground. (Yes, even for adults.) This museum has a little bit of everything, from insect collections to pottery, architecture, and more. Check the website for hours. citymuseum.org

Grant’s Farm (Pay for Parking/Free Entry) – Home to Ulysses S. Grant then purchased by the Busch family in 1903. Here you can take a tram around the property to see the wildlife, including: buffalo, emus, camels, llamas, zebras, and many more. Once off the tram, visit the Baurenhof for snacks and tour antique buggies and cars. You can feed baby goats or attend an elephant or bird show. Grant’s Farm is also home to the Anheuser-Busch Clydesdales. Check the website for hours. grantsfarm.com

Forest Park – Forest Park is 1,300 acres of forests, nature reserves, lakes, and streams, as well as the Missouri History Museum, The Muny, the Saint Louis Art Museum, the Saint Louis Science Center, and the Saint Louis Zoo. www.forestparkforever.org

Gateway Arch (Free Museum/Ticketed to Ride to the Top ($15)) – Located on the Mississippi River, the Gateway to the West offers a museum and rides to the top of the Arch. Tickets can be purchased in advance (recommended). The ride takes about 45 minutes to an hour. While at the top, look out over the Mississippi River and downtown St. Louis. (Including one of my “happy places,” Busch Stadium.). 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. www.gatewayarch.com

Missouri Botanical Gardens (Free Parking/Entry = $16) – Walk the grounds or take the tram tour to visit their Climatron, Japanese Garden, Arid House, and Tower Grove House. The Botanical Gardens’ herbarium contains 6.6 million specimens and is the second largest in North America. Check the website for hours. www.missouribotanicalgarden.org

St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station (Pay for Parking/$33.22 + add-ons) – Visit one of the top 5 aquariums in the United States. It is also one of the most interactive aquariums. You can pet stingrays and sharks. Feed turtles. There is also a huge coi pond outside of Union Station. Also located at Union Station: The St. Louis Wheel (Ferris wheel), a carousel, miniature golf, rope course, mirror maze, and a 3D light show. Check the website for hours. www.stlouisaquarium.com

Saint Louis Art Museum (Free) – Located next to the Zoo in Forest Park, the museum has upcoming exhibits In Search of America: Photography and the Road Trip, Roaring: Art, Fashion, and the Automobile in France, 1918-1939 (ticketed exhibition), and Patterns of Luxury: Islamic Textiles, 11th-17th Centuries. www.slam.org

Saint Louis Science Center (Pay for Parking/Free Entry) – The Saint Louis Science Center is one of the largest hands-on science museums. It is home to the James S. McDonnell Planetarium and an OMNIMAX theater. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. www.slsc.org

St. Louis Zoo (Pay for Parking/Free Entry) – Yes, it is a zoo, but it is an AMAZING zoo that is free. There is a train that can take you from one side of the zoo to the other. Ride the carousel of cheetahs, warthogs, hippos, polar bears, and other exotic animals. Pet stingrays and sharks. (My daughter’s favorite.) Winter hours = 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. stlzoo.org

Anheuser-Busch Brewery (Pay for Parking/Free Entry) – Visit the flagship brewery of Anheuser-Busch and the home of Budweiser. Built in the 1850s it is home to the innovation of brewing. They offer several tours: Day Fresh Tour, Beermaster Tour, Clydesdale VIP Experience, and the Finisher Tour. They might still offer samples at the end of the tour. Tours are every day from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. budweisertours.com/stl

After a day of learning and exploring the city, you’ll need to eat. St. Louis is not short on amazing local cuisine. Here are a few of mine: Pickleman’s Gourmet Café – Don’t let the name fool you. Pickleman’s is home to some of the best sandwiches. Salt + Smoke – With several locations to choose from, Salt + Smoke offers some of the best BBQ (and I’m from Texas, I know BBQ). Anthonino’s Taverna – Located on The Hill, known for its Italian food, Anthonino’s has Italian and Greek food, including a St. Louis staple, toasted ravioli.

For dessert, might I suggest Gooey Louie Gooey Butter Cakes? Invented in St. Louis, the Gooey Butter Cake is a chewy, custardy, buttery dessert with a gooey topping. If cake isn’t your thing, stop by Ted Drewes Frozen Custard for a cold treat. Ted Drewes has been in St. Louis for almost 100 years, offering malts, shakes, sundaes, floats, ice cream sodas, a concretes (signature frozen custard with a variety of toppings of your choosing mixed in).

If you have time and are looking to get out of the city, I suggest Alton, IL. Alton is about a 40-minute car ride or 45-minute ride on public transit. While in Alton, you can visit:

Robert Wadlow (Free) ­– Robert Perishing Wadlow was the tallest man to have ever lived. He was born in 1918, and at the time of his death in 1940, Wadlow measured 8’11.1’’ tall. There is a life-size statue of Wadlow along with replicas of his chair, there visitors can take pictures with. The Alton Museum of History and Art is located across the street from the Wadlow statue. Photographs and artifacts are telling his story. 2810 College Ave Alton, IL

Barge Lock ­(Free) – The Melvin Price Locks & Dam #26 offers a view of Alton and the Mississippi River from eight stories above. It is central to river traffic that transports goods up and down the Mississippi. www.riversandroutes.com/directory/melvin-price-locks-dam-26

Haunted Alton ­– While I have not been on a tour, I have heard that Alton is “one of the most haunted small towns in America” www.riversandroutes.com/blog/why-alton-is-americas-most-haunted-small-town

Alton, Lincoln, and the Civil War – Alton is home to a Confederate Cemetery, the Elijah P. Lovejoy Monument, a Confederate Prison, Lincoln/Douglas Square, and many more attractions related to the time period. There are audio files provided for various places you can visit. www.riversandroutes.com/blog/walk-with-lincoln

Fast Eddie’s Bon Air ­ – Although not nationally historic, Fast Eddie’s is a local favorite boasting cheap food, free popcorn, and cold beer. fasteddiesbonair.com

Duke’s Bakery ­– Duke’s is always a must-stop for my family. Opened in 1951, Duke’s offers a wide variety of breads, danishes, pastries, and cakes. dukebakeryinc.com