University City Loop
Within walking distance to the north of Washington University, the U City Loop is a vibrant six-block area with more than 120 boutiques, specialty shops, eclectic restaurants, galleries, and live entertainment. The St. Louis Walk of Fame highlights famous residents past and present, and much of the area is designated as a Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.

Blueberry Hill, one of nearly 40 restaurants in the Loop, is a favorite hangout for Washington University students and features live music, mouth-watering pub food, and a wide selection of domestic and imported beer. Other restaurants offer international flavor including sushi, tapas, gyros, and falafels. Down the street, The Pageant concert venue hosts national music acts in an intimate environment.

Clayton
A metropolitan business center located west of campus, Clayton is the seat of St. Louis County and houses offices of major corporations including Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Graybar Electric, the Sara Lee Bakery Group, and Brown Shoe. Just a short campus shuttle ride away, the central business district is complimented by specialty boutiques, cafes, restaurants, and upscale bars and is framed by charming residential neighborhoods.

Forest Park
One of the city's most popular destinations is Forest Park. This urban park forms the eastern border of Washington University and offers visitors 10 miles of bike paths, a 27-hole public golf course, an outdoor ice-skating rink, paddle boats, an outdoor theater, museums, a variety of restaurants, and a world-class zoo.

St. Louis Art Museum
The Saint Louis Art Museum was designed in the Beaux-Arts style by Cass Gilbert (1859-1934), the leading American Beaux-Arts architect. The museum is home to an international collection with an emphasis on 20th century German Expressionism and Oceanic art. Admission is free.

Missouri History Museum
Housed in a building built in 1913 with profits from the 1904 World's Fair, the Missouri History Museum contains a collection of over two million books, artifacts, papers, and photographs. It also is a major repository for material relating to the Lewis and Clark expedition, (1804-1806), as well as the life and aviation career of Charles A. Lindbergh (1902-1974). Admission is free.

The Jewel Box
Located in Forest Park, the Jewel Box is an Art Deco floral conservatory. Built in 1936 by the City of St. Louis, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Jewel Box is hailed for its architectural features that include cantilevered, vertical glass walls that rise 50 feet high. For generations, the lush tropical plants and exotic floral exhibits have served as backdrops for weddings and special events.

St. Louis Zoo
With over 3,000 animals, this state-of-the-art biopark offers visitors a rare glimpse of animals in their natural habitat. Exhibits at the St. Louis Zoo include the Living World Educational Center, Jungle of the Apes, Big Cat Country, Emerson Children's Zoo, and the Monsanto Insectarium with 20 major exhibit areas and over 100 different insect species. Zoo admission is free.

The Municipal Opera
Summers in St. Louis are highlighted by musical theater productions at the nation's oldest and largest outdoor theater, The Muny. Before each of the season's seven productions, many theater patrons enjoy a pre-theater picnic in the park or dinner at the nearby Boathouse, which offers indoor and outdoor seating.

The Central West End
On the east side of Forest Park, Washington University's 59-acre Medical Campus is located in the Central West End, home to private streets and some of the finest commercial and religious architecture from the last century.

In the 1890s the Central West End saw its first wave of neighborhood construction, as the upper and middle classes moved to the edge of booming downtown St. Louis. The expansive homes were built by prominent architecture firms and the first residents were among the wealthiest and most influential in the city.

Today, many of the original homes have undergone restoration, and luxury apartments and condominiums surround the Euclid Avenue Business District, which features over 60 restaurants and 300 shops, galleries, and antique stores. Favorite hangouts include Llywelyn's Pub, Duff's Restaurant, and Café Eau.