Riding high in the Gateway Arch, the nation’s 18th president and Civil War leader and the long road home!
We are on a 9,000 mile Great American Road trip. You can catch up on our last post: Louis and Clark Trail – Two keelboat replicas from Louis & Clark’s adventure, dressing up as Louis & Clark and, well Louis & Clark! here
Gateway Arch National Park
Gateway Arch National Park is home to a large museum which is free to enter. To ride up in the Arch you must plan ahead! Purchasing tickets a few days ahead of time is highly recommended.
Gateway Arch is a monument of westward expansion in the 18th century. Just after Thomas Jefferson signed the Louisanna Purchase and sent Lewis and Clarke on their famed adventure, the Arch signifies America’s gateway to the west.
The Arch itself is an engineering marvel. It is over 630 feet high at it’s peak. You can ride a one of a kind elevator to the top and see the view.
Get your Tickets in Advance!
We showed up the first day without tickets and learned our lesson. Each day at 9AM on their website, they release a small amount of tickets, so you need to be at your computer waiting with the refresh button.
Gateway Arch Museum
Underneath the Arch there is an extensive museum free to the public. You do not need a ticket to enter the Museum.
Many exhibits featuring the various aspects of America’s expansion to the West are within. Covering the various trails, Fur Trade, Displacement of Native Americans, Western Art and Culture, early Architecture, and many other various industry.
Pappy’s Smokehouse
When you think of St. Louis BBQ. Ribs always come to mind. For some of the best ribs you can find, head on over to Pappy’s Smoke House. It will not disappoint!
(You know it’s not mine, because I never eat Green Beans!)
Ulysses S. Grant National Historic
After licking our fingers clean, we headed over to the Ulysses S Grant Historic Site. You can learn all about the not-so-well known President at the childhood home of his beloved wife, Julia Dent, through a ranger-led tour of the estate – White Haven.
Ironically the Union Leader lived here with his father-in-law, Frederick Dent, who is a Confederate sympathizer and slaveowner. You can just feel the tension at the dinner table!
Though he had a rough start through a variety of failed business enterprises, Ulysses S Grant was an adept military leader. He is the famous general who led the Union to victory during the Civil War. He partnered with Abraham Lincoln. His fame as a general led him to become the Nation’s 18th President.
Coincidentally, we arrived on the 200th anniversary of his death July 23, 1885. As you can imagine we had to fight through the crowds to take a picture of this sign.
The Long Road Home…
After a family meeting, we agreed to attempt to drive the entire distance from St. Louis to Decatur Georgia. The drive covers 9 – 10 hours and crosses through 5 states. Fortunate for us, we had zero traffic.
Well folks, we travelled nearly 9,200 miles, across 21 states, visited 28 different National Parks or Sites in just 51 days. With this epic trip at our heels, I can confidently say, we survived!
Stay tuned for our final post on the Great American Trip, with our highlights and lesson’s learned!
