St Louis has a colorful heritage. From its French connection under Saint Louis IX, crusader King of France, to its well-known historical celebrities such as Lewis and Clark and Charles Lindbergh, visitors will find delightful exhibits including an exact replica of the Spirit of St. Louis at the Missouri History Museum. Stop by for lunch at Meriwether’s restaurant located on the upper floor of the museum.

New Orleans may be known as the proverbial Mardi Gras city but St. Louis has its own version of the week-long celebration. The quirky and fun Mystic Krewe of Barkus pet parade, the world’s largest, is held in the Soulard, the city’s oldest neighborhood famous for its brick row houses, blues clubs, taverns, and historic farmers’ market where Ulysses S. Grant once sold firewood.

Owners and their pooches stroll the streets decked out in colorful costumes trying to outdo each other. Dogs in alligator costumes; wiener dogs dressed as, well, hot dogs and one canine with a party favor in his mouth accompanying his organ-grinding master all delighted the crowd.

St. Louis has many different neighborhoods reflecting its early immigrant roots. In the Italian area known as The Hill, you can find local culinary favorites like the fried ravioli with marinara sauce at Zia’s and gooey butter cake at the Missouri Baking Company.

Other must-see favorites include the 630-foot Gateway Arch (Take a ride to the top.); Busch Stadium (new home of the St. Louis Cardinals); the one-of-a-kind City Museum; Union Station, designed to look like a French fortress; and the Missouri Botanical Gardens, the third largest in the world.

From its French roots and notable history, St. Louis is reinventing itself into a world-class destination filled with diverse culture, unique culinary experiences and major attractions. As I also discovered, this city has its own eclectic style with a surprise or two around every corner.