Every town has a story. Some are just more interesting than others.
In the case of St. Joseph, Missouri, it tells a story of both a sensational past and a burgeoning future. Outlaws and pioneers used to call it home; they paved the way for today’s makers and innovators. Downtown streets that used to be filled with luxury turn-of-the-century shops are now home to stores with a focus on local, artisanal products. The area where the Pony Express began and Jesse James ended is now a city that feels like a small town, where it’s not unusual for strangers at a bar to buy your next round.
This rare charm is what makes St. Joseph such a special place. My husband, Josh, and I spent a long weekend seeing the sights, getting to know locals, eating our body weight in good food (and drinking equally delicious drinks!), and trying to better understand the essence of what makes St. Jo so unique.
Only two hours from Omaha, two and a half from Des Moines, and less than an hour from Kansas City, St. Joseph is easily accessible and absolutely worth the trip. Read on to discover some of our standout experiences, where the personality of St. Jo really shone through.
The Shakespeare Chateau Inn is not your ordinary bed & breakfast. When writing for my blog, I have stayed in historic castles, remote snow lodges, exotic jungle oases, and big-city hotels around the world. The Shakespeare Chateau can compete with any of them. Built in 1885, this gem of a house features intricate woodwork, elaborate detailing, and dozens of beautiful stained-glass windows. Its owner (who makes fantastic breakfasts) lovingly and painstakingly restored the building to its original glory nearly a decade ago. Staying at the chateau felt like stepping back in time, where life was a little grander, a little fancier, and a whole lot of fun!
Tiger’s Den is that rare kind of bar that feels both otherworldly and completely down-to-Earth at the same time. Books are stacked floor to ceiling around the place, and we had our pick between comfy chairs, reading nooks, a bar top, and tables. It’s the kind of place where I could envision myself spending hours getting lost in a book or catching up with friends. Josh appreciated their selection of beers, and I indulged in their unlimited mimosa special. We both loved the friendly staff and how everyone sitting around seemed to join in on bar-wide conversations.
If you are a home decor fan, you will want to spend days in Nesting Goods. The store is filled with beautiful, carefully curated items that are designed to elevate your home. They have everything from affordable knickknacks to splurge-worthy investment pieces. I drooled over everything, and then made sure to take a moment to stop and play with the two adorable store kittens. We even picked up an original painting to commemorate our trip. Now that we’re homeowners, we think art will make a better souvenir than magnets (although we’ll still get some magnets and keep them on our bar fridge!).
River Bluff Brewing is an award-winning craft brewery located in a pre-Prohibition brewery space. Although I don’t like beer, I am married to a beer geek, so everywhere we travel, breweries are on our list. Josh was in heaven at River Bluff, sampling a variety of their beers and rating them on Untappd. What he loved about this place was the fun vibe, passionate staff, and delicious brews. He can be a bit of a beer snob, but he gave every beer he tried at River Bluff at least four stars on Untapped. (This is unheard of for him). I personally liked the fact that they had ciders on tap and that I could have delicious barbecue from Huckleberry next door delivered to our table. We also met some friendly folks who bought us a round to welcome us to St. Jo!
Have you ever tried Italian-Asian fusion? Yeah, me neither—at least not until our trip to St. Jo. Marco Polo is an unpretentious fine-dining experience with flavor combinations in their drinks and dishes that rocked my world. I ordered the General Tso’s Chicken Marsala and devoured every bite. This was such a fun spot to cozy up and enjoy dinner. The restaurant was part rustic, part modern (make sure to check out the bar in the back!), and all fun.
Okay, truth be told, I’m not a big gamer. But my husband is, so we found ourselves at Club Geek for drinks and video games after dinner one night. As he lovingly describes it, it’s your dream childhood game room combined with the craft beers and cocktails you’ve come to love later in life. We had a great time playing 90s classics like Mario Kart and Sonic the Hedgehog, despite the fact that I was reminded that grown-up Erin loses at video games just as often as younger Erin did.
It’s your dream childhood game room combined with the craft beers and cocktails you’ve come to love later in life
I’m a sucker for rustic, repurposed goods. Black Kat Salvage is filled to the brim with beautiful, vintage pieces that will make a statement in your home. Josh had to pull me out of there so I wouldn’t fill our trunk with all the little trinkets and treasures. Good thing they’re only two hours away, so I can make a quick trip back anytime!
The Patee House Museum was originally a 140-room luxury hotel that first opened in 1858. Now it’s an eclectic, historical Western museum that was included in the book 1,000 Places to See in the USA and Canada Before You Die. Each room shows a different slice of Old West living. This place is packed with interesting sights, from trains and storefronts to menus and balls of yarn. My favorite thing to do was step into some big shoes—literally, since the world’s tallest man, Robert Wadlow (who was 8 feet, 11 inches tall), wore them and once visited St. Joseph in 1939. Could you imagine what his tailoring bill would be today?
A true St. Jo gem, Il Lazzarone specializes in certified-authentic Neapolitan pizza. Their pies are baked to perfection in ovens handmade with soil from the base of Mount Vesuvius (I’m not kidding!). We took a two-week cruise around Italy this summer, and eating at Il Lazzarone took me back to dining alfresco on sun-soaked cobblestone streets, the scent of basil and spices thick in the air. You can’t go wrong with any of their pizzas. We split the Melanzana and the Patata so we could try both a red and a white pie. They were both unbelievably good!
It’s crazy to think that the house where Jesse James was gunned down in 1882 is still standing and hosting visitors. At the Jesse James Home Museum, we saw real memorabilia from his life and the actual hole in the wall made by the bullet that ended it. This absolutely blew my mind! My favorite part about the experience was getting to speak with a super knowledgeable docent, who was able to answer each and every question we had about Jesse’s life and provided extra color and insight on the displays we saw in the house.
503 Winery is the place to go if you want to discover your favorite Missouri wines. The owners offer an impressive selection of local wines and spirits, and they were happy to create a tasting menu customized to our palates. We easily spent a few hours here. As we chatted with everyone at the bar, the owners got to know our individual tastes, pulling delicious varietals for us to try. The nice thing is, they sell bottles of everything they serve so you can take a memory of your trip home with you.
If I had to sum up our trip to St. Joseph in a few words, it would be: fun, quirky, and memorable. St. Joseph is a city bursting with culture and character, and I truly don’t think there’s another place like it anywhere in the world. I’m so glad I got to discover its uncommon culture myself, and I can’t wait to visit again.