Missouri’s Oldest Town is the Perfect Family Friendly Getaway
Did you know Missouir’s first town was founded in 1735? It also happens to be the place my husband and I said I love you for the first time. Ten years later I headed back to Ste. Genevieve with the kids for a perfect summer getaway. We jammed a lot of fun into 36 hours but you could easily make this a weekend trip! Tip, the town is a little sleepier during the week but the weekends are packed with festivals and visitors looking to step back into the past. The best part? It’s just over an hour drive from St. Louis!
36 Hours in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri
Day 1: Local eats, dinos and historic homes
After a quick drive from St. Louis (and hour and ten minutes!) we checked into our hotel and started walking the adorable streets of Ste. Gen. There are murals on the walls, historic homes dating back to the 1700s and cute shops to explore.
Lunch was at Stella and Me, a darling must-visit cafe with soups, salads and sandwiches and delicious house made desserts
If you have a dino lover, you’ve got to check out the Ste. Genevieve Museum Learning Center. It’s free for kids four and under, $5 for those five and up and $10 for adults. Inside you’ll find dino replicas, real life fossils and you can learn all about the dinosaur discovered in Missouri (born and raised here and I had NO idea we had such dino history). Plus there’s a number of other exhibits featuring Missouri history.
Next door you need to stop at Lovegoods Candy and Toys for delicious sweets.
To get out some wiggles there’s two park options right in town, Lions Club Park and Main Street Park, with some open green space! There’s also a beautiful garden right across from the Welcome Center. Don’t forget to pop into the Welcome Center to see a large replica of the town and you can see how many of the original structures are still standing.
Dinner at Audobons was a nice end to the day since we we’re staying at the hotel!
Where to stay: There are lots of options in town but we really enjoyed Audobon’s! They had clean and spacious rooms which was perfect for our family! The owners are lovely and if you go without the kids there’s a really cool speakeasy in the basement with live music, cocktails and a cool vibe. On the weekends they have a beer garden across the street.
Audobon Hotel was the perfect spot to stay for our trip!
The Ste. Genevieve Museum Learning Center is a must visit for any dino or history lover.
Day 2
We kicked off the morning with breakfast and coffee at Common Grounds. They have pastries for more grab and go or a full on menu.
Then we headed to one of the coolest playgrounds! Braden and Friends Challenger Playground is right out of the main historic downtown (you have to drive) but it’s so fun. It’s huge with a farm theme and also a ship -themed playground. Biggest perks? It’s FENCED and the building next to it has nice bathrooms and water fountains. Only downside, there’s very little shade on the playground. There’s also a pavilion next to it where we had a picnic lunch from Oberle Meats, a beloved local deli down the road. You could easily drive down just for this playground for the day and grab lunch!
Next we walked across the street to River Rapids Water Park. This was the perfect summer stop. It had multiple huge water slides, a lazy river, obstacle course and kids play area. The cost is $15 for adults, $14 for kids 3-17 and free for those two and under. They have concession area and snow cones!
We ended the trip with a stop at Sara’s Ice Cream for the perfect sweet finish to an amazing little getaway. When you walk in you’re greeted with the smell of fresh made waffle cones and the historic feel is so cute.
Braden and Friends Challenger Playround is worth the trip alone!
The kids area at Rapid RIvers Water Park was a blast!
Wineries, Festivals and More
This would be the perfect couples or friend getaway as well as there are many wineries and more adult focused spots! In the historic downtown is Brix Urban Winery but the real gems are just outside the city limits. Chateau Saint Genevieve Wineryis a beautiful family-owned winery. It’s family-friendly and you can bring your own food. Weingarten Vineyardis open Friday-Sunday, serving up wine and food. For the wine and beer lovers, Charleville Brewery and Winery is a must!
There are several very popular festivals in Ste. Genevieve to put on your calendar!
French Heritage Festival - Second weekend in June. Celebrates 300 years of French culture and traditions! Experience living history, live traditional music and more!
Ste. Genevieve County Fair - Second full weekend in July
Jour de Fête – Ste. Genevieve’s Grand Celebration! Every year on the second full weekend in August, the streets of Historic Downtown Ste. Genevieve transform into a vibrant marketplace and festival ground for Jour de Fête—southeast Missouri’s largest and most beloved outdoor crafts fair
This trip was so much fun and I can’t wait to return and explore more of the town! Thank you to the Visit Ste. Genevieve Tourism board for hosting us!
Want more road trips? Check out my guide for a Route 66 themed trip to Cuba, Missouri and the perfect getaway to Centrailia, Illinois!