St. Charles, Missouri
In the USA, small towns with big leisure time options have a hard time getting noticed. Unless you have family or friends in St. Charles, Missouri, it is unlikely that this charming part of history and entertainment has been added to your bucket list although it combines small town friendliness with big city gambling, gourmet cuisine and excellent wines. The city is noted as the birth place of Chuck Berry, Randy Keith Orton (WWE) and I give it a strong “thumbs up” along with a robust recommendation to visit.
Before the 20th Century
For a short time, this city was ruled by Spain (following the 7-Year War); however, it was a French – Canadian fur trader, Louis Blanchette, who founded it in the mid-18th century, naming it Les Petites Cotes (The Little Hills). As a formally recognized city, St. Charles was on its way to becoming the third-oldest city in Missouri. Although it is now measured as “small,” it did play an important role in the westward expansion of the USA as it was a river port and considered the last “civilized” stop by the Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804). It was such an economic engine for Missouri and became the first capital city for the state (1821-1826).
Ameristar the Lure of St. Charles
St. Charles is located near the eastern end of the Katy Trail, 225 miles of state park that is embraced by bikers and walkers. While attractive to outdoor leisure visitors, St. Charles is also a magnet for gamblers and gourmets.
Read the full article at wines.travel.
yahoo
Dr. Elinor Garely. Editor-in-Chief, Wines.Travel and TourismExecutives.com; Reporter, eturbonews.com and etn.travel
•Expert Witness: Hospitality, Travel /Tourism industry with TASA Technical Advisory Services for Attorneys
•Award winning international journalist/consultant
Former Professor of Management/Marketing; Coordinator - Hotel, Travel /Tourism program - CUNY, BMCC
•Former Professor - Business Management /Marketing faculty - Long Island University, NYU Stern School of Business, University of Shanghai, PRC
•International marketing and management executive with Playboy Clubs and Hotels, the Copacabana and related restaurants/ clubs; Helmsley Spear (Hospitality Consultant Division), Babcock and Wilcox
•Developed/implemented first hotel joint venture in Russia; first hotel/restaurant management program at University of Shanghai, PRC; designed/ implemented hotel management training programs for hotels in the United States, China (PRC), Malaysia and Caribbean
•Received Ford Foundation grant to study role of Community Colleges in PRC; consultant to the government of Kenya to explore new economic development opportunities in the USA
•Research includes an analysis of Guest Safety/Security at 5-Star/Luxury Hotels in Bangkok, Thailand, Cape Town, South Africa and Miami, Florida (Dissertation); Child Trafficking; eMarketing and We Know What Women Want in Hotels
•Former Real Estate Sales/Broker: Hotel Industry
•Doctorate in International Business from the University of Sarasota (Florida): focus on hotel, travel and tourism and guest safety/security
•MBA in International Marketing and Business Management from New York University, Stern School of Business with Honors from the American Marketing Association; Former Member of BGS Honor Society
• BS Degree, Lesley College, Art / Education
•Former Member - BOD, Sutton Area Community organization, International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association and HSMAI. Current Member - NY Travel Writers Association, Princeton Club of New York
St. Charles, Missouri