In St. Louis, you’ll find charming neighborhoods, vibrant cultural and culinary scenes, and plenty of fun for nature-lovers and urbanites alike – all packed into an incredibly affordable city.
In fact, our city earns accolades from techies, foodies, music-lovers and outdoor enthusiasts nationwide. A diverse and thriving metropolitan area of almost 3 million people, St. Louis is a place where the fun and culture of a big city are readily available, yet living here is easy and affordable.
Why St. Louis
Some say St. Louis is underrated. Some say it’s a hidden gem. At WashU Medicine, we just know it as “home.”
Visitor guides
See the region’s official visitor information website for itineraries, events, neighborhood guides and more.
The student perspective
Hear what WashU Medicine students think of St. Louis in the Dis-Orientation Guide — written by medical students, for medical students.
Arts
The St. Louis Symphony is among the country’s best, and several first-rate theater companies practice their art here. The Fox Theatre (“the Fabulous Fox”) presents Broadway shows, dance performances and concerts. A diverse music scene, including Blues, jazz and rock bands, are hot attractions in local clubs, and large outdoor venues draw major concerts. The Saint Louis Art Museum was built for the 1904 World’s Fair and its collection of art spans centuries and cultures; admission is free. The Black Rep provides some of its performances on WashU’s Danforth campus.
More on arts and culture, from Explore St. Louis »
Food
St. Louis is home to countless restaurants, coffee shops, breweries and bakeries that delight food-lovers of all palates. A rotating cast of food trucks rolls through campus on a daily basis, and dozens of dining options within a mile of campus offer fare ranging from poké bowls and street tacos to gourmet donuts and French pastries. Whether you’re looking for a quick bite or full service, your options are covered.
More on the food scene, from our students’ Dis-O Guide »
Sports
St. Louis is a sports-minded city that enthusiastically supports Cardinals baseball, Blues hockey, the St. Louis City SC MLS team, and a number of semi-pro teams. If you’d like to get your own game on, the city has plenty to offer, from running and rock climbing to sand volleyball and ultimate frisbee.
More on fitness and outdoor activities, from our students’ Dis-O Guide »
Forest Park
Located adjacent to the Medical Campus and one of the largest urban parks in the country, Forest Park is a haven for students. The park is home to the city’s Zoo, Science Center and Planetarium, Art Museum and the Missouri History Museum. It also offers public tennis and pickleball courts, golf courses, an outdoor ice rink, athletic fields, picnic areas, miles of trails, and a system of scenic lagoons and waterways that you can explore by boat or paddle board.
Though I had lived all over the east coast, the Midwest was unfamiliar territory when I decided to attend WashU Med. I have found the people here to be endlessly welcoming and supportive, and I have enjoyed exploring everything St. Louis has to offer, especially Forest Park.
Ananya, MD Class of 2028
Outdoors & Nature
Beyond our beloved Forest Park, outdoor activities can be found within and around the metropolitan area. The Missouri Botanical Garden offers beautiful displays year-round. Bike trails line both the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. Spanning 240 miles across the state, the Katy Trail State Park is the country’s longest recreational rail-to-trail, leading cyclists, runners, walkers, and equestrians past towering bluffs, wineries, river valleys and nature centers. Within and outside the city, you can paddle our state’s great riverways on your own or with expert guides. To the south and west of St. Louis, the Ozark mountains and river valleys are perfect for backpacking, hiking, camping, fishing and canoeing. Missouri’s state park system contains 92 state parks and historic sites. More than 160,000 acres are publicly accessible.
Events & festivals
St. Louisans love a good party! Beyond sporting events, Broadway shows, concerts and exhibitions, the city celebrates a diverse and ever-growing list of signature events year after year.
