Hi, I'm Pat and welcome to my blog, Life's A Trip!
I love traveling, food and getting a great deal on anything - which is what this blog is about.
I'll share not only my travel destinations including accommodations, dining hot spots, and top (and weird!) travel attractions with you - but how to make any trip more budget friendly.
Every year the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) holds a fly-in called AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI. Aircraft enthusiasts from all over the country come to this airshow.
At the time, I was dating a pilot. His dad was also a pilot and owned a Cessna Cardinal. We decided we'd fly to the EAA airshow, then fly on to St. Louis, MO for the hot air balloon race and spend a few days in
St. Louis. We'd be crewing in a hot air balloon as Bill Sr.'s friends were piloting balloons in the race.
At the EAA show it's one plane after another landing to attend. We were in a holding pattern for over an hour before we were cleared to land. That's how stacked up the air traffic gets...
Quite a few of the pilots attending are pilots of vintage planes that are both on display and used in airshows. I was stoked as I'd get a chance to meet WWII ace, Pappy Boyington. I'd never missed an episode of 'his' old TV show Baa Baa Black Sheep.
Ultimately Boyington turned out to be an egotistical snob but I didn't let my disappointment at him ruin the rest of the air show for me. I like F4U Corsairs and got to sit in the cockpit of one so I was a happy camper.
The Blue Angels were performing there as well and I love watching them.
The following video will give you some idea of what you'd see at EAA AirVenture.
F4U Corsair
Eventually we got hungry enough to tear ourselves away from AirVenture long enough to go have dinner. I'd gone to college in Oshkosh so Bill Sr. turned to me to recommend where to eat. Where could we get some good steaks?
The menu offers steak with a steak special on Thursdays, a Friday fish fry, chicken, prime rib, roast duck to name a few entrees.
Drive 20 minutes north of the AirVenture grounds to Butte des Morts to 5776 Main Street and you'll arrive at Jimmie's White House Inn.
The building is one of the oldest supper clubs in the state. It was a speakeasy during Prohibition until proprietor Grace Rose Anderson's second arrest for selling booze. Eventually the building was sold to James Kontos who converted it into a supper club.
The interior contains an interesting collection of Civil War memorabilia that just adds to the atmosphere.
While waiting for our table we enjoyed an Old Fashioned, hand muddled. (This is still Wisconsin)
We ordered ribeyes with mushrooms and onion straws, which were good enough that I got a thumbs up from Bill Sr.
We stopped to check into our motel, then headed back to AirVenture for the evening activities.
The next morning we headed for St. Louis and the Great Forest Park Balloon Race.
This is a past race so you can see The Glow that takes place the night before the actual race. That event alone draws between 60,000 and 80,000 people.
The Glow takes place after dark, all of the balloons are inflated and the pilots light them up by firing the burners that keep the balloons inflated.
The race is held the next day, weather permitting. There has to be enough wind for the balloons to take off and yet too much wind prevents them from launching. The way the race works is a lead balloon called the hare is launched prior to the other balloons. The pilot in the hare balloon drops a bean bag from his balloon, then a ground crew marks that spot with a big X. The balloons following the hare must drop their own bean bag, trying to get it as close as possible to the X. The balloon that gets their bean bag the closest to the X wins the race. It sounds easy...trust me it's not.
I'd flown in just about everything but hot air balloons were completely new to me. I knew nothing about them. So I'll give you a little primer in case you want to visit the St. Louis Great Forest Park Balloon Race.
There are 3 basic parts of a hot air balloon; the envelope (the balloon part), the burner, and the basket or carrier. The envelope is made from nylon gores, which are reinforced with sewn-in webbing. Nylon is the material of choice since it is lightweight, sturdy and has a high melting point, all of which are extremely suitable for the purpose of flying through the air! The part of the envelope closest to the burner is called a skirt and is coated with special fire-resistant material to prevent the envelope from flaring up.
The burner uses propane gas to heat up the air in the envelope, which moves the balloon off the ground and into the air. The pilot must keep firing the burner at regular intervals throughout the flight to ensure that the balloon continues to be stable. The basket that holds the gas tanks and passengers is actually made of wicker, which is sturdy, lightweight and flexible. The flexibility is important, since hot air balloon landings involve impacting the ground, but the flexibility of wicker absorbs some of that energy to prevent the basket from breaking apart. The burner is set just underneath the mouth of the envelope, which heats the air inside it.
