We left Grand Rapids on Thursday morning, thinking this would be a pretty standard travel volleyball weekend. Three days of games, a different city, and hopefully some decent weather. By the time we got back home Sunday night, it felt more like a mini spring break mixed with volleyball, college basketball madness, a questionable hotel experience, and one meal that stood out more than anything else.
It was just me, Susie, and Elena on this trip. Elena’s team, Rise Academy, was playing in the Nike Mideast Qualifier in St. Louis, Missouri, a three-day tournament running Friday through Sunday. Susie and I took a couple of days off work, Elena missed a couple of days of school, and Thursday was set aside as a no-rush travel day. We left around 11:00 am with no real pressure other than getting there.
The Drive to St. Louis and the Chicago Reality Check
Traffic was exactly what you’d expect heading southwest out of Michigan. I-94 through northern Indiana was heavy, and I-80 around the south side of Chicago had its usual slowdowns. Not quite stop-and-go, but slow enough to test your patience.
Once we merged onto I-55 heading south, everything changed. Traffic lightened, speeds picked up, and the drive became much more enjoyable. We stopped at a rest area about two hours out, and Susie took over driving so I could get some work done on my Chromebook. We weren’t in a rush, and it felt good to just let the day unfold.
Welcome to St. Louis (Tent City and 80 Degrees)
The first thing we saw when we exited the highway toward our hotel was a full tent city right off the ramp. Not just a couple of tents, but an entire setup with tarps, scattered belongings, garbage, and a single port-a-john sitting in the middle of it all.
Welcome to St. Louis!
I joked with Elena that I didn’t realize St. Louis had campgrounds and that we should have brought a tent. She thought I was serious at first, not quite understanding that people actually live like that.
What was also immediately noticeable was the weather. It was 38 degrees when we left Grand Rapids. When we arrived in St. Louis, it was mid-70s and climbing, with 80s in the forecast for the weekend. That alone made the trip feel like a win.
Parking Luck and the Stay-To-Play Problem
Our hotel was just a few blocks from the exit, and we circled once, trying to figure out where to park. The front was full, but we spotted one open street spot nearby and grabbed it. That turned out to be huge. We later learned that parking spaces in the area ranged from $25 to $75 per day, and free street parking was rare.
We made the decision right then that the car was not moving all weekend.
This tournament was a stay-to-play, which means you are required to book through certain hotels just to participate. The whole stay-to-play scheme is entirely bullshit. It is pretty obvious there are deals being made behind the scenes, and families end up paying more for worse options.
We normally stay at Marriott properties where we get a discount and earn points. Not this time. We were at a Radisson that had recently taken over a former Holiday Inn and was right in the middle of renovations.
And it showed.
First Night Food: Sauce on the Side and the Costanza
After checking in and grabbing our spectator bracelets at $50 each, we went looking for food. The first place we saw was a burger and milkshake spot that looked good but was packed and more of a quick-service setup.
So we kept walking.
A few blocks later, we found Sauce on the Side, a place that specializes almost entirely in calzones. There was a big menu board, tons of options, and the ability to customize whatever you want. You order at the counter, grab your drinks, find a seat, and they bring the food out when it is ready.
With it being our first warm day of the year, we grabbed an outdoor table.
I ordered the Costanza.
Yes, named after George Costanza from Seinfeld, who famously loved calzones. I did not expect much beyond thinking it should be good, but it ended up being the best calzone I have ever had in my life. Not even close. Everything about it was perfect, and it instantly became one of the highlights of the trip.
Friday Volleyball and a Free Afternoon
Friday morning came early with an 8:00 am start and players reporting by 7:15. The walk to the convention center was short, which was a huge advantage.
The place was massive, and we found out our court was inside the dome, the same one where the St. Louis Rams used to play. It was pretty cool looking up into the stands and imagining what it must have been like during those NFL games.
The Rise girls played great. Their pool only had three teams, so they played both opponents in three-set matches. They won all six sets and were done before noon.
Just like that, we had the entire afternoon free.
The Casino Session: Learning the 6 to 5 Lesson
With the afternoon wide open and temperatures pushing 80, Susie and Elena headed to a teammate’s hotel to relax by a rooftop pool. I had plans to check out the Horseshoe Casino across the street.
Walking in, the first thing I noticed was the smoke. Indoor smoking is still allowed there, which felt like stepping back in time compared to Michigan.
The casino itself was not huge, but it had everything. I checked the blackjack tables first. There were two $15 tables and one $25 double-deck. With my $515 bankroll, $25 minimums were not realistic, and even $15 was pushing it.
I spent some time on video poker first. I lost $20. Then another $20. Not ideal, but at least with video poker, there is some decision-making involved – as opposed to slot machines.
