Visiting O'Fallon & St. Louis for Your Couples Portrait Session? Here's Your Complete Trip Guide
If you're traveling in for a couples portrait session with us, we want your whole trip to feel like a getaway — not just a photo shoot. We shoot on location in Shiloh, IL 62221, just outside O'Fallon and about 20–25 minutes from downtown St. Louis, which means you're in a sweet spot: close to a walkable, charming downtown, and close enough to St. Louis to spend a night or two exploring a bigger city.
We put together this guide from our own local favorites — where to stay, where to grab breakfast, where to eat dinner, and what to do while you're here — so you can build an itinerary around your session instead of scrambling to find one.
Where We're Located
Our sessions take place in Shiloh, IL, tucked between O'Fallon and Belleville in the Metro East, just across the river from St. Louis. It's an easy home base: quiet enough for a relaxing trip, but minutes from downtown O'Fallon and a short drive from everything St. Louis has to offer.
Where to Stay
Unique Stays in St. Louis (~20–25 minutes away)
If you want to make a real weekend of it, downtown St. Louis has some genuinely one-of-a-kind hotels worth the drive:
Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis — Downtown on the riverfront with a full-service spa, Gateway Arch views, and direct access to Horseshoe St. Louis casino. A great pick if you want a little luxury built into your trip.
Moonrise Hotel — A space-themed boutique hotel on the Delmar Loop with a rooftop bar and quirky, memorable design.
Angad Arts Hotel — In the Grand Center Arts District, with rooms themed by a single bold color you choose at check-in.
21c Museum Hotel — Part boutique hotel, part contemporary art museum, set in a beautifully restored historic YMCA.
Magnolia Hotel — A historic 1924 building downtown, walkable to Busch Stadium and the Arch.
Hotel Saint Louis — Marriott's Autograph Collection property downtown, with a rooftop pool.
Closer to the Session (5–10 minutes away)
If you'd rather stay close and save the drive for exploring, these are solid, comfortable options right near us:
Best Breakfast & Brunch
First Watch — Right in O'Fallon (455-D Regency Park Dr.), open daily 7am–2:30pm. The closest, easiest option before your session.
Bowood by Niche — Central West End, a garden-adjacent brunch spot from James Beard Award-winning chef Gerard Craft.
Hatch'd — Princeton Heights, creative takes on brunch classics, family-owned.
Polite Society — Lafayette Square, a welcoming neighborhood spot for brunch and cocktails.
Where to Eat
Le Ono — Downtown O'Fallon, French Polynesian fusion with tropical cocktails, just 5 minutes from the shoot. One of our top local recommendations.
YellowBelly — Central West End, STL, island-inspired seafood and rum-forward cocktails.
Extra Wavy — Downtown West, STL, one of the buzziest new seafood and raw bar spots in the city.
Peel Wood Fired Pizza — Downtown O'Fallon, casual wood-fired pizza and a brewery on-site.
Things to Do While You're in Town
Gateway Arch National Park — The iconic 630-ft monument, with a tram ride to the top for panoramic river views.
Forest Park — Home to the free St. Louis Zoo, Art Museum, and History Museum, all in one sprawling park.
City Foundry STL — A food hall and entertainment complex in Midtown with Puttshack, Alamo Drafthouse, City Winery, and live music on weekends.
Missouri Botanical Garden — One of the oldest botanical gardens in the country, beautiful any time of year.
St. Louis Union Station — A historic train station turned aquarium, Ferris wheel, and mini golf destination.
Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site — A UNESCO World Heritage site just minutes from Shiloh, featuring the remains of a pre-Columbian Native American city.
Ready to Plan Your Trip?
Whether you stay close to the studio or make a full weekend of it in St. Louis, we hope this guide helps you turn your portrait session into a getaway worth remembering. If you have questions about the area, timing, or want more recommendations, just reach out — we're always happy to help.
Ready to book your couples portrait session with us?
