About a year ago, my family and I moved from St. Louis to the Metro East, or as I lovingly call it, the Dark Side.
I have come to the conclusion that St. Louisans are nervous about making that scary, scary trek across the Poplar Street Bridge for three reasons:
Edwardsville
Smaller than that other children’s museum, The Children’s Museum in Edwardsville offers an inexpensive place where kids’ imaginations can run wild. My 3-year-old loves the dress-up area and the pretend town where she can dream of becoming a doctor or banker.
From May through October, downtown Edwardsville becomes the scene of The Land of Goshen Community Market, featuring locally grown foods, crafts and entertainment in a family-friendly atmosphere.
Grafton
Mr. and Mrs. P love Grafton for its restaurants and wineries. If the kiddos are with us, Pere Marquette State Park has plenty of activities, including horseback riding and hiking, as well as a lodge on site.
Grafton’s water park, Raging Rivers, has something for everyone – a play area for toddlers, action slides for the older kids and a great view of the Mississippi River. Every time I’ve been there, it’s been busy, but never crowded.
Belleville
Although Eckert’s Country Store and Farms has locations in Grafton and Millstadt, its Belleville location is home to its restaurant offering homecooking and glorious fried biscuits. Mmmm, fried biscuits...so warm and sweet…sorry, got off track. Take the kids for strawberry picking in May and blackberry and peach picking later in the summer.
Belleville is also home to the Skyview Drive-In Theater and hosts Art on the Square May 14-16, one of the nation’s top art fairs.
These are only a few of the many attractions your family can enjoy. From Splash City in Collinsville to the Gateway Grizzlies in Sauget to the Camp River Dubois Lewis and Clark Historic Site in Hartford, a day of fun is waiting for you with one quick journey across the river. For more details on attractions and events, visit the Tourism Bureau Southwestern Illinois website.
By Nicole Plegge, Lifestyle Blogger for SmartParenting
Metro East mom Nicole Plegge has written for STL Parent for more than 12 years. Besides working as a freelance writer & public relations specialist, and raising two daughters and a husband, Nicole's greatest achievements are finding her misplaced car keys each day and managing to leave the house in a stain-free shirt. Her biggest regret is never being accepted to the Eastland School for Girls. Follow Nicole on Twitter @STLWriterinIL
Hop on down the bunny trail and fill your basket with fun! Eckert’s Annual Egg Hunt includes animals for petting, tractor rides around the farm, planting seeds to take home, ice a cookie, gifts from the bunny, and a free photo scene with the Easter Bunny.
Kids can work on existing gym skills, learn new skills or just play around during Open Gym at Miss Kelly's Gym. Reservations are not necessary.
Stop in and have some fun in the indoor pool at the Lodge of Des Peres with your little one at this drop-in swim time for kids up to age 6. No pre-registration is needed; Water Waddlers is open to residents and non-residents of Des Peres.
See the amazing sea lions at the Saint Louis Zoo perform for the crowd and cheer them on from the bleachers as the popular Sea Lion Spring Training Shows return. You'll see these beautiful animals perform flipper walks, ball balancing, Olympic-style dives on a high-diving platform, lots of splashing and even more surprises!
Kids and teens ages 7-14 can join in on a unique egg hunt in the indoor pool at The Lodge Des Peres. Registration is required.