Help with trip to Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri

[Renew Deal]

I am being sent to Nashville on business and am thinking about how to take advantage of the weekend. I have been thinking about going up to St. Louis. I have a few questions. First, what are the best BBQ/food places that I must visit in Nashville and St. Louis?

Will I be able to get scalper tickets for the Cardinals on Saturday? They are playing the Cubs. How much do they go for (approximately)?

How's the drive between Nashville and St. Louis?

Anything I must visit?

Anything else I should know?

Thanks

[PartyPooper]

1. You must visit the arch in St. Louis.

This is especially true if you experience a "fear of heights".

I did and I do.

Believe me, you will never be the same.

:scared:

[Renew Deal]

2. Can the arch be climbed?

[AverageJoe]

3. I'm not sure, but I think there is an elevator or something inside

I peed under it once.... :blush:

[Renew Deal]

6. lol

I just checked. There's a tram.

[ofrfxsk]

4. Sure. If you have heavy duty suction cups.

;)

[Renew Deal]

7. That's what I envisioned.

I never knew it could be entered. I thought it was just an arch. :D

[PartyPooper]

5. No. You have to take a ride up inside to the top.

It is very creepy at the summit. You take this ride on "cars" to the top.

I was never so scared in my life when we got there. I was shaking like a leaf. I couldn't wait to get back down.

:scared:

[Renew Deal]

8. I just checked it out.

It sounds cool. Thanks!!!

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. You can go up in a tram

Do it at night. On a game night. You can see the stadium. It is a cool view.

[Renew Deal]

10. Any idea on scalper tickets for a game?

Is it doable?

[enigami]

15. You should be able to get tickets

get there early and shop around. don't look desperate. I'm jealous

[proud2BlibKansan]

My dad was a good friend of Whitey Herzog

20 years ago, I could have gotten tickets for you.

But seriously, check the internet. My BIL buys tickets online all the time.

[Renew Deal]

25. Stub Hub has lots of tickets for a good price.

I think I might go with them. A scalper will probably be cheaper right?

[proud2BlibKansan]

27. I honestly don't know

I live in KC and I would never buy from a scalper to go to a Chiefs game. OTOH, a scalper would probably pay me if I took some Royals tickets off his hands.

[Terran]

33. I understand it can be hot during the day.

Traveling in a metal box inside a metal structure, and it's going to be 99 later this week...

Like Vietnamese food? Be sure to hit Pho Grand on South Grand.

[ofrfxsk]

11. Seriously...Things to do in St. Louis

http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-191501959-st_louis_vacations-i

Scroll down to "What to do" and beyond. I've lived here for most of my life and there is so much to do.

[evlbstrd]

12. The good BBQ is across the state in KC.

And we don't have any scary arches, except the golden ones.

[ofrfxsk]

13. You KC'ers don't have Super Smokers

Admit it. It's better.

[evlbstrd]

17. Got one in my yard.

[ofrfxsk]

20. Yep. That's a good one.

:) We have our gas grill which is good but smokin' is so much better.

[Terran]

34. KC has Arthur Bryant's BBQ

Reason enough to drive the 400 miles from St. Louis. Just a day trip, ya know?

[xmas74]

42. You can take the Amtrak directly from St. Louie to KC.

It stops right in my town. I take it all the time when I want to go to St. Louis. Easier sometimes than driving.

[proud2BlibKansan]

45. Oh no this is MUCH better than Bryant's

[Terran]

52. Uh uh, sorry

I've had Gates too and it doesn't even come close.

[proud2BlibKansan]

54. Bryant's tastes like

it has little bits of dirt in it. And by the looks of the place, it probably does.

Gates however is nice and clean. And their sauce rules.

[jimquilty]

35. Super Smokers

is much better than Gates or the other "famous" BBQ place in KC. For a night on the town, hit Soulard or U City. Frasier's Brown Bag near the Brewery has a great menu and is a fun dinner / lunch spot.

[Renew Deal]

18. lol

You have the golden arches.

We have the golden archs. :silly:

[xmas74]

23. We have some nice fountains too.

And the best BBQ!

[Renew Deal]

38. Are you in St. Louis or KC?

[xmas74]

40. 45 minutes SE of KC.

[proud2BlibKansan]

44. You tell em evl!!

Those eastern Mo snobs don't know jack about BBQ.

[deadparrot]

14. Cardinal tickets will be expensive.

They're expensive at any point in the season, but a game vs. the Cubs will be especially big.

Visit Forest Park for a lot of free stuff (zoo, museums, Muny).

I'd recommend Ted Drewes' frozen custard as a treat, maybe after the baseball game. It's not a meal place, obviously, but it's a St. Louis tradition. :)

[Initech]

16. Fair warning - your cholesterol will go up about 200 points!

And I know from experience. I've survived many trips to Kentucky/Tennesee (relatives out there), and the restaraunts all serve everything from a deep fryer.

And if you plan on driving down I-65 at all, every single restaraunt is either a Waffle House, an Arbys, or a Wendys. Not kidding either.

[Renew Deal]

21. Sounds good.

I may drive down I-65 if I have the time. It depends on if I feel like driving 4 hours to Louisville.

[EstimatedProphet]

19. 2 words-Ted Drewes

You have to go get frozen custard from Ted Drewes. Period.

[Renew Deal]

22. Wow, this place is highly recommended.

I'll try to check it out.

[WCGreen]

24. Stay in Nashville and enjoy the city,,,,

It's great.....

[Renew Deal]

26. I am staying one night.

Is there any great BBQ there? I found a place called Famous Dave's gets lots of good reviews. Anywhere else?

http://www.homeofthebigslab.com/index.html

[WCGreen]

28. The place I like closed down

Heakth code violations I hear...

Why do all the tasty places get popped for health code violations?

Picky Picky Picky....

The place I liked was called Uncle Bud's Cat Fish and Such....

You would get 10% off with a church bullitin......

Just stay away frm the chains.

Nashville is full of great restaraunts.

Especially over by Vandervilt...

[Renew Deal]

32. I am actually staying in the Vanderbilt area.

Thanks

[short bus president]

50. OK, in the Vandy area you can get

a pretty good burger at Rotiers, on Church Street. Aside from that, mostly student-targeted bars and crap. If yer in Nashville on a Sunday morning, hit the Opryland Hotel for the big brunch. Expensive as all hell, but more crab legs than you can eat in a sitting.

[yellowdogintexas]

55. OH I forgot about Rotiers! Glad to hear that old place is

still there. And I do agree on the Opryland Buffet. If you go early enough and just don't let go of your seat and your coffee cup you can manage breakfast and lunch out of that deal. It is about 1/4 mile of food, isn't it?

LOL

and I have never been to Prince's I just saw it on a Food Channel deal and have wanted to try it ever since. I am a fairly solid chilihead, but that stuff looked lethal.

[short bus president]

57. I haven't been back to Nashville since '98,

(graduated in '96) but Rotiers was still doing pretty good business then. Hard to believe it'd be closed - that place is an institution.

[short bus president]

48. FEH! Uncle Bud's is a chain.

They're all over TN. The one out by Percy Priest lake was always better than the one in town, anyway.

The best food in Nashville, if you like the Cajun flavor, can be found at Bro's cajun cuisine, owned and operated by Darrel Breaux. Red beans and rice with a couple links of boudin on the side... there's no beating that!

[leftofthedial]

62. Bro's is fucking great cajun food

the best outside of Louisiana

[proud2BlibKansan]

47. Famous Dave's is a national chain

I don't know if it is any good, but here in KC, where BBQ is the BEST in the damn country, we prefer our locally owned, non-chain joints.

[evlbstrd]

59. Famous Dave's started in Minneapolis (I think).

I tried it there, and it's inferior.

[I Know How To Do it]

29. Make sure you hit East St. Louis!

It's really cool.

[REP]

30. That's in Illinois

And not that cool.

As for St Louis - hit Shaw Gardens and leave. St Louis is, well ... I'm from the good side of the state, so what can I say.

[xmas74]

43. I thought that was a smart-ass comment!

Who'd purposely go to E St. Louis? I wouldn't.

[proud2BlibKansan]

46. LOL

Lots of great things to see there. :rofl:

[Renew Deal]

31. kick

:kick:

[Renew Deal]

39. kick

:kick:

[RedCloud]

36. You probably don't want to have a KKK sticker in East St,. Louis.

River Du PEW is another highlight and yes the neon lights are bright but not on St. Louis' Broadway.

Cubs-Cards? You needed tickets, like three years ago. Don't trust the scalpers, but bleacher seats go on sale at Busch very early. Sit near the flag pole so we can all watch you.

And remember the C.U.B.S. are

Completely
Useless
By
September

[Renew Deal]

37. Are Bleacher seats same day only or do they sell them in advance?

What time do they go on sale?

[yellowdogintexas]

41. How much time do you have in Nashville?

and what kinds of things do you like to do?

try this website: http://www.musiccityusa.com/

Mammoth Cave Ky is 1 1/2 hrs north on I-65 from Nashville.

Country Music Hall of Fame is in Nashville

you could try to get Grand Ole Opry tickets, or hit some of the clubs in Printer's Alley or out on Music Row.

Vanderbilt area: 21st Ave So, West End, Hillsboro Road, Elliston Place all have lots of fun and funky places to eat.

There is a restaurant somewhere in Nashville that claims to have the hottest, pepperiest fried chicken in the universe.
Prince Hot Chicken Shack
123 Ewing Dr
Nashville, TN 37207 [phone]


good home cooking soulfood type place:

Sweatt's Restaurant
2725 Clifton Ave
Nashville, TN 37209-4009 View Map
[phone]

Loveless Cafe

and it is about 4 hours from St Louis to Nashville, as I recall.

[Renew Deal]

49. 2 days and 1 night.

Thanks

[short bus president]

51. whooooooooooooooo-ee!

Do NOT go into Prince's and ask for the hot stuff. You will be jet-propelled out of the joint. HOT chicken. Mary's BBQ has better pork...

[pdx_prog]

53. Why would you want to drive to St. Louis?

That's a long, pointless drive....

If you want some real BBQ stay in Tn....drive to Memphis if you get antsy.....try the Rendevous downtown across from the Radisson.

If you want to stay in Nashville just drive out of the city limits and hit the first BBY joint you come across...:)

[yellowdogintexas]

56. just ask the locals where their favorite local BBQ spot is

Remember, in Tennessee, BBQ is pork. Lovely, smokey heavenly pulled apart pork with spicy vinegar sauce, usually.......
Iused to frequent a convenient store in Old Hickory that served up some good stuff, don't know if it is still there or if I could tell you HOW TO find it anymore!!! It was called Bob Earl's.

[Roland99]

58. How's the drive? Take some No-Doz

[AllegroRondo]

60. St Louis is better known for Italian food than BBQ

GREAT Italian district here called "the Hill". Just take I-64 (the locals call it Highway 40) to Hampton and turn South. Take the first left at Imo's Pizza, and you are heading into the Hill. Tons of great Italian places here.

[leftofthedial]

61. pigs over broadway in Nashville

visit the country music hall of fame in Nashville (walking distance from the flying pig joint on Broadway.

drive to memphis, eat bbq at any of 20+ places there

blow off the Cardinals watch them lose to the Cubbies on WGN instead.