There's always plenty to do in St. Louis, and that makes it one of the best places to visit if you're traveling in or through the Midwest.

St. Louis is known for the Arch and, of course, there's the Cardinals. But that's not all there is to do and see down by the banks of the Mississippi.

In fact, you don't even need to be near the Mississippi or downtown at all to enjoy your stay in St. Louis. The City has plenty of attractions, but St. Louis County is also a great place to visit if you're planning a family vacation.

Locals joke that no matter where you want to go, you're about a half-an-hour away — and that's an important truth for the out-of-town traveler. There's plenty to do both in the city and county if you're willing to get out and do it, and where you stay can be an important factor in how your stay is.

With that in mind, these (in no particular order) are the best hotels to check out for those traveling to the Gateway to the West with family.

Holiday Inn Saint Louis West At Six Flags

Especially if you're traveling with younger children who get bored easily and need a ton of stimuli, getting as close as possible to Six Flags is a must when visiting St. Louis.

You'd be about 30 to 40 minutes away from downtown, so that's something to consider, but it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility to spend most, if not all, of your time in Eureka at Six Flags, especially in the summertime when the water park is open. It gets hot in Missouri — hotter than most would think — so the closer to the water you are, the better. Especially since nobody, and I mean nobody, swims in the Mississippi.

The Holiday Inn at Six Flags is as close to the park as you can stay. It's a beautiful hotel with kid friendly dining — breakfast, lunch and dinner — and if your little ones are under 12 they get to eat every meal free in the dining room. If your kids are 19 and under they stay free in your room, so this is clearly a hotel that caters to traveling families.

If you feel like staying in, there's a 60,000-gallon heated swimming pool and kiddie pool, a hot tub, two exercise facilities, an arcade, pool tables, shuffleboard and a bar that serves both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

It's literally fun for the whole family.

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Lumière Place

Lumière Place is a casino and hotel, so it may not be fun for the whole family — depending on what you want to do — but there's a reason it's on the list.

First of all, it's nice. If traveling and staying in style is high on your list, Lumière is a classy establishment with very nice rooms. You certainly feel like you're staying in a luxurious hotel.

Second of all, and perhaps most importantly for parents, it offers the ability to get away. If you've got a babysitter or grandparents around (they're lifesavers, aren't they?), parents can make the easy walk over to the casino and partake in all kinds of fun. Of course, there's casino games, but Lumière also provides entertainment and multiple bars and cocktail lounges. The kids can head over to the hotel pool with the babysitter while mom and dad have themselves some much needed "time off.”

Finally, Lumière is located near plenty of restaurants and some shops in walking distance, it's very close to the Gateway Arch, and it's a hop-skip-and a jump from Ballpark Village and Busch Stadium. Even if the Cardinals aren't playing, it's a cool experience to check out Ballpark Village and the surrounding area.

For a reasonable price, the family can have a good downtown St. Louis experience at a classy hotel, and mom and dad may be able to plan a getaway for the night.

It's a win-win.

Holiday Inn St. Louis, Forest Park

The beauty of the Holiday Inn near Forest Park is its. location. Located right off Hampton avenue, the hotel is situated in a perfect spot for families looking to do a little bit of everything while in St. Louis.

In a quick five minute drive you can eat some of the best Italian food in the world on The Hill, and St. Louis' famous Forest Park (which is actually bigger than New York's Central Park), is just as close in the other direction. The St. Louis Zoo is free, and it's an attraction kids (and adults) of all ages will love.

If you drive 20 minutes west you'll run into Six Flags, and 10-15 minutes back east up highway 44 will put you downtown.

The hotel is in a great location for exploring St. Louis, it's a nice hotel and the prices are reasonable.

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St. Louis Union Station Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton

It seems like every city has a Union Station, doesn't it?

While St. Louis' Union Station may not have the beauty of the one down I-70 in Kansas City, it is still a must-visit location that offers a lot to look at and do for the whole family.

Shopping is the main attraction at Union Station, as it's been converted into a mini-mall of sorts. Speaking of conversions, the Hotel is in the converted train station, with the Grand Hall of the station being the main attraction for visitors.

It lives up to its name. At night, the 65-foot ceiling becomes a stunning 3D light show, which includes fire and a 100-foot-long waterfall. That's worth the stay in the hotel alone.

There are restaurants and lounges in the hotel, but outside in the "train-yard" you can find Landry's Seafood House as well as the St. Louis Hard Rock Cafe.

Of course, downtown St. Louis is available at your fingertips while staying in Union Station, so when you're finished everything the hotel and mini-mall has to offer, make sure to check out the Arch City.