Eventually, I got a seat at a $15 blackjack table and bought in for $200. For the first few shoes, I hovered around even. What stood out was that I did not get a single blackjack until halfway through my fourth shoe.
When I finally did, it paid $18 on a $15 bet. I thought I was mispaid, and I was about to speak up.
That is when I realized it was 6 to 5 blackjack. It clearly stated so on the printed felt, and I hadn’t even bothered to look. Furthermore, I didn’t notice when other players were getting paid 6 to 5 on their blackjacks.
6 to 5 blackjack. I knew better. Every serious player knows to avoid it. But I was already there, and the shoe was getting hot. I pressed my bets slightly and managed to climb back from a low point near $100 to finishing at $260.
A $20 profit from the casino, overall.
Not much, but I walked out ahead, and that counts.
Friday Night: Sports & Social and a Surprise Pep Rally
Dinner that night was at Sports & Social near Busch Stadium with several volleyball families. After eating, we moved outside to a large open area with games, music, and a great atmosphere.
The kids were playing pickup basketball, there were cornhole boards set up, and a DJ was playing music. It was already a great environment, and then it suddenly turned into something else.
Out of nowhere, we found ourselves in the middle of a full-on Mizzou pep rally.
There were cheerleaders, a pep band, a stage, and energy everywhere. We were sitting right next to it without even realizing what was about to happen. We are not Mizzou fans, but it was one of those moments where you just take it in and enjoy the experience.
NCAA Tournament Atmosphere Everywhere
The NCAA tournament was everywhere all weekend. Every restaurant, every bar, every TV. Fans were wearing their team colors, there was energy in the air, and games were being played right there in St. Louis.
On Saturday, I proudly wore my Michigan gear as they took on St. Louis University and handled them easily. It added another layer to the weekend, being surrounded by that kind of atmosphere while also following Elena’s tournament.
It felt like we were part of something bigger than just volleyball.
Saturday Volleyball and High-Tech Mini Golf
Saturday was another strong day. The girls went 2-1 in matches, all going to three sets. Their only loss meant no bye during bracket play the next day, but they still made the Gold bracket, which is the highest level for their division.
They were likely the lowest seed, but they were in.
With the afternoon free, we tried something different and went to Putt Shack. It is indoor mini golf, but nothing like the traditional version. Each hole had interactive elements, and the balls had chips in them that tracked scoring automatically.
It was actually really fun and something I would definitely do again.
Dinner that night was at Cardinal Nation with most of the team families. Good food, good conversation, and a great way to wrap up the day.
Sunday Bracket Play: One and Done
Sunday morning was Gold bracket play. Single elimination. Win and move on, lose and go home.
Our opponent looked intimidating right away. Bigger players, serious demeanor, and undefeated up to that point. Rise came out strong and led early, but the other team stayed composed and came back to win the first set.
The second set was not as close.
Just like that, it was over.
We were proud of the girls. They played great all weekend and proved they belonged at that level. You cannot win them all, and there was something nice about being able to hit the road early.
The Hotel Experience… Not Great
Before leaving, it is worth circling back to the hotel.
Because it never got better.
The carpets were worn and needed to be replaced. Housekeeping was basically nonexistent. We had to ask multiple times for towels, coffee, and toilet paper, and half the time, it never showed up. We never saw a single housekeeping cart the entire weekend.
One night, we were woken up at 12:30 am by loud neighbors, and the front desk said they could not leave their post to handle it. When I asked for late checkout on Sunday morning, the answer was simply, “no,” with no explanation.
At checkout, one staff member listened to everything Susie explained and ended up comping one of our three nights and removing the tax. That helped, but it did not change the overall experience.
The Drive Home and the Weather Reality Check
We hit the road on Sunday and stopped for gas about 30 minutes out of St. Louis. A couple of hours later, we made a planned stop at Wally’s, which is basically a smaller version of Buc-ee’s. Clean bathrooms, tons of food, and exactly what you want on a road trip.
I grabbed a giant fish sandwich and a 300mg Black Rifle iced coffee for the rest of the drive.
The weather shift was immediate. Mid-80s and sunny in St. Louis turned into 58 and cloudy just a few hours north. I changed back into jeans and a sweatshirt and settled in for the rest of the drive.
We pulled into Grand Rapids around 6:30 pm to 45-degree weather.
Back to reality.
Final Thoughts
Three days of warm weather, volleyball, NCAA tournament energy everywhere, a random pep rally, a smoky casino session, and one incredible calzone.
It felt like a mini spring break wrapped around a tournament weekend.
And honestly, we would probably do it all over again.