I must say I am doing an excellent job of using short trips to make the most of the dead of winter in Chicago. Just off of the tails of my Milwaukee trip, my sister invited me to tag along on her trip to St. Louis for Mardi Gras in the historic Soulard neighborhood.

Our first stop was the Anheuser Busch Brewery. On the tour, we tasted beer direct from a finishing tank and saw the famous Clydesdale horses. The horses up close are quite a beautiful sight. We also sampled some beer at the end of the tour, but we took it easy because we were headed to the Taste of Soulard.

With over 35 establishments offering samples of their food and beverages, we needed a plan.  We asked the locals for their favorites and went with the majority.

Our first stop was Hammerstone’s, where we snacked on tequila hot wings. Then we tried hot wings at McGurk’s. I’d call it a draw, as each was delicious but unique.

We cleansed the palate a bit with red beans and rice at Johnny’s and finished our feast with crabcakes at 1860’s. I love crabcakes, and these were awesome!

By now, my taste buds were on overdrive and my stomach was full. It was time for relaxation and good music, and we found it at the Mardi Gras party, featuring the Zydeco Crawdaddys. This was my second recent experience with a zydeco band, and I am really digging the sound. Although they are based in St. Louis, they really bring alive the music of southern Louisiana.

We stayed at the Drury Pear Tree Inn, which is truly an underrated gem. I made good use of their free hot breakfast, devouring several Belgian waffles, but later I worked it off in the 24-hour fitness center (truly a bonus on a busy trip). The beds were comfortable, the water pressure was awesome, and the staff was very friendly and helpful.

Although we were long gone by then, the six-week Mardi Gras celebration ended with a festive parade on Fat Tuesday. I would never imagine having this much fun in winter in St. Louis, but it was a great time, and I am penciling it in again for 2014.

— John Wroblewski, online contributor