The Many Sides of St. Louis

St. Louis has a little bit of everything on offer, whether you’d rather spend your leisure time perusing art at outdoor festivals, playing saxophone in a jam session, sampling the latest local microbrews, or hiking through thick woods. There are parks all throughout the area, providing plenty of space to cycle or take a picnic. When the weather is nice you can almost count on finding someone flying a kite in Forest Park! St. Louis makes culture available to everyone: the Science Center, Art Museum, History Museum, and Zoo are all free to visit. Many of our arts and culture festivals are also free to attend, and they range in focus from international visual art fairs to heritage celebrations to independent local comics and zine expos to Mardi Gras. With so many experiences to choose from, St. Louis is not only a great place to pursue your own personal development, but also to raise a family.

Chai from Living Room Cafe
Chai at Living Room Cafe in Maplewood, MO

Each of the neighborhoods in St. Louis has its own character and annual events, so it’s always worth checking out individual city websites if you’re looking for something to do, or want to learn a little more about the neighborhood before moving there. Washington University School of Medicine is located in the Central West End, where it is easy to rely entirely on public transit, and just north of The Grove, home to great restaurants, nightlife, and Pride. If you look a little further west, you’ll find Maplewood, which is perfect for those who still want to go without a car and enjoy great coffee and food, but prefer a smaller town vibe than the CWE. Don’t limit yourself to just these few options, because there are so many great areas to check out! Even after you settle down in an area, be sure to explore the rest: St. Louis is home to an incredible variety of architecture and the historic brickwork is gorgeous. Besides, you never know when you might stumble across a new small business you never would have heard of otherwise!

No matter your interests, St. Louis likely has something for you. We have a vibrant food scene, two major league sports teams (even if you don’t keep up with sports, you know when it’s baseball season because everyone’s spirits are up), excellent libraries with plenty of programming for all ages, an active creator scene, a variety of boutique gyms and fitness studios, and so much more. If you’re looking for something and can’t find it, ask — just about everyone knows someone who can point you in the right direction. If you’re eager to learn more about St. Louis, a more in-depth look into life here can be found on the medical school’s main website.

Life in the Lab

Di Paola Crew at the Pediatrics 2019-2020 Holiday Party. Left-to-Right: Brooke Sadler, Shannon Dybvig, Alicia Wallace (back), Jorge Di Paola (front), Katrina Bark.