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A St. Louis guide to feeling happy and well in 2023

Make the most of the new year with these wellness tips on healthy eating, outdoor activities, places to relax, family fun, new attractions, and more.

If the theme of 2022 was the return to normalcy, all signs suggest that 2023 will be a year of exploring new places, expanding your horizons, and experiencing everything St. Louis—and beyond—has to offer. To help you plan for the year ahead, we've compiled a guide of must-do activities, new attractions, and strategies for making 2023 the best year ever.

For additional insights on each topic, click the links to the original articles.

Eat healthier

You won’t find St. Louis’ staple dishes—toasted ravioli, St. Louis-style pizza, and gooey butter cake, among them—on any diet menus. But you also don’t have to look far to find locally-prepared foods that are both enjoyable to eat and good for you. Make a visit to one of the region’s many farmers markets part of your weekly routine, and pick up fresh produce for your weekly meal prep.

If you’d rather have someone else do the cooking, there are several local prepared meal services that offer chef-crafted, fresh meals available for delivery or pickup. All of them are delicious, nutritious, and made with your health in mind. Sometimes, though, it’s nice to go out for a nice meal. It’s even better when that meal is healthy. For those abiding by plant-based diets, there are more than a dozen vegan-friendly restaurants to choose from in the region, including:

  • Frida’s/Diego’s Cantina: Natasha Kwan and Rick Roloff opened Frida’s, the eco-friendly University City establishment, a decade ago with the objective of serving plant-based food that customers could feel good about eating. In recent years, Kwan and Roloff have expanded their restaurant portfolio with neighboring restaurant Diego’s Cantina and Station No. 3 in Benton Park. Frida’s is currently undergoing a kitchen renovation, but lunch can still be had next door at Diego’s. Station No. 3, meanwhile, provides flexitarian options in the evening.
  • Seedz Cafe: With a name inspired by Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree, Seedz is focused on offering St. Louisans one of the most varied and health-focused menus in the region. The cozy cafe boasts an impressive selection of sandwiches and salads, as well as fresh juices and smoothies.
  • Tree House: A hot spot among plant-based eaters on the bustling South Grand dining scene, this vegan- and vegetarian-forward restaurant serves brunch and dinner to satisfy a variety of tastes. Grab a table on the sunny, stylish patio as you people watch and dig into a plate of your favorite veggie-inspired cuisine.

Expand your culinary horizons

While it's obviously best to maintain a healthy diet, it's also beneficial to try new things—and even to indulge yourself now and again.

The wide variety of healthy dining options above speaks to the region's appetite for more nourishing meals, but that's not the only trend in St. Louis' culinary community. In recent years, tastemakers across the nation have started to realize something we’ve known for a while: St. Louis has a truly extraordinary food scene. Citing a slate of fresh new spots and up-and-coming talent, the food bloggers, celebrity chefs, and restaurant reviewers have coalesced around a narrative: That St. Louis has arrived, transitioning from flyover city to bona fide food destination. It’s an exciting development and one that is well-deserved. These new industry voices, filled with creativity and innovation, make right now a landmark moment to dine in St. Louis. To help you pick the best places to go, we’ve assembled a guide of the best spots in town.

Keep in mind that the local dining scene is always evolving, and there are always new places to try. Already, we have our eyes on several highly-anticipated new restaurants set to open shortly after the new year. That includes Sado from co-owner and James Beard Award nominee Nick Bognar, who also owns indo, our 2022 Restaurant of the Year.

So go ahead, branch out, and give that new restaurant a try. Your belly and your brain will thank you.

Go on a date

Even if you've got your love to keep you warm this winter, you and your love might still want to venture out into the cold for a date. These ideas will keep you and your partner active, while helping you build and maintain a healthy, exciting relationship. For example:

First: Throw axes at Top Notch

Then: Dinner and drinks at Small Batch

Taking your date to throw things is a sharp idea for a fun night. Book a reservation ahead of time to get 90 minutes of UFOs—uninterrupted flying objects. If axes aren’t your jam, try tossing ninja stars or throwing cards. Top Notch has locations in St. Charles, Ballwin, and downtown St. Louis. If you end up at the latter spot, head over to Midtown for some post-throwing craft cocktails and interesting plant-based delicacies at Small Batch, where the whiskey list promises to be even more on target than your axes.

