Just Outside St. Louis Is A Missouri Community With Affordable Living, Charming Architecture, And Unique Parks

St. Louis is a historic city that was once known as the "Rome of the West" due to its beautiful architecture and being the seat of the Catholic Archdiocese that governed churches across half of the United States. Today, most people know this historic city for its famous free zoo and as the home of the Gateway Arch, the only U.S. national park located entirely within a city. If you are planning a visit to St. Louis, make sure not to leave out the surrounding towns. Clayton, Missouri, is the city's second downtown and is filled with art and trendy shops. However, if you want to visit a place with charming architecture and unique parks, head to Sappington.

An unincorporated community located around 20 minutes from downtown St. Louis and 25 minutes south of the airport, Sappington is an easy stop on any trip to Missouri's second-largest city. Despite its proximity to some of the most expensive suburbs of St. Louis — like Frontenac and Ladue — Sappington has managed to stay affordable with home prices and rent below the national average. It is also pretty affordable when it comes to accommodation with nearby hotels ranging from $100 to $150 a night, as of this writing.

When visiting Sappington, travelers can start by soaking in the small town vibes and exploring the community's restaurant and bar scene. This way, you can get to know some of the community's famously friendly locals. A great place to do this is at Three Kings Public House. Three Kings is a pub known for sourcing the best regional ingredients, so they can provide their customers with fantastic food items like lobster bisque, calamari, salads, and their famous toasted ravioli. Toasted ravioli is basically a breaded and fried ravioli, and is, as a result, unsurprisingly beloved in the St. Louis area. If you'd like to try toasted ravioli along with famous St. Louis style pizza — thin-crust pizza topped with Provel (a mix of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone) cheese and cut into squares instead of slices — head over to That'sa Nice'a Pizza. Not a pizza fan? Try the well reviewed Hokkaido Seafood Buffet and Grill or go with a classic soup and bread bowl from St. Louis Bread Co. (known as Panera in the rest of the U.S.).

When you are done exploring the town and have gotten a bite to eat, feel free to drive around 7 minutes north to check out the Thomas Sappington House Museum. Located in the historic Crestwood suburb, this building is a prime example of Federal architecture as it existed in Missouri 200 years ago. Sitting on massive acreage, the Thomas Sappington House Museum features lush gardens, fountains, world-famous brick construction, and immaculately maintained flower beds.

An excellent way to appreciate the integration of art installations in the local Sappington community is by visiting Laumeier Sculpture Park. Numerous sculptures — some traditional in design and some postmodern — occupy the green spaces of this park. From giant eyeballs and nature-inspired gazebos to oversized deer and earth-lodged tires, there's plenty to see. One Tripadvisor reviewer said of the park, "This is a very large well-maintained park with interesting sculptures and plaques explaining the art and artist scattered throughout the grounds. There are also some nice hiking trails."

Another fun park to explore on a pleasant afternoon is Bohrer County Park. What this park lacks in sculptural prowess, it makes up for in sheer greenery and boastful amenities. These include tennis courts, shelters, playgrounds, and fields. The park is open to the public from dawn till dusk every day of the week. If you'd like to keep exploring charming towns near St. Louis, check out Chesterfield, known for its fall foliage, local flavor, and charm.