<p>I am curious in knowing what the city/surrounding area of the campus is like. Can anyone give me some insight? Is it safe? ghetto? What is there to do?</p>
<p>The immediate area is a very upscale, older community with nice, stately homes. Just east is Forest Park, which has (for free) a zoo, museums, and other cultural insititutions. East of that is the medical school and Barnes-Jewish hospital. From there to the city the neighborhoods vary quite a bit. Some are coming back and a few are a little rough. Then there is downtown St. Louis, which is doing OK Not as well as some cities, but not nearly as badly as others.</p>
<p>West of campus (also on the train) is a small town called Clayton. Not too much there, but decent. There is also an area near campus called The Loop with the traditional college type shops and restaurants.</p>
<p>In summary, not as lively as very urban campuses like Austin Texas, or like pure college towns like Athens, GA, but very nice.</p>
<p>There is a train that stops at each end of campus. It goes to downtown one way, and (with a change of trains) to the airport the other way.</p>
<p>There's a Ritz Carlton less than a mile down the street if that gives you an idea of the area.</p>
<p>My son goes running in the park which is really lovely. He has taken the subway into downtown St. Louis to go to Cardinals games. Downtown has a renovated Union Station that has shops, a bungee trampoline place, and a really great outdoor restaurant area that includes a Hard Rock. Very fun place to go in nice weather.</p>
<p>Wash U runs shuttles to a nearby mall area, which has both a large indoor mall and a nearby strip mall. About any store you can think of is there. The indoor mall has the essential Cheesecake Factory.</p>
<p>There's an Applebee's walking distance to campus.</p>
<p>WashU has that hard to find combination of a beautiful suburban campus with traditional campus life within easy access of a city. Sure, St. Louis is not as exciting as NY or Chicago, but it has enough going on to keep kids busy for four years. </p>
<p>The most appealing parts of the city for the kids are the areas closer to the school---The Loop which is walking distance from the school and filled with funky restaurants and shops and The Central West End which is near the medical school and is a fun, upscale area also filled with restaurants and shops. </p>
<p>If you go to visit the school, you should definitely take the time to check out the surrounding area. You'll be pleasantly suprised!</p>
<p>Also, WashU gives all students and faculty Metro cards which make public transportation (bus and rail) free all over the city. Not having to pay for public transport increases the incentives for students to go explore the city</p>