Pere Marquette State Park
$55
9:30 AM-3:00 PM
Today you will drive along America's newest scenic byway, the Great River Road, which stretches 50 miles through some of the most picturesque countryside along the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. Your destination is Pere Marquette State Park which was named for Jacques Marquette, a French missionary who was a member of the European expedition led by Louis Joliet. In 1673, Marquette and Joliet traveled down the Mississippi River as far as the Arkansas River. A nature-lover's paradise, this 8,000 acre park is famous for the exceptional beauty of its fall colors and for its bald eagles during the winter.

Before lunch, visit Pere Marquette's Visitor Center, which welcomes you with a three-dimensional map of the park, a gift shop and information center, a 270 gallon aquarium and a wealth of other display's and exhibits of the Illinois River, wildlife habitat, local history and geology.

For lunch, enjoy a scrumptious chicken entree in the Lodge. Native stone and rustic timbers of the original Lodge blend with the new to provide first-class accommodations in a historical setting. The mammoth stone fireplace in the lobby soars to a roof height of 50 feet and is said to weigh 700 tons.

Gateway to St. Louis
$67
8:00 AM-2:30 PM
Trace the history of St. Louis beginning with the city's original settlement, Laclede's Landing. It is now a nine block historic district filled with renovated turn-of-the-century buildings, housing, shops, eateries and offices. Just east of the Landing, pass the Gateway Arch excursion riverboats. Next, visit the famous Gateway Arch, the nation's tallest monument, which commemorates the gateway to the west for thousands of nineteenth century pioneers. Take a tram ride to the top of this 630 ft stainless steel architectural wonder. Those not wanting to ride the tram may enjoy Monument to the Dream, the film documenting the construction of the Arch. You may also visit the free Museum of Westward Expansion located beneath the Arch. The museum offers exhibits focusing on Native Americans, the early settlers in Missouri, and the Oregon and Santa Fe Trails, which departed from St. Louis.

Next, visit the Old Cathedral, the oldest Cathedral west of the Mississippi. Across the street is the Old Courthouse, the setting for cases involving slavery, the fur trade and equal rights. The Dred Scott Case is the most notable. Continuing west on Market Street you will pass several of St. Louis's civic buildings, plazas and a museum en route to historic St. Louis Union Station. Once the busiest rail terminal in the world, the Grand Hall and Train Shed have been magnificently renovated to house specialty stores and festive markets. After a brief walking tour of the Station, there will be time for lunch and shopping. A food voucher at Union Station is included.

At the St. Louis Cathedral you will see one of the largest collections of mosaics in the world - 84,000 square feet in 8,000 shades of color! Explore the historic Central West End neighborhood, the Barnes-Jewish Hospital Complex and the mansions bordering Forest Park, fine examples of the "Golden Age" of St. Louis at the turn of the century. Forest Park was the site of the 1904 World's Fair.

Frank Lloyd Wright House-Monday
$62
9:00 AM-12:00 PM
On this tour you will visit The Frank Lloyd Wright House in Ebsworth Park, located in Kirkwood, Missouri and nestled in grassy fields on 10.5 acres of land. The home has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places because of its significance in American architecture. Here, you will enjoy a private tour of the home and see up close the excellent examples of Wright's democratic vision, intended to allow middle-class Americans beautiful architecture at an affordable cost they are able to call home. The house has retained all of its original Wright-designed furnishings and fabrics and is well noted for its architectural integrity. The house was built for Russell and Ruth Kraus in the 1950's; It was the architect's first building in the St. Louis area and is now only one of five in the state of Missouri.

En route back to the Renaissance Grand you will tour through downtown St. Louis and see architectural wonders such as the Gateway Arch, Wainwright Building and Eads Bridge. Please note that lunch is not included in this tour.

Spirits of St. Louis
$79
9:00 AM-3:00 PM
Enjoy nature at its finest at the Missouri Botanical Garden! The oldest botanical garden in the country and a National Historic Landmark, the Garden has been internationally recognized for horticulture, education and scientific research since its founding in 1859. It is truly a St. Louis treasure! A guided tram tour will wind its way through the 79 acres of flora and climates as diverse as the tropical rainforest and the driest desert. Visit the newly renovated Climatron, the first geodesic dome greenhouse based on Buckminster Fuller's futuristic design. Included is a visit to the 14 acre Japanese Garden, considered one of the finest outside Japan. There will be time to explore your favorite areas on your own before or after lunch. A food voucher to the Garden restaurant, Sassafras is included.

En route to the King of Beers - The Anheuser-Busch Brewery your Destination St. Louis tour guide will familiarize you with the rich history of the colorful Busch family. Situated in a complex with over 70 red brick structures on 100 acres, the brewery buildings are known for their unique architecture and several are National Historic Landmarks.

During the tour, you will see the World Famous Clydesdales, the Fermentation Building, the Packing and Bottling Plant, the Brew House and a film about the brewing process. No visit would be complete without a stop in the hospitality room to sample the family of Busch products.

