St. Louis Ballpark Village is great place for sports and other fun

St. Louis sports fans have a fun place to go to check out their favorite teams. Not a sports fan? That’s OK, too, as Ballpark Village has a bit of everything for everyone. In addition to two sports-themed establishments, visitors can partake in a Budweiser-themed establishment, as well as country music and dueling pianos.

Ballpark Village is an anchored entertainment district in downtown St. Louis, across the street from Busch Stadium – home of baseball’s Cardinals.

We toured the building about a month or so before it was due to open last year. Then, it was drywall and concrete. Now, it’s packed with people having a good time. We enjoyed lunch and a self-guided tour recently.

As you enter the Village, you’re immediately welcomed by Fox Sports Midwest restaurant and sports bar. In the middle of the activities hangs a huge flat screen TV. The TV is worth $1 million. Four 90-inch TVs are dwarfed on its side. Smaller TVs ring the runner board. Fox Sports Live looks like it’s THE place to go to catch sports in the Arch City.

Fox Sports Midwest hosts its studio shows from the center. Can you imagine having a better sports view than a top notch stadium as your backdrop?

Staying with the sports theme, Cardinals Nation may be Mecca for all Cardinal fans. The restaurant includes the team’s Hall of Fame and Museum. You can witness the team’s history, from its inception to its last trip to World Series.

The museum includes almost anything you’d want to see related to the Cardinals. Early jerseys, logos, the history of the Cardinal, Stan Musial memorabilia, as well as models of the baseball stadiums the team has played in.

Fans can even try on World Series rings from 2006 and 2011, as well as hold actual bats of stars, such as Musial, Ozzie Smith and Matt Holiday. I think Lisa thought I behaved like a kid in a candy store. I grew up a Kansas City Royals fan, but then changed my allegiance to the Minnesota Twins while I lived in North Dakota. I’ve remained a Twins fan, but the Cardinals are my second team. They are my favorite National League franchise.

Just outside Cardinals Nation is a small baseball field that is actually on the grounds of the old Busch Stadium. People can picnic here, watch games on the outdoor TV or play a game of baseball and run the bases.

Moving on to the other tenants, the “King of Beer” maintains a strong presence. Budweiser Brew house occupies two floors of Ballpark Village. The first floor is for all customers, while the second floor has more of a “club” emphasis.

The outdoor patio on the second floor allows visitors an outstanding view of downtown St. Louis. You can party on the Brewhouse side or take in a Cardinals’ game with reserved rooftop seats. Lisa found her seat for the games.

Last year, she pulled a seat out of the boxes and claimed it for eternity. I’m sure The Cardinals’ front office may have had an issue with that.

I loved the view of the St. Louis Arch from the rooftop.

The PBR (Pro Bull Riding) bar offers up-and-coming country artists performing live on stage, as well as a chance to ride the mechanical bull. We’ll have to try out the bull one day.

Howl at the Moon is one of our favorite places to go in some of the cities we’ve visited. The dueling piano concept works well.

While Ballpark Village may add additional businesses, these are the anchor tenants and appear set to maintain their presence for some time to come.

You don’t have to be a sports fan to have a good time here. We recommend checking out Ballpark Village when in St. Louis. You won’t be disappointed…and you just might become a St. Louis sports fan.

For more information on the St. Louis Ballpark Village, please check out its website at www.stlballparkvillage.com.