As the burner heats the air inside the envelope, it creates a lift force, which makes the balloon rise. When the burner is on, it will continue to rise, whereas it will lose altitude when the burner is switched off.
In order to return to the ground, the pilot needs to open the parachute valve (a circle of fabric that can be opened) at the top-most region of the envelope by pulling an attached chord and letting off inner hot air. Landing a balloon is quite difficult and pilots usually land it on a large empty piece of land, such as a meadow or any countryside area. The reason for such empty bases for landing is that hot air balloons cannot be steered like airplanes.
A hot air balloon has no built-in mechanism for steering. It uses the direction in which the wind travels to steer itself. However, that does not mean that pilots let the balloon amble anywhere. At different altitudes, the wind direction is different, so pilots use this to steer their hovering crafts. They can get information about the direction of winds at different altitudes and then rise up or down to the altitude that has wind blowing in the desired direction. The lateral or horizontal motion of the balloon is then completely controlled by the wind, but somewhat guided by the operator. (Key words there being "somewhat guided")
Now, you would think getting one of those suckers inflated wouldn't be that difficult, right?
Here's what goes into inflating a hot air balloon...
It's quite the production to get a hot air balloon ready to fly! We started before the sun was even up.
The trucks you saw in the video above are the chase crew. They follow the balloon on its trek through the sky to "catch" the balloon when and where it lands. The landings aren't soft, they're pretty jarring when that basket impacts the ground, even with the ground crew "catching" the basket. How high do you go? Around 1000 feet or so. At least that's the approximate altitude we were at.
There...now you know something about hot air balloons.
No, we didn't win the race but i didn't care. I just loved the peacefulness of the flight and the feeling of floating through the air. It was incredible even if it had been a lot of work to get airborne.
things to see & do in St, Louis
When people think of St. Louis they usually think of it notorious arch.
You can get a guided tour of the arch and Gateway Arch National Park.
Bill Sr. decided to take a slightly different approach to seeing the arch. We flew through it.
(This was before they put cameras on the inside of the arch to identify pilots flying through it.)
You can also purchase tickets directly from the Gateway Arch website.
VISIT THE ST. LOUIS ZOO
Good sized zoo featuring mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, fish and invertebrates.
Attractions include a carousel, sea lion show, 4D theater, Zooline Railraod, Stingrays at Caribbean Cove, dining and gift shops.
The zoo is partnered with Drury Hotels so if you're staying at a Drury hotel, ask them about their St. Louis Zoo Family Package.
Saint Louis Zoo Family Package includes:
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Great rates at the Drury Hotels of St. Louis
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Up to four (4) Zoo Family Passes - each pass includes:
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Emerson Zooline Railroad, Conservation Carousel, Sea Lion Show, Stingrays at Caribbean Cove, 4D Theater
Additional passes can be purchased at Zoo entry at a $2 discount per pass
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Free Hot Breakfast
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Free 5:30 Kickback®
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Free Wi-Fi
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Swimming Pool & Whirlpool
Admission into the St. Louis Zoo is free!
Drury Hotels also have a Rewards Program you might want to check out. There are 15 Drury hotels in St. Louis.
The St. Louis Zoo is located at 1 Government Drive, St. Louis, MO.
GET YOUR THRILL ON AT SIX FLAGS
Six Flags amusement parks are my go to "happy place".
They're great for people of all ages and have something for everyone.
Six Flags St. Louis also has a huge water park, Hurricane Harbor if you need to cool off on a hot day.
There are plenty of accommodations within minutes of the park, and visitors can take advantage of group discounts for youth groups, family reunions, company outings and more.
The park is located at 4900 Six Flags Road, Eureka, MO.
ST. LOUIS STATION
I have lots of cousins in MO and one of them turned me on to this place.
Toss me a sleeping bag and I'd just move into this place for a couple months! LOL
Union Station used to be one of the largest and busiest rail terminals in the world. Today this complex houses more than 13,000 animals at the St. Louis Aquarium, the 200-foot St. Louis Wheel, a carousel, an 18-hole miniature golf course, a ropes course and more.
The 3D light show in the Grand Hall plays on the hour, and restaurants such as The Soda Fountain and The Train Shed will keep you fueled for infinite fun. When it’s time to rest your head, you don’t have to go far. St. Louis Union Station Hotel boasts timeless décor and modern amenities.
I have eaten at The Train Shed.
I'd give it 4 out of 5 stars.