Or maybe you’d prefer to keep it simple with a night of cocktails: the intimate space at Brass Bar, the cool vibes at Lazy Tiger, or the cosmopolitan setting at Brennan's, among many others, are perfect for enjoying a well-crafted drink with a special someone. Whether you’re looking for someplace fun and affordable, new and notable, or cozy and romantic, you don’t have to look far to find a bar to fit the mood.

Spend time outdoors

The pandemic demonstrated just how rejuvenating it can be to spend some time outside. This year, try a new outdoor hobby. Maybe, like skydiver Luke Church, you want to try leaping from a plane at 13,000 feet. “It’s about as close to flying as you can get,” Church says. Or perhaps, like climber Hannah Koberstein, you want to try conquering a rock face. 

If you’d prefer a more tame outdoor experience, there are plenty of health benefits associated with merely taking a leisurely stroll. These scenic spots, including the Missouri Botanical Garden, Laumeier Sculpture Park, and Citygarden, are worth a visit. If you’d rather embark on a good walk (spoiled), spend a day on the links at one of these public golf courses. This handy guide includes insights into some of the best holes in the region.

For some of us, we’re not truly outdoors unless we’re on the water. Fortunately, there are several new ways to experience the region’s many waterways, including the Dardenne Blueway. Phase 1 of the project, a 3.5-mile water trail, begins at Riverside Landing Park and offers visitors a chance to experience St. Charles County in a whole new way. You can plan a visit to Simpson Lake, where Big Muddy Adventures recently launched a boat rental program featuring kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards.

Plan a relaxing trip

As things gradually began to feel more like normal this past year, it seemed that traveling was on the top of most people’s minds. Unfortunately, the traveling experience—particularly at airports—left plenty to be desired. The good news is that this year is expected to be much better for travelers.

Whether you’re using the help of an agency or planning a trip on your own, you should have no shortage of options as you hit the road—or the friendly skies—to relax. Is this the year you take that long-awaited dream vacation to Europe? With direct flights on Lufthansa from St. Louis Lambert International Airport to Frankfurt, Germany, crossing the Atlantic is as easy as ever. Consider booking a trip to one of these six destinations:

  • Frankfurt, Germany
  • Bilbao, Spain
  • Santorini, Greece
  • Prague, Czech Republic
  • Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Venice, Italy

If you’d rather drive to your destination, start your year with a winter trip to one of these regional locales for a cozy retreat. If you’re a football fan, plan ahead for next autumn and schedule a visit to one of these cool college towns. We asked local experts in Madison, Wisconsin; Iowa City, Iowa; Bloomington, Indiana; Oxford, Mississippi; Urbana-Champaign, Illinois; Lawrence, Kansas; Fayetteville, Arkansas; and Columbia, Missouri for their tips on where to go during fall semester visits.

Or plan a staycation

If you have young kids, maybe traveling far away isn’t the most convenient option. That’s OK. Neighborhoods across the metro area offer options for kids and parents alike to eat, play, and stay, whether visiting or on a summer break staycation.

Take downtown, for example. Bring the family to a ball game at Busch Stadium, take in a show at Stifel Theatre, and visit the one-of-a-kind City Museum for some interactive fun. When you’re hungry, make a stop at one of the many restaurants within walking distance of the attractions, including Sugarfire Smoke House, Baileys’ Range, and Rooster. At night, retire to a room at The Last Hotel or Hotel Saint Louis and admire the views from the heart of downtown.

Have fun in active ways

Places like City Museum, Busch Stadium, and Forest Park are tried and true St. Louis destinations. Soon, the region will have even more exciting ways to spend an afternoon or evening. These new or soon-to-open attractions will keep you entertained and on your feet.

The Armory

Originally designed and built for the 138th Infantry of the Missouri National Guard, the 250,000-square-foot complex once housed a swimming pool, locker rooms, and wooden tennis courts—the same courts where a young Arthur Ashe practiced after moving to St. Louis. The Grateful Dead also played two shows in the historic space back in 1968, and Ike and Tina Turner also took the stage there.

