The heartbeat of any city isn’t its skyline or attractions—it’s the people. And in cities like Louisville, Kansas City, and Indianapolis, that heartbeat is felt in warm, unexpected moments of connection. St. Louis has every reason to join their ranks as a beacon of hospitality—but first, we need to ask: What are they doing that we’re not? St. Louis is an easy four- to five-hour trip from Chicago. By train, you can leave the Amtrak Terminal at 3:00 p.m. and make a dinner reservation in the West Loop by 9:00 p.m. But we’re also close to a wealth of other mid-market cities that are well worth exploring: Kansas City, Nashville, Oklahoma City, Louisville, Indianapolis, Iowa City, Cincinnati, Omaha, and Bentonville, Arkansas, to name a few.
These fun, friendly cities have many of the same things going for them as St. Louis. Residents genuinely like being there, which makes it easy to fall into conversations with strangers. And as a visitor, you might exude that inexplicable “not from around here” vibe—which often turns out to be a blessing.
On a recent trip to Louisville, for example, we browsed through a boutique and later ran into its owner at Jack Fry’s. Not only did she recognize us, but she and her wife came over to our table, invited us to join them for a drink, and even shared their anniversary celebration with us.
An equally charming experience happened at the Louisville Palace. Before the show started, the patrons seated around us introduced themselves and struck up a conversation. Totally unprompted. Seriously, who does that?! In St. Louis, you might get asked to help take someone’s photo in the lobby of the Fox Theatre, but people introducing themselves just because? Not so much.
In Kansas City, the friendliness extended to an Uber ride. After a casual chat, our driver recommended Joe’s KC BBQ and a bar called The Peanut, thoughtfully tailoring her suggestions to our vibe. That one conversation completely transformed our weekend. We not only enjoyed incredible food and drinks but also met people who made us feel at home, creating memories we’d carry long after leaving.
It’s almost like our Midwestern neighbors have hospitality baked into their culture—and somehow, we in St. Louis missed the memo. Unplanned exploration can be just as rewarding, if not more so, because of the joy of spontaneous discovery. In Indianapolis, we left our hotel, found our way to the Cultural Trail, and just started walking. We stumbled upon neighborhoods, music venues, whiskey bars, and pizza spots where locals lived, worked, and played—and we joined right in. It reminded me of what the Brickline Greenway could someday bring to St. Louis.
The hospitality we’ve experienced in these cities has left a lasting impression—and it’s something St. Louis could learn from. What if we made it a habit to not only welcome visitors but also connect with them on a personal level? What if we asked questions, listened thoughtfully, and shared recommendations tailored to what they’re looking for rather than what we think they should see?
There’s no doubt that St. Louis has the potential to match the friendliest cities in the Midwest. In some neighborhoods, that warmth and openness are already taking root. But as a community, there’s so much more we can do.
We all have a role to play in making St. Louis a more welcoming destination—a role that can transform the way others see our city and, perhaps, even how we see ourselves. It starts with something as simple as a smile, a question, or an open invitation to help someone explore. My number one piece of advice for discovering these underrated cities: Just ask. Whatever it is you’re looking for, chances are someone will have a good idea of where to find it. Art. Hiking. Music. International food. Anything.
And our number one piece of advice for St. Louisans is to make a collective effort to approach strangers and ask what they need—and take the time to really hear them out before overwhelming them with all our favorites. The warmth of a thoughtful recommendation or a genuine conversation could be the start of a story someone will tell for years to come.
A story that paints St. Louis as a truly welcoming destination—a role that matters deeply and embodies what hospitality is all about.
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