The food was good and the variety of menu items is wonderful - anything from snack-like foods to sandwiches and salads to full dinners, so you can grab any kind of meal here. You can also get cocktails.
I had exceptional service as well.
We'd stopped for lunch so I ordered a Smash burger.
White American, Griddled Onion, Campfire Sauce, Pickle, Potato Bun, served with waffle fries.
Large portion and it was tasty.
In the water retention area outside the windows they have a brief light show every hour we watched while we ate.
Prices aren't cheap but they are very reasonable given the menu selection and location.
And hey...they have Beignets for dessert!
RYZE ADVENTURE PARK
If you're up for a challenge and some (at times) heart stopping adventure, then give Ryze Adventure Park a go.
More than 100 obstacles, plus a heart-stopping zipline and a death-defying free fall, on its four-story Adventure Tower. There's also an 18-hole state-of-the-art miniature golf course, which glows with neon lights at night.
The Little Ninja course is a fun place for kids in St. Louis because the first level of the Adventure Tower is dedicated exclusively to our younger guests. Parents or caregivers can observe their kid's climb for free and follow along with them throughout the course.
There's also a Yard Games area where you can play a variety of yard games for free.
The main attraction at Ryze is the four-story Adventure Tower, which features a zipline, a free fall and approximately 113 climbing challenges. It’s all the best things about a treetop adventure course, but it’s not linear.
You can make your own course, picking and choosing the activities and obstacles that you want to do. Not everybody has to do the same thing in the same order, and people with varying capabilities can choose challenges that are suitable for them.
All the elements of the tower are color-coded, so you can easily decipher how difficult an activity is.
Check the Ryze website for more information.
FOREST PARK
If you're looking for something a little more on the tame side then immerse yourself in the culture of Forest Park. Forest Park is actually 500 acres larger than New York City's Central Park and it's considered one of the best urban parks in the country! It's free to visit as are most of its attractions.
The Jewel Box, an elegant greenhouse is filled with magnificent flora. More than 30 miles of walking and biking trails traverse Forest Park, which also boasts more than 190 acres of nature reserves that encompass old-growth forests, restored forests and woodlands, wetlands, tallgrass prairies and savannas. These habitats form a corridor across the park that both wildlife and visitors utilize.
More than 30 miles of walking and biking trails traverse Forest Park, which also boasts more than 190 acres of nature reserves that encompass old-growth forests, restored forests and woodlands, wetlands, tallgrass prairies and savannas. These habitats form a corridor across the park that both wildlife and visitors utilize.
The Boathouse offers tasty fare for when you get hungry. Here, you can also rent paddle boats, canoes and kayaks in spring, summer and fall to embark on a miniature expedition of the Emerson Grand Basin.
The area has two golf courses, tennis courts, racquetball courts, basketball courts, a skating rink and a cricket field for sports enthusiasts.
Forest Park also hosts epic events - the Great Forest Park Balloon Glow and Race being one of them.
5595 Grand Drive in Forest Park | St. Louis MO
CITY MUSEUM
City Museum is not your typical museum as you can see. Very interesting place to visit especially if you have kids - super interactive and artsy.
A one day ticket to the museum starts at $20 (does not include rooftop admission) but Gold membership passes are also available.
FOR ALL OF YOU GEARHEADS
Start your engines! At Victory Raceway, the electric go-karts reach speeds up to 45 miles per hour on the indoor racetrack. There are no two-seaters here – everyone drives. At Amp Up Action Park, you can zip around a custom-built track in the most technologically advanced indoor kart in the world; then, complete a heart-pounding adventure in the three-level, black light-lit laser tag arena. There’s also an elevated ropes course, axe throwing, arcade games and pickleball.
To explore the history, mechanics and design of planes, trains and automobiles, head to the National Museum of Transportation, which has one of the largest and best collections of transportation vehicles in the world, encompassing more than 190 major exhibits.
CIVIL WAR MUSEUM
If you're a Civil War buff like I am, then you'll enjoy the St. Louis Civil War Museum and find it very informative. I've visited quite a few Civil War museums and this is honestly one of the best I've visited.
Admission Fees
Museum Members Free
Children Under Age 5 Free
Active Duty Military/Veterans $7.00
Students (with ID )$7.00
Seniors (Age 65+) $8.00
Individuals $9.00
At 22,000 square feet, the Missouri Civil War Museum is filled with over one thousand artifacts and several films throughout. Each gallery and exhibit tells a different story of Missouri in the American Civil War, from guerrillas and jayhawkers to life on the home front. The Museum also contains several galleries on the post-war era and the history of our home here at Jefferson Barracks.