It’s fitting, then, that the renovated Armory STL will harken back to its storied past with its new offerings. Five additional venues within the complex are slated to open next spring, including the St. Louis Tennis Hall of Fame, which will pay homage to the tennis great, among others. The venue will also have a 60-foot stage for concerts, which will host both local and national touring acts. The six acres of flexible indoor space will also include six bars (with more than 70 tap handles), 40 interactive games, dozens of TV screens, VIP event spaces, and a two-story slide.

Topgolf Midtown

The second Topgolf location in the St. Louis area is expected to open later in 2023. The Midtown location will feature three levels and 102 climate-controlled outdoor hitting bays with Toptracer technology and Topgolf games including Angry Birds and Jewel Jam. The new space will also house a restaurant and bar, outdoor patio, rooftop terrace, and private event space. In addition to golf, Topgolf will host live music and family-friendly programs year-round.

Sandbox VR

Located adjacent to The Food Hall at City Foundry, Sandbox VR immerses players into different themed video games and uses full-body motion capture. Up to six players enter one of four private game rooms—called "holodecks"—and dress in a VR headset, haptic vest, backpack, and motion sensors on their wrists and ankles, which allows them to interact with one another while getting the sensation of being immersed in the themed world. Players will have a choice of six games: Deadwood Valley, Deadwood Mansion, Curse of Davy Jones, Amber Sky, Star Trek: Discovery, and UFL: Unbound Fighting League.

Puttshack

Puttshack is an international brand that centers around a technologically advanced version of mini golf. Each nine-hole course is guided by a number of instructional screens throughout the field of play, with the ball itself keeping track of the score through Puttshack's patented Trackaball technology. The location will occupy a 26,500-square-foot area at the east end of City Foundry STL, with four custom courses, inthe space formerly planned for Punchbowl Social.

Aerie’s Resort

Aerie’s Resort in Grafton, Illinois, is making a bid to attract more families to its hilltop adventurescape 45 minutes outside of St. Louis: It recently installed a new Alpine coaster, a type of thrill ride similar to a roller coaster, typically found in mountain or ski resorts. It’s the first of its kind in the state of Illinois and will run year-round (yes, even in the snow).

Experience the beautiful game in person

There's nothing quite like experiencing the highs of a thrilling sporting event, cheering along with a crowd of thousands of your fellow fans. On a frigid night in November, St. Louis experienced a taste of what it can expect when St. Louis CITY SC takes the field for its inaugural season in Major League Soccer in 2023. CITY hosted Bayer 04 Leverkusen of the German Bundesliga for an international exhibition that christened the brand-new CITYPARK stadium in Downtown West. 

Soon, a full slate of games will kick off at the 22,500-seat facility.

Although CITY hasn’t played its first official match yet, there are already lots of things about the region's new home team to be excited for. We've compiled 50 of the most interesting and unique facts, figures, and tidbits about the club. Think of this guide as a crash course on all of the things a CITY fan ought to know before the 2023 campaign kicks off.

Embrace the arts

St. Louis is home to a vibrant and diverse arts community, and 2023 promises to be a big year for the region. Recently the Regional Arts Commission announced that it will distribute $10.6 million in funds from the American Rescue Plan Act—which was passed by Congress in March 2021—to artists and cultural organizations across St. Louis over the next few years. The funding is the result of an 18-month process of campaigning and advocacy from RAC and its partners in the arts sector. 

For its 105th season this summer, The Muny will bring tales of forbidden romance, man-eating plants, and sisterhood to St. Louis theater-goers. According to Mike Isaacson, artistic director and executive producer of The Muny, the season’s shows aim to offer something for everyone.

Give back

There are a variety of opportunities to make a difference in ways large and small, from welcoming new neighbors to teaching children how to read or ride a bike, from maintaining a St. Louis gem to caring for those who are sick and less fortunate.

Kids can pitch in, too, from volunteering in state parks and caring for wild birds, to helping visitors navigate some of the region’s most family-friendly attractions.

One of the best ways to feel good is by doing good. In St. Louis, there are lots of opportunities to lend a hand.

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