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.

Here is St. Louis from Grain Inc. on Vimeo.

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.

The food scene in St. Louis is vibrant and varied.

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.

Just steps from the Medical Campus, Forest Park has been rated the #1 city park in the United States.

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

See more student perspectives in the Dis-O Guide »

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.

See some of our city’s annual events
  • 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 »

The Great Forest Park Balloon Balloon Glow and Race, held annually in September.

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

See more student perspectives in the Dis-O Guide »

Attractions

A few of our favorite attractions …

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 will surprise you.

Our city’s cultural institutions, affordability and endless options for recreation and entertainment regularly earn the region national recognition.

Why we love St. Louis »