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Pre-War Gallery
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Colonel John Emerson Main Gallery
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Hollywood and the Civil War Exhibit
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Jefferson Barracks Through the Years Exhibit
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Theater
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Civil War on the Western Border Exhibit
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The Medal of Honor Exhibit
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Grand Army of the Republic & United Confederate Veterans Gallery
In addition to the hundreds of artifacts on display, the Museum features several feature films for guests to watch. In partnership with Kansas City-based Wide Awake Films, the theater shows a 25-minute film on the war in Missouri, specifically the war on the Western Border and in Eastern Missouri.
There's so much to see and do in St. Louis that it would take months to experience it all.
DINING
You can find virtually any cuisine you want in St. Louis. You can dine on Turkish kebabs, Ethiopian injera, Italian arancini, Indian curry, Cantonese steamed buns, all-beef hot dogs, plant-based pizza and vegan tacos, Bosnian and Vietnamese delicacies.
There are way too many restaurants to go through so I'll just give you a couple of my favorites.
BLUEBERRY HILL
I'm partial to FUN places to eat and Blueberry Hill is part restaurant, part arcade. Blueberry Hill is a A St. Louis landmark filled with pop culture memorabilia. Famous for burgers, vegetarian specials, house-made soups and salads. They also have an Allergen Menu.
You can eat in or order food online.
They also feature live entertainment shows so it's an all around fun place to hang out as well as eat.
6504 Delmar in The Loop * St. Louis MO
HAYDEN'S IRISH PUB
You didn't really think I wouldn't sneak an Irish Pub in here, did you? (Of course it's Irish! Look at all of the ale cans on the wall!)
Technically, Hayden's isn't a full scale restaurant per se as they serve appetizers and believe it or not - PIZZA! Pizza in an Irish Pub was a new one on me! But at least it's good pizza.
Hayden's is really more of a pub with live entertainment, a place to hang out and enjoy the show.
However, I do like their loaded baked potato soup, their loaded tots and their Guiness Beef Stew.
Their location is convenient, right in downtown St. Louis.
310 North 6th Street (6th & Olive Streets)
THE PEACEMAKER LOBSTER & CRAB COMPANY
I dearly love New Orleans food but when not in New Orleans and in St. Louis, I head for the next best thing...
Peacemaker Lobster & Crab Company.
Chef Kevin Nashan offers playful new dishes like lobster frito pie and a buffalo crawfish poorboy alongside coastal classics like lobster rolls, steamers and boils, chowder, gumbo and seasonal pies.
Their Peacemaker po'boy dates back to the 1800's. Their raw bar features a rotating selection of fresh oysters from the Gulf and Atlantic Ocean, peel and eat shrimp and a crudo of the day.
The reason I like Peacemaker's is their catch is flown in daily so your seafood is always fresh from the coastal waters!
Is it expensive? Yes...but any crab and lobster these days is expensive and you usually don't get it fresh.
1831 Sidney St, St. Louis, MO
SOULARD'S FARMERS MARKET
I'm a fan of farmers markets because everything is naturally grown, no chemicals, and the fruits, veggies, etc. are fresh. So I like hitting up Soulard Farmers Market when in St. Louis, if at all possible.
THE CARAMEL HOUSE
Last stop for those with a sweet tooth - The Caramel House.
Step inside the most unique sweets shop in the world as the only salted caramel company that hand crafts dozens of flavors of caramel kisses and many more treats.
The Caramel House is a small-batch sweets company cooking up both fresh, creamy caramel that melts in your mouth as well as crunchy butter toffees, sweet & salty snacks, and more.
The Caramel House offers a variety of gluten- and nut-free candies and snacks. In their store, select from distinctive jars filled with gourmet candies that line the shelves including caramels, toffees, popcorns, cookies, and other specialties. They also have delicious hand-dipped caramel apples and chocolate covered strawberries in season.
A tour is available but you'll need reservations to take one. 314-972-3777 • Janet@TheCaramelHouse.com
Before you stop in, check out their website for a free coupon.
9639 Olive Blvd. St. Louis, MO
There's so much to see and do in St. Louis it would take you months to experience all it has to offer
Hope to see you at the 2025 Great Forest Park Balloon Race!
