Do you need a visa to get into Russia?? If so, how hard is it to get one?? Thanks!
Yes you need a visa and a hotel invitation. It's one of the harder visas to obtain but not impossible. For Russia it's best to pay extra and let a visa processing company that specializes in Russia do the work for you. I used this company:
We visited St. Petersburg this summer. We choose to take a guided tour, which precluded the need for a visa. I think the visa is about $100. Give yourself plenty of time to get one before your trip. I think using an agent, as suggested above, is a good idea. Russia and the US are probably the least friendly toward visitors who have anything but perfect documentation.