Thatawaydad

Walking the Riparian Trail in Chesterfield takes you through woods, past lakes, and along streams and by a playground. Map of the trail system, including the Riparian Trail, Lake One Trail, and the Central Park Lake Trail in Chesterfield. I did not take the extension to Old Chesterfield Road or walk the Stream Walk, which I did on a previous hike. This walk involves the Riparian Trail, a paved…

Smelling the baking of fresh bread in the morning and seeing the red, white, and green colors of the Italian flag filled my walk through The Hill neighborhood, starting at Berra Park. This is St. Louis’ Italian neighborhood. I walked about a mile along the sidewalks through The Hill neighborhood and around Berra Park, which allowed me to see several sites in the area. A Short History Between…

Take a walk along Shady Grove Creek to see a small waterfall and a rain garden full of blossoms at Larson Park in Webster Groves. The walk is about 0.7 miles long, mostly on natural surfaces, with two loops along mowed paths and about 20 feet of elevation gain. Start of the Walk I parked at the Larson Park South Entrance lot. If it has rained recently, you might see a small waterfall trickling…

Start your day on the Meramec Greenway at George Winter Park, where you can walk along the Meramec River and through the river town of Fenton, Missouri. The route covers 8.3 miles and gains 113 feet of elevation. I think this is shorter since a section of the hike is closed due to past flooding. You’ll walk on asphalt trails, sidewalks, and some road sections. Depending on your route, you might…

Near Don Robinson State Park, you can visit the Black Madonna Shrine, famous for its colorful rock sculptures. Rockford Beach along the Big River is located nearby and is perfect for a short walk or a picnic. HISTORY OF THE BLACK MADONNA SHRINE In 1927, John J. Glennon, Archbishop of St. Louis, requested that a group of Franciscans come from Poland to establish a nursing home in the…

On the LaBarque Hills Trail in Don Robinson State Park, you’ll see eroded cliffs and clear pools surrounded by sandstone canyons. The trail itself is listed at 2.4 miles, but with the walk from the parking lot and some side trips to canyon views, I ended up hiking 3.1 miles with 423 feet of elevation gain. Walk along a park road to reach the trailhead. Start of the Hike I parked in the paved…

Hike through fields full of flowers in the spring and walk by swamps and ponds that used to be gravel pits at the Pacific Palisades Conservation Area. Map of the area showing the two sections of the trail and where I hiked between them to form the back loop. Overview The conservation area sits south of Eureka, Missouri, just off Highway K. There’s another section off Loop 44, but you can’t get…

Hike through woods and along the shore of Spector Lake at Binkley Woods Park in Warrenton, MO., east of the St. Louis Metro. The trail is paved and has two loops—one circles the lake, and the other goes through the woods. The total distance is 0.9 miles with 45 feet of elevation gain. Parking is along Morgan Street before the lake. Near the start, you can use this map to orient yourself. Lake…

You can enjoy beautiful views of Crescent Valley and the Meramec River by hiking the Bluff View Trail in Wildwood, MO. The trail is a 5.2-mile out-and-back hike with a 344-foot elevation gain. You can start from Bluff View Park at 1900 Old State Road or from the Al Foster Trailhead at 225 Grand Avenue, both in Wildwood, MO. Sign near the trailhead area Parking at the Al Foster Trailhead I…

On the Mallard Lake Loop hike, you’ll see cliffside drip falls and lake views, then have lunch on the deck at the Lakehouse restaurant in Creve Coeur Park. I hiked 2.6 miles on the loop, including part of the Creve Coeur Lakeview Trail, and went around Mallard Lake on both paved and gravel paths near the cliffs. I parked by the Creve Coeur Lakehouse Bar & Grill Trail sign behind the…

Walk the paved Lakeview Trail around a big, clear lake and check out Dripping Springs waterfall at Creve Coeur Park in Maryland Heights, Missouri. Starting the Hike I parked near the Taco Bell Shelter, which is named after the taco chain that helped build both the shelter and a boat dock on the lake. If that lot is full, you can find more parking along Marine Avenue to the north. Lakeview…

Hike along the highest bluff above the Meramec River on the Vilander Bluff Trail south of Bourbon, Mo. Overview I hiked about two miles with 354 feet of elevation gain, going farther than the main trail. The trail is rocky, so it’s not an easy walk. I would rate it as moderate. Trailhead Location This trail is under the jurisdiction of Onondaga Cave State Park, but the main park with the cave…

Pass by natural springs and hike through forested hills on a hike combining the Hamilton-Carr Greenway and Turkey Ridge Trail in Rockwoods Reservation in Wildwood. This is about a five-mile hike, with three miles on the paved Hamilton-Carr and two on the natural surface Turkey Ridge Trail. Signage near the parking areas. Hamilton Carr Greenway Map Starting the Hike I parked at the Al Foster…

The Norwegian Prima has a food hall with lots of choices, and a slide that goes from the top of the ship to the bottom. We went on a seven-day cruise on the Norwegian Prima from Port Canaveral. Our planned stops were the Bahamas (cancelled due to high waves), Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel. You can pick up your own desserts in the Indulge Food Hall. Buffet and Food Hall Options This is…

In Grand Cayman, try a catamaran cruise to Stingray City, shallow sandbars filled with stingrays that are used to people petting them. We went on a seven-day cruise on the Norwegian Prima from Port Canaveral, with planned stops in the Bahamas (which was cancelled because of high waves), Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel. Overview We booked this excursion through Norwegian Cruise Line for…

Well, it’s five o’clock somewhere at Margaritaville Ocho Rios, Jamaica, where we spent the day swimming and enjoying the beach. We took a seven-day cruise on the Norwegian Prima out of Port Canaveral with stops in the Bahamas (Cancelled due to high waves), Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel. Start of the Day The cruise ship came into the cruise port in the morning at Ocho Rios, where I took…

Our Norwegian Joy Cruise left from Long Beach, which allowed us to take a swan boat ride and explore the Venice canals. Our cruise left from Long Beach, California, and took us to Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta. ARRIVAL DAY After we landed at Los Angeles International Airport, we took an Uber to Long Beach and stayed overnight. This gave us some time to relax before our cruise…