Editor’s Note: This story also appears in Starting Line, Student Life’s orientation guide for incoming students.

Located next to the Tivoli theater, Red Herring Escape Rooms offer people the chance to experience having to escape a “locked” room by solving a variety of puzzles and riddles. Photo by Destiny Jackson | Student Life.

Moving to campus can be worrying. That doesn’t only apply to freshmen: For those sophomores returning after a year of pandemic, the world doesn’t look much like it did last year. Finding things to do can be daunting – should you just hang out in friends’ dorms? If you want to leave campus, where should you go? Luckily, there are tons of fun entertainment options near campus for concerts, plays, movies and more. 

Vintage Vinyl

on the Delmar Loop, about a 15-minute walk from campus

Only a 15-minute walk from campus is Vintage Vinyl, a record store selling vinyls and CDs of every genre and era. There’s always good music playing at the store, and on any given day you can find your favorite records by artists ranging from Ariana Grande to Prince. If you’re a melophile, Vintage Vinyl is definitely a place you’ll love. And hey, if you decide you want to work a part-time job on top of classes, you could apply for a job here.

The Fabulous Fox Theatre

on Grand Blvd, accessible via Uber or by taking the 2 route on the MetroBus and the red line on the MetroLink

If you love stage theatre, the Fabulous Fox is the place for you. Each season they present 6 to 7 touring Broadway productions right here in St. Louis! The Fox has been around for nearly a century, and it’s definitely a theatrical landmark you won’t want to miss.

The Tivoli

on the Delmar Loop, about a 15-minute walk from campus

The Tivoli theatre, located just on the Loop, often showcases independent and exploratory films. In the past, in addition to viewings of modern and popular movies, they’ve also shown foreign plays like Céline Sciamma’s “Portrait of a Lady on Fire.” If you’re a fan of cult classics, they’ve even done screenings of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” in October. The Tivoli will be under new management this year, but expect their quality offerings to continue.

The Pageant

on the Delmar Loop, about a 20-minute walk from campus

The Pageant is a concert venue on the Loop that has been around for more than 20 years, and its floor plan was specially designed to ensure that you always have a stellar view. Because it’s so close to all of the Loop’s restaurants, getting dinner before or after a concert is also incredibly easy.

Saxquest & Clarinetquest

on Cherokee Street, accessible by Uber or by taking the blue line on the MetroLink and the 8 route on the MetroBus

This store will likely only be useful to musicians, but I still thought it was cool enough to include here. The stores are adjacent to each other on Cherokee Street, and they sell and repair clarinets and saxophones. Each store has an impressive amount of instruments, and they also have accessories like reeds and music books. Even if you’re not a musician, Cherokee Street has a number of fun stores and restaurants, and it is always a good place for an outing.