Living in the STL
Getting Around St. Louis and the Metro area
Public Transportation
You can ride the MetroLink, a light rail train, to the steps of Barnes-Jewish Hospital. MetroLink provides transportation to the airport, Galleria Mall, western suburbs, downtown (ball games and other sporting events), the undergrad WashU campus and Illinois. All employees of Washington University receive free access passes to MetroLink.
Driving
There is free parking for all residents at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Plus, nearly everything in St. Louis is within a 15 minute drive.
Biking
Very bike friendly city and can bike in easily from many surrounding neighborhoods. WashU and Barnes-Jewish encourage this alternative form of transportation and provide free lockers and showers. Many of our residents bike to work! View the secured bike parking facilities on the MAP_WUSM_Bike_Map.
Vibrant life
Missouri is a “Cross-Roads” of America with both a rural and urban population. St. Louis is one of the best kept secrets in the U.S.! The St. Louis metro area is the 19th largest in the U.S. (as of the 2012 estimate) with the population ~ 2,800,000. St. Louis is affordable and accessible with a diverse city and suburban life within 10 minutes of the hospital. St. Louis has a large minority community within the city (>50%) and is an important city for refugee resettlement. Metropolis St. Louis is a grass roots organization of young adults, single and married, aged 20 to 40 or so, living in the city of St. Louis. St. Louis is a great place for both families and singles.
Neighborhoods
St. Louis is a city of neighborhoods, with our residents living in a variety of locations, from the Downtown STL and the Historic Soulard district to the western suburbs of the city and all areas between! Washington University Medical Campus and Barnes-Jewish Hospital are located in a part of St. Louis City called the Central West End. There are many shops, restaurants, clubs, services and even a first-run movie theatre and a fully equipped gym in the beautiful old Chase Park Plaza hotel. Explore more for information about the Central West End, and general information.
Attractions and Activities
There are always lots of fun and exciting things going on in St. Louis. Take a look and visit some entertaining features of this old city. To learn more about things to do in the STL, please visit Explore St. Louis, the website of the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission.
Outdoors
- St Louis City has 105 city parks, including Forest Park and Tower Grove.
- St Louis County has 45 county parks, with hiking and biking trails, skating rinks, horse trails, white water rafting/floating, and fishing.
Markets & Fairs
- Soulard Market is one of the oldest farmers markets in the country
- Several global food/international markets are scattered throughout the area
- The St. Louis Art Fair is one of the best in the country
- Historic St. Louis Jazz & Blues Festival
- Shakespeare Festival
Public institutions and museums
- St. Louis Art Museum – FREE
- Missouri History Museum – FREE
- St. Louis Zoo – FREE: Top 10 zoo and one of three free zoos in the country
- St. Louis Science Center – FREE
- The City Museum: “Essentially a three story playground created mostly from reused and recycled materials.”
- Two children’s museums: St. Louis Children’s Museum and The Magic House
- Missouri Botanical Gardens – FREE on Saturday and Wednesday mornings. It is the oldest and 2nd largest in the US with free weekly Jazz Concerts in the summer
Forest Park
- One of the largest urban parks in the United States: At 1,293 acres, it is 500 acres larger than Central Park in New York with complete restoration in 2004.
- Site of the 1904 World’s Fair
- 36 holes of golf, driving range, tennis courts, baseball fields, boating, fishing, handball, ice skating.
- Over 6 miles of paved trails for cycling, rollerblading, and jogging.
- Numerous wooded hiking trails and picnic areas.
- Multiple free events: The Zoo, Art Museum, History Museum, Science Center, Annual Hot Air Balloon race, weekly summer Shakespeare Festival, Microbrew Festivals and more!
Music and Theatre
- The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
- Peabody Opera House
- The Pagent
- Powell Symphony Hall
- Fox Theatre
- The Municipal Opera Association of St. Louis : The nation’s largest and oldest outdoor musical amphitheater
St. Louis is a great “Sports City” and home of the Cardinals (Busch Stadium), Rams (the Edward Jones Dome), and Blues (the Savvis Center)!
Cost of living
Housing here is extremely affordable: St. Louis average housing price is $223K compared to a national average of $353K. Everything from dining out to major attractions in St. Louis are all affordable on a resident’s budget. 40% of our residents own their homes or condos. The map below shows the home locations of our residents.