This stay and some of the amenities were sponsored by Hilton. All opinions are my own.
My family recently embarked on the road trip of a lifetime. My husband and I both grew up as Major League Baseball fans, and now that Sawyer plays baseball, our kids are getting into the sport, too. When planning our family’s summer road trip, the hubs and I realized that neither of us had been to any of the great ballparks of the Midwest aside from Wrigley Field during our trip to Chicago a few years ago. With a little bit of planning, we realized that we would have the chance to see several home baseball games throughout the Midwest during a road trip. We planned the perfect Midwest baseball road trip itinerary that allowed us to see games in St. Louis, Kansas City, Minneapolis, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, and Cincinnati. The experience surpassed our already wonderful expectations. This bucket list-worthy trip really was a #roadtripofdreams, and one our whole family will never forget. I can’t wait to share it all with you so you can plan your family’s own epic baseball road trip! Today I’m sharing about our experience attending a St. Louis Cardinals game, the best hotels near Busch Stadium, and recommendations for where to eat and what to do near the Cardinals stadium. Stay tuned in the weeks ahead for more recaps on the different games we saw and cities we experienced, as well as an overall itinerary for a Midwest baseball road trip.
We kicked off the trip in St. Louis in time to take advantage of a summer special that Hilton family hotels in St. Louis are offering with the Cardinals. Through September, St. Louis area Hilton hotels are offering a “Cards Cash” package, which includes an overnight stay plus a $20 Cards Cash gift card. This gift card can be used toward game tickets, food or merchandise at Busch Stadium, Cardinals Team store, Cardinals Nation Restaurant, or Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum. Learn more about this offer here.
Where to stay in St. Louis near Busch Stadium
If you’re traveling to St. Louis to attend a Cardinals game, you’re going to want to find hotels near Busch Stadium so that you can walk to the game and not worry about parking at the ballpark. Out of all the hotels near the Cardinals stadium, the place to stay is Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark.
Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark. Located just steps away from Busch Stadium, and one of the hotels participating in the Hiltons of St. Louis Cards Cash promotion, you simply can’t beat this hotel near the Cardinals stadium if you’re attending a game. The whole hotel has a Cardinals vibe, from their lobby and in-room décor, the stadium views from some of their rooms, and the bevvy of Cardinals fans staying there. We of course experienced the top notch service, comfort, and cleanliness that we always expect from Hilton family hotels, which makes this an ideal hotel in downtown for any trip to St. Louis. But if you’re attending a Cardinals game specifically, this hotel really should be your first choice.
Seeing a Cardinals game at Busch Stadium
When attending a Cardinals game at Busch Stadium, it’s clear that St. Louis is a baseball town. The team has good fans that are really engaged with the team and the game experience. The stadium is big, but still feels personal and 100% about the team. We experienced very friendly customer service from everyone we interacted with in the stadium, and positive, fun-loving attitudes from others in attendance. It was our first taste of Missouri hospitality, and we were impressed (which says a lot coming from Texans). Given the size, it was really easy to enter and exit and not overly crowded. Out of all the stadiums on our #roadtripofdreams, this was one of my oldest’s and my favorites in terms of ambiance.
The food and concessions at Busch Stadium were great. There are a lot of options, which helped keep lines reasonable. See the full stadium dining guide here.
We were fortunate enough to attend on free hat day (which was perfect for the heat wave that was hitting the Midwest during our trip), but the souvenir choices at the stadium were also awesome, and the Cards Cash package with Hilton helped! I still feel some FOMO from not getting a specific tank top I considered at the team store, but the boys got baseball cards, player brick mini-figures, and a souvenir Cardinals baseball. I also got them some souvenir patches for their Camp Fire uniforms.
Like many ballparks, parking near Busch Stadium can be difficult and pricy. I recommend either reserving in advance or just leaving your car at your hotel if you are in walking distance (like we were at Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark).
Best restaurants near Busch Stadium
- 360 Rooftop Bar. This restaurant and bar located atop the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark hotel gets its name from the 360 degree views of downtown St. Louis visible from the venue. Before 7pm families can visit for a meal (we really enjoyed their brunch), and after 7pm it is 21+ for some fabulous nightlife in the St. Louis skyline.
- Ballpark Village. In the heart of downtown St. Louis you have several dining options right at the ballpark, like Cardinals Nation, Budweiser Brew House, Fox Sports Midwest Live!, and more. See all the dining options in Ballpark Village here.
Things to do in downtown St. Louis
If you have some time to explore St. Louis before or after attending a Cardinals game, there are several things to do right in downtown near the ballpark. Here are our recommendations on what to do in downtown St. Louis near Busch Stadium.
- Gateway Arch. Probably the most iconic structure in St. Louis, visiting the famous Gateway Arch is a must. It’s in easy walking distance from Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark and other hotels in the area. You can enjoy views of the arch from the site’s park, kids can splash in the fountain at the visitor’s center, and you can even take a ride up to the top of the arch itself for some incredible views of St. Louis.
- Blues and jazz. We saw and heard several different blues and jazz clubs in the area near Busch Stadium in downtown St. Louis.
- Architecture. The downtown area is not only easily walkable, but it’s also full of beautiful architecture. Some of the highlights near Busch Stadium are The St. Louis Library, the Wainwright Building, and the Railway Exchange Building.
- Ballpark Village. If you’re looking for family-friendly fun or adult evening entertainment, you needn’t look much further than Ballpark Village, which sits between Busch Stadium and Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark. Check their entertainment listings for events, movies, nightlife, and other activities to keep the whole family occupied and having fun during a trip to St. Louis.
- Attend a St. Louis Cardinals game. If you’ve found this post, you likely already know that a great thing to do when visiting St. Louis is attending a Cardinals game!
We had a great time traveling to St. Louis for the Cardinals game. The experience at the game and at our hotel were some of the highlights from our trip. Stay tuned next week for our experience in Kansas City for a Royals game, and the whole Midwest baseball road trip itinerary in the weeks ahead. In the meantime, click here to learn more about the Hiltons of St. Louis Cards Cash package.
Related posts:
- Route and recommendations for planning the ultimate Midwest baseball road trip
- Everything you need to know about attending a Kansas City Royals game at Kauffman Stadium with kids
- Traveling to Minneapolis for a Minnesota Twins game in style
- Family vacation in Chicago for a Cubs game
- Taking your kids to a Detroit Tigers game at Comerica Park
- Visiting Cleveland with kids for a Guardians
- Traveling to Cincinnati for a Reds game
Leave a Reply