- Art Hill Film Series (July)
- Bark in the Park (May)
- Best of Missouri Market (October)
- Blues at the Arch (August)
- Cherokee Cinco de Mayo (May)
- Earth Day Festival (April)
- Evolution Festival (August)
- GO! St. Louis Marathon & Family Fitness Weekend (April)
- Fair St. Louis (around July 4th)
- Festival of Nations (August)
- Great Forest Park Balloon Race and Glow (September)
- Grub and Groove (August)
- Historic Shaw Neighborhood Art Fair (October)
- Laumeier Art Fair (May)
- Let Them Eat Art (July; Maplewood MO)
- Japanese Festival (Labor Day Weekend in September)
- Moonlight Ramble (August)
- Music at the Intersection (September)
- PrideFest St. Louis (June)
- Schlafly Art Outside Festival (September)
- Scottish Games and Cultural Festival (May in Manchester MO)
- Soulard neighborhood Mardi Gras (mid-February/early March)
- St. Louis African Arts Festival (May)
- St. Louis Art Fair (September in Clayton MO)
- St. Louis International Film Festival (November)
- St. Louis Microfest beer festival (May)
- St. Louis Shakespeare Festival, including Shakespeare in the Park (May/June)
- St. Louis VegFest (October)
- St. Louis Wine Festival (June)
- St. Patrick’s Day Parade and run (mid-March)
- Taste of Maplewood (May)
- Tennessee Williams Festival (September)
- Tower Grove Pride (September)
- Whitaker Music Festival at Missouri Botanical Garden (weekly, late May to early August)
- Whitaker St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase (July)
- World’s Fair Heritage Festival (September)
More signature events, from Explore St. Louis »
More events and festivals, from our students’ Dis-O Guide »
Neighborhoods
Neighborhoods close to the Medical Campus include:
- Central West End: The Medical Campus’s neighborhood, brimming with dining and entertainment options, high rise apartment buildings, and tree-lined residential streets.
- The Grove: A popular neighborhood southeast of the Medical Campus offering a diverse collection of bars, nightclubs, restaurants and shops, in addition to a variety of housing options. A favorite stop for LGBTQ+ visitors.
- More neighborhoods, from our students’ Dis-O Guide »
Having spent my whole life in Southern California, I was nervous about moving halfway across the country far from my friends and family, but I can certainly say that my time at WashU Med has been amazing! The people here are always welcoming and friendly, and St. Louis has so much to offer, from the delicious food scene to the variety of local events and so much more.
–Trevor, MD Class of 2028
Attractions
A few of our favorite attractions …
- Citygarden: A serene and stimulating sculpture garden in the heart of downtown.
- City Museum: A must-experience-it-to-believe-it mix of playground, surrealist pavilion and artistic marvel made out of found architectural objects.
- Forest Park: Frequently topping lists as one of the nation’s favorite city parks, home to trails, forests, streams and savannas, as well as some of the city’s most beloved cultural venues, including the Missouri History Museum, the outdoor Muny Theatre, the Saint Louis Art Museum, the Saint Louis Science Center, and the Saint Louis Zoo.
- Gateway Arch: More than a famous Midcentury Modern monument (and National Park!), the Arch grounds include riverway pathways and a museum that tells stories of westward expansion from multiple perspectives, including indigenous peoples’.
- Grand Center Arts District: Not far from the Medical Campus, this district is home to cultural institutions including the Fox Theatre, St. Louis Symphony (don’t miss the $15 student tickets), more than a dozen museums and galleries, including the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, and so much more.
- Missouri Botanical Garden: The nation’s oldest botanical garden in continuous operation and a National Historic Landmark.
- St. Louis Union Station: The city’s historic train station, now home to restaurants, light shows, ropes courses, the St. Louis Aquarium, a 200-foot Ferris wheel, and more.
- More attractions, from Explore St. Louis »
- More attractions, from our students’ Dis-O Guide »
Getting around
WashU helps make getting around St. Louis easy: Full-time students are eligible to receive a free Metro pass that provides unlimited access to the entire transit system, including buses and the MetroLink light rail that serve St. Louis City and County as well as Madison and St. Clair counties in Illinois.
St. Louis’ central location makes also exploring nearby cities easy and inexpensive. Cities including Chicago, Kansas City, Memphis, Nashville, Louisville, Cincinnati and Indianapolis are all within a five-hour drive.
More on transportation, from our students’ Dis-O Guide »
Affordable living
New residents and natives alike commend St. Louis for providing the career and cultural opportunities of a big city with the convenience and low cost-of-living often found in smaller sized towns. A 2019 assessment ranked St. Louis among the top U.S. cities where people live the most balanced lifestyles.
Local news & media
- St. Louis American: Recognized as one of the top African-American newspapers in the country, printed weekly and available online
- St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Founded in 1878 by Joseph Pulitzer, St. Louis’ major daily newspaper
- St. Louis Public Radio: The region’s local National Public Radio affiliate sharing news online and over the air
- Sauce Magazine: St. Louis’ award-winning metro-area culinary and entertainment magazine and guide
- Central West End Association Griffin (published in March, June, September and November) for the Central West End (neighborhood) Association
- More media in St. Louis »
St. Louis will surprise you.
Our city’s cultural institutions, affordability and endless options for recreation and entertainment regularly earn the region national recognition.