Frank Lloyd Wright House-Tuesday
$62
9:00 AM-12:00 PM
On this tour you will visit The Frank Lloyd Wright House in Ebsworth Park, located in Kirkwood, Missouri and nestled in grassy fields on 10.5 acres of land. The home has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places because of its significance in American architecture. Here, you will enjoy a private tour of the home and see up close the excellent examples of Wright's democratic vision, intended to allow middle-class Americans beautiful architecture at an affordable cost they are able to call home. The house has retained all of its original Wright-designed furnishings and fabrics and is well noted for its architectural integrity. The house was built for Russell and Ruth Kraus in the 1950's; It was the architect's first building in the St. Louis area and is now only one of five in the state of Missouri.

En route back to the Renaissance Grand you will tour through downtown St. Louis and see architectural wonders such as the Gateway Arch, Wainwright Building and Eads Bridge. Please note that lunch is not included in this tour.

Frank Lloyd Wright House-Tuesday
$62
9:00 AM-12:00 PM

Rivertown Tour
$56
9:00 AM-1:30 PM
Upon departing, your Destination St. Louis tour guide will familiarize you with the rich history of St. Louis dating back to more than 1,500 years ago, when St. Louis was a 20,000 person settlement known as Cahokia Mounds. En route you will receive a downtown overview including Laclede's Landing, the Riverfront and the Gateway Arch. You will pass the first church of St. Louis and the Old Courthouse, the setting of the Dred Scott Case.

Travel back in time as you visit the largest pre-historic Indian center in America. Cahokia Mounds is the site of the most sophisticated pre-historic civilization that occupied the Cahokia area from 700 A.D. to 1500 A.D. At its peak, the population reached 20,000, and at some point, vanished before the Europeans arrived.

Designated a World Heritage site in 1982, today Cahokia Mounds is essential to our understanding of the history of North America. You will begin your visit at the Interpretive Center where you will see a short orientation movie and a reproduction of a Mississippian village with genuine artifacts found in Cahokia. Weather permitting you will enjoy the walking Plaza Tour where you will have the opportunity to climb the man-made earthen mounds and see a wooden sun calendar.

Next experience the "Mighty" Mississippi first-hand during a Gateway Riverboat cruise. You will board a replica paddle wheeler for a one hour sightseeing cruise where you can take in the views of the dramatic St. Louis skyline. A boxed lunch is included with your cruise ticket.

Pulitzer Surprise
$40
12:00 PM-4:00 PM
You will see the majestic side of St. Louis through two of its most influential neighborhoods, the Central West End and Midtown. En route to the Midtown theatre district which is anchored by the Fabulous Fox Theatre, you will pass St. Louis University, founded in 1818; it is the oldest university west of the Mississippi.

Next experience the Fabulous Fox Theatre in style. Built in 1929 as a movie theatre at a cost of $6 million, the Fox Theatre is a magnificent example of "Siamese Byzantine" design. William Fox, of 20th Century Fox fame, designed it after a Hindu Mosque. It was one of his 800 theatre empire during the 1930's. Restored and reopened in 1982, the Theatre hosts concerts and Broadway musicals. A tour of the Theatre, complete with backstage access will complete your visit.

Following the tour of the Fox Theater, the Pulitzer Foundation is sure to be a unique experience for any artist, architect, scholar or art lover. The idea for the Foundation came from Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Pulitzer in 1991. It was created as a visual art center that concentrates on the understanding and appreciation of art and architecture. They chose the Grand Center Neighborhood to host the Foundation, whose structure was designed by world-renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando. Construction began in 1998 and was just recently complete. On your docent-lead tour you will see many pieces that include works from the Pulitzer collection, and commissioned pieces by Ellsworth Kelly and Richard Serra. Please note that lunch is not included in this tour.

Southern Living in St. Charles
$30
9:30 AM-2:30 PM
Visit St. Charles, the oldest town on the Missouri River, with a Destination St. Louis tour guide. Founded as Les Petites Cotes (The Little Hills) by French Canadians, St. Charles has carefully preserved its heritage as a river town that has welcomed visitors since 1769. Thousands of pioneers replenished supplies here on the awesome journey west.

St. Charles is a source of historical encounters: the Lewis and Clark Rendezvous, Missouri's First State Capitol, the origin of the Boone's Lick Trail, and home to Daniel Boone. Enjoy a driving tour of Main Street, a nine-block Historic District filled with 80 restored buildings dating from 1790 to 1900. Today, this cobblestone and gas lit street is known for its gifts, antique, and craft shops.

You may visit Missouri's First State Capitol or the Lewis & Clark Nature Center on own. The Capitol has been completely restored and furnished as it appeared during the period of 1821-1826, when the State Legislature met in St. Charles. At the Nature Center, the lower level of the facility houses the three boats of the Lewis & Clark Discovery Expedition of St. Charles. Upstairs, the Nature Center is a "hands-on" museum following the adventure of Lewis and Clark into the wilderness of the West. Enjoy displays including Native American tribes, the men of the expedition with their equipment and artifacts, or a walk through the forest.

For the gamblers in the group try your luck at Ameristar Casino offering 45,000 square feet of Las Vegas-style gaming on two dockside levels including 3,300 slot machines and 95 gaming tables. Please note that lunch is not included but is available at the casino or on Main Street.