St. Louis Blues

Depart for St. Louis, MO and check into the Drury Inn for a three night stay. Take advantage of the 5:30 Kickback for free hot food and cold beverages. The rotating menu features a variety of hot food, including chicken strips, mac & cheese, hot dogs, baked potatoes and more! Beer, wine, mixed drinks and soft drinks are served every day. We are offering an optional dinner out for those who are a little hungrier or want to experience an evening in the city.

Breakfast at the hotel. Start the day with a visit to the National Blues Museum, which explores the blues and celebrates the genre as the foundation of all modern American Music. Few forms of American music can claim a history as long, as tradition rich, and as complex as the blues. Since its origins in the Deep South long ago, the blues has been a bedrock for virtually all American popular music of the last hundred-plus years. Next, meet a local guide for a tour of the Soulard Neighborhood. The city's oldest neighborhood is also a center for St Louis-style Blues music. More than 30 music clubs, restaurants and taverns are scattered among the red brick townhouses and ornate churches. Drive the bluesy neighborhood during the day on your way to the neighboring Anheuser-Busch Brewery. Enjoy an Anheuser-Busch Brewery tour and take a closer look at the campus and brewing methods on the Day Fresh Tour. Packed with history and stunning views of the property, you'll learn all about the life of an Anheuser-Busch beer from seed to sip; from its beginnings as quality ingredients, to its crisp taste as the finished product. After a visit to the Clydesdale Paddock and Stables, the tour route continues through the Beechwood Aging Cellars, the historic Brewhouse, and the Bevo packaging facility. Guests 21 and older will receive a Day Fresh beer as a keepsake. Dinner tonight is at Chuck Berry's Blueberry Hill, a landmark restaurant and music club filled with pop culture memorabilia. (B,D)

After breakfast at the hotel, visit the Missouri History Museum. St. Louis just can't stay quiet. The region has produced legends who are on a first-name basis worldwide, like Ike & Tina, Miles, Chuck and Nelly. It's been home to the "Velvet Bulldozer" Albert King, the "Black Venus" Josephine Baker, and the original "king" of pop music, Scott Joplin. And don't forget world-class song writers like John Hartford, Jay Farrar, Jeff Tweedy, and Willie Mae Ford Smith. Few cities anywhere can claim so many leading lights in such a wide range of style. It's time for St. Louis to raise a loud voice about its contributions to American popular music. This exhibit serves as your introduction to that music - it can't cover everything, but inside you'll find some familiar tunes, deeper cuts, and a new musical outlook on the city you love. So lend the city your ears. We guarantee you'll hear something incredible. Next, get acquainted with some of St. Louis' most favored sons and daughters on the St. Louis Walk of Fame in the Loop neighborhood. Music legends such as Chuck Berry, Scott Joplin, Miles Davis, Tina Turner and many other are honored with bronze stars in the sidewalk along the Walk of Fame. You also have free time for lunch on your own.

Check out the assortment of shops, restaurants and cafes in The Loop neighborhood where the Walk of Fame is located. This afternoon also features a tour of the Scott Joplin House. Known as the Father of Ragtime, Joplin spent some of his most productive years in St. Louis at the turn of the 20th century. The National Historic Landmark home is where the young pianist lived from 1900-1903. Then, visit the Gateway Arch. The nation's tallest monument at 630 feet, the Gateway Arch has beckoned visitors for more than 40 years with its iconic, awe-inspiring shape. The vision of renowned architect Eero Saarinen, the Gateway Arch commemorates Thomas Jefferson and St. Louis' role in the westward expansion of the United States. Tonight enjoy a dinner cruise aboard the Gateway Arch Riverboat with prime rib, live jazz music and captivating views of the St. Louis Skyline. (B,D)

After breakfast, depart for home with wonderful memories of your trip on the St. Louis Blues Tour. (B)