I know technically Sauget is apart of the greater St. Louis area, but in my opinion, it really should be considered the greatest St. Louis area! Sauget is classy like Las Vegas without the pretense, romantic like Paris without the smell of piss and charming like San Diego without the traffic, this gem of a Midwestern town is truly a unique place. Located on the border of Illinois and Missouri, Sauget is a must visit destination for people all across the Midwest. Known by some as "Ballet du Sauget", you can tell that high culture and entertainment are a priority in this lovely community.

A community with a truly rich and interesting history I won't get into in this article, Sauget most certainly is the pride of southern Illinois. While northern Chicago is far more famous, due to the relentless violent crime and corrupt liberal politics prominent within its city limits, Sauget is preferred by many tourists, locals and traveling musical acts for its uniqueness and free loving spirit. In fact, this city is so beloved, it is even mentioned within songs by the musical acts of Bowling For Soup and world famous Uncle Tupelo. Known as Midwest's City That Never Sleeps, many of the locally owned businesses in Sauget never close, providing its guests with 24/7 food, drink and high value entertainment.

That really may be my favorite aspect of Sauget, the fact it never sleeps. Usually, it is the big cities like New York or Las Vegas which never shut down, and if you happen to be in a small town, you will be lucky if anything besides the Waffle House or a gas station is open 24/7. In Sauget, you can find yourself the inexplicable charm of a small town as well as the never ending excitement found in larger metropolitan areas.

Random Sauget Fact: Sauget is apart of the Cahokia Unit School District 187, which is hilariously ironic, because they are killing it with their test scores! Go Sauget!

With top notch lodgings, gaming, shows, food and all sorts of entertainment provided by The Casino Queen, one of the top rated casinos in the world, you'll wonder why you ever went to Vegas, Atlantic City or Reno in the first place. Especially when you realize how loose their slots are! Let's face it, what is more romantic than winning big! If you feel like venturing out onto the town, there are plenty of fine establishments which allow some of the finer young ladies around the greater St. Louis area to show off their dance moves! With a great reverence towards dance choreography, Sauget is definitely a hotbed of a love for music and the dedication it takes to be an amazing dancer. If you yourself feel like dancing, Pop's, a bar which never closes, is definitely where you and your partner will want to stop by. One of the few bars in America that serves alcohol 24/7, you can easily spend three weeks at Pop's, in just one night! While some nights some of the world's most popular bands may be playing, others you'll just find a mixed bag of locals and tourists having a blast. One of my favorite places to socialize worldwide, Pop's truly is an amazing and unique experience that every married couple should cross off their bucket list.

If you want to dine on any fine cuisine outside the casino, the options are endless! I do not want to name anything and risk leaving out some of my favorites, but trust me, if you want to taste expertly prepared Midwestern cuisine, Sauget has you covered in spades. I will mention though, the food truck outside Pop's is so good, you'd think you were in Paris. Also, the market near the OTB has some of the finest fruits and vegetables around, as well as a truly impressive selection of fine alcohols.

If you want to venture into St. Louis and explore that area, Sauget and St. Louis are connected by bridge, and it is an easy drive across state lines. Although, in my opinion, Sauget outshines St. Louis in class, excitement, culture and most importantly, romance. The next time you and your partner need to get away, if you're tired of the same old romantic vacations, give Sauget a try. You won't regret it!