Welcome to St. Louis, the diverse and culturally rich jewel that is the "Gateway to the West." Enhance your conference experience by exploring all St. Louis has to offer on these custom tours.
[1]The following tours are conducted exclusively for NCSS attendees by MAC Meetings & Events.
Click here to register for the following tours
[1]
St. Louis Highlights
Thursday, Nov. 21 and Saturday, Nov. 23, 1:30-5:15PM
Fee: $27
This premier orientation to St. Louis features visits to Laclede's Landing, Soulard--the oldest neighborhood in St. Louis--Lafayette Square, Tower Grove Park, and Forest Park, site of the 1904 World's Fair. The tour also includes a stop at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, or the New Cathedral. Known for its Byzantine interior, this awe-inspiring landmark contains the largest collection of mosaics in the world. The tour concludes with a drive down Market Street, past Union Station, historic City Hall, the Federal Court Building, Busch Stadium, the Peabody Opera House, and lovely Kiener Plaza.
African American St. Louis History
Thursday, Nov. 21 and Friday, Nov. 22, 9:30AM-3:30PM
Fee: $41.50
This tour highlights the rich history and culture of African Americans in St. Louis. It begins at historic Laclede's Landing, where early settlers of African descent owned property and where the music that is the soul of St. Louis plays late into the night--ragtime, jazz, blues, and hip-hop. The next stop if the Old Courthouse, site of the first Dred Scott trial. The tour will then visit the modest walkup flat where Scott Joplin and his new bride began their life in St. Louis. It now serves as a small museum highlighting Joplin's life and work. Enjoy lunch on your own at the famous Sweetie Pie's, serving some of the city's best soul food. The final stop is at the Griot Museum of Black World and Culture, depicting the lives of African Americans during and after the Civil War.
Cahokia Mounds
Thursday, Nov. 21, 8:45AM-12:45PM
Fee: $25
The remains of the most sophisticated prehistoric native civilization north of Mexico are preserved at Cahokia State Historic Site in Illinois, just 15 minutes from downtown St. Louis. America’s first city and arguably American Indians’ finest achievement is one of only eight cultural World Heritage sites in the United States. Known as “America’s Forgotten City”, Cahokia was one of the greatest cities of the world, larger than London in AD 1250. The city of Cahokia was inhabited for about 700 years and at its peak, almost a millennium ago, up to 20,000 people lived there. Tour the museum, stockade excavations, and woodhenge, and enjoy a climb to the top of Monk’s Mound, the largest prehistoric earthwork north of Mexico. The Mississippians who lived here were accomplished builders who erected a wide variety of structures from practical homes for everyday living to monumental public works. Visit the “City of the Sun” where you will experience one of the most complete and fascinating stories of this vanished Native American civilization.
Civil War Missouri
Friday, Nov. 22, 9:30AM-3:00PM
Fee: $52
Your tour starts with a visit to the new Missouri Civil War Museum and the Jefferson Barracks Historic Site, recognized as the oldest active military installation west of the Mississippi River, and one of the most sacred and historically significant Civil War sites in Missouri. From there travel to the Ulysses S. Grant Historic Site, White Haven, and then on to Bellefontaine Cemetery, established in 1849, where more than 50 Civil War notables are interred.
Abraham Lincoln's Presidential Library and Museum
Friday, Nov. 22, 8:00AM-6:00PM
Fee: $90
Travel to the land of Lincoln--Springfield, Illinois--to visit the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, opened in 2005. Relive the life and times of Lincoln though inspiring exhibits on his life and precious artifacts. The museum is now the most visited presidential library and museum in the U.S. After lunch on your own at the museum, visit Lincoln's Springfield home, restored to its appearance in 1860. The final stop is at Lincoln's tomb in Oak Ridge Cemetery.
Historic Ste. Genevieve
Saturday, Nov. 23, 8:15AM-3:15PM
Fee: $62
The village of Ste. Genevieve, Located on the west bank of the MIssissippi 60 miles south of St. Louis, provides a glimpse into an historic European town, the oldest permanent settlement in Missouri. Established in 1725, after the French founded New Orleans, Ste. Genevieve still retains many excellent examples of French colonial vertical log homes. A local docent will lead you through four historic homes, the Bolduc House (1792), Bauvais-Amoureux House (1792), Guibourd House (1806), and Felix Valle' State Historic Site (1818). Enjoy lunch on your own and time to shop in this quaint and historic community.
Fabulous Forest Park Shuttle
Saturday, Nov. 23, 1:00-5:00PM
Fee: $27
Enjoy four of the most popular attractions in St. Louis via this shuttle that will loop continuously through Forest Park, site of the 1904 World's Fair. Visits to the Saint Louis Zoo, Saint Louis Art Museum, Missouri History Museum, and the St. Louis Science Center's James S. McDonnell Planetarium are all potential stops on this tour. Spend as much time as you would like at any or all of these attractions, all offering free admission.
Click here to register for these tours
[1]
The following tour can be reserved with your NCSS conference registration
A Walk through Baseball Heaven: A Special Tour and Reception at Busch Stadium
Thursday, November 21, 1:00-5:00PM
Fee: $45. Includes stadium tour and reception.
Go behind the scenes of one of the most storied teams in Major League Baseball on this Busch Stadium tour and reception. Visit special Cardinal Nation locations such as the clubhouse, field, dugout, video room, batting cages, and the Champions Club, and then participate in an interactive social studies lesson from the award winning Cardinal Academic Program (CAP).
When the tour is over, join everyone for a special reception with Cardinal team officials and Mike Konzen, Chairman and Principal of PGAV—Architects for new St. Louis Cardinals Museum. Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the Cardinals' four World Series trophies, hear more about Baseball Heaven and its place in St. Louis history, and find out how a sports museum is built.