Travel By Design: Wright in St. Louis

Our adventure begins in the afternoon with arrivals into St. Louis and check-in at the historic St. Louis Union Station Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton, a grand railroad terminal transformed into an architectural destination.

Guests will enjoy an exclusive guided tour of Union Station, led by architectural expert Amanda Clark. This behind-the-scenes experience will highlight the building’s remarkable design, history, and adaptive reuse.

Following the tour, guests will have time to settle into their rooms before the group gathers for dinner in the evening.

The group will dine at Favazza’s on the Hill, located in the city’s historic Italian neighborhood known as “The Hill,” celebrated for its its generous portions, classic red-sauce dishes, and friendly hospitality.

After complimentary breakfast at the hotel, the group will depart for a full-day excursion to Springfield, exploring key architectural and historical landmarks.

The morning begins with a private tour of the Dana-Thomas House, one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s most complete and elaborate Prairie-style residences.

Following the tour, guests will view a nearby Frank Lloyd Wright–inspired mural before enjoying lunch at Maldaner’s Restaurant.

In the afternoon, the group will visit the Lincoln Home National Historic Site for a guided tour of Abraham Lincoln’s preserved residence.

The day concludes with a visit to Lincoln Tomb, including access to the interior of this monumental resting place.

Guests will return to St. Louis in the evening. Dinner will be on your own.

After breakfast, the group will board the bus for a full day of architectural exploration.

The morning begins with a visit to The William Bernoudy House, a refined example of mid‑century modern residential design, created in 1939 by William Bernoudy for his family. Closely aligned with the principles of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian architecture, the house features low horizontal lines, cantilevered forms, brick and wood materials, and a strong connection to the surrounding landscape.

Following that, the group will tour the Ebsworth Park House, a residence designed by Frank Lloyd Wright that exemplifies his later Usonian style.

For lunch, guests will enjoy time at the Saint Louis Art Museum in a reserved private dining space.

A guided tour of the museum’s collections will offer a curated look at one of the region’s premier cultural institutions.

The group will then visit the St. Louis Central Library, including the rare architectural volumes of The Steedman Collection, which is not typically open to the public.

In the evening, guests will gather for a rooftop reception at 360 STL, with sweeping views in every direction including Busch Stadium, the Gateway Arch, the Mississippi River, and the whole of downtown St. Louis. The group will enjoy a reception with beer, wine, and heavy hors d’oeuvres. 

After breakfast, the day begins with a visit to the Missouri History Museum to view its interior architecture and a detailed model of the 1904 World’s Fair grounds.

Guests will then tour the magnificent Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, renowned as one of the world’s largest collections of mosaic art, with shimmering gold tesserae covering vaults and walls to create a richly luminous sacred space.

We will then visit the National Building Arts Center for a fascinating, behind-the-scenes look at the physical pieces of America’s architectural history. Set on a sprawling former steel foundry site, the experience feels more like an “architectural salvage yard” than a traditional museum—where visitors walk among columns, facades, ironwork, stained glass, and fragments of buildings that have been lost or demolished. Guided tours lead you through this vast open-air and warehouse campus, sharing stories behind the artifacts and the buildings they came from, while highlighting construction techniques, materials, and preservation efforts.

Lunch will be at Salt + Smoke at Ballpark Village, a lively, modern BBQ restaurant known for its St. Louis–style smoked meats, including ribs, brisket, and house-made sides.

Following lunch, guests will have the opportunity to visit Gateway Arch, one of the most recognizable monuments in the United States. This experience includes the Gateway Arch movie and a ride to the top of the Arch!

The group enjoy dinner at Sidney Street Cafe, with a cuisine that reimagines elements of Chef Kevin Nashan’s past, blending his Spanish heritage, flavors from his childhood in Santa Fe, New Mexico, his classic French training, and his love for Midwest and Southern ingredients.

After breakfast on your own, guests will depart St. Louis at their convenience for return flights home.