Wednesday, November 18, 2020

The Garden Glow at the Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis City





Location: 4344 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63110

Website: http://glow.missouribotanicalgarden.org/

The lights here are nothing short of amazing. It's definitely a show-stopping display and it is the most expensive of all the light displays in town. It's all outside so dress for the weather. If you buy tickets it includes admission to the indoor Gardenland Express train and poinsettia show.

Regular admission for non-members is $20-$24 per adult and $5-$10 per child for kids over 2. They sell tickets in advance online or you can walk up, but walk-ups are not guaranteed and they frequently sell out.

The installations are unique, they are not your typical "Christmas light" displays. Guests will enjoy lights scattered throughout popular garden locations, interactive photo opportunities, & music. Winter-themed concessions will also be available including s'mores stations. This is such a fun event for people of all ages! They keep adding more every year so don't think it's the same event that you saw in the past. 

































So many cute photo ops!











 











 Inside a snow globe




At the end, you will find the 12 days of Christmas. Here are 12 drummers drumming


7 swans a swimming


3 French hens




Cool image from the St. Louis Post Dispatch of the maze from above. 






The coolest element in my opinion is the beautiful show projected on Shaw's House. Here are some videos:











Upside-down Christmas tree







Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Eureka Mountain Bike Park, Eureka



Location: 1 Coffey Park Ln., Eureka, MO 63025

Website: https://www.eureka.mo.us/Facilities/Facility/Details/Eureka-Mountain-Bike-Park-17

Amenities: 

  • Bike Playground - The Foothills
  • Bike Trail
  • Colossus Two Way Directional Trail
  • Drop Zone Trail-Intermediate
  • Dual Slalom
  • East Coast Trail-Beginner
  • North Shore Trail-Intermediate
  • Parking
  • Pump & Jump Trail
  • Restrooms
  • Rocky IV-Intermediate Trail
  • The Kraken-Intermediate Trail
  • Walking Trail-These Boots
  • West Coast Trail-Beginner
  • Wildcat Jumps Trail-Intermediate


This park is awesome, and it's free and open to the general public. It's open from dawn to dusk and it's back behind the Timbers of Eureka. There are several trails that range from beginner to intermediate. There are restrooms and a covered pavilion right next to it, but the restrooms are closed for the winter. (They brought in a port a potty but I'm not sure how long it will be there). Beware of mud- I took my daughter a couple days after heavy rain and there was a lot of mud from the bike tires in the back of our SUV! 












To see more photos and bikers in action check out their Facebook page. What a great addition to Eureka! My daughter loved riding her bike here and watching older kids do jumps and tricks.