St. Louis is a wonderful place to visit and attracts a lot of travelers. According to news reports, St. Louis attracts almost 25-26 million tourists annually, tourism being an economic fund generator.
However, traveling in St. Louis or any other location, for that matter, can also be dangerous. We’ve compiled a list of safety precautions you should take before visiting St. Louis so that you can enjoy your time here without incident.
Preparing for Your Trip
Before you go, there are several things to consider. The first is getting a good guidebook. A good guidebook will include detailed information on the city’s history and culture and what it’s like to live there today.
You should also check the weather forecast for your destination to prepare you for any extremes of temperature or precipitation. It may also be helpful to look up exchange rates between currencies. This way, if your trip takes longer than expected due to unforeseen circumstances such as bad weather or illness at home, then at least it won’t break the bank.
Finally, ensure you have the visas for traveling to whatever country, state, city, etc., you have planned on the journey. There are many resources available online that can help determine whether or not an individual needs one. Just type “visa requirements” into Google Search Bar at any time during the preparation stages, and voila.
Getting Around Safely
One of the biggest things you need to take care of is road accidents. But besides the accident, there can be other possible safety measures you must take care of. For instance, only recently, in January 2023, three deadly homicides rocked the city county.
Here are some tips for that:
- Stay in groups, especially at night and in unfamiliar areas. If you go out with friends or co-workers, ensure everyone stays together.
- Avoid dark alleys and unlit streets. These can be dangerous places for travelers because they’re easy for criminals to hide in shadows or behind dumpsters where no one can see them coming. If you must walk past such places during the day, do so quickly without lingering near shadowy corners where someone might be hiding out, waiting to pounce on unsuspecting passersby like yourself.
Ensuring Safety While On the Road
St. Louis is a safe city, but using common sense when traveling around is still important. This is especially true when traveling in a vehicle. Accidents are unfortunate events that can happen anywhere and with anyone.
For instance, a recent car crash killed 3 women on May 23, 2023. There are also many such fatal accidents that lead to severe injuries. Additionally, St. Louis witnessed a 30-car pileup on the highway, in January 2023, due to slippery road conditions.
If you have been a part of such accidents and have faced severe injuries due to the other driver’s negligence, you can file a lawsuit for compensation. However, you will need a legal representative to help you with that.
You can hire a car accident lawyer in St. Louis to help you navigate the legal process. After being in an accident, you must also document the site, as it can help you with the lawsuit.
There are many such things you must do after being in a car accident. According to TorHoerman Law, you must call the police, contact medical professionals, take images of the accident to document it, not discuss the fault with anyone, and file the claim with the help of a St. Louis lawyer.
Staying in Safe Accommodations
When it comes to staying in safe accommodations, you can do a few things to ensure you’re staying somewhere that will leave you feeling comfortable and secure. First and foremost, choosing a hotel with a good reputation is essential. Look online for reviews from previous guests who have stayed at the same hotel as you. You’ll get an idea of how well-regarded the establishment is by reading what other travelers have said about their experiences there.
Secondly, check out online hotel ratings before booking your stay. Independent agencies like TripAdvisor or Yelp provide these ratings and give travelers insight into any potential issues at specific locations around town, so they know exactly what they’re getting into before making reservations anywhere besides their home base while traveling abroad, around town, etc.
Exploring St. Louis Attractions
If you’re looking for an activity that’s both educational and fun, consider visiting the St. Louis Zoo. This is the perfect place to start if you’ve never been to a zoo.
The City Museum offers visitors a unique combination of art installations, sculptures, and relics from around St. Louis’ history, all in one building. This artsy attraction also has an outdoor section where kids can play on playground equipment from abandoned cars or climb through tunnels made from old tires.
Another great place for families with young children is the Missouri Botanical Garden. It has many gardens filled with flowers, plants worldwide, and even some animals.
Dining and Nightlife Safety
Dining and nightlife safety is a big concern for travelers. St. Louis has many great restaurants and bars, but you need to know the area before you go out for dinner or drinks. In general, it’s best to find a safe place to eat and drink with friends rather than go into an unfamiliar neighborhood by yourself after dark.
When dining out with friends at night:
- Stay together as much as possible. Don’t split into smaller groups unless necessary. There are many places where people will try their luck at robbing larger parties because there’s more money involved when splitting checks between multiple individuals versus one large group order/tab.
- Be aware of your surroundings while walking around town after dark. Keep track of where other people are within earshot so that someone else can help out immediately if something goes wrong.
- If anything feels unsafe at any point during this process, then just leave immediately without hesitation.
While St. Louis is generally a safe place, there can still be some situations where it is best to take care of yourself. For instance, there were 200 murders and 3,4333 assaults in St Louis in 2022. That is a big number, given the small population of 1,290,497.
Conclusion
The best way to travel safely is to prepare for the trip and know what to expect. Before leaving home, take some time to research your destination so that you’re prepared for any potential dangers or surprises along the way. If something does happen while you’re away from home, you must know what resources are available to help you get back on track quickly.
