The main campus of Washington University is on the western edge of the city and is bordered on three sides by suburban neighborhoods. Within 200 yards of Cupples Hall, the home of the Department of Mathematics, is Forest Park, a haven for joggers, bicyclists, and golfers. Forest Park also contains St. Louis's art museum, the museum of the Missouri Historical Society, an outstanding zoo, and a fine planetarium and science museum. To the south of Forest Park is the Missouri Botanical Garden. A ten minute walk to the north of campus is a neighborhood of bistros, record stores, galleries, and coffee shops known as ``the loop.'' A mile to the west of the campus is Clayton where there are numerous shops and department stores. Two miles east of the university is the Central West End---a residential area containing a melange of restaurants, pubs, antique stores, and cafes.
St. Louis is a musical city. Its symphony orchestra was rated by Time magazine among the top five in the United States. There are also chamber music, opera, and dance companies. Scott Joplin, Chuck Berry, Ray Charles, Tina Turner, and many other popular artists have made their homes in St. Louis. The Soulard neighborhood, south of downtown St. Louis, houses a number of blues nightclubs. The Laclede's landing area---the two hundred year old birthplace of the city---is the home of many cafes, rock clubs, and blues clubs.
St. Louis is a sports city. It is the home of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team, the St. Louis Blues hockey team, the St. Louis Ambush soccer team, and the St. Louis Rams football team. A domed stadium and convention center for the Rams opened in 1995. The new Scottrade Center is home to the St. Louis Blues.
St. Louis is a transportation hub. It is served by United Airlines, American Airlines, and many other large carriers. Direct flights from St. Louis to all parts of the United States and the world depart everyday. An ultramodern rail system, the Metrolink, links the downtown area with the airport and other parts of the city.
Downtown St. Louis offers a spectrum of shops, restaurants, malls, and places of historical interest. These include Eads Bridge, Union Station, the Basilica of St. Louis, and, most notably, the Gateway Arch.
St. Louis is an historical place. One of America's oldest cities, it was also the ''last eastern city'' in the days of the old west. The Lewis and Clark expedition to explore the newly acquired Louisiana Purchase territory originated from this area in 1803. The history museum, in Forest Park, contains Jesse James's gun and many other artifacts of times past.
St. Louis offers a panorama of places to dine---from the ''Hill'', which has a large selection of Italian restaurants, to dozens of Chinese, Thai, Japanese, continental, French, German, Ethiopian, Middle Eastern, Vietnamese, and other restaurants. Many of these are a short walk from the University. St. Louis has some of the country's best hamburger, rib, and country style food places as well as gourmet restaurants, such as Tony's, which is regularly awarded five stars by the Mobil Guide.
Outdoor enthusiasts will find many nearby opportunities for bicycling, hiking, camping and other activities. The foothills of the Ozark Mountains, which begin about sixty miles southwest of St. Louis, are noted for their beautiful small rivers where one can rent canoes for leisurely ``float trips'' that can last for one or several days.
For more information on St. Louis, check out the St. Louis Front Page.
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