Spring Break is a well-deserved time away from textbooks and deadlines. Nerinx girls start planning in August where they want to go, especially if they are upperclassmen. Juniors and Seniors debate between Destin or Punta Cana, California or Gulf Shores. However, not everyone has the luxury of affording a ridiculously expensive plane ticket to an equally expensive resort on the edge of a gorgeous beach. Many Nerinx students who are not traveling view their Spring Break as boring, and they stare out the window, wistfully imagining all the fun their classmates are having. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are some options for surprisingly fun things to do in St. Louis.

Don’t have a ride for the entire day? Not to worry. The Metrolink is located five minutes away from Nerinx Hall in two locations: Shrewsbury and Sunnen, which is the last stop on the line. The Metrolink costs around 4 dollars for round-trip tickets and can take you around St. Louis City, including a stop right in front of the Busch Stadium.

Right down the road from Nerinx Hall is a charming bookstore called The Novel Neighbor. Along with Left Bank Books, The Novel Neighbor is one of the few independent bookstores remaining in the St. Louis area.

The St. Louis Zoo in Forest Park is probably the area’s best attraction. The zoo is one of the best in the country, and admission is free. Several exhibits and activities require admission fees, but a daily all-access pass is 10 dollars per person.

A close second to the zoo is the Missouri Botanical Garden.  It provides amazing arrangements of Mother Nature, and anyone can enjoy the Climatron and the koi pond in the Japanese Garden.

The Science Center is also awesome, and it is very close to the zoo.  Like the zoo, admission is free, but extras like the Planetarium and Omnimax require tickets.  If you think you might want to see an Omnimax movie, buying tickets well in advance is advisable, especially on weekends.

Prepare your taste buds (and your stomach) for Crown Candy Kitchen. This old-fashioned restaurant has been a St. Louis staple since 1913.  Make sure to arrive ravenously hungry because they don’t skimp on the size of their sandwiches or the butterfat content of their shakes.  It is a wonderful place to go with friends or family members.

If you can eat even more ice cream, Ted Drewe’s is another longstanding St. Louis tradition. The nearby Donut Drive-In has the best doughnuts in the world, including a mysteriously delicious, but probably not 100% natural, blueberry doughnut.

The City Museum is very cool, as long as you exercise a bit more caution than you might think a museum would require.  It’s open late on Fridays and Saturdays, but only for ages 18 and over.  The City Garden, a new urban sculpture park, is nearby.

If you are into sculpture and the weather is nice, Laumeier Sculpture Park has some fascinating large-scale installations, including the famous giant eyeball.

The St. Louis Gateway Arch is interesting, and if the day is clear, it might be worth riding to the top. Even though the Museum of Westward Expansion has closed, it’s still a must-see if you’re a St. Louisan. The trip even includes “Monument to the Dream,” a movie about the construction of the Arch.

There are too many dining options to mention, and it really depends on what you’re in the mood for. Sauce Magazine and the Urbanspoon app are probably your best bets for finding the right restaurants. St. Louis’ signature foods are toasted ravioli and gooey butter cake, both of which are present on an astounding number of restaurant menus.  In addition, if you like chocolate, a visit to Kakao is worthwhile.  The Maplewood location is in a particularly charming area near a lot of restaurants and a locally owned brewery.

In conclusion, if you are staying home for the break, don’t fret! There are plenty of places to wander around in St. Louis. Grab a friend, sibling, or parent and spend your free time meeting giraffes, downing a banana shake, reading a new book, or walking around a beautiful sculpture park. Get your “Countdown Calendars” ready, because Spring Break begins Saturday, March 14th!