Spring break is almost here for thousands of Middle Tennessee students.

Why it matters: Schools in Davidson, Williamson, Wilson and Sumner counties are among the many that will be closed next week. That means many families will be hitting the road.

State of play: We've written about plenty of convenient vacation options for Nashville families over the years, but one location in particular seemed to inspire and delight our readers.

🏆 The winner: St. Louis, Missouri. Nashville apparently loves the Gateway City.

• When we wrote about our plans for a team road trip to STL, we got flooded with enthusiastic recommendations.
• Here are our readers' top picks.

🍦 Ted Drewes Frozen Custard: This St. Louis institution was by far the most-referenced attraction. The custard is so thick you can flip it upside down without losing a drop.

• "It tastes best in a Cardinal hat but it's good in a paper cup too," Virginia K. says.

🛝 City Museum, which Richard S. calls "an all-ages architectural playground." He means that literally.

• You really need to see it to believe it. There are more than 30 slides for kids and adults, including some that twist all the way down from the roof; a vintage 1940 Ferris wheel; underground tunnels; and the world's largest pencil.

🐅 Forest Park, which David L. describes as "the St. Louis version of NYC's Central Park." (It's actually bigger than Central Park.)

• Attractions include a free zoo, multiple museums and world-class musical theater presented outdoors.

🍕 St. Louis pizza is unlike any other pie you've tried. It's served on a thin, crispy crust with sweet tomato sauce. But the defining feature is the polarizing Provel cheese, a mixture of cheddar, Swiss and provolone.

• Readers are split on the best place to try some. Imo's is a local giant, but Marjorie P. suggests Pirrone's Pizzeria in Florissant.

🍝 The Hill is an Italian neighborhood loaded with authentic cuisine, including the local delicacy, toasted ravioli.

🍔 Blueberry Hill serves what many Axios Nashville readers consider the city's best burger.

The intrigue: That's just a small sample. So many emails came in, we briefly thought we'd been hacked.

💭 Adam's thought bubble: I went to Saint Louis University in the 2000s, so I thought my Missouri bona fides were strong. But I was no match for our readers. We have several passionate STL stans in our midst.

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Nearly half of Tennessee parents said their children probably wouldn't get the flu shot this season, according to a new poll from Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt.

Why it matters: Parents who responded to the survey cited safety concerns as the biggest reason for avoiding the vaccine, despite the fact that experts say it is safe and effective.

• Many parents also thought the vaccine might cause an illness.

What they're saying: "Children can often get soreness or swelling at the site of the influenza vaccine, but only about 1 in 10 get a fever and other side effects are extremely rare," Vanderbilt pediatrician Stephanie Rolsma, who is an infectious disease expert, said in a statement.

• "The influenza vaccine is inactivated, so it can't give you the flu."

By the numbers: 48% of the parents surveyed said they would be unlikely to vaccinate their child for seasonal influenza in 2024-25.

Between the lines: Vaccine skepticism and misinformation has grown after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The big picture: President Trump's "Make America Healthy Again" commission is preparing to review certain vaccines for links to chronic illness. Health and Human Services is also reviewing federal funding of some vaccines.

• The commission effort is unfolding against a backdrop of ongoing suspicion of public health officials and the tools they used to fight COVID.

How it works: The Vanderbilt Child Health Poll is conducted annually in Tennessee to gauge parents' views. More than 1,000 parents across Tennessee were polled in late 2024.

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🔑 U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Nashville, appears to have been living at least part-time in a Washington D.C. home owned by local car sales executive Lee Beaman. (ProPublica)

Pilot error caused last March's fatal plane crash that killed a Canadian family of five in Nashville, according to a federal report. (Tennessean)

🏀 The Vanderbilt women's basketball team defeated rival Tennessee in the SEC tournament yesterday. (Knoxville News Sentinel)

If you're flying the friendly skies for spring break, BNA might be a bit of a bargain.

By the numbers: Average domestic airfare out of Nashville International Airport ran $342 in the third quarter of 2024.

• That's a little lower than the average for all U.S. airports, $366.
• And it's more than $100 cheaper than the average flight out of Washington Dulles International, which was the most expensive in the country.

Between the lines: Lots of factors affect airports' average fares.

• A heavy presence of budget airlines could reduce the average fare. (Our abundance of Southwest flights probably helps here.)

Before you tear into your weekend, perhaps on a road trip to St. Louis, take a swing at the Friday News Quiz.

• If you get all three questions right, you'll see your name under the accolades section of our newsletter, right next to icons like Debbie D. and Vinny T.

🍽 Which dish are state lawmakers hoping to add to the list of Tennessee's official state foods?

❌ Name a national park in Tennessee that had staff reductions as part of President Trump's federal firings.

🏗 Gov. Bill Lee remains hopeful that what Nashville economic development deal will still happen on the East Bank?

Reply to this